Posts Tagged ‘long time’
Author: The Dragonfly Swimmer Published: April 27th, 2011
He never stood a chance.
If you happen to be a distance runner or a quadruped, there's an article that may interest you in the May 2011 issue of Outside magazine.
The article is titled "Fair Chase" and subtitled "On the plains of New Mexico, a band of elite marathoners tests a controversial theory of evolution: that humans can outrun the fastest animals on earth," and you can read it right here.
The framework for the article — let's pit some fast marathoners against a pronghorn antelope and see if they can't pursue the thing until it overheats and falls over — is a little gimmicky, but fun. And I won't give away the ending here.
The underlying idea is the theory that, as Outside explains, "our ancestors evolved into endurance athletes in order to hunt quadrupeds by running them to exhaustion." (This is called "persistence hunting.") Harvard's Daniel Lieberman, an evolutionary biologist, is among this theory's most visible proponents.
Well, with all due respect to Dr. Lieberman and his fellow experts: I think you're close, but not quite there.
My own theory is that our ancestors did indeed use running to hunt — not by running animals to exhaustion, but by cornering them in social situations and talking to them about running until they collapsed of boredom.
At which point the runners could surround the quadruped and devour it at their leisure, using the calories to fuel more long runs and speed workouts, which they could then describe at agonizing length to future quadrupeds, who would then collapse of boredom, etc.
You know. Circle of life.
A typical scenario might play out like this, at a gathering of our australopithecine ancestors, one of whom has buttonholed an obviously uncomfortable antelope by a crude, stone punch bowl:
* * *
Australopithecine ancestor: "Me been runner for long time. Me not training for anything right now. Maybe spring marathon. Whatever 'marathon' is. And 'spring.' You run? You have four leg. You probably run."
Antelope: [snorts]
Australopithecine ancestor: "Me bet you run fast. Me no run fast. Me more of jogger. Ha ha. But at least me out there. Me try to do many short run most time, then one long run some time. Also Yasso 800."
Antelope: [eyes dart nervously, looking for an out]
Australopithecine ancestor: "You barefoot runner? Me into barefoot running. Change life. Just seem more natural."
Antelope: [snorts, shudders]
Australopithecine ancestor: "You know where me like run? Savanna. Flat, pretty. Me feel like me can run forever on savanna. Me perspire, but that okay. You perspire? No? Ha. You look like you want perspire now. Anywaaaaaay… Me tell you about time me hurt leg?"
Antelope: [twitching, panting, scratching at ground]
Australopithecine ancestor: "Me try to run through hurt. No work. Hurt spread! Look, me show you where pain go…"
Antelope: [falls over, unconscious, bored out of its skull]
Australopithecine ancestor, to others: "Dinner ready!"
* * *
…Like I said, this is also just a theory. Maybe someday I'll test it. As soon as I finish that crude, stone punch bowl.
Attention, Lehigh Valley (Pa.) Area Runners!
If you're running this weekend's Lehigh Valley Half-Marathon and 5-K — or, heck, if you just live nearby, come meet a few Runner's World staffers at the race expo this Saturday:
Amby Burfoot, signing copies of The Runner's Guide to the Meaning of Life
Budd Coates (9:00 – 5:00), promoting CoreSliders and signing copies of Run Your Butt Off!
Sarah Lorge Butler, delivering a talk on Run Your Butt Off!, at 9:00, then signing copies of the book afterward
Charlie Butler (10:00 – 5:00), signing copies of The Long Run and delivering a talk on the book's subject, Matt Long, at 2:00
Mark Remy (10:00 – 2:00-ish), signing copies of The Runner's Rule Book and The Runner's Field Manual
Where: Holiday Inn Allentown, 904 West Hamilton Street (click here for details and map)
Tags: Amby Burfoot, antelope, area runners, australopithecine ancestor, Barefoot running, boredom, calories, Charlie Butler, circle of life, controversial theory, cornering, daniel lieberman, distance runner, due respect, elite marathoners, endurance athletes, evolution, evolutionary biologist, exhaustion, Fair Chase, fast marathoners, fastest animals, fellow experts, Field Manual, Holiday Inn Allentown, Hunting, jogger, Lehigh Valley, Lehigh Valley Half-Marathon, Life Budd, long run, long time, marathoners, Matt Long, My own, New Mexico, Our Ancestors, outrun, Outside magazine, perspire, pronghorn, pronghorn antelope, proponents, punch bowl, quadruped, quadrupeds, race expo, Rule Book, Runners World, Sarah Lorge Butler, savanna, social situations, speed workouts, spring marathon, stone punch bowl, subtitled, The Long Run, The Runner, The Runner's Guide to the Meaning of Life, theory, theory of evolution, typical scenario, uncomfortable antelope, United States, West Hamilton Street, World staffers
Category Running |
Author: Paul Published: February 4th, 2011
** Hold the back page! About Swimming have just contacted us to say that we're in the running to be their 'Swimming Blog Of The Year'! If you've found the Swim Smooth blog useful then please vote for us here. Voting closes today (Friday) so please be quick - cheers! **A quick tip this week to help you develop your core stability when you swim:
Imagine a string of elastic or licorice that is attached at the top to your rib cage and at the bottom to your pelvis. As you swim keep that elastic stretched by lifting your chest up and away from your pelvis as much as possible:
Swimming in a tall stretched position uses your core muscles in the right way as you swim, keeping you aligned and straight in the water. You don't have to be super-strong through the core to do this well, it's more about using your core muscles in the right way than outright strength. Ironically it's often the swimmers who spend a long time on dry land core-conditioning who flex the most through the middle when they swim!
Try and get in the habit of adopting this stretched position when you push-off from the wall at the beginning of every lap. Adopt a strong
torpedo, stretch through your core and as you start your stroke maintain the stretch all the way down the pool.
A stable core will have you tracking straighter through the water and also develop your body rotation - both very important for an efficient freestyle stroke. It will also rotate your hips forward slightly, lifting your bum and legs higher in the water - great if you suffer from 'sinky legs syndrome'.
Stretch that elastic the next time you swim, we're confident you'll notice the difference straight away!
Swim Smooth!
Tags: **A quick tip, Andy Akinwolere, body rotation, bum, cheers, core conditioning, core muscles, Core stability, dry land core-conditioning, efficient freestyle, efficient freestyle stroke, habit, hips, legs, licorice, long time, Lots, muscles, outright strength, page, pelvis, pool, pool.A stable core, rib cage, right way, sinky legs syndrome, sit ups, Sit-up (exercise), Sports, stable core, stretched position, string, stroke, strong torpedo, Swim Smooth, Swim Smooth blog, swimmers, Swimming and Diving, Swimming Core Stability, SwimSmooth.com, tall stretched position, torpedo, United States, ups, useful, vote, Water Sports
Category Swimming |
Author: Paul Published: February 4th, 2011
** Hold the back page! About Swimming have just contacted us to say that we're in the running to be their 'Swimming Blog Of The Year'! If you've found the Swim Smooth blog useful then please vote for us here. Voting closes today (Friday) so please be quick - cheers! **A quick tip this week to help you develop your core stability when you swim:
Imagine a string of elastic or licorice that is attached at the top to your rib cage and at the bottom to your pelvis. As you swim keep that elastic stretched by lifting your chest up and away from your pelvis as much as possible:
Swimming in a tall stretched position uses your core muscles in the right way as you swim, keeping you aligned and straight in the water. You don't have to be super-strong through the core to do this well, it's more about using your core muscles in the right way than outright strength. Ironically it's often the swimmers who spend a long time on dry land core-conditioning who flex the most through the middle when they swim!
Try and get in the habit of adopting this stretched position when you push-off from the wall at the beginning of every lap. Adopt a strong
torpedo, stretch through your core and as you start your stroke maintain the stretch all the way down the pool.
A stable core will have you tracking straighter through the water and also develop your body rotation - both very important for an efficient freestyle stroke. It will also rotate your hips forward slightly, lifting your bum and legs higher in the water - great if you suffer from 'sinky legs syndrome'.
Stretch that elastic the next time you swim, we're confident you'll notice the difference straight away!
Swim Smooth!
Tags: **A quick tip, Andy Akinwolere, body rotation, bum, cheers, core conditioning, core muscles, Core stability, dry land core-conditioning, efficient freestyle, efficient freestyle stroke, habit, hips, legs, licorice, long time, Lots, muscles, outright strength, page, pelvis, pool, pool.A stable core, rib cage, right way, sinky legs syndrome, sit ups, Sports, stable core, stretched position, string, stroke, strong torpedo, Swim Smooth, Swim Smooth blog, swimmers, Swimming, Swimming and Diving, Swimming Core Stability, SwimSmooth.com, tall stretched position, torpedo, United States, ups, useful, vote, Water Sports
Category Swimming |
Author: Paul Published: February 4th, 2011
** Hold the back page! About Swimming have just contacted us to say that we're in the running to be their 'Swimming Blog Of The Year'! If you've found the Swim Smooth blog useful then please vote for us here. Voting closes today (Friday) so please be quick - cheers! **A quick tip this week to help you develop your core stability when you swim:
Imagine a string of elastic or licorice that is attached at the top to your rib cage and at the bottom to your pelvis. As you swim keep that elastic stretched by lifting your chest up and away from your pelvis as much as possible:
Swimming in a tall stretched position uses your core muscles in the right way as you swim, keeping you aligned and straight in the water. You don't have to be super-strong through the core to do this well, it's more about using your core muscles in the right way than outright strength. Ironically it's often the swimmers who spend a long time on dry land core-conditioning who flex the most through the middle when they swim!
Try and get in the habit of adopting this stretched position when you push-off from the wall at the beginning of every lap. Adopt a strong
torpedo, stretch through your core and as you start your stroke maintain the stretch all the way down the pool.
A stable core will have you tracking straighter through the water and also develop your body rotation - both very important for an efficient freestyle stroke. It will also rotate your hips forward slightly, lifting your bum and legs higher in the water - great if you suffer from 'sinky legs syndrome'.
Stretch that elastic the next time you swim, we're confident you'll notice the difference straight away!
Swim Smooth!
Tags: **A quick tip, Andy Akinwolere, body rotation, bum, cheers, core conditioning, core muscles, Core stability, dry land core-conditioning, efficient freestyle, efficient freestyle stroke, habit, hips, legs, licorice, long time, Lots, muscles, outright strength, page, pelvis, pool, pool.A stable core, rib cage, right way, sinky legs syndrome, sit ups, Sports, stable core, stretched position, string, stroke, strong torpedo, Swim Smooth, Swim Smooth blog, swimmers, Swimming, Swimming and Diving, Swimming Core Stability, SwimSmooth.com, tall stretched position, torpedo, United States, ups, useful, vote, Water Sports
Category Swimming |
Author: Paul Published: February 4th, 2011
** Hold the back page! About Swimming have just contacted us to say that we're in the running to be their 'Swimming Blog Of The Year'! If you've found the Swim Smooth blog useful then please vote for us here. Voting closes today (Friday) so please be quick - cheers! **A quick tip this week to help you develop your core stability when you swim:
Imagine a string of elastic or licorice that is attached at the top to your rib cage and at the bottom to your pelvis. As you swim keep that elastic stretched by lifting your chest up and away from your pelvis as much as possible:
Swimming in a tall stretched position uses your core muscles in the right way as you swim, keeping you aligned and straight in the water. You don't have to be super-strong through the core to do this well, it's more about using your core muscles in the right way than outright strength. Ironically it's often the swimmers who spend a long time on dry land core-conditioning who flex the most through the middle when they swim!
Try and get in the habit of adopting this stretched position when you push-off from the wall at the beginning of every lap. Adopt a strong
torpedo, stretch through your core and as you start your stroke maintain the stretch all the way down the pool.
A stable core will have you tracking straighter through the water and also develop your body rotation - both very important for an efficient freestyle stroke. It will also rotate your hips forward slightly, lifting your bum and legs higher in the water - great if you suffer from 'sinky legs syndrome'.
Stretch that elastic the next time you swim, we're confident you'll notice the difference straight away!
Swim Smooth!
Tags: **A quick tip, Andy Akinwolere, body rotation, bum, cheers, core conditioning, core muscles, Core stability, dry land core-conditioning, efficient freestyle, efficient freestyle stroke, habit, hips, legs, licorice, long time, Lots, muscles, outright strength, page, pelvis, pool, pool.A stable core, rib cage, right way, sinky legs syndrome, sit ups, Sports, stable core, stretched position, string, stroke, strong torpedo, Swim Smooth, Swim Smooth blog, swimmers, Swimming, Swimming and Diving, Swimming Core Stability, SwimSmooth.com, tall stretched position, torpedo, United States, ups, useful, vote, Water Sports
Category Swimming |
Author: Paul Published: February 4th, 2011
** Hold the back page! About Swimming have just contacted us to say that we're in the running to be their 'Swimming Blog Of The Year'! If you've found the Swim Smooth blog useful then please vote for us here. Voting closes today (Friday) so please be quick - cheers! **A quick tip this week to help you develop your core stability when you swim:
Imagine a string of elastic or licorice that is attached at the top to your rib cage and at the bottom to your pelvis. As you swim keep that elastic stretched by lifting your chest up and away from your pelvis as much as possible:
Swimming in a tall stretched position uses your core muscles in the right way as you swim, keeping you aligned and straight in the water. You don't have to be super-strong through the core to do this well, it's more about using your core muscles in the right way than outright strength. Ironically it's often the swimmers who spend a long time on dry land core-conditioning who flex the most through the middle when they swim!
Try and get in the habit of adopting this stretched position when you push-off from the wall at the beginning of every lap. Adopt a strong
torpedo, stretch through your core and as you start your stroke maintain the stretch all the way down the pool.
A stable core will have you tracking straighter through the water and also develop your body rotation - both very important for an efficient freestyle stroke. It will also rotate your hips forward slightly, lifting your bum and legs higher in the water - great if you suffer from 'sinky legs syndrome'.
Stretch that elastic the next time you swim, we're confident you'll notice the difference straight away!
Swim Smooth!
Tags: **A quick tip, Andy Akinwolere, body rotation, bum, cheers, core conditioning, core muscles, Core stability, dry land core-conditioning, efficient freestyle, efficient freestyle stroke, habit, hips, legs, licorice, long time, Lots, muscles, outright strength, page, pelvis, pool, pool.A stable core, rib cage, right way, sinky legs syndrome, sit ups, Sports, stable core, stretched position, string, stroke, strong torpedo, Swim Smooth, Swim Smooth blog, swimmers, Swimming, Swimming and Diving, Swimming Core Stability, SwimSmooth.com, tall stretched position, torpedo, United States, ups, useful, vote, Water Sports
Category Swimming |
Author: The Dragonfly Swimmer Published: January 30th, 2011
Week #3 is done and this was one of the best weeks of training I have had in a long long time. I typically judge the week by reflecting on my long weekend workouts … so I am obviously happy with those, but more on that in a bit. My workouts during the week were average at best. I should have been on the bike for 3:40 during the week, but I was only able to get on for 1:50 – not quite enough but a long shot. My swim sessions were as good as always – Olivier makes us do more yardage than the plan ever says, so I am never short-changed in the water. My time-trial swim session for the week had me finishing a mile in about 31 minutes – not fast by most people’s standards, but an improvement for me.
This week’s brick was supposed to be an hour on the bike followed by a 20-minute run. I got the time on the bike, but only about 15 minute of running… had to run to a meeting for work. Regardless, the run felt fine which is the point I guess.
Saturday was my long bike ride. I was supposed to do 2:30 but ended up going 3 hours to make up for some of my shortened workouts earlier in the week. I headed out through the hills north of Raleigh and ended up going 52 miles. Not a super-fast pace, but with several steep hills and lots of rolling terrain, I was pretty happy with it. Sunday was my long run – if you remember last week, I had thoroughly kicked Olivier’s butt and he wanted to “race” for real. So Oliver, Ryan, Chris and I headed out on what’s known as “Z-Big Loop” in Umstead (9.5 miles… horse trails… lots of brutal hills). We started out easy and stayed together for the first mile. But then Olivier and Chris pressed forward, leaving Ryan and I behind. That lasted for a few minutes before I split off from Ryan and caught up to Chris… and then set my sites on Olivier. It took about a mile and a half to catch up to Olivier – turns out he struggles up the hills which I find surprising since he weighs about 20 lbs. But he does struggle and by the second big hill, I was past him. By the third big hill I had a few hundred yards on him and he was sufficiently demoralized. Anyway – long story short, I ended up beating him by about 3 minutes and Ryan by 4. Olivier is officially my bitch (on the run). USA! USA! USA!
My watch ran out of batteries, so I am not sure what my official pace was, but Ryan’s said 7:30 which means my pace was somewhere around 7:10. I am VERY happy with that – especially when you look at the terrain we were dealing with. But what I am even more happy about is that I had that strong of a run after having a solid long ride the day before. To me that’s saying my body is dealing with the strain of the increased training very well and not getting too fatigued. I realize it’s early to say that – I still have 21 weeks to go – but still… I am happy.
|
Swim |
Bike |
Run |
Strength |
Total |
| Total Time |
3.0 hrs |
5 hrs |
2.5 hrs |
1.75 hrs |
12.25 hrs |
| Total Distance |
6,600 m |
80 miles |
19 miles |
|
|
Tags: 20-minute run, 31 minutes, Anyway, big hill, bike ride, Bike Run Strength, bitch, brick, brutal hills, butt, Chris, Cycling, few minutes, fine, finishing, forward, Happy, hills, horse trails, Hospitality Recreation, judge, leaving Ryan and I behind, long bike ride, long long time, long run, long shot, long time, long weekend workouts, Mile, miles weekly training, mountain bike, official pace, olivier, pace, Physical exercise, Raleigh, rolling, Ryan, ryan chris, Ryan's, sessions, shortened workouts, solid long ride, Sports, standards, steep hills, struggle, super-fast pace, swim session, terrain, Time 3.0 hrs, time trial, time-trial swim session, trails, training log, United States, USA, weekend, workouts, Z-Big Loop
Category Featured, Weekly Training Logs |
