Doing Big & Scary: The Strongman Run

This time next week I will probably be waking up with a hangover. Next Saturday I’m representing Team GB in The Strongman Run in Germany.

Having competed in Trans Britain (six marathons in six days), Ironman France, Tough Guy (amongst others...) and now training for The Wall the selectors (a PR company) were looking for a team to take on this EPIC challenge. For me personally, this is a fantastic opportunity. Firstly, I love to do this type of race and the Fisherman’s Friend Strongman Run is clearly one of the best. Secondly, hanging out with other like minded people who love their fitness and love to take on a big and scary challenge I find inspiring. And thirdly, who doesn’t like to be treated like a VIP and flown out to Germany with a couple of nights accommodation to do something you love with the promise of a HUGE post-race party...

The race itself is MASSIVE. It has kind of a a cult following in Germany. I think there are about 12,000 entrants. It is an off-road adventure race. If you take a look at the website they do a bit of a bio on each of the obstacles. You can tell by the tongue in cheek descriptions this is a race not to be sniffed at... Check out just three of the obstacles... Obstacle 8: Panic Pool

The ultimate desire of most StrongmanRunners – the „real“ water obstacle! Here you have to swim because with 2 meter depth and 40 meter length there is no other possibility to cross. For nonswimmers we have a pussylane, of course, but be sure – you won’t have any advantage by using it! Hardfacts: Km 8,9 swimming pool Depth: 2 meters Length: 40 meters Width: 15 meters Gear: digger Obstacle 10: Tension Killer

It’s better you’re dry again when approaching this obstacle cause it’s gonna be electric – the wires hanging down of this construction are loaded with 12 volt of power and you have to pass them! For StrongmanRunners with cardiac pacemakers we have an alternative track. Hardfacts: Km 9.6 Truss construction Wires loaded with 12 volt electricity Obstacle 13: Mud Mass

Same length, width and depth as the obstacle before but the major difference is the ingredient - 300 cubic meters of pure mud! Hardfacts: km 10.2 Length: 30 meters Width: 10 meters Depth: 1 meter Tools: garden hose, shovel Take a look at the race map for the rest -http://www.fishermansfriend.de/strongmanrun_eng/trackmap2012/ Stay tuned on Facebook and Twitter and I’ll keep you updated...

London Marathon - Eat Right, Run Well

This weekend is the London Marathon.

The London Marathon is an iconic race I feel everyone should do.

The atmosphere, the support along the route and the achievement make it a very special day.

To get to the start line in great shape is an achievement in itself. At this stage the training is done (or not!) and the best thing you can do is rest, eat and taper.

If you have followed a plan and this is your first marathon you will most likely feel pretty anxious at the moment - this is normal. You will question if you have done enough, your mind will start to play tricks on you and you will start to be concerned over imaginary aches and pains - this is normal. You will be tiptoeing around, walking on egg shells for fear of injury or illness. Don’t despair - this is normal too.

At this stage you will not get any fitter by training, in fact quite the opposite. Your time will be best used relaxing, eating, stretching and confirming your race strategy.

The final point is the one I feel is most relevant to many.

If you have done the long runs (up to 20 miles), depending on your goals (i.e. A time goal or a just finish goal) for the day, you will have an idea about roughly what time you will be expecting yourself to do. You can work out roughly where you should be at what stage and this will tell you if you are going to fast or too slow.

I feel hypocritical because although I start each race with an idea of a finishing time I have been known to self-destruct on occasion and end up running far to quick. Over twenty-six miles for a novice this can be a major problem. It is an awfully long way to travel and pacing yourself is crucial. My first tip is to have a plan and stick to it.

My next tip is around eating and drinking. In the days leading up to the marathon you will be well advised to eat more. Often this is called carb loading, but I kinda have an aversion to pasta and bread and tend to make do on potatoes, rice and chocolate. You must fuel your body and your muscles for the day. Therefore my next tip is to just eat more the day or two before the race.

One of my recommendations is to stick to food that you know, I tend to chow down the night before a race on bangers and mash. I’m pretty sure a sports nutritionist would have a field day with this stating ‘it doesn’t have the right amount of...’ The truth of the matter is only you know you. Eat energy-dense food that digest well, avoid fibrous stuff and just relax.

On the day get up early and have your breakfast. I prefer to eat three-hours before a race that way it is digested and then I have a snack an hour before the off. I stick to foods I know and that I have eaten before training runs, normally porridge and boiled eggs for breakfast. I snack on fruit and chocolate milk.

You must start drinking from the moment you wake. I drink lots of water, a cup of coffee (or two) and chocolate milk. This is very important.

You should of practiced your race day nutrition in training, but if you are like most people you probably haven’t. Race nutrition is very individual - but seeing as you have no plan I figured I’d give you mine. Therefore the following is what I do...

The marathon itself can be likened to an eating competition. My best advice is to eat and drink everything on offer. There are drink stations every mile or so and even if you don’t feel thirsty take it. Have a sip or two and throw it. You will be given jelly babies, gels and even bananas on route. Eating regularly will help you on the day.

Failure to do so will lead to a scene likened to the end of the film Gladiator...

You will burn up blood sugar, your vision will narrow and all your hard work in training will be wasted. Your body depends on the steady stream of energy, so make sure you get it in.

You don’t have to eat all of this there and then. Take a little bit if you want, but just staying on top of it is the name of the game. I also take 4-6 energy gels with me from the start. I typically start taking energy gels from the first hour, and then every 30 minutes thereafter until I finish.

There are a couple of very important things to understand about this.

If you leave it too late it is very difficult to recover. This means if you wait until two hours in and decide ‘oh yeah, I haven’t had a gel yet and I feel f**ked’, it might be too late. Eat before you need to and you will be ace.
Once you’ve started you cannot stop. Once you have spiked your blood sugar you need to continually do it. Hence the reason you need to have a gel every thirty minutes thereafter.

It will get to the stage when you don’t want anymore sweet stuff. Persevere. You need it.

Take your gels with a big slug of water (or two) to ease the burden on your stomach and you will be rewarded with a killer performance on race day.

I have tried various types of gels in all types of fancy flavors. My personal favourites are Power Bar gels. Too be honest they all taste pretty minging eventually and make your hands sticky but needs must.



I also use blocs. These are like little blocks of jelly. They are basically the same (two blocks are the same amount of energy) but feel different. I kinda use them on top of gels as a reward for hitting certain mile markers. Please don’t make the same mistake I made on an ironman training camp last year and get bored and eat one whole pack in one go. It only ends in tears! That was not a good day...

This is pretty much it. My post race strategy is not very scientific but running this distance is a huge achievement and after all the training you will thoroughly deserve a beer and a curry!

This Sunday is going to be a fantastic day if you pace it right and eat well.

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask - head over to my Facebook page and fire away!

Good luck to all the runners and I’ll see you on the start line!!

Steve

Please feel free to share this with any runner - in the marathon or not!

The Reading Half, The Strongman Race & The World Record (PLUS a bonus inspiring gym video)

This week has been EPIC.

Firstly, I’d like to give a shout out to three of my clients who totally OWNED the Reading Half-Marathon this weekend. Joe, Lindsey and Ben all ‘manned up’ and on a tough course on a hot day KICKED ASS. I’m so proud of you guys. I’m pleased to say I made it round in 1:32 and to be honest that’s the best I could of done on the day. I have a couple of weeks now until I take on London and ten weeks until ‘The Wall’ (I feel this should be followed by some kind of evil laugh - mwahahahahahaaha) so it’s time to knuckle down.



I have also been asked this week to represent ‘Team GB’ in The Strongman Run in Germany. This looks like it could be great fun. It seems to be similar to the Tough Guy race I did in January. It has lots of obstacles and covers about ten-miles so it should be a great challenge. Take a look at this video to see what I will be putting myself through...

The Strongman Race

Tell me if I’m wrong but I’m pretty sure it was Alan from The Hangover dressed up as Superman at about 28s in...

Also, I wanted to give some love to my buddy Lee Chamberlain. Similar to me, Lee likes to ‘go long’ (street slang for ultra distance racing...). To be fair Lee puts me to shame on this front. Lee is actually training to regain his world record. He is preparing to run seven days on the treadmill to a total of 560-miles - you don’t need to be a genius to realise this is a really long way. Give Lee some support and check out his progress at www.leechamberlain.co.uk

Finally, I wanted to leave you with a video clip that has had a profound impact on me and my career.

The BONUS Inspiring Gym Video

Be careful out there. :-)