The Qwer Old Fella's Marathon Method

May 18, 2024

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Location:

Tralee,Ireland

Member Since:

Oct 01, 2011

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Other

Running Accomplishments:

I've never worn compression socks.

Short-Term Running Goals:

To do a race.

Long-Term Running Goals:

1. Break the world record for the marathon in the 50+ age group, when I'm 50 in 2015.

2. Never wear compression socks.

 

Personal:

Married with two girls (6 and 10).

The Qwer Old Fella's Marathon Method is a four year experiment.

The first year (2012) was about getting back into running, staying off the smokes and booze, while sticking to a healthy eating plan and shedding mountains of lard. All boxes ticked.

Year two (2013 - age: 48) Injured Jan through March. Build back up and work on my 5k speed. Goal 15:45.

Year three (2014) will be about doing my first marathon in the spring. (Just for the experience and on a tough course - maybe Tralee; goal time, 2:30ish.) Then begins the prep work for Berlin 2015

Year four (2015) is all about breaking the world record for the marathon in the 50+ age group - it's only 2:19 :).

The above might sound nuts; it is, but then I'm nuts. Please do not copy any of the training I do: if you do, you are likely to end up running like me - not a good idea.

The idea is to have a laugh along the way. If I fail, I don't know what I'll do - my whole belief system will crumble and I suspect that this little rock might just stop spinning for a couple of seconds. Jakers, I better not fail for all our sakes. That's some burden, even for SuperBam.

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
12.000.004.000.0016.00

7:30 a.m. 6 miles easy. 10 miler planned for tonight with 4 miles at Lactate threshold pace. I need to work on my full range of threshold runs (Lactate threshold; tempo, aerobic threshold). But these areas are addressed in the first phase of 'The Bam Method'.

I've pretty much sorted the philosophy and structure of my system, I just need to find the appropriate language to describe the various phases. I suspect the first two phases will not be of much interest to most people,but I think the third and fourth phases might spark some interest and debate. The third and fourth phases are pretty much where most people would jump in after completing their 'base phase'. Although I doubt many, if any, would adopt my system as it's pretty radical - perhaps the odd session.

Todays tip - eat a brazil nut everyday. Here's why:

Selenium is a trace element mineral. It has been associated with heart disease, cancer and a number of other complaints when the body becomes deficient of the mineral.

Its function in ‘man’ is as a component of an enzyme which protects cells against oxidative damage. Oxygen, although vital to our existence, can produce toxic substances, such as peroxide, superoxide, hydroxyl radicals, and "excited state oxygen." Selenium is therefore described as an anti-oxidant and an anti-ageing mineral. It promotes normal growth and development. Alcoholism = Deficiency.

Selenium is found in bran, broccoli, cabbage, celery, chicken, egg yolk, garlic, kidney, liver, milk, mushrooms, onions, seafood, tuna, wheat germ, and whole-grain products. Selenium and vitamin E work together, thus a deficiency of one will affect the other.

A nut a day keeps the blues away. The Brazil nut is the richest of all foods in selenium, and eating a single nut a day will guarantee you are never deficient, says Dr. Donald J. Lisk, director of Cornell University’s Toxic Chemical laboratory. He found that Brazil nuts are grown in selenium rich soil providing a super high content of the mineral, about 2,500 times more than other nuts. Eating half a dozen nuts rapidly boosts blood selenium levels by 100350 per cent.

The taking of selenium in supplementary form is both expensive and unnecessary provided the foods listed are eaten on a regular basis.

Training strenuously damages (possibly) membranes which are repaired by Glutathione Peroxidase. Selenium provides this in the amounts listed.

A deficiency will affect performance – for the worse.

6:00 p.m. 10 miles. 4 miles w/u, 4 miles lactate threshold, 2 mile w/d. The target pace for the L.T. section was 5:48 miles based on 5k pace/0.93 (Tinman). Ended up doing, 5:48, 5:48, 5:44, 5:36. Total time for the 4 miles, 22:56 - 5:44 A.P.. Pleased with this as I didn't feel up for it during the w/u and yet I felt relaxed and strong during the workout. Happy days...

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 133.00
Comments
From Bret on Mon, Aug 20, 2012 at 13:34:33 from 64.128.133.66

Oh very nicely done! Seeing continued progress and with a cheeky 5:36 at the end. Sweet.

Noticed your reference to Tinman - I corresponded with him a short while ago to see if he was taking on runners to train. He said he was, and then proceeded to give me some information that I deemed at the time to be rubbish. So I thanked him for his time and sent him something for his troubles.

From Kam on Mon, Aug 20, 2012 at 13:46:15 from 68.66.163.179

I am allergic to Brazil nuts; all tree nuts, really, but Brazil nuts cause anaphylaxis. You can eat mine.

From Bam on Mon, Aug 20, 2012 at 14:57:12 from 95.83.231.255

Bret - Thanks. I'm happier about how comfortable the pace felt rather than the speed.

I don't know anything about Tinman, other than what he posted on LetsRun. I like his ideas about tempo stuff but not in relation to the marathon. I'm using his system to support the 3k and 5k intervals I'm doing and to slowly introduce my own threshold system, when I'm fit enough. One thing's for sure, I wouldn't pay him or anybody for that matter.

Kam - After that half marathon PR, I'd stick to whatever it is you're eating.

From NatalieK on Mon, Aug 20, 2012 at 15:36:39 from 24.2.101.184

Interesting stuff here, excited to learn more about the BAM method.

From Bam on Mon, Aug 20, 2012 at 15:51:49 from 95.83.231.255

I'm glad you find it interesting Natalie. I've got loads of this stuff from years of studying nutrition and training and therapy etc. I'm hoping that the holistic approach I intend to employ in my 'method' will bear fruit!

From allie on Mon, Aug 20, 2012 at 15:56:26 from 161.38.218.168

long live the brazil nut. but please keep them far away from kam.

From Andrea on Mon, Aug 20, 2012 at 16:31:19 from 72.37.244.100

You need to put The Bam Method on the discussion board so we can capture all the comments/debate there and it doesn't get lost in the comments.

The Brazil nut is not my fav, but I'll try not to avoid it from now on. Thanks for the good info!

From Jason D on Mon, Aug 20, 2012 at 20:34:30 from 24.1.80.94

Solid workout, Bam. Nothing like a few seconds better than the planned average.

From Bam on Thu, Aug 23, 2012 at 05:06:53 from 89.204.255.97

Andrea and Jason, sorry, I only spotted your comments this morning - I need to get more organized:)

Andrea, I'd be too shy to put the Bam Method up on the discussion board:)

The old brazil nuts aren't the nicest but I find eating one every morning while I'm making my Bam Breakfast Bar, gets it done and dusted.

Jason, you're not wrong about the few seconds. Although I'm using Tinman's method, I will be changing my way of doing threshold/tempo runs. I think Tinman and a host of others have got the tempo stuff wrong - only slightly, but it's important.

When I bang up the aforementioned method of yours truly, I'll explain why I think they've got it wrong and how I believe threshold/tempos should be done:)

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