Information that would have been nice to have had a month ago

Last night my friend Jamie came over to discuss training plans, nutrition and cross training. Jamie is studying nutrition and dietetics (hopefully I got that right) and has spent the past year doing rotations at different hospitals and clinics. She has learned a lot recently in regards to nutrition for athletes due to a womens athletic clinic that she worked at and attended conferences that Kasie Enman spoke at. She learned from all these different places how to properly provide the correct amount of nutrition while on the move. Last night at our pow wow she told me that basically that I’m doing everything wrong. In a very nice, polite, we’re friends so I can break it down to you honestly without offending you, kind of way. One thing that she told me, that shocked me was that you need to have 2 gus, or 1 gu plus 1 pack of shot blocks or 1 gu and 1 pack of stingers or a variety/combination per hour of running. This basically breaks down to 1g of carbs per minute of intense running. If you add in Gatorade or other carby sports drinks you can go slightly less with the gus but thats basically the formula. Broken down like that I wasn’t surprised then that I bonked so hard during the Vermont City Marathon. I mean, I had 2 gus and 2 shot blocks TOTAL during the entire marathon. I should have had at least 6 due to all the Gatorade I was injesting as well.

With the new knowledge and fire in my belly to get stronger, faster and to obtain some of these goals that I want to obtain I need to fuel and train smarter. I am a creature of habit and I cling to my routine like a life perserver. Not any longer. I am actually going to try to swim against the rapids and do some new stuff this summer. This will include more cross training: eliptical, stair master- oh hi, haven’t seen you two in a while! Also, I might be hanging up my body pump membership card and actually hitting the weight room to really target muscles and keep my body guessing. Jamie hit the hammer on the nail, or the nail on the head? I digress. She said that body pump is great for the people who want to add strength training but don’t have the time, the know how or the confidence in the gym. For people with fitness goals it isn’t so great. I have been plagued with a weak hip and despite doing body pump three times a week my hip isn’t getting any stronger. Hence, I need to focus on my hip more which isn’t happening during pump class. I also have not gone up with how much I can lift in pump class since a few months after I started almost three years ago. I assumed the plateau was normal especially since I haven’t been as diligent lately with attending class, but I should see some advances in my strength and I still haven’t.

Jamie took my running goals into account and is building a training program for me. It will include hills, track/speed work, long runs and an easy run. Total of four runs a week. Also sprinkled in there are 3 days of weight training and 3 days of cross training. I think the first couple of weeks are going to be the hardest but I know I need to mix everything up. If I keep doing what I’ve always done and I expect different results that is insane. I am pretty sure a wise man has said that before, or at least a variation of it.

So expect a lot of complaining and a lot of growing pains in the near future over here at GMR. At least I get a week of vacation before I start my new plan…