ANALYSIS PARALYSIS

I think I need to square the circle on all my stress tests, fitness, ultra running and AVP heart condition. I have now had two stress tests, one on a running machine and the other on a bike.....the reason for two is that the first one didn't work as I was 'moving around too much' and so the reading was faulty. Now correct me if I'm wrong but there are only two methods and surely I was not the first person to move around too much on a running machine ! Anyway the Doc insisted I do it again 3 days later. I can see why its called a stress test because they push you to exhaustion and I could hardly breathe at the end.........but what were the results?
       Well this being a French clinic I recieved a computer print out so large  I could have probably wallpapered my living room with it. My consultation (after nearly killing myself) lasted all of 30 seconds. 'You are very fit and your 'art' is very strong....it was a very good test'. - Okay but what of my AVP and all the other stuff ? - 'I see no problem..........if you choose to run up mountains that is up to you but there is nothing in this report that says you must not do it', and with that I was shown the door. Well at least it was quick.
   Next was my fitness/fat test with my coach, Paddy. 'You are the fittest, leanest guy over 50 that I have ever coached and you have the body of a fit 40 year old......and 11.2% body fat which is fantastic......why don't you try Ironman Triathlons ?'
       Confused....just a bit. This whole thing began with the Mayo clinic report and I have discovered much since then but my personal reports seem to show that yes, I have a minor heart defect (which could kill me) but in itself should not stop me from doing what I do as long as I train efficiently and maintain my level of fitness.............and Paddy thinks I should swim and cycle race as well... Crikey.
     Yesterday I bumped into my local doctor as I was about to arrange for a consultation to get a full overview of all this. There we were in the car park and after giving him a brief explanation of my MPV condition and the other tests he laughed, slapped me on the back and said 'no need Phil..... you're fine I suggest you go run up a mountain'......and then walked off !
     So there you have it:- at one end of the spectrum  my 'don't tempt the devil' doctor thinks I should stop running altogether and at the other end its 'go run an ultra and have a nice day'.
     To be honest its all down to the personal choices we make in life and after all this research I 'know' more and so can take a more informed decision about what I will and can do and I'm fine with that. I will take it all step by step and 'listen' to my body.....if I feel okay then I will carry on and if I feel a bit weird then I'll take it easy.......I guess its just common sense.
As the Delphic oracle said 'Know thyself' and 'Nothing to excess'.........or as Roy Rodgers said 'Happy trails'
  Last weekend Sue and I went up into the Alps and I did a early morning run on Sunday, it was breathtaking, quiet, fresh and still.......I was in an almost zen like state.....and despite stress tests, healthy nutrition and disciplined training it still all comes down to the simplicity of doing something life affirming in your own little corner of a beautiful Universe.

      
   
   

BUYING A HOUSE OFF KILLIAN

Now I know I have just got a lot of ultra runners attention but non ultra runners are probably confused. Why is this such a big deal? Firstly Killian Jornet is arguably the number 1 ultra runner in the world today so this is quite a coup...........kind of.
          Killian is at present involved in a rather unfortunate 'scandal' in that whilst winning the Speedgoat 50 k last week he 'cut the switchbacks'........shock, horror, why did he commit such a violent crime? The internet is rampant with indignation, opinion and judgement. How could an athlete of such super star status cut switchbacks???.........and what on earth does that mean???

     I shall explain; when running up or down a hill the trails often go in a zig zag pattern to control the route and preserve nature. This is a switchback. In the USA you have to stick to the trail and not cut across them because it gives a potential unfair advantage and also damages the ecosystem. These are the rules in the USA but this event was part of the Skyrunner World Series, an international mountain endurance running competition, and their rules say you can 'cut' switchbacks and take the quickest route from marker to marker.  So who was right, well Killian said he didn't know about the US rules....only problem with this is that he was warned during the race and he continued to do it. But who warned him, was it a credited official and did Killian, who is Spanish, truly understand.....  and furthermore others were seen doing it.
    The organiser, Karl Meltzer, a well respected ultra champion in his own right had a difficult decision to make. He decided to give Killian the win but not the prize money and Killian gracefully accepted this. The prize money was divided amongst  the others. Many people agree with Karl, many do not, the latter believing that he should have been DQ'd (disqualified). In Europe you can cut switchbacks and I have done it......but I have to say it always feels wrong....and though you may gain a small advantage you run the risk of falling down a rabbit hole or injuring yourself due to the speed of descent. When climbing it takes more energy to cut a switchback but you get to the top marginally quicker. Then of course there is the enviromental question of disturbing nature by not sticking to the marked trails.
     Its a fierce debate which might seem trivial to some but in the ultra world its serious stuff. No doubt this story will run and run (so to speak). When I ran the Way to Cool 50k in California this year I had no idea about these rules, luckily I didn't 'cut' anything but I would have been devastated to be DQ'd if I had. Still atleast we all now know so there are no excuses from now on.
      So what of Killians house. As I was walking down the garden path it zig zagged down the hill and I noticed Killian cutting across the garden....I thought mmm he's at it again cutting switchbacks even in his own garden.........the man's obsessed!
         Anyway we have just made an offer to Killian to buy this most beautiful house. We await his decision with eager anticipation...........
  PS..........Did I mention that Killian is the name of the local property agent :)

RACE WITH THE DEVIL

The heart of the problem

Well this Mayo clinic thing seems to be stirring things up in the ultra community but having just had my echocardiogram done it all starts getting even more complicated. Basically....after a 3 hour examination...... Dr Olive, (for tis his name), came to the conclusion that I have the heart of a young man, all the ventricles, cavities, muscles, valves, ejection fraction (take it easy) etc, are all perfect................................BUT....... Why is there always a but?....there is a slight problem.......I have a slight prolapse in the Mitral valve known as MVP, its very small  (20mm) and normally effects up to 10% of the population. This is one indicator that can lead to Atrial Fibrulation!!!
     In a 3 hour exam many aspects of my heart were examined and many other measurements were done such as muscle thickness 11.5 to 12 mm  (above the norm but expected in endurance athletes), ejection fraction 68% which is good, cardiac output, pulmonary activity.....the list goes on and on.
     I had previously mentioned to Doc Olive that sometimes when stopping for a drink on a long run I could here a fast clicking sound....this it turns out is the Mitral valve closing.......'so I guess as long as I can here it then I must be alive'.......he found this comment only vaguely amusing. So getting to the hub of the problem what does one do about MVP?
     It can be hereditary and is not in itself a problem but obviously when one strains the heart then there are risks. Essentially the valve doesn't close properly and some blood seeps back into the atrium; the more severe the condition then the effects are magnified leading to irregular heartbeat, fatigue...and even heart failure. There are quite a few documented cases where marathon runners have died who had MVP.....(Chad Schieber- Chicago marathon, 2007). A whole plethora of Cardiovascular societies including the ACC/AHA state that...'athletes with MVP- but without high risk features- can engage in all competitive sports'. I do not have any of the high risk features and it is believed that the athletes that died did. However heat and dehydration are also contributing factors and in fact Doc Olive specifically stated that I must not run in heat.....ever. As you all know I have run in extreme heat in the past so his advice is  well noted.
    As previously mentioned endurance athletes develop physiologic adaptations and structural remodelling of the heart. Increase in blood volume, dehydration and changes in electrolyte levels in abnormal conditions such as endurance sports can increase the risk of lethal arrhythmia but it is important to state that MVP does not cause sudden death but MR (mitrial regurgitation) can and does when associated with other risk factors and unless monitored MVP can lead to MR. So it is the degree of MVP which is important, mine is very slight but endurance training can introduce high risk factors. As Doc Olive said......'Ne tentez pas le diable'.......  'Don't temp the devil'.
  Recomendations
   An obvious one is to stop running.......this would be incorrect because one of the recomendations to people who have MVP and don't exercise....is too undertake aerobic exercise be it swimming, cycling or running. A healthy strong heart will save your life.
   There is now a large body of evidence that suggests that MVP is either hereditary AND/OR is as a result of  a magnesium defficiency. Magnesium is an electrolyte involved in nerve transmission, muscular contraction and especially our old friend adenosine triphosphate or ATP production, the fundamental energy currency of the body. Electrolytes are lost during sweat and low blood magnesium causes muscle fatigue and irregular heartbeat......and the latter is a risk factor in MVP! It is very easy to see how magnesium defficiency can occur when  training for and completing in endurance events. Magnesium if not replaced is therefore potentially harmful and a study in 1996 stated a significant decline in dietary magnesium intake in much of the Western World. A further study in France showed an average of  75%  of the population had a  magneseum deficiency. There are other problems such as type-2 diabetes, ADD, allergies, asthma as well as MVP. All  athletes know to take electrolyte replacement drinks for sodium, carbohydrates, potassium, chloride.....and magnesium and yet many of these drinks including Gatorade and Powerade products have no magnesium at all.....and the 'Isostar Long Energy Endurance' drink that I personally use also has no magnesium!

Magnesium??

   This is a crazy state of affairs as I and many others have been running around the mountains with vitually no magnesium in our bodies. The RDA is 420mg's for men and 320mg's per day for women and more for endurance athletes. Natural sources  are Halibut,mackerel, nuts ,seeds, green leafy vegetables and Swiss chard but extra supplementation is a must for endurance runners.
    Dr Olive has prescribed additional magnesium for this very reason as MVP is a symptom of chronic magnesium deficiency.
  I prefer NOT to temp the devil so I will be taking it. I am grateful to the Mayo clinic for raising my awareness of potential heart defects and I hope my comments here may encourage others to get themselves checked out.
      But what of my endurance escapades. Dr Olive has stated, in writing, to my GP that he 'strongly advises me against participating in any endurance or mountain running events or training'. His advice on a personal level was even more direct.......'I have been a Cardiologist for nearly 40 years and at your age and even with this slight risk I would not do this sport if I were you'.
     I  have much to ponder.


    

HARDROCK

       I was involved in a discussion recently about what would comprise a major or grand slam event in the trail ultrarunning calendar and if so how many would there be and which ones. Firstly you would have to set up a criteria which would obviously be a minimum of 100 miles and in one day (for the elite). My initial approach was which ones were obvious. Western States is a given as is the UTMB......but what else? I think Badwater is out because its too desert specific and more than 100 miles on roads, as is Marathon des Sables which is over several days. Comrades is out because its a double marathon road race even though from a historical perspective it should be in. The Barkley marathons are out because its nuts! Then we could bring in Leadville, Wasatch, Angeles Crest and a host of other events but I personally feel they don't have that dominant theme that seperates them enough from all the others..... which leaves us with Hardrock. This I feel has to be in because its different , has cache, has the height gain of Everest and is just bloody hard. So thats it 3 'majors'.......WS, UTMB and Hardrock. Anybody disagree or have another opinion then please chip in.

HARDROCK 100 MILE ENDURANCE RUN

         So remaining topical, on Friday its Hardrock. Only 140 runners will qualify for the 'luxury' of taking part in what is arguably the toughest endurance run in the world. Nearly 34,000 feet in elevation gain and run in the high San Juan mountains of Colorado at an average height of 11000 feet. Last year out of 140 starters only 80 finished and these are tough ombre's who have already run and completed other 100 mile events just to qualify. How do they do this? The stories of hardship and suffering are legendary...grown men crying their eyes out whilst lying in the snow, at night, on top of a 14,000 foot mountain, in a lightning storm. I read the other day of one runner who watched an American Bald headed Eagle drop a baby deer from its clutches just near an aid station 12,000 feet up......this is 'wild' country. It sounds fantastic, my heighest elevation gain was close to 10,000 feet and 60 kilometres distance......this is 3 times higher and 3 times further!! This is serious stuff. Dakota Jones, one of this years favourites, said when he fell down a rocky slope last year that he decided to 'stay there for the rest of my life' he was so exhausted....... and he went on to finish second! They have a runners manual which is in its own endurance category being 60 pages long......and a very scary read it is.
     I'm sure most of my readers know this but big congrats to Tim Olsen and Ellie Greenwood who won Western States two weeks ago in new record times for male and female runners. Who will light up the Hardrock course this weekend ?....(as usual check out the www.iRunFar.com  coverage of the event), my money is on Dakota.......
       And finally........when is my next ultra? At present I am doing 100% body conditioning with the accent on lean muscle and low body fat. I am never going to be a small, skinny runner so to be in the best shape I can for my frame is now my goal. With running 3/4 times per week and workout sessions 5 times a week I've got my hands full exercise wise and so my next ultra will have to fit in with this schedule. I'm looking at various races as once I set the goal then it will be all out training for that so I need to plan sensibly............plus I'm still waiting for the cardiac results to see if its still beating ???.

   

MAYO CLINIC.....PART 2

Following on from my Mayo clinic blog (which has been one of my most widely read blogs) I thought I would give an update on the tests that I personally have had done as a result of the Mayo report.

  1) Blood tests.
    Last week I undertook extensive blood tests and quite simply all were good with very low Triglycerides 0.77. Very high HDL 0.84 and standard low LDL (for my age) 1.0. The ratios were paricularly good; Total HDL ratio 2.5 and Total LDL/HDL ratio 1.32. All my other Biochemical and Haematology readings, PSA, Thyroid etc were all well within the right zones.....So having had these done and everything being fine I moved on to my overall  fitness analysis.
      This was going to be interesting because my regime has changed a lot since last seeing Paddy. My training for the Way to Cool 50k in March was intense so I suspect my fat ratio would have reduced further. After WTC I changed my regime to pure running and stretching........and it was mostly hills and mountains for 6 weeks, ie. No body conditioning. I suspect that this would have maintained the status quo fat wise, whilst increasing my fitness levels further. As you know I completed the 53k UTBA with no problems. After that I took it very easy for one month to let my endocrine system fully recover from all the training and the 2 consecutive ultra's and so my fat ratio will, I suspect, have risen. In the last month I've been doing easy hill runs (300-500 metre height gain) of 10-15k, three times per week and have slowly re-introduced Body conditioning work. During this whole period I have mantained my normal (healthy) diet whilst doing my Glut - 4 openers of 50 squats per day before breakfast......everyday.....Phew! So, I was intrigued to know how all this varied melange of different fitness protocols and rest period would play out in the fitness/fat tests and what conclusions could be drawn.

  2) Fitness tests.
    Well, fitness wise I am pretty much the same though not at my peak as I am not training all out. Paddy suspected that I had probably put on fat AND lean muscle......and thats exactly what has happened. In the past 4 months its 1 kilo of muscle and 1 kilo of fat. He explained that the muscle part is obvious due to my training and that I will have put the fat on in my 4/5 weeks rest period after the last ultra. With my new regime he reckons I 'll get that off in 2 weeks leaving me at 12% body fat. He feels thats low enough and does not recommended losing anymore. The goal is to get my fitness back up to peak levels and then maintain this until my next challenge.........Paddy's suggestion- 'Why not go for the Ironman Triathlon?'.....When I told Sue this her reaction was something like, 'Thats fine but he doesn't have to live with you!'.......We shall see.
  And so finally the all important Cardiac stress tests........ It was here that the Mayo clinics warnings would be revealed and show if I had any major problems.......or so I thought.

  3) Cardiac tests. -
     First, he wouldn't do a stress test until he'd done all the other tests???....I shall explain;- He did the usual blood pressure, heart and artery tests ....'perfect', came the reply, then an electrocardiogram test, 'perfect'... then something else which I can't spell (but it was perfect). He also analysed all the blood tests....'perfect of course' (his words). So feeling very pleased with myself I began to get dressed BUT he he needed to do two more......but not today. Confused, well so was I. Basically before he does a stress test he has to do a two hour echocardiography examination next week and then after that I have to go to a clinic for the stress test so that if something goes wrong they can deal with it..........Now I'm stressed!
     All the examinations he could do would not reveal Atrial fibulation but the final one will. He believes I am super fit etc,etc and I have no risks but the only risk I do have is the fact that I run up mountains for 10 hours at 57 years of age which, as he put it, is a 'self imposed risk'.
He went on that he had been doing this job as a specialist in Paris and New York for nearly 40 years and had never examined a 57 year old endurance athlete before. Not quite sure where all this leaves me. He has great respect for the Mayo clinic report and though he acknowledged that I was 'perfect' he still wants to do more. He was staggered that no one had ever recommended a stress test before.
       To summarise, it would appear that all is well but until he has done everything he would not finalise his thoughts. So there you have it. Over the next two weeks I'll hopefully get them all done and shall then report back..................and all I want to do is run through the woods, chat to the birds and waive to the wild animals....... its all getting very technical.

THE MAYO CLINIC.....ALERT!

For the less well read amongst us I would like to point out that the Mayo Clinic is not a hospital that deals with patients who eat too much mayonaise !........(at least I don't think it is). However, I believe that for  the benefit of endurance athletes worldwide perhaps it is only correct to bring this alarming new study  by the Mayo Clinic to everyone's attention.

    http://cardionutrition.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/too-much-exercise-can-be-a-bad-thing.pdf

 I will try to  analyse the link above as best I can but for those who want the full information I suggest reading the whole study........its fascinating stuff.
                           Simply put, too much endurance running will kill you !
  Its quite technical but the main thrust of the findings are that there is an increased risk of Atrial Dysfunction due to Atrial Fibrillation (AF). Endurance athletes are aware that changes in the structure of the heart, arteries, general physyology and many other mechanical mechanisms ( muscles, joints, etc) do occur during consistent endurance training. Without these adaptations it would be virtually impossible to run long distances and for many hours. Many of these adaptations provide enourmous health benefits in ways too numerous to mention but the Mayo clinic's study has highlighted an area of specific concern to all endurance athletes.

Long-term excessive endurance exercise may induce

pathologic structural remodeling of the heart and large arteries. Emerging data suggest that chronic training for and

competing in extreme endurance events can cause transient acute volume overload of the atria and right ventricle, with transient

reductions in right ventricular ejection fraction and elevations of cardiac biomarkers, all of which return to normal

within 1 week. Over months to years of repetitive injury, this process, in some individuals, may lead to patchy

myocardial fibrosis, particularly in the atria, interventricular septum, and right ventricle, creating a substrate for atrial

and ventricular arrhythmias. Additionally, long-term excessive sustained exercise may be associated with coronary

artery calcification, diastolic dysfunction, and large-artery wall stiffening.


      The result being an irregular pulse which can lead to blood stagnation, embolism and risk of a stroke and this reduction of cardiac output (especially during exercise) can lead to heart failure......Crikey! its all serious stuff. There can be up  a 5 fold increase in AF in endurance athletes. Cardiac remodelling has been known for sometime and the effects were thought to be benign but this new study says not, even after endurance training is finished. It shows that up to an hour of exercise is very good for you but after this the benefits tail off . Oxidative stress has been known for many years in endurance runners but its the effects of this in relation to AF that raises the main concerns. It is noted that these issues will still only effect a small percentage of endurance athletes but the point is there is a risk.
       The funding for this study was apparently commissioned by Coca Cola but although I am not a fan I don't think there is any slant (as in the 'run less and drink more coke' idea ) besides Coke makes drinks used by endurance athletes and many use it whilst running. To do what you may ask? If athletes are tired the caffeine and sugar in coke gives them a lift and stimulates the heart.......Okay, now Iam really confused. Coke commissions a study that says endurance running is bad for you and then supplies endurance athletes with Coke and Gatorade so as to stimulate the heart and make them run faster !!!! Go figure. Capitalism is not dead.
      In conclusion I believe the study raises some very serious issues and perhaps blood and heart tests may be a good idea for all. I love running through the mountains and it would be sad to think that the healthy life affirming thing we all do could actually be to our detriment.

ASHES TO ASHES ........

Yesterday I ran up to the top of a mountain to spread my friend Steve's, ashes. This had always been his wish. They have been in a spare room facing the sea for quite awhile......I thought he'd like the view. Anyway I decided it was time for him to be let loose in the hills and valleys. As I parked the car I took some time to play his favourite music, at full blast (as he would have done) and scattered a few ashes there. I shed a few tears, danced  and smiled at the memories of all the fun we'd had over the years.
      Then I took him on a fearsome climb to the top of 'the Spike', as he called it. We had done this route many, many years ago and at the time I had said to him, 'How long do you think this will take?'........'About 4 hours', came his nonchalant reply.
  He knew nothing about hiking or running and so when we returned he asked how long we had been. I looked at my watch, astonished, it was 3 hours, 59 minutes and 25 seconds........'You're crap at this', I said......and we both fell about laughing.

    As I neared the top the sun began to set over the mountains, it was spectacularly beautiful. I launched his ashes into the air and the breeze caught them and carried them away.....and although it was very emotional I felt a sense of calm.
    Again I remembered someone saying to him that you need a permit to do that up there. His response as ever was to laugh at the ridiculousness of such a thing and replied, whilst looking straight at me,'Not only will Phil do it, he'll do it without a permit........and what's more if he gets a permit I'll never forgive him'......and after more laughter he continued, 'How is anyone going to know the difference between my ashes and the rest of the bloody mountain?'
      Steve never  knew what rules were and certainly never stuck to any. His view of life was incredibly simple, he had no limitations or boundaries. This philosophy could get him into some hilarious and  remarkable situations, mostly good but occasionally, not so good; no matter, his excuse was always the same..........'Never think, just do it, you're a long time dead Phil'.
    As I stood there many thoughts went through my head, I don't think I have ever been more acutely aware of the phrase, 'ashes to ashes, dust to dust', as I was at that moment. Steve always loved to wander off, and as the dust swirled in the wind above the canyon below I smiled and said, 'Now and for the rest of eternity, you can go wherever you want and whenever you want......'. The thought appealed to me as I know it would have to him and just before I began the long run back down I thanked him for all the laughs we'd had together. Steve's only motive in life was to have fun and for all of those who knew him, we have been blessed in that he'd shared it with us.

TIM FERRISS versus TRADITIONAL

Its nearly 3 weeks  since I finished the UTBA.......seems like years ago. The Cannes Film Festival is in full swing but don't worry I have no plans to run naked along the Croisette in order to attract attention to my 'Trailjunkie' blog. For me its up into the hills and far, far away. Congrats to Dakota Jones and Anna Frost for winning the Transvulcania 2012 in the Canary Islands, in both record times.
      Anna is a Skyrunner specialist which basically means she runs ultramarathons up mountains. Dakota, nickname 'Young Money', is a very young elite endurance athlete. He won this race of 83 kilometres and over 13,000 feet elevation gain in just under 7 hours.......now that is fast, he averaged 12k per hour the whole way, up and down. I love the attitude of these guys. After his last ultra victory he was asked how the race went and his reply was a classic.....'I ran a lot and then I won'. No hype, no deep analysis, self importance or complicated explanation, he just keeps it simple. Mine would be - 'I ran a lot'.................'and then somehow, 10 hours later, I staggered to the finish line'.
      I've pulled back a lot over the past 3 weeks with just a few runs a week and a couple of hill repeats, I just felt like I needed a rest, not from the physical perspective but more the mental. Its been nice just to run when I want to and for what ever distance I choose, with no accent on training or times.....its been quite liberating and I've just appreciated the trails and the simple beauty of where I live.
       A great many people have asked me about my references to Tim Ferriss, traditional Long Slow Distance Ultra training (time on feet), and how they compare. Firstly I am no expert and my observations are just what I have found to be true for me.

Recommended reading

     Tim Ferriss, in his book, The 4-Hour Body, went into a great deal of detail about how to prepare for a 50k ultra  with only a small amount of running mixed in with various gym and Crossfit work. There is no doubt if you stick to the regime he lays out  you stand a good chance of achieving your goal. It includes Tabatas's, 200, 400, 800 metre repeats, kettlebell, sledge pulls, interval training, push ups, pull ups, bench press, squats, box jumps, sprints, burpees, rowing, etc, etc. The maximum distance you would run in training would be 90 minutes.......with No long runs at all. I advise reading the book which is laid out in superb detail and easy to read style, (see www.4-hourbody.com).
         The basic idea is that to run a 50k you need good suspension (legs) and all the workout regimes are designed to give you that as well as improving your sodium-potassium pump, the second goal is to push your aerobic line which basically means training your body to move at faster speeds whilst still remaining aerobic. The good news is that you can recover from an ultra quicker as a result of this training. If you stick to his program, from the evidence I've seen, you will succeed............but, I feel a 'but' coming on.
      If I have paraphrased a whole, well researched book into a few glib lines that is not my intention; I'm just trying to simplify the basic concepts.  Its all brilliant stuff but I feel that there is another side of the coin that needs to be explained.
       Tim Ferriss and Brian Mackenzie (www.crossfitendurance.com) fully accept that if you just run long and hard for many months and for many hours per week, you too will be able to complete an ultra. The point is, do you have the time, patience and perseverance to do that and what of the effects on your family and social life ? There is also burn out , boredom and the high risk of injury, so if you can do it the Tim Ferriss way on only a 5 to 6 hours training a week then why not?
       I didn't do the exact training program as in the 4-Hour Body, I did my own derivative. There were several reasons for this. Firstly I am not a big 'gym' lover and secondly I like running in the hills and mountains. But, I did 2000% more weights/strength exercises than I had ever done before and that undoubtedly strengthened my body and decreased my body fat %. Also, thanks to Tim and my coach Paddy, I  have vastly improved my nutrition. I am stronger, faster and fitter and I recover from ultra's really quickly........so where is the 'but'.

But is Crossfit enough to do this? (UTMB 167k)

        In my opinion it is this;- No matter how fast or fit you are, if you are going to run for 10, 15 hours or more in an ultra then you have to learn to pace yourself, to hydrate correctly and to eat the right foods that you can digest easily whilst running. I could only have learnt this correctly on my long training runs. If I had never run more than 90 minutes in training then how would I know what to do and when?
      Secondly until you have run on tired legs, you don't know what it feels like, and so how do you know how to deal with it ? Muscle fatigue resistance isn't easy.
   And finally, and for me the most important point, if you've never run a long way then you have never experienced the negative mental aspects that creep into your mind and by default have never learnt how to deal with these either.
      I said earlier that if you stick rigidly to the 4-Hour Body then you will achieve your goal of running a 50k but to avoid contradiction with my last comments, I shall explain. Firstly with this kind of training I believe your body will be stronger and you will have developed the physical capabilities to be able to do it. Furthermore I suspect that anyone attempting an ultra will do some research on nutrition and out of common sense will have tested some aspects of this in training. The tired legs and mental torture, if its your first ultra, you will probably push through despite the pain. If you are the sort of person who will stick to the 12 week Tim Ferriss regime, then I suspect you will do whatever it takes to finish.
      So putting all this together I still think its important to do long runs, including 'back to backs', even though you could probably 'get away with' not doing them for your first ultra. As regards future ultra's over much longer distances of 100 k or 100 miles then I simply don't know although I suspect crossfit just wouldn't be enough. I am not aware of any elite endurance athletes who are just crossfit trained, they all train long and hard for hours on end. True, a great many do speed work and a certain amount of strength conditioning but running, a lot, is still the key component. In time new ideas may slowly become incorporated into the sport as these things develop. For example, years ago speed work and weights were very unusal in ultra training and all the science of nutrition was in its infancy so you never know.
          Personally I am glad that I did a lot of long slow distance training because the shock if I hadn't done would have made my first ultra's a very painful experience indeed, I mean they were bad enough anyway but at least I knew what to expect and had a plan for dealing with it and after all, isn't that what 'training' is all about?  I believe by incorporating strength and conditioning and high intensity speed work (crossfit) with some long slow training runs (traditional), was the way to go.  I may be accused of hedging my bets and maybe I was but I can see the sense in both. The whole thrust of the 4-Hour Body is to achieve great fitness results quicker than the normal way. If I hadn't adopted some of his techniques I never could have got my body strong enough to do 5 ultra's in my first year but  conversley I found that for my last race, pounding up and down hills for hours on end also gave me a distinct advantage as I felt my muscles and joints adapting specifically to the race terrain.
        I am looking forward to seeing Tim Ferriss's own analysis of this because few people analyse in such detail and it would be extremely helpful to the ultra running community who are.... not suprisingly.....quite sceptical.
       In future ultra's I may follow a more rigid 4-hour body regime because I now 'know' a little more about the other stuff and so if I can train lesser hours for the same or better effect then great; but, if you've never run an ultra before then please take on board my comments..........and read some of my blogs. For someone of my limited experience I have tried to give as balanced a view as possible but after 5 ultra's I am still a novice ....okay at 57 years old, a veteran novice.....but there may just be something in there to help you out.  And for those who never intend to run one I apologise for such a technical blog today however, if you want to lose weight, sleep better, get fitter, improve your shape and many other benefits then check out 'The 4-Hour Body' anyway.........you'll be suprised.
       

NOW WHAT?

So what's next? now there's a question............the simple answer being, I don't know. I've just been reading some of my blogs over the past year and its been an interesting journey providing many fun and varied experiences in some of the most beautiful places.  What impression have I given of this sport ? Have I described the reality of it sincerely ? In the races I think I have, because they are all their own unique experience but what is difficult to communicate is the constant focus, hour after hour....its incredibly demanding both mentally and physically. Running for an hour through the woods on a training run is great and taking part in 20k races is really exciting when competing against the others.......but ultra's are very different.
      The actual ultra is hard but the training is sometimes harder. It takes time and sacrifice, not only for me but for family and friends. If I am not out running then I'm back home talking about it and I'm sure to the non-athletes it must be very boring. There are many days when to go out for a 3 to 4 hour training run is the last thing I feel like doing especially when I can't even compete in the actual race. I know the real challenge is against yourself but spending hours just 'toeing the line' can sometimes be both monotonous and soul destroying. Once you have succeeded in achieving your goal, then what? I'm glad that I finally managed to complete a full ultra with no pains or injuries and I would like to build on this......but there is a price to pay....and that is the hours of training. Most people who run ultras do so because they primarily like to just run in nature, be it valleys, forests, mountains or deserts, they have an in built desire to just get out and run. A pair of trainers, shorts, vest and a water bottle and your good to go, its basically pretty simple.......and for many that's the appeal.

Running up the Sorrento peninsular, Italy.

     Why even race at all? I could just go on long adventurous runs for the hell of it; and most of the time thats what I do, be it the rim of the Grand Canyon or the hot desert of Monument valley or perhaps the Peak above Hong Kong or high up in the Alps on a summers evening. Sometimes I have used my running to discover unusual places such as the Manchester Ship Canal at dawn meandering its way for miles under the city.....bizarre I know but still fascinating. Another such occassion was the streets of Toronto at 5:30 am where you witness the sadnes of the underbelly of society or the tow path along the Thames on a cold and frosty night. Of course most of my runs are in nature but wherever I go I always run and I see and experience many different sides of life, city or country.
        Is it dangerous? not really, but there are occassions where if things got out of hand it could be. I broke my leg whilst running about 3 years ago. I was in a ravine but my mobile had a signal and I was able to call for help. Luckily I was very near home with a track to a road. If that had been high up in the Alps at dusk and with a dead phone battery then the outcome could have been very different. But people have accidents every day in the most normal situations and so I think if you are sensible then thats all you can do.
    So back to the question, why race? To me its another experience, you are running with others who have trained like you and there is a sense of the 'event' in that you are all part of something. In some respects its a celebration of what we do........( Am I going off on a tangent here?)....but really it is the completion of the challenge or goal that you have set yourself. You have to finish and hence the emotion at the end; this is a feeling you don't get when running on your own.
         10 days after my last ultra  I began to get an excruciating back pain and an even stranger pain under the arch of my foot. What could this be? I thought maybe a cold draught whilst sleeping, or a dodgy mattress, lumpy pillow, maybe the car I was hiring, bad fitting shoes, stress, aeroplane seats, new chairs in the Cafe, reaching up to fix some curtains, etc etc..........and then it suddenly dawned on me.......could it be something to do with running an ultra marathon up 10,000 feet , over rocky terrain for 10 hours?............Nah, surely not.
        I know it sounds ridiculous but I never considered this option. Most of the time I don't get injured as a result of running, its usually something else. But , as we were going to Italy for a 5 day vacation, I thought I would rest and not run. By the 4th day I still felt bad and so I decided that there was only one possible cure...........
                         Do hill repeats up Mount Vesuvius !..........that did the trick.
     Now the back pain has gone and the foot pain is easing. What does all this mean? Well in my humble opinion I believe its got something to do with not running. I had run non stop for months and then after the race I rested and took it easy.....and so everything began to slowly stiffen up, tendons, joints, muscles, even sluggish blood circulation. Its hard to self diagnose and quite possibly spurious but thats what I think, and it worked, so I'm sticking to it......Happy trails :)

HEAD OVER HEELS

Okay, so the title sounds a bit odd but I think I need to explain exactly what is going on in my head and what this ultra thing is all about; this being as much for my benefit as yours. Having just completed 5 ultra's in less than a year - and in my first year of doing them - and at 57 years of age, I think I need to take a moment to pause and reflect.
       What am I doing and why?
     Many people use the word 'fun' when it comes to running but I'm not sure if 'fun' and 'ultra' are the perfect companions. I can think of many things that are a lot more fun than running  up and down mountains for 10 hours non stop. Obviously for many super fit endurance athletes it is fun but thats not how I see it. I find it a pressure. In my last race, my training runs were somehow easier, obviously they are not as far or as fast but mentally I felt relaxed. I've now done 5 Ultra races and completed them all (Okay, so I got lost in one but I completed the same distance as the race), so why do I have a problem. When I start a race I am terrified of the distance and the time its going to take and it eats me up until I get into the latter stages. This means that I only really start to enjoy it  when I am at my most fatigued physically. I am not a masochist, its just that mentally and emotionally I 'know' I'am going to make it and so I relax. You would think after 5 of these I'd be more confident but the enormity of the thing just takes over.
      So how do I get through the 10 hours of mental and physical stress? Quite simply I break the race down into sectors, climbs, descents, and aid stations. The last race was 4 big climbs and 4 steep descents with 4 aid stops but my main measure was splitting the race into 24 sectors. These could be climbs, flat stretches, river crossings or changes in terrain, but all were of varying length and with varying degrees of difficulty. As I finished each sector I'd mentally cross it off and move on to the next. I' d plan when to eat solid foods, prepare my poles for a climb, refuel, slow down, etc and it was this plan and thorough knowledge of the course that got me through. I hardly ever count the mileage as thats too anal for me and it lacks any emotional feeling of success or achievement at having completed a sector.

????

       This psychology is nothing unusual as its the same as - 'How do you eat an elephant?'...........Answer - 'One piece at a time.' All my research is through analysis because I don't know many ultra runners and as I don't speak much french I am hardly going to have an in depth conversation about Jean Paul Satre and the role of existentialism and authentic existence in ultra running!
     However, maybe thats where I am going wrong. Somehow I have to believe that not only will I finish but I'll finish well. Maybe its age or maybe physically I'm not 'built' for ultra running. Most of the guys are slim with small muscular frames and virtually no fat. I am 6'-2", large frame and 85 kilo's and yet everyone I know thinks I look too thin which is probably because I am about 11.5% body fat; but these guys are probably more like 70 kilo's and 7% body fat. I am carrying an extra 35 pounds around; and over 52 k's and with 10,000 feet of climbing, that takes a lot of energy.
        I was  grateful for the fact that I had no pains in my quads or calves and thats thanks to Helen's physio, Paddy's conditioning and me pounding up and down lots of mountains. Did my tapering and carb loading help? I don't know because its hard to evaluate but the reduced stress of tapering must have been good as well as training on the same mountainous terrain as the race; thats just common sense. I have done training runs of 36 k with no carb loading and felt fine....tired but okay.... however due to the extra carbs 2/3 days before race day I was a lot heavier and I didn't like it. But, did that help me go all the way or would I have been okay anyway? I guess the only way to find out is to do an ultra without carb loading at all but do I want to take that chance? After many hours you will always switch to fat utilisation eventually, so may be we come back to the same question; If we assume ( despite my size) that I am physically capable of doing it then how do I condition my brain to 'know' that I can do it ?...........and by default, have a more enjoyable experience.
       In my last race, half way up a long steep climb, I saw a guy just sit down and stop, I asked if he was okay and he said, yes, he was fine, but he wasn't and I could tell from the look on his face what it was......he'd given up, he knew it and I knew it and no amount of prompting from me was going to make any difference. He had made a decision, he was finished. This is why its so hard, he'd already done 85% of the course but it didn't make any difference as once he decided to stop, it was over and this feeling is ever present and you have to fight it because if this negative emotion takes hold then its game over. All the runners will have faced this impasse at some point and so I only have respect for him, he'd got this far and maybe next time he would go all the way but it made me feel grateful that I was still able to continue.
       This is the challenge, if I can conquer my fears then  surely I can go much further and /or much faster. I think the elite guys and girls can sort of switch off or get into a zone and mentally that must be the key to this whole ultra thing........as they can do this at speed and for 15, 20 or even 30 hours.

The final part of the last climb of the race

     But the next question is why? and here I get a little hazy. Personally I find it romantic which I know sounds bizarre but I do. Its a feeling of pitching yourself against the elements and testing your own abilities, getting outside your comfort zone. It can be very emotional, hence the tears at the end, its scary and you lay yourself bare. After many hours the only thing you are aware of is putting one foot in front of the other, its relentless and sometimes the only reason you continue is to overcome your own weaknesses, to look deep inside and find some more strength......and when you achieve this, the finish is almost cathartic.
      Ultra running for me and from what I read, many others, is all about testing the limits of the human spirit.........Can you do what must surely be impossible?
       I close with a quote from a recent sports study into mental toughness in ultra running:-
           'Results suggest that successful participants were stubborn / bloody-minded (tenacious), totally committed to their goals, objective, had a sense of humour, thrived on challenges, were able to maintain perspective in adversity and possessed humility.'
     About 10 months ago I was speaking to a friend of mine, Brophy, about the 60k race I had just completed and he was congratulating me on finishing, 'I knew you'd do it Phil'..........'How did you know, when even I didn't know?'..............He laughed and said, 'Easy, I've known you for 33 years, you're just bloody-minded'..............
      Maybe its that simple.........or maybe I just like running through the wilderness.

(If you click on the link below it will take you to a video on You Tube that I made of the whole 10 hour race squeezed into 10 mins....or other parts of it are in the right hand panel)

                           http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ifh03RyjYqw