Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Update

I've dropped off the blog posting stuff. I'm sorry about that. I'm busy with 2 kids, coaching, house chores and my own practice with my run and bike parts. I'm not exactly a mental giant to begin with and I seem to have a limited reserve of thought, and so my blog suffers.

 I've become a gym rat and I'm loving it. I sort of dread running but I get giddy the night before my hard leg days in the gym. And the bike. I love cycling right now. Maybe more than ever because it's done with little pressure. Years ago I tried to make a living with my legs but now I can appreciate the purity and joy of just riding.

 My schedule as of late looks more like something out of Men's Health. Monday was 1:00 in the gym on legs and core. Then a 1:00 bike with 8 X 1:00 at 350-380 watts on 1:00 recovery at 100-150 watts. If you don't know anything about cycling wattage then those numbers are amazing and world class bad ass. If you're familiar with wattage then... I'm still building back and I was tired and I was sick I think. Tuesday was upper body in the gym, completely wrecked myself and I could barely get my shirt over my head afterward. Today was a 3 mile run with 8 X 30" max effort (steep) hill intervals followed by a 2:00 bike finishing with 5" max effort sprints hitting 1049 watts on the first one. You never hit your best watts on the last one.

 Not exactly the schedule of an ultra endurance guy. I'm really wanting to regain strength and some body weight. Not just because my wife has a crush on Ryan Gosling, but for my health over the next 15 years. I ain't getting any younger and my kids are only getting stronger. I fully plan on giving them a run for their money when I'm 55.        



34 comments:

jameson said...

thanks for the update cheif!! those numbers on the bike are solid. outside or on computrainer?

Lucho said...

Thanks Jameson! Outside (Powertap)on a 2.5 mile climb that starts at ~8300ft and tops out at 9200ft altitude. They were a bitch! My stomach was cramping after #5 and I was dry heaving after #7. Pretty much maxed out. For just 1:00 those watts aren't that good IMO.

Dave said...

Glad you're doing well! Become a bit of gym rat myself, and am enjoying cycling (on the road) again just like you are. I got real stuck in with mountain biking over the last couple years and getting back to the road is a good change of pace.
What type of movements are you doing in the gym? Have you played with kettlebells at all? I think they'd be right down your alley in terms of what you've talked about in your weight workouts previously. They've helped me tremendously in terms of gaining back some muscle and strength without becoming body builder bulky. Very effective!
Rock on man and I def miss the regular updates!!!
All the best!

Lucho said...

Dave-
Ya man, I'm a lurker on your blog so I know what you're doing too! I definitely lean more towards the old school with free weight work. I enjoy squats and deadlifts and bench press. Dips and pull-ups...etc. At home I use my TRX and Bulgarian Sandbag a ton though and that's a blast. I do a move similar to a medicine ball slam but I don't let go of the sandbag, instead I stop it before it hits the ground. It's a 30# bag so it fires every muscle from my feet to my forehead. Awesome.
One of my main goals is to put on weight so I think the old school lifts are good. Now I just need to figure out how to freakin eat enough calories! I'm not an eater.
Thanks for checking in!

Nenet Susa said...

Hi lucho, love listening to you on endurance planet all the way from Australia . Im a huge maff follower and on one of your podcasts you guys talked about weight lifting effecting maff training. I listened to this podcast where phil maffertone answers the question. It's a great podcast and I'm sure you'll enjoy it. How do I enquire about some coaching?

Dave said...

Glad to know I have at least ONE reader! Yeah man, deadlifts, squats, and bench are all I do when it comes to free weights (other than the kettle bells). I'm a HUGE fan of bodyweight exercises and have found they produce some of the best results in sheer strength. Check out a book (if you haven't already) called "Power to the People" by Pavel Tstoline (sp). Very interesting read and changed a lot of my attitude toward strength training.

Nenet Susa said...

Oops sorry but couldn't attach link but the website is trailrunnernation.com for the phil maffertone podcast

Lucho said...

Hey Nenet- Thank you for the good word.
I do disagree with Dr Maffetone at times. He's still what I base my notions of base off of though. I just tweak it at times.
And thanks for asking about coaching. I'm currently not taking athletes but am asking people to contact me again in ~April to see if I have any openings.
Thanks!

Unknown said...

Hey Tim. Is cycling even remotely close in terms of aerobic gains compared to running? If I want to work my aerobic system, would I use 60-70 percent of max heart rate just like in running?
Thanks
Greg

Lucho said...

Greg- It is similar, but the volume required to make it equal is not. So a 1 hour run at Z2 HR is 'worth' more than 1 hour in Z2 on the bike. You would need to go longer on the bike. And of course the muscular component is vastly different due to load bearing and the need for more muscle group recruitment in running.
Generally you do want to use the same HR's on the bike as the run, but it does depend on your goals. If you're a pure cyclist then yes for sure. If you're a runner using the bike as crosstraining then you might want drop the HR zones by ~10 beats to limit the impact on your run. If you're a triathlete then again, it depends on your strengths and weaknesses. Because the bike is non-load bearing then your PE will be higher at the same HR (as the run), but again because it is non-load bearing the increased effort is OK.
I would say to give using the same HR's a try and see how difficult the bike feels. If you can't hold 60-70% of max for an hour without struggling then you might want to drop ~5 or 10 beats to adjust until you gain the specific cycling muscle strength.
Does that make sense?

Unknown said...

Yes it does. Thanks so much. Also, are you going to race anymore? I really want to see you race the Leadville 100!
Thanks
Greg

Lucho said...

Rumor has it I'm getting wicked fit:) I'll be racing this year for sure. And when my Leadman record falls this year I'll be there in 2014 to take it back.

Stay Vertical said...

Yeah man, bide your time. It will all come back when the moment is right- like in a Cialis commercial. Picture Mike Morton sitting in some Afghan sewer for years waiting to let loose all that training built up over his lifetime...like a coiled spring. That's you running the Boulder Reservoir Circle Jerker this year.

Need to gain weight huh? You got plenty of biscuits and mustard out there in your shed? I'm sure you do. Remember to eat them 3-4 times a week, mhmm. I hear that no good Jesse Dixon is going after your record this year...

Lucho said...

Ha! He can go after the record as long as he stays away from my mom.

Anonymous said...

My wife also has a crush on Ryan. She keeps looking for him out here in LA. Try some CrossFit workouts. As a weird one, you'll like the weirdness of them.

Lucho said...

Anon- My wife knits... Ryan also knits. I'm not going to knit. So I'm screwed. But ya, I dig the crossfit stuff.

Nicholas Wied said...

Lucho man awesome post. I took a ton of time 2+ months at the end of last ultra season to do all the crazy classes at the Y, just me and 30+ women, at least they didn't laugh too much. I have started to ramp up some training again, I am going more for a speed approach this time, instead of a MAF approach. (Expirement) I think I plateaued (SP?) a bit with MAF both physically & mentally. I can push 7" or sub pace around 150-155, so I think (dangerous) I'm gonna try to raise my LT a bit see if that will speed it up a bit. I have a quick ? for you though, when you ran Leadville you used a maltodextrin powder & water. Do you mind telling me which one? I am trying to simplify my already simple plan, normally I do water n gels, maybe a piece of fruit at an AS table, but thats it. I thought the powder mught be easier to manage not all those little packets getting lodged in my shorts. Enjoy you time in CA, and have a great day man!

Lucho said...

Thanks for the good word Nicholas.
No man, you're not risking anything by trying to raise your LT! In yesterday's podcast talked at length about this very thing. By focusing too long on MAF you effectively allow your LT to drop closer to your MAF. When this happens you now have a very limited "zone" separating your MAF and LT. And your LT speed will NEVER equal your MAF speed so you effectively have a ceiling that is limiting you. You must raise LT speed in order to increase your lower zone speeds.
I used Ultra-fuel from Twin Labs and Carboplex from Metagenics.
T

jump said...

Tim,
Hi, I was writing to ask about ultrarunning coaching services, are you taking clients? What are your rates, etc?
Really enjoy the podcasts and thanks for your time,
Tim Jump

Lucho said...

Hey Jump- Love the name and I appreciate the good word!
Sorry man, but I'll be booked until at least August.
What are you training for?
T

Anonymous said...

your wife has good taste. ryan gosling is da bomb. -donna

Anonymous said...

Was really great meeting the endurance planet coaching team at Endurance Live on Saturday night. To be in a room with all those great athletes was truly fantastic. Never would have thought I would be able to sit and chat with Julie Moss and Dave Scott about life and training.
I would also like to thank you for the time and great conversation. Wish I could have stayed longer for the after party and say goodnight to the group. But that 615 am flight was just to early... and the open bar, was just not a good mix.

Chris

Lucho said...

Chris- Awesome to meet you too! You guys were the highlight of the entire trip! And I completely understand heading out to get the drive done. Best of luck this season!
T

Maximus Runner said...

Hey Coach Luchoticus, enjoy the noncultish approach you have to info and programs. Hard to find non koolaiders who arent selling an IV for their religion of a program. I am making the move up to ultras. Have done one 50k and would like to do the iron horse 100 here in two years if possible. Do you have a waiting list for coaching and if so I would like to be put on it. If not got anyone you would recommend? I am a blend of crossfit endurance and long maf run/bike. Enjoy the podcasts and the fact you hated the LA scene... That was not you which is a good thing in my view. Last question. Are you going to be attending bens superhuman geek fest next week? Thanks for your time. Enjoy the wife and kids. @ultrachump

Lucho said...

Maximus-
Thank you for the good word. Unfortunately I'm not taking new athletes at the moment! But if you have 2 years then shoot me an e-mail around ~July and check back if you're still interested!
Thanks again!
jogdaddy at gmail

Unknown said...

Love your work lucho. You are my biggest influence. I love your methods but your reasoning is so uncomplicated! Perfect. Just wondering where you learnt all this stuff. Self taught?

Unknown said...

Lucho, re: the above post I meant to write:
I love your methods AS your reasoning is so uncomplicated. Sorry about that.
I have another question.
I am currently training for a 64km (40 mile) ultra in November. I can run 10km in 50 mins at present. My aim is to complete the ultra in 6.5 hours, which is a pace of around 6 min/km (9.48 min/mile). I am 30 and have been doing MAF since December and am getting good results. I do squats and lunges and some other upper body work. What other training would you suggest. Tempos, intervals, hills? I have most time on weekends and can get out for 45 mins at lunchtimes during the week.
Love the podcasts.
Darren

Lucho said...

Hey Darren- Sorry for the delay. I learned a lot from training with others, reading as much as I can stand to, and then experimenting on myself. Training can be as complicated as you want to make it but I've always believed that simply putting in the work is step #1. Build to a high level of simple and basic fitness and then refine it.

Unknown said...

Thanks mate. I plan on running at around MAF pace for the next few months, with 10 km 'races' sprinkled through it. Cheers from your self- proclaimed number 1 Australian fan.

Lucho said...

No problem Darren! And with your race in November... you have something like 34 weeks or so? So this is enough time to go through two training cycles. You've been doing MAF for ~15 weeks so I would maybe experiment with a speed/ strength period for the next 5 weeks. It could look something like this. This is just a rough outline off the top of my head:

5 weeks- Speed and strength focus. Start with strides then build them slowly to 200-400m. Tempo/ threshold runs starting at ~15:00-20:00 at 20 beats above MAF and building to 1:00 hour at 10 beats above MAF. As the duration increases the intensity decreases.

10 weeks MAF- this 10 weeks should see you building to your highest volume. After 6 weeks add hill strides that start 2 X week of 4 X 20" and gradually build each week. These sessions will gradually turn in to full on interval work. After 10 weeks you should be easing in to the next period.

8 weeks strength focus- cut volume by ~10-20%. Long intervals done at or just below threshold. Start with something like 3 X 1 mile and gradually build. 1 X week of Vo2 max. Start with something like 6-8 X 1:00-1:30 (preferably hills) at close to max effort on 2:00-3:00 recovery. Then build these towards 4-5 X 4:00-5:00 on equal rest. Long runs build in volume and possibly start doing back to back long runs that gradually increase in duration. IE: start with maybe 14/10 miles and build. Long run volume should be a focus.

8 weeks specific. The focus here is on 1 long tempo (5-15 beats above MAF, avoid going over threshold) run that builds towards ~2:00. Possibly 1 Vo2 max session every other week but cut down to 8-10 X 1:00 max effort on 1:00 active recovery. Almost Tabata-ish. Then 1-2 long MAF runs. If you are durable then try to get your double long runs up to 40+ miles total. ALL OTHER days are full recovery or cross training (maybe practice your speed hiking on one day?) So just 3-4 runs per week with a focus on recovering from the hard/ long efforts. Don't feel the need to do recovery runs in this last 8 weeks! This period might look intense but it isn't. Over-all you're only doing a maximum of 10:00 of intensity. If the tempo is done correctly then it is not an intense session.

3 weeks taper and peak. Gradual reduction in volume. Eliminate completely the long runs. Keep the long tempo BUT drop HR down to just 5-10 beats above MAF max. If you built to 2:00 then do 2:00 the 3rd week/ 1:30 the 2nd week. Nothing race week. The 10 X 1:00 cuts down from 6-7 X 1:00 the 3rd week/ 4-5 X 1:00 the 2nd week/ 2-3 X 1:00 the week of the race which is your only 'hard' session. The week of the race keep your legs loose with 2-3 mile light jogs is all.

Maximus Runner said...

http://youtu.be/dYRrW0PME3E if you get a chance man watch this - I think your humor will get all of it. thanks for the last pod cast - good stuff. Had an 9 ft gator walk out in front of me on my trail run today. I may have went out of MAFF for a bit - love Florida trail running

Lucho said...

Ha! That's pretty good.

And wow! A 9ft gator! What did you do? I never run in to cool animals.

Maximus Runner said...

I see him a lot but he is never up on the trail. Its a trail bridge that separates a body off water so there are several wallows where they cross. Usually a big gator out there is not skid-dish so you just stop and let them be. Yesterday I say an armadillo, a pack of wild pigs and a big bird eating a snake (that was cool) I have to go so dang slow with this MAFF crap its like watching Mutual of Omaha's wild kingdom. A friend of mine and I were running on the five finger trail down here, its a bike trail that has five land inlets into the lake that are about 20 to 25 ft wide and they are very technical to run. We were running hard on the last one and saw the biggest gator I have ever seen. No lie he covered the trail. Had to be 15 ft easy. He didn't move. We went back the way we came and haven't been back to that part since. Maybe I will figure out a way to get some pics. Ok rambled enough. Thanks for watching the video. I Look forward to summer and maybe getting to be on you list of those coached by the great Lucho. have a great day man

Unknown said...

Wow, thanks so much Lucho. That is extremely generous of you to give such a detailed reply. I will have a crack and let you know how I go.