Zugzwang Mark VII: Become a pro ellipticaller

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The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > You Look Like Shit > The Fitness Log Cabin > Zugzwang Mark VII: Become a pro ellipticaller

Funkutron5000: Jan 20, 2010

Zugzwang posted:

Yeah, no kidding. I was talking to him for a while while volunteering, and evidently, he has the kind of job where he can work insane hours in the fall & winter and then pretty much take off all the time he wants in the spring and summer. So, he can go to Colorado a full month before the Hardrock 100 to hang around, run, and acclimate to the altitude. Must be nice.

Flexibility-wise, I'm doing the third world squat, foam rolling, and basic static stretches at night. My flexibility is slowly improving, and it keeps the pain out of my legs, so whatevs~

In other news, I think I'm going to stop lifting for a while. I honestly don't care about my lifting numbers the way I used to (i.e. at all), and I have a lot of muscle (especially in my upper body) that I can afford to shed, especially if I ever want to be a remotely fast runner. I also don't want lifting to interfere with my running training right now. I do plan on picking it back up later, mostly for aesthetics and to avoid being a hopelessly weak poo poo. I think something like 150-160 might be a good goal weight for me in the long term, so commence twinkification, I guess.

Also, I'm about to enter another 50-miler I found on October 13. This is on a decently flat course in a beautiful park, and since it's in the fall, it'll be relatively cool (especially compared to my 50 in July, oh god). Plus, the finisher's medal

and technical shirt

are really loving cool.

That looks ridiculously rad. I may have to do something stupid.

And I really want a Bad Water belt buckle. It just screams "ultimate badass/ loving idiot"

# ? Apr 4, 2012 16:11

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# ? May 26, 2013 05:39

Rogue: May 10, 2002

Zugzwang posted:

In other news, I think I'm going to stop lifting for a while. I honestly don't care about my lifting numbers the way I used to (i.e. at all), and I have a lot of muscle (especially in my upper body) that I can afford to shed, especially if I ever want to be a remotely fast runner. I also don't want lifting to interfere with my running training right now. I do plan on picking it back up later, mostly for aesthetics and to avoid being a hopelessly weak poo poo. I think something like 150-160 might be a good goal weight for me in the long term, so commence twinkification, I guess.

Good for you for going after your goals. Good luck in achieving your goal weight and physique!

# ? Apr 4, 2012 16:16

Zugzwang: Jan 2, 2005; I look like you wanna look, I fuck like you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable, and most importantly, I am free in all the ways that you are not.

Thanks. My main concern at this point is that I may drop a shirt size by the time the Gibbet 50 rolls around. I want to be able to fit into that awesome shirt when I get it.

# ? Apr 4, 2012 19:38

KBD: Mar 24, 2010; get a butt

This log never fails to get me pumped for doing cool things. Thanks Zug!

# ? Apr 4, 2012 20:36

Zugzwang: Jan 2, 2005; I look like you wanna look, I fuck like you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable, and most importantly, I am free in all the ways that you are not.

You're welcome, buddy!

Also: Gibbet 50 officially entered!

Welp.

# ? Apr 4, 2012 20:52

wasianchickn: Sep 4, 2006; welp

Don't die.

# ? Apr 4, 2012 21:02

Optimus Subprime: Mar 26, 2005; Ideas are more powerful than guns. We would not let our enemies have guns, why should we let them have ideas?

Push it to the limit, etc. Your muscles will be waiting for you when you return from twinkdom.

# ? Apr 4, 2012 21:08

divinemisscopa: May 21, 2008; Did somebody say MILKSHAKES?

I fully expect the waiver on any long race to read "PS: You're gonna die clown" somewhere in the text.

Also, good luck!

# ? Apr 4, 2012 21:28

Zugzwang: Jan 2, 2005; I look like you wanna look, I fuck like you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable, and most importantly, I am free in all the ways that you are not.

Thanks y'all. I'll do my best not to die. That might make my girlfriend sad for some reason.

divinemisscopa posted:

I fully expect the waiver on any long race to read "PS: You're gonna die clown" somewhere in the text.

Also, good luck!

Check out the start of the waiver for this overnight ultra. The race director promises that runners really have seen all the things listed in it, except the polecats, and "they are there too."

quote:

I realize June in North Carolina is hot and humid. Most people and doctors advise against running in heat and humidity. Also,
running at night presents special problems such as seeing where you are stepping and watching out for cars. I understand
that this area has specific hazards such as rattlesnakes, copperheads, polecats, wildcats, and rednecks who like to drink and
drive and throw things. I know that 50 miles is a long, long ways and many people get tired just driving that far. Nevertheless, I
want, no, I insist I be allowed to do this event regardless of the risk.

# ? Apr 4, 2012 21:34

divinemisscopa: May 21, 2008; Did somebody say MILKSHAKES?

Zugzwang posted:

Thanks y'all. I'll do my best not to die. That might make my girlfriend sad for some reason.
Check out the start of the waiver for this overnight ultra. The race director promises that runners really have seen all the things listed in it, except the polecats, and "they are there too."

I also like the bit about rednecks who drink, drive and throw things

# ? Apr 4, 2012 21:48

Zugzwang: Jan 2, 2005; I look like you wanna look, I fuck like you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable, and most importantly, I am free in all the ways that you are not.

divinemisscopa posted:

I also like the bit about rednecks who drink, drive and throw things

I'd be a lot more afraid of them than rattlesnakes and copperheads tbqh

# ? Apr 4, 2012 21:56

divinemisscopa: May 21, 2008; Did somebody say MILKSHAKES?

Zugzwang posted:

I'd be a lot more afraid of them than rattlesnakes and copperheads tbqh

In all seriousness all of the problems I've had while running or hiking in backwoods Pennsylvania have been 2-legged creature related. I actually carry a pistol while hiking (no worries, I'm licensed) because of some of the nutjobs out there. Rednecks are dicks.

# ? Apr 4, 2012 22:00

Zugzwang: Jan 2, 2005; I look like you wanna look, I fuck like you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable, and most importantly, I am free in all the ways that you are not.

divinemisscopa posted:

In all seriousness all of the problems I've had while running or hiking in backwoods Pennsylvania have been 2-legged creature related. I actually carry a pistol while hiking (no worries, I'm licensed) because of some of the nutjobs out there. Rednecks are dicks.

I don't blame you. Dean Karnazes himself has mentioned on Facebook that he sometimes carries a Glock while trail running.

# ? Apr 4, 2012 22:47

Zugzwang: Jan 2, 2005; I look like you wanna look, I fuck like you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable, and most importantly, I am free in all the ways that you are not.

A calf cramp ripped me from my slumber at 4:50 am today. Didn't hurt my morning run though, because:

quote:

Tracked a workout for 1506 pts

Running:
1:37:43 || 10 mi || 9:45 min/mi || 160 bpm || light hills (+1506 pts)

This was:
1. The first morning run where I didn't need to take any walk breaks
2. The first time I broke the 10 min/mile mark for a 10-miler
3. And I managed it by 15 sec/mile overall, and with negative splits (9:48 for first half, 9:42 for second half)

I guess I'm not sick anymore! I returned home after my run to a dextrose + APW Cinnamon Bun shake, and now I'm off to work. A good morning.

# ? Apr 5, 2012 12:38

Zugzwang: Jan 2, 2005; I look like you wanna look, I fuck like you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable, and most importantly, I am free in all the ways that you are not.

Weekend long run!

quote:

Tracked a workout for 3655 pts

Running:
4:06:42 || 22 mi || 11:13 min/mi || 153 bpm || moderate hills (+3655 pts)

I started off on the trails and did 16.7 miles there with very little walking (just the big uphills). I got bored to death of going in 2.3-mile circles though, and decided to do the 10-minute drive home and finish my run on roads. It was a good decision. One problem is that the trails I've been using have a lot more climb than the ultra I'll be doing in July (which will be ~1.4% grade uphill during half of it, and that same grade downhill for the other half), so they're making it tough to cover the distances I need to cover for my long runs. I think doing flatter long runs and having a dedicated Big Hill Day midweek will be wiser.

# ? Apr 9, 2012 01:06

wei: Jul 27, 2006

That's nice, though I don't think there's much harm in doing long runs on something that's more hilly. Your plan of midweek hills and flat long runs works just as well if not better, of course. I wish we had more flat trail ultras like that, then I wouldn't have to resort to track ultras for a fast time.

# ? Apr 9, 2012 04:47

Zugzwang: Jan 2, 2005; I look like you wanna look, I fuck like you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable, and most importantly, I am free in all the ways that you are not.

Short recovery run today:

quote:

Tracked a workout for 486 pts

Running:
0:39:59 || 4 mi || 9:59 min/mi || 147 bpm || light hills (+486 pts)

My heart rate monitor was saying "you're barely working," but my body was going "oh jesus, not this again." I'm glad I only did 4 miles today. Gonna do 6, 10, 6 over the next three days.

wei posted:

That's nice, though I don't think there's much harm in doing long runs on something that's more hilly. Your plan of midweek hills and flat long runs works just as well if not better, of course. I wish we had more flat trail ultras like that, then I wouldn't have to resort to track ultras for a fast time.

You are a better man than I for being able to do a track ultra. Though both of us have a lot to live up to:

quote:

The 3100 Mile Race is the longest certified foot race in the world (Certificate Code: NY12013JG). The competitors seek to complete 5649 laps of a .5488 mile course (883 meters) in a timespan of 52 days. This year's 3100 Mile Race will start on June 17. Runners to the start!

Allow me to go ahead and pare that down to its essentials:

quote:

The competitors seek to complete 5649 laps of a .5488 mile course (883 meters) in a timespan of 52 days.

# ? Apr 10, 2012 00:46

wasianchickn: Sep 4, 2006; welp

Your heart rate monitor is trying to kill you.

# ? Apr 10, 2012 00:55

wei: Jul 27, 2006

Your heart is swole but everything else is weak, clearly. Low heart rates are normal for morning workouts, from my experience.

I've heard about that race. I think I would last about 2-3 days until my body broke down.

# ? Apr 10, 2012 11:05

Zugzwang: Jan 2, 2005; I look like you wanna look, I fuck like you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable, and most importantly, I am free in all the ways that you are not.

wasianchickn posted:

Your heart rate monitor is trying to kill you.

It will probably succeed.

wei posted:

Your heart is swole but everything else is weak, clearly. Low heart rates are normal for morning workouts, from my experience.

I've heard about that race. I think I would last about 2-3 days until my body broke down.

My heart rates vary on morning workouts. For some reason though, they're usually low the morning after a long run.

Regarding the 3100-mile race: honestly, the mental element of it impresses me a lot more than the (still highly impressive) physical element. Marshall Ulrich ran almost that exact distance & time when he crossed the continental USA (3,063 miles/4940 km in 52 days/52 days), but he at least had a change of scenery once in a while. The "self-transcendence" people are basically running around a flat hamster wheel. Their concentration abilities are incredible.

# ? Apr 10, 2012 14:30

Buzkashi: Feb 4, 2003

Can you average out your morning heart monitor readings or are they way too varied to make that a remote possibility?

# ? Apr 10, 2012 17:06

Zugzwang: Jan 2, 2005; I look like you wanna look, I fuck like you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable, and most importantly, I am free in all the ways that you are not.

Buzkashi posted:

Can you average out your morning heart monitor readings or are they way too varied to make that a remote possibility?

To do that in a way that's quantitatively meaningful, I'd have to factor in my pace, the temperature outside, humidity, how hilly the course is, how much I ran the previous day...can't say I'm enough of a math nerd to come up with a formula for that.

So basically, I just look at it and say "oh, that's a few bpm lower than usual." It's not terribly scientific.

# ? Apr 11, 2012 02:30

Zugzwang: Jan 2, 2005; I look like you wanna look, I fuck like you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable, and most importantly, I am free in all the ways that you are not.

Early morning run.

quote:

Tracked a workout for 1,598 pts

Running:
1:33:43 || 10 mi || 9:20 min/mi || 159 bpm || light hills (+1598 pts)

I felt great this morning and just kept on going and going. My plans for getting a negative split were put in jeopardy when I was held up at an intersection for over 40 seconds during the second half of the run - ugh. With 2 miles to go, I was plodding along, thinking "I'd have gotten negative splits if not for that intersection." Then I quit feeling sorry for myself, realized that "I'm going to get negative splits DESPITE being held up at the intersection" is much cooler than resigning myself to failure, and pushed hard all the way to the end. I ended up running the second half about 22 seconds faster than the first. This was a 25 sec/mile PR for this distance, by the way. Aand it looks like I should be able to do a 9:30-9:40 pace half-marathon without much trouble now, so I think I'm well on my way to a sub-10:00 pace marathon (that's ~4 hours, 22 minutes) in November. (~~Super-secret~~ new goal: sub-4 hour marathon)

Early morning workouts own. You can roll into work or school or whatever having already accomplished more than many people will in their entire day.

Zugzwang fucked around with this message at Apr 11, 2012 around 13:11

# ? Apr 11, 2012 12:51

Zugzwang: Jan 2, 2005; I look like you wanna look, I fuck like you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable, and most importantly, I am free in all the ways that you are not.

'Nother 10-miler.

quote:

Running:
1:41:28 || 10.3 mi || 9:54 min/mi || 158 bpm || light hills (+1536 pts)

Today wasn't a PR day. That's okay. This run was still quite pleasant. Plus, I'm on track to run 60 miles this week, which is an all-time high for me.

# ? Apr 13, 2012 01:34

KBD: Mar 24, 2010; get a butt

Sweet! Everything about your running.

I like the late night runs, just meditating on the day and falling asleep like a baby but you're making early morning sound really tempting. I'm such a baby about fasted cardio but if you've gotten over that hump, I'll try too!

# ? Apr 13, 2012 02:24

Zugzwang: Jan 2, 2005; I look like you wanna look, I fuck like you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable, and most importantly, I am free in all the ways that you are not.

KBD posted:

Sweet! Everything about your running.

I like the late night runs, just meditating on the day and falling asleep like a baby but you're making early morning sound really tempting. I'm such a baby about fasted cardio but if you've gotten over that hump, I'll try too!

I've actually been having some toast or a bagel before my morning runs (at least, the 10-milers). I want to go totally fasted though.

Also, you might want to check out wei's log for more running goodness. Even though he uses those weird kms instead of miles.

# ? Apr 14, 2012 00:05

Noxville: Dec 7, 2003

Is there any kind of benefit to running fasted besides convenience?

# ? Apr 14, 2012 00:32

Zugzwang: Jan 2, 2005; I look like you wanna look, I fuck like you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable, and most importantly, I am free in all the ways that you are not.

Noxville posted:

Is there any kind of benefit to running fasted besides convenience?

Honestly, convenience is why I want to do it. Though lots of people (including people I trust, like Lyle McD) seem to think that fasted/bonk runs can train the body to better use fat as fuel in place of carbs, which is important for ultrarunning, so that's another reason why I'm interested in it.

Edit: just found these -
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/spo...-training-42067
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/str...rformance-42126
http://forums.lylemcdonald.com/show...hlight=glycogen

Zugzwang fucked around with this message at Apr 14, 2012 around 01:43

# ? Apr 14, 2012 01:11

wei: Jul 27, 2006

She's from Europe, she understands kilometers.

Unless you yanks have already brainwashed her..

# ? Apr 14, 2012 04:14

Zugzwang: Jan 2, 2005; I look like you wanna look, I fuck like you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable, and most importantly, I am free in all the ways that you are not.

Welp.

quote:

Running:
2:38:17 || 16.2 mi || 9:46 min/mi || 155 bpm || light hills (+2676 pts)

Did this long run continuously (i.e. no walk breaks whatsoever), and it's by far the farthest I've gone without having to walk. I easily could have kept going, too, but I needed to get home for a sweet potato pancake & bacon breakfast. My running plan only called for 14 miles today, but I did 16.2 instead because this puts me at 100 km (62.2 miles) for the week - an all-time high for me! As I hit my goal distance, I shouted "WHOO!", fistpumped, and charged down a big hill to my car. I got some weird looks from people in the process, but I don't care because, as the wise Smile said:

Smile posted:

I like being weird because normal people are lazy, fat, and stupid. I want them to envy and be disgusted, with themselves or with me, I don't care.

Aaaand one other first for me today:

I forgot to wear my usual Band-Aids and ended up with my first bloody nipple! I actually didn't feel it at all (still don't) and only noticed it after I got in my car and looked down at myself as I was putting on my seat belt. Feels good man.

wei posted:

She's from Europe, she understands kilometers. Unless you yanks have already brainwashed her..

Imperial units at least have the "50 mile" and "100 mile" thing going for them. "80.47 km" and "160.94 km" don't have the same ring.

# ? Apr 14, 2012 15:29

Shine: Feb 26, 2007; HUP HUP HUP HUP HUP HUP

Zugzwang posted:

Aaaand one other first for me today:

God damnit, Zug.

e: please go post this in Incremental Improvements

# ? Apr 14, 2012 17:31

Zugzwang: Jan 2, 2005; I look like you wanna look, I fuck like you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable, and most importantly, I am free in all the ways that you are not.

Shine posted:

God damnit, Zug.

e: please go post this in Incremental Improvements

Done, good sir.

I also significantly rewrote the OP, since a lot's changed since I opened this log.

# ? Apr 14, 2012 20:35

Moist von Lipwig: Oct 28, 2006; BEEP BOOP
10 LIFT "A_WEIGHT";
20 GOTO 10;

You're pretty amazing dude, I don't think I could run 100 km in a month and you're just busting them out like it's nothing, I can't wait to see you get a sub 4:00:00 marathon

# ? Apr 14, 2012 23:05

Firebatgyro: Dec 3, 2010

Brother. Suns out guns out, why you wearing a shirt

# ? Apr 15, 2012 01:48

KBD: Mar 24, 2010; get a butt

Firebatgyro posted:

Brother. Suns out guns out, why you wearing a shirt

This is what I would like to know in respect to all the attractive TFLC posters

# ? Apr 15, 2012 01:55

Zugzwang: Jan 2, 2005; I look like you wanna look, I fuck like you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable, and most importantly, I am free in all the ways that you are not.

Firebatgyro posted:

Brother. Suns out guns out, why you wearing a shirt

It was 40 degrees F this mroing.

# ? Apr 15, 2012 02:22

wasianchickn: Sep 4, 2006; welp

Zugzwang posted:

It was 40 degrees F this mroing.

I would rather freeze to death than have bloody nipples.

# ? Apr 15, 2012 03:41

fatherdog: Feb 16, 2005; *RONK, RONK*
Make that three rard-boiled eggs.

KBD posted:

This is what I would like to know in respect to all the attractive TFLC posters

All three of them

# ? Apr 15, 2012 18:45

Zugzwang: Jan 2, 2005; I look like you wanna look, I fuck like you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable, and most importantly, I am free in all the ways that you are not.

Short run today.

quote:

Running:
0:44:06 || 5 mi || 8:49 min/mi || 157 bpm || flat (+669 pts)

I did the first half or so at 8:20 pace, but after yesterday's long run, I just didn't have enough gas left to keep going at that speed. S'ok.

Moist von Lipwig posted:

You're pretty amazing dude, I don't think I could run 100 km in a month and you're just busting them out like it's nothing, I can't wait to see you get a sub 4:00:00 marathon

This'll be my only 100-km week for quite some time. I'll usually be in the 50-mile range. But thanks.

wasianchickn posted:

I would rather freeze to death than have bloody nipples.

But not freezing to death is a prerequisite for having healthy nipples in the first place.

# ? Apr 16, 2012 04:01

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# ? May 26, 2013 05:39

Zugzwang: Jan 2, 2005; I look like you wanna look, I fuck like you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable, and most importantly, I am free in all the ways that you are not.

I'm trying something a bit crazy. I have a 10-mile race on Saturday, and I want plenty of rest for it, so I'm going to load all of my midweek mileage into one day (tomorrow). This way, I will have two entire days of rest before the race. Tomorrow is going to be cool, so that has been chosen as my "oh god too much running" day. My training program called for 7 miles today and Thursday and 5 tomorrow, so that's 19 miles - a 10-miler tomorrow morning and then a 9-miler in the evening sounds about right. I've never done a double with so much mileage before, either, so I'm curious to see how I respond to this.

In the meantime, I found a picture that someone took of me volunteering at the Umstead 100. I'm at the first aid station, where my job was to refill runners' bottles as they were getting food between laps around the course. I have a rather curious expression on my face...

"BRING ME YOUR GODDAMN BOTTLES. SO I CAN FILL THEM WITH WATER. NOW."

# ? Apr 17, 2012 23:19

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The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > You Look Like Shit > The Fitness Log Cabin > Zugzwang Mark VII: Become a pro ellipticaller