The Forecast

Those who know things about stuff predict that La Nina will bring us in the Northwest a worse than normal winter. This apparently means more high winds, more rain, more snow, more power outages, and generally speaking, crappy running weather. Never mind that long term weather prediction on the west coast is about as much science as it is voodoo, if the predictions come true, we at Real Running will be spending our massive paychecks on frequent flights to Southern California.

This past week has been a decent preview of what is predicted to land on the Pacific Coast this winter. Colder than normal temperatures, 30 mph winds, sideways rain, and power outages scattered around Puget Sound. At least Lake Washington doesn't have the 30 foot waves the coast was bashed with all week. Here, from Cliff Mass's wonderful weather blog is an image of the latest storm getting set to attack us:

Does this look to anyone else like a giant fist getting set to smack the Northwest?

But still we run. My latest 6 miler was spent route-finding around the tallest buildings and on the leeward side of hills in our neighborhood just to get some relief from the gusts of wind

Without a Pumpkin, It Would Just Be Streaking

This Halloween, why not take off your clothes, shove your head in a hollowed out pumpkin with eye holes cut in it, and run in the 4^th Annual Fremont Naked Pumpkin Run? Why not?

I have lived in this area most of my life, and it gives me such pleasure that we will have communities like Fremont that retain some good old fashioned quirk and humor. Even after the hideously gentrified new construction took over most of Fremont from the Aurora Bridge to Ballard, the community has held onto the Briefcase Relay, the Solstice Parade, and yes, the Naked Pumpkin Run.

There is nothing more wholesome than running naked through the streets of Fremont. Bring the kids.*

Pain Killers Can Kill You

I consulted the official physician of Real Running after seeing an article on the potential harm of using non-steroidal-anti-inflammatory-drugs (NSAIDs) in combination with vigorous dehydrating exercise like running. Apparently, the use of these drugs (ibuprofen is the most common) can reduce the kidneys’ ability to process fluids properly. In extreme cases this can result in renal failure. This is, according to our staff physician (who just happens to be the father of one of the Real Running staff and also a kidney specialist) called “analgesic abuse nephropathy.” I don’t care what that actually means, it sounds bad and I don’t want it.

Taking a handful of Advil before a marathon in anticipation of sore joints and muscles, then, is officially out of style. We don’t want any Real Runners dying from kidney failure. In fact, can we just agree that all Real Runners will die of natural causes in their late 80s, in full possession of their minds, surrounded by fulfilled family and friends? Deal.

I also called my personal physician, Dr. Hilarious, about this one, because kidney issues aside, I am skeptical about the effectiveness of anti-inflammatory drugs in a preventative manner. He says that they can work this way, but are less effective than in treating an already suffered injury. So taking your Advil before the race is not only deadly, but of questionable effect anyway. Just suck down your GU packets and leave it at that.

Speaking of GU…

Until a specific company steps up and sponsors the Real Running staff with cases of energy gels in exchange for frequent mentions on this blog, we will continue to be equal-opportunity product promoters.

On my last long run with Cap’n Ron (20 miles from Ballard to the UW and back through South Lake Union) I tested a few different brands of energy gels. This is a delicate science. You have to balance taste, consistency, and nutritional intake as well as take into account the gel’s effect on your system. When you are working as hard as runners work, your stomach doesn’t really want anything in there, so finding something that it will happily accept and digest is indeed a trick. I have in the past been a fan of the Vanilla Bean GU, mostly because its flavor reminded me of eating spoonfuls of vanilla frosting from the little jar in the fridge when I was a kid.

But I prepped for this latest run too late, and the only energy I could find was something called Accel Gel.

When I hit a little wall an hour into the run, I ate one of my three Accel’s. Taste was good, consistency was good, stomach seemed ok. And in about 5 minutes I actually felt a little kick. The stuff works!

At mile 16, when I wanted to carjack a Prius to drive my butt to my own car in Ballard, I took another. Within a half mile I had a little energy and momentum to kick to the finish. The stuff works!

If you haven’t experienced it yet, getting your body to that point of complete energy depletion, to where it is starting to cannibalize your muscles, your liver, and your fat stores is almost a surreal experience. Your reserves are so low, and the fuel your body is trying to burn is so inefficient, that the infusion of pure carbohydrates and sugar is like the reverse of the anesthesia you get when they put you under for surgery. You can feel it wash over your body. You can feel it take effect.

This is a good and a bad thing. It’s good because we know the 150 calorie bomb in those little squeeze packets works! It’s bad because if you get that low in fuel, you are doing something wrong. Especially in a race, you have to fuel before you need it. Just like you need to hydrate before you’re thirsty, you have to fuel before you crash. That GU or Accel or PowerGel, or whatever is more effective if it isn’t bringing you back from the dead. Imagine a car that is standing still and needs to get up to 60 miles per hour. Now imagine a car already going 45 miles per hour. Which takes more fuel to get up to 60? Hmmmm?

Imperfect analogy, but you get the point.

For those of you training for a marathon, practice your hydration and fueling on your long runs. I have found that a drink every two miles and an every gel every 6 miles is perfect for me. Happily, most marathons try to have support stations every 2 miles or so.  

*Editorial Comment: The reason funny, quirky events like this aren’t as common as they should be is that people complain about the effect on kids or wholesome family values. News flash: your kids know what naked bodies look like, and seeing a bunch of them in the streets with pumpkins covering their heads isn’t going to harm them in any way. Nor is it going to turn them into deviants. At most it will make them laugh. Get over yourself.