Tapering - The best workout before a race

Tapering - reducing one's training in preparation for a race.  AKA being forced to do less of what one loves for an entire week.

After coming from the running world to obstacle course racing, I'm somewhat surprised at many of the racers' views (or lack there of) on tapering pre-race.  Most have a less favorable view of cutting back.  I get it - It can be the hardest part of your training.   However there are huge benefits to allowing your body to build during the week or 2 before the race.  Studies have shown that you can improve time by 2-8%!

Your goal in a taper week should be to reduce fatigue and maintain fitness- not to have any physiological gains.  You should not be trying to set PRs (personal records).


A running tapering schedule involves cutting out weight lifting up to 2 weeks before, and significantly cutting running miles.  This will not work for obstacle racing. 

The upper body has to have some sort of maintenance program before race day.  The sport is new, and there's not much out there in the way of programs, so I've had to experiment with different taper weeks over the last year. 

Take a look at what I do -
This may or may not work for you, but here is what I do.

***Remember that this is a scaled back version of my typical week. I typically run about 30 miles a week with 3-4 crossfit/strength sessions.  If this looks like one of your hard weeks, do not follow this to a "T".  Reduce miles, do less sets, etc.

***Trying to gain fitness this week will do you more harm than good - It's better to go in undertrained than overtrained. 

***Keep intensity, but reduce sets and reps.


Mon
Full Crossfit class - but will avoid anything that will make me sore (100 heavy deadlifts or something of that sort).  I avoid heavy squats and most leg work as a general rule as well.  I then add 2 sets of 8 reps of heavy Bicep curls, Tricep dips, Bench Press, Pull ups
Practice - spear throw

Tues 
Track workout after warm up, with equal time recovery - 6 miles total
Sprint 2x800m
2x400m
2x200m
Practice -spear throw

Wed
Run - 5 miles - stopping every mile to do 15 burpees
1 set of Pull ups, Tricep Dips, Bicep Curps, Bench Press, Bent over row
Practice - spear throw

Thurs
Easy 3 miles or rest completely depending on how I'm feeling

Fri
Easy 20 min - adding 3-4 x10 sec sprints

Sat
Race!

Remember to hydrate, sleep well, stretch out, eat clean, and relax as well. 

Spectrum 10k Race Report

Spectrum 10k Race Report
I was going to start this blog out saying
"I think I could've done better here" or "Here's where I should've improved" - But quite frankly I'm surprised I did as well as I did. 

I raced the Georgia Atlanta Spartan Sprint last week, and I was still pretty fatigued.  And add to that 3 other races in 6 weeks, I was due for a break.  Two days before the race I tried adding a measely 800 m at race pace into my run, and I was just too breathy to complete it.
Plus, I didn't feel like I had the "fight" in me - It usually takes a few weeks to get that back after racing
So I came in with no expectations (well maybe a little) and a hope to be able to hold a respectable time.
 
You start the race halfway into the BREATHTAKING Snow Canyon Park. 

Seriously Amazing!

A bus shuttled us in, and it was quite nippy at the starting line.  I got a 1 mile warm up in and chugged some MAMA CHIA. 

Standing at the starting line felt a bit foreign - I hadn't ran a 10k, or a non obstacle race, in over a year.  i hadn't trained for this - tempo runs and most street runs weren't even part of my workout anymore.  I stood there with my running center girls - Amber Green, Marci Jacobsen,  Jessica Brazzeel  and it felt good to be part of the "family" again. 

I'm not gonna lie - it was a far different starting line than a Spartan obstacle race.  The men and ladies had lean runner's bodies - not the bulging muscles that I was accustomed to at Spartans. And there were a lot more shirts on. 

So we started off - and it felt GOOD to be able to get into a rhythm and go.  The first mile has a pretty good downhill, and then they roll after that. It is ran through a BEAUTIFUL Snow Canyon State Park, and then out into surrounding neighborhoods.  The second half has more inclines than declines. Here are my splits.
5:20
5:44
5:40
5:55
6:18 (eke!)
6:05
So the wheels came off a little at the end,and I was feeling the past week's fatigue. I ran a little too conservatively on the downhill portions to make up the split between 1st place (Amber Green) and I.  She really took off from the get go, and I just couldn't close the gap. 
But considering how I felt 2 days prior, I need to be SUPER happy with my performance and chalk it up to a great training run. 

I have to say the finish line goodies were wonderful for my sweet tooth:)  Lucky Charms, Popsicles, bananas, grapes, yum.  And I loved being clean!
 
So I came in 2nd place and a $50 gift certificate to St George Running Center!

The Treadmill Workout That Will Make You Faster

No one was happy to see this hill at the
  2014 Vermont Spartan World Championships
which included a mile long 65lb Sandbag carry

Wouldn't it be nice to approach a hill in a race, and actually be happy to see it? 

Due to workouts that included the one below, I have made uphill running my strength.  I know I can use the opportunity to pass opponents. 

Uphill running will strengthen your legs and make you faster on the flats and downhills as well!

This is the Treadmill workout that will push your running abilities to the next level.  You HAVE to use the treadmill because it will not let you slow down when you get tired.  This workout done on your own outside will not give you the same results.

BEGINNERS - You will need to perform each interval at a slower speed (maybe a quick walk). Also keep each interval very short with a longer recovery.   Your beginning pace may be in the 4 mph region. 

INTERMEDIATE -  Aim for a pace  around 5-6 mph

ADVANCED - If you can easily do the  1 min interval at 6.5 mph, find a pace that challenges you.  The  early intervals might feel like cake, but they get hard really fast. 

Inclines will be ran at 12-15%.  Yuck, I know  These are your speed workouts, so you should not be able to talk.  Start with just a few inclines, and build on every week. 

Do .5 -1 mile warm up

Incline 1 min
 rest 30 sec
 repeat 2-4 times

Incline 2 min
 rest 1 min
 repeat 2-4 times

Advanced:  Add these

Incline 2.5 min
 rest 1.5 min

Incline 3 min
 rest 1.5 min

Rest can be done two different ways.  You will be able to add more intensity if you jump off the treadmill between sets.  You can also lower the treadmill and walk/slow jog between sets - This is a lot more work but also helps you to develop more of a rhythm.  Find out what works for you. 

Make sure you pick a speed that you can maintain - You most likely won't be doing this at 9.0 (or even 8.0).  Focus on shorter, quicker steps while keeping the torso lifted and core strong. 

For the insane athletes:   Add 30 burpees at the end of each set. 

Complete a slow jog at the end to help clear lactic acid out of muscles. 

WARNING - This workout will not help you develop a love for running.  You will love the results however!

Enjoy!  Let me know how much you loved/hated this after you are done.


You've trained for that race.  Here's how to taper beforehand.

Eating Like a Pro on a Mom's Schedule

The Daily Dilemma

It's 5 pm, and I'm standing (again) in front of the fridge trying to figure out what I'm going to fix for my family and myself. Sometimes I'm motivated enough to whip up a nutritious protein-veggie meal. But I also have those days that I let my 7 year make everyone ramen noodles (Don't worry - I throw frozen peas in there to bump up the nutritional value).  Preparation may come much easier to some, but I definitely struggle.   

Based on my training and occupation, I could be considered an pro-athlete.  I have to be more concerned than ever about what I put in my mouth.  Thankfully that usually translates to healthier food for my kids too.  I just try to make those "other" days more and more spread apart. 

I do have a few things that work for me.  

Here is how I, as a busy mom, have found ways to eat healthier. 

Planning and Preparation
On really, really, really good weeks, I will have taken a day and planned my whole week's menu.  I will then go to the grocery store and get all the ingredients that I need for those meals.  This is the perfect way to guarantee success.  Because the hardest thing to do is decide what to make at the last minute.

I usually take time to find a couple new recipes when I do this to change things up. 

I'm a little bit of a food snob where I don't really like old food.  I know athletes that prepare an entire weeks worth of chicken and vegetables, and then put it in cute separate containers.  I applaud such people, but I personally can't stand the taste of dried out chicken from 4 days ago.

This section is short because, let's be real, this happens every 2 months or so. 

When I am in the mood to cook, I REALLY cook. 

 I make much more than my family can eat so that I can have it lots of extras.  My husband can take it to work and the kids can eat it with me for lunch. 

This doesn't work for everything, but my favorite thing to do this with soups. No matter the time of year, soups hold up extremely well with time.  And the ingredients stay nice and moist.   They can also be frozen!

Here is one of my delicious healthy soup recipes. 
Tortilla Chicken Soup (scroll down to bottom)

Yes it will probably take you over an hour to make, but they can last you for several meals!  When I cook the chicken soup, we usually get a dinner and 2-3 lunches out of it. Most soup tastes better the next day anyhow. 

Too busy at night?  Use your crockpot and make it in the morning. 

I don't buy what tempts me 

Somehow that candy bar made it from the grocery store to your kitchen drawer. If you can tell yourself "no" 10 different times at the store, than it will start to become habit.  Eventually you won't even go through the denial process. 

Nothing makes me more sad when I train adults that tell me they are having trouble getting their snacking under control while they simultaneously hand out Cheetos and donuts to their kids.  They somehow feel that they have these amazing super denial powers when unhealthy snacks are around them.  If you have a sugar problem, for heaven sakes so will your kids/ significant others if you keep buying crap for them.

Kids can be perfectly happy eating grapes rather than fruit snacks. They actually will eat string cheese or carrots and ranch instead of chips if that's what you give  them. I used to feel bad that my pantry was not stocked full of Costco snacks- that somehow that made me a lesser mom. This decision has helped them make better food decisions. Most of the time, my children will head to the fruit drawer of the fridge when they want something. 

Go ahead and avoid that entire aisle at Costco. 

I am just as much as a sugar freak as anyone I know. I will eat ANYTHING with sugar in it. I don't even like thin mints but will eat them if they are in the house.   

So just don't tempt yourself because, if you are anything like me, you will lose. 

I have go-to meals that are easy

 

This is where I'm at most of the time, so I've had to cope with my own lack of planning abilities.

Going back to the 5 pm fridge standing, have something that is easy that you know is a winner. I suggest making a list and putting it on your fridge

Here are some of my easy go-tos. They are not going to be mac-n-cheese easy, but with practice won't really take that much more time.  (btw I'm not afraid of cheese in a healthy diet)

-Spinach/tomatoes/feta cheese/eggs - Sautee spinach and diced tomatoes in olive oil,     add eggs, top with feta cheese - Wrap these in homemade or refrigerated tortillas with cheddar or swiss cheese and kids won't even notice the veggies. Cook extra and save in the fridge for a quick lunch the next day

-Quinoa/broccoli/cheese - Cook Quinoa and broccoli separately, combine and add cheese

-Frozen bag of veggies with sautéed chicken (plus rice the night before long workouts). Costco brand of veggies is pretty decent tasting

-Bagged salad with beans/nuts/ cheese thrown on for protein. Great with leftover meat of any kind

-Baked chicken with tomatoes and veggies - (throw a can or 2 of Italian diced tomatoes over a layer of zucchini and frozen chicken, season with basil,garlic,salt,pepper, put in oven for 45 min)

-Sweet potatoes

-Whole wheat spaghetti with meat sauce and sautéed veggies. 

Shakeology

Yes this is my shameless plug for the shake that I use, and have believed in for over 5 years. Almost daily I drink one for lunch or a snack because the ingredients are overwhelmingly top notch.  And it is so easy when I don't feel like cooking.   It has 80 different ingredents including chia seed, wheat grass, flax seed... Just check it out for yourself here.

                                                                    
Recipes

Tortilla Chicken Soup

This soup is a favorite in my household - My kids even get excited! I usually double this for a family of 5 to make leftovers.

 

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 med green pepper, finely chopped
1 jalapeno
3 med carrots, chopped
3 med celery, chopped
1 tbsp chili powder
5 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
3 cups cooked chicken
1 can tomatoes canned -italian
2 tbsp lime Juice
2/4 tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 avocados
canned black beans

Notes / Directions

soften onion, green pepper, jalapeño, carrots, celery
stir in chili powder
add chicken broth and water

add chicken

stir in canned tomatoes
boil/ reduce to med - simmer 10 min
stir in
black beans - drain/ rinse
lime juice
salt
cook 1 more min
serve with avocado chunks, cheese, homemade corn tortilla strips

 

http://www.shakeology.com/tyannclark

Training through injuries

To Rest or Keep Going

I have to preface this blog post with the following disclaimer:  I am not a medical professional.  Please realize that statements made come from my own personal experience and from statements, recommendations, strategies, and methods used by other professionals throughout my life.

        It seems as though injuries have always gone hand in hand with my athletic endeavors throughout my life.  I suffered though back issues in Jr High during basketball season.  I encountered a knee injury and tendonitis after slicing it open in high school.    In college, my running came to a hault after I acquired and couldn't beat IT Band syndrome.  Post baby, the injuries stacked up - Hamstring strains, knee pain, shoulder pain, Plantar Fasciitis, back pain, carpal tunnel, neck pain, hip pain, severe ankle sprains,  Piriformis Syndrome.  Seriously - name your injury - I've had it. 
         I've always wondered if something was wrong with me.  Maybe I trained too hard.  Maybe the alignment in my body was all wrong.  Maybe I wasn't designed for athletics.
         But I love to move my body!  I love to see how far I could push my muscles - my mind was willing.  I knew there had to be more to it.

Running with Strength Tape on my hamstring

         As a fitness professional, I know that I'm not alone.  I know that almost everyone around me has something on that list, and many don't know what to do about it.  And many spend 1000s of dollars with doctors trying to fix their problems
         At 33 years old, I feel like the knowledge that I've accumulated helps me to discern bad pain from good pain, and has given me methods to deal with injuries before they come, or even head them off all together.  I hope that some of these methods will help others learn to deal with their pain.  Here is a checklist that you can go through to discern what to do.

Atlas Race Temecula Recap

“Winning isn't about finishing in first place. It isn't about beating the others. It is about overcoming yourself. Overcoming your body, your limitations, and your fears. Winning means surpassing yourself and turning your dreams into reality.”
― Kilian Jornet, Córrer o Morir

ATLAS Temecula Sprint recap - Feb 2014

It's easy to get caught up in the "winning" part of racing and forget that our journey is more about what we can prove to ourselves - what limits we can overcome.  At the Atlas race last weekend, our teammate was devastated as she crossed the finish line because she felt like she had failed our team.  I hope she remembers that our results are not always indicative of our effort.  She had done an amazing job, and had struggled where others had struggled.  Finishing with our head held high, knowing we did our best, is so much more important than a medal around our neck or a place on the podium.  She had given what she had that day.  I hope she knows that makes her a winner in my book.

It was quite an incredible experience this weekend.  The prize money and team competition of the Atlas Race had brought out many of the top OCR competitors - The starting line was brimming with talent on both the men and women's side. 

 

Pictured here - April Luu, Chikorita De Lego, Irene call, Maggie Thorne, Ella Kociuba, Tiffanie Novakavich, Rose Wetzel. Lauren Ho, Amelia Boone, Cassidy Watton, TyAnn Clark, Kk Stewart

 And the guys - Chad Trammel, Matt Murphy, Hobie Call, Hunter Mcintyre, Max King, Cody Moat, Brakken Kraker, and many more!

Team Spartan knew we had our work cut out for us, and that we were going to have to each pull our weight in order to pull this off.  The talent seemed to be evenly distributed between the teams, which was going to make for an interesting and unpredictable finish.

I woke up surprisingly refreshed (thank you April for the Tylenol pm:)) and ready to go.  At the race location, the sun was coming up and starting to warm up the morning in the beautiful Vail Lake Resort.  There weren't many obstacles to view from the festival area, but it was packed with things that are great to have post race - a massage tent, food, a free bag check.  There were many friends and familiar faces there who are quickly becoming like family to me.

At this race, there was money for top teams, as well as for individuals. I really wanted to do well in both, especially since my last races were less than stellar.  There were a couple aspects of my racing I was planning on tweaking, and was going to risk it to hopefully come away higher on the podium.

I had originally done the Atlas Race in Oregon and was very impressed with their organizers Lance and Scott, as well as the course.  They had some refreshing new obstacles that had made the race last Nov really fun and challenging. 

My husband, Jim, said that he knew I was going to have a good race - apparently he can tell these things.  Maybe I was more relaxed?  In better shape? 

After our sendoff, the pace was set (fast!) by KK, Rose, and April.  But I hung back slightly, preferring to speed up more gradually.  Most people die off. 

This time I was rooting for April to be up with me instead of behind me since she was on my team. That was a little weird.

The first obstacle was a spider web type thing with bungees that you have to weed your way through.  We all decided to go under.  I was right behind Ella, and got a nice bungee smack in the face as her foot struggled free of one.   That was nice.

Next we had a nice climb up the hill.  Thankfully I had prepared for these and was able to run the whole thing.  By the time we had scaled a couple walls at the top, I was snugly behind Rose. 

At around 2 miles, we were back at the bottom flipping tires  - a lot!  20 times or so?  But it gave us a chance to see where everyone was. Close.  Amelia was just slightly behind me, and I finished not long after Rose. 

We went over more hills and cargos (yay, I had finally learned to roll down them) and were back at the festival area.  It was now Rose, me, Lauren, and then Amelia. 

The intensity of the hills thus far had really pushed us, but we then had to struggle through burpee broad jumps - ugh. 

At this point, we were all struggling.  2 miles left to go, it seemed like I just needed to hang on behind rose and then out-kick her through obstacles at the end.  I was able to stay ahead of Lauren and was gaining on rose.  Until...

The Game Changer

The podium may have looked drastically different if this one obstacle hadn't been included.  We arrived at a 60 lb sandbag carry that was to proceed straight up a rather steep hill.  Visions of Killington flashed through my head as we attempted the painfully slow ascent.  Fortunately my "slow" was faster than Rose's and I ended up passing her halfway up.  We crested the top just in time to see that we weren't actually at the top yet!  So we pressed on.  As I started to descend the other side (with my lungs in my throat) I notice that there is no noise behind me (I didn't want to look) and I tried to go faster down the hill.  It was sandy and slippery and took everything I could to stay upright.  The thought that I could possibly pull off a win creeped into my head and I was elated!

 

Until I saw Amelia Boone shuffle by me. 

 

 

She looked effortless carrying that sandbag, and I just couldn't keep up.  We  got to the bottom, and still were required to carry the bag with us, dropping it only to go over walls.  The entire carry lasted a mile, and I was about a minute behind Amelia before we got to drop it.  As I dropped my sandbag, I saw April Luu coming in with hers!  She had come out of nowhere into 3rd place.  Our team had a great shot at winning!.
 

With .70 left to go I took off, willing my pace to drop below 6 min.  I could see Amelia, but didn't think I'd have enough time to get her. The finish had a nice combination of obstacles.  The barbed wire crawl was separated into lanes so that no one could roll and had to crawl.  There were several walls, tubes to crawl through, and mud to run through.  I finished strong over the last 8 ft wall. 

 I was disappointed that after all my effort, first place had evaded me, but was also ecstatic that I had just beat some athletes that I had yet to beat this season  I came in 50 sec after Amelia in 2nd place. 

 

 

April was able to hold her position and amazing come back in 3rd place. Our team score depended on a 3rd member of our team, and so we anxiously awaited either Jenny or Chikorita's appearance.  We got nervous as  all 3 members of the other 2 top teams finished before we saw our girls.  When we spotted Jenny Tobin, but decided to go out and give her a some "light encouragement" - She needed a good time for us to take first.  We yelled at her in more ways than one over the final portion of her race.  I'm sure she wanted to kill us, but I'm sure it helped:)
 

 At the end of the day, we had done it!  We squeaked by into first place!

The sandbag carry had changed things up dramatically, and had destroyed many.  I was happy that I had kept up with the runners, but could also hang with the tough girls. 
               
                                 TEAM  SPARTAN - Jenny Tobin, April Luu, TyAnn Clark, Chikorita De Lego. 
   

I loved the atmostphere at this race, and the friendliness and positivity of the race directors.  I also think they had some unique obstacles at their first race in Oregon that they need to bring back for their next race in Texas.  I would love to see the high dive back, as well as the log cross and hop.  I also love how they had bales of hay to drag, as well as multiple logs/ walls in a row to jump over (it was really taxing). The festival area was packed with obstacles and made for a good show.  Hopefully these can be back for the next race in Texas and then Vegas.

 On a side note, I love racing in gold.   If gold shoes can make Michael Johnson run faster, maybe he was on to something.  Now to find more gold accessories...gold compression socks anyone?

Even if I hadn't been on that podium, I was very happy with my performance.  I feel like I'm learning how to push my body harder and smarter with every race, and that I broke through mental barriers with this one.  So with that I must post again.

“Winning isn't about finishing in first place. It isn't about beating the others. It is about overcoming yourself. Overcoming your body, your limitations, and your fears. Winning means surpassing yourself and turning your dreams into reality.”
― Kilian Jornet, Córrer o Morir

Spartan race course preview

                      A Case for a Course Preview

The Sunday race - An interesting phenomenon within the obstacle racing community.  This race is typically preceded by a Saturday race on the same course.  One would think that after an intense race on the first day, the athlete's time on the second day would be much slower.  It is typically faster!  Some are just a minute or so, but others post over 5 min time difference. 

Why?

The athlete has had a preview of the course - they know what is coming.  That little advantage allows them to pace themselves, run with strategy, and know when to kick in.  Fatigue from the previous day does not overpower this knowledge.

I'm making a case that this could be a good thing - Not only to the racers but to the race directors. 

Just think of what you would do if you had a course map in hand the day before.  If you were allowed to go and view the obstacles, how differently would you run the race?  My guess is much differently.

Personally I would be memorizing where I would be making moves, where I would be maintaining.  Visualization is a key component to success in racing.  This is very hard to do when you have no idea what your course looks like, or even how far you are going to be running. Is it going to be 3.5 miles this time, or closer to 5?

I know that some people actually do love the surprise aspect of obstacle racing, and I would probably put Joe DeSena, a founder of Spartan race, at the top of that list.  He originally started with the Death Race - a race that has no set ending or apparent pattern that can exceed 48 hours.  The racers go in not knowing anything about what is in store for them except hours of pain.I think those are the most mentally strong people you will ever meet in your life.  I get it - I do.  Having the ability to keep a smile on your face while enduring through the crap that is handed to you is quite a gift.  When I was running down the last mountain in Temecula in my first Spartan race, the feeling of accomplishment was greater because I had conquered obstacles that I had never faced before! 

But as we are pushing this sport to be included in the Olympics, we should be observing the elements of it that will showcase true athleticism.   If the course will allow people to run it faster and harder, won't that add to the excitement, the entertainment, of the race?   If people run the course with strategy, won't the actual competitive nature increase?  These are all for the good of the racing company.  Without viewers, fans, and supporters, this sport will go nowhere.

At this years Spartan Championship race in Vermont, I raced almost the entire thing behind Jenny Tobin - She in 4th place and I in 5th.  It was such a long race but I was waiting to make a move on her when we got near the end.  We are both endurance runners, and know to go at things evenly, trying to expend the littlest amount of energy possible while maintaining a good pace.   I was planning on giving it everything I had left at the start of the last mile.  Well my gps watch said that we had hit 12 miles, so I tried to make my move.  I gave what I had left.  But we weren't heading back down the mountain?  We were still climbing.  Eventually we passed the 13 mile sign (still going up).  I had wasted the precious little energy I had and I did not see the finish line yet.  It turns out the course was over 14 miles, and when I did catch up to her, I had nothing left to pass her with.  

There are numerous times I've got to the end and wondered if I could've kicked in sooner if I had known we were that close. 

Maybe this is just my personal experience and maybe this will always be an element of obstacle racing.  I am the former marathon runner that would go and run the course at least 3 times in the months before the race, and would have the mile times I wanted taped to my hand. 

For heavens sakes I have an obstacle course in my backyard - If anyone enjoys knowledge and preparedness, it is I. 

I know there are others out there though - there are many that try to get glimpses of what's to come the day before.  Though not allowed on the course,  the actual view of the festival area puts them at ease and helps them to strategize. 
Getting lost on the course has also been proven to be a problem.  The brain is hyper-focused on other things and frequently misses direction signs.  Some have this problem more than others :)  Though I'm sure it's near impossible to have everything marked (people get lost in road races),  this could help with the problem.

Extreme Nation allowed participants on their course before the race.  Is this a trend that is likely to continue?  Either way, I'll race and I'll love it.  Even if it takes me way out of my comfort zone.