Drinkers with a Running Problem

Since the San Diego Rock n' Roll Marathon is right around the corner I've been training hard and thinking hard.  I've ran the course before and maybe you have too.  I stumbled upon this quote that I hope I find useful.


"You have to forget your last marathon before you try another. Your mind can't know what's coming."
- Frank Shorter


With that said, here is a link to a running club that actually sounds fun! Well this isnt the clubs website, but a place to get some sick threads if you happen to feel this way: Drinkers With a Running Problem

Avoiding Rattle Snakes

Now that spring is in full swing and summer is almost hear, check out the new Rattle Snake link to better prepare yourself out there while trail running.


Here is a solid nugget of information to get your brain started:


        "Rattlesnakes are most active in the warmer times of the year—spring through early fall—and many of them are nocturnal during the summer months. When favorable temperatures occur, many rattlesnakes are marginally active even during the winter. You are most likely to see them when the air temperature is between 70° and 90°F (21° to 32°C), regardless of the time of day—be it June or January."  (Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum)

Supplement Reading

       Here are a couple of interesting informative links I came across while researching supplements.



Omega 3 6 9:  Why it's not better for you.
http://www.omegavia.com/omega-3-6-9/


Whey Protein Expert Guide.
http://www.muscleandstrength.com/expert-guides/whey-protein

Daily Use Supplements

         For over a year I have experimented with many workout supplements and vitamins.  I've only kept 3 supplements from when I began this experiment; Amino 1500, Omega 3, and One a Day.  I've also added 3; BCAA 2200, Complete B-Complex, and Whey protein.  For about six months now I've been using the following combinations. 

Daily Use

Super Advanced Whey Protein Blend - 2x daily

One a Day Vitamin

Omega 3 Fish Oil Capsule - 2x daily

Complete B-Complex Vitamin - Taken after meals 1x or 2x daily depending on energy levels.

Enhanced Recovery

Amino 1500 - In between meals or before a heavy workout 

BCAA 2200 - After a heavy workout (marathon, race, two-a-days, etc.)

         Keep in mind that if you consume a lot of protein (which you should) expect to spend about $40 dollars a month on the powder alone.  With that said, this regimen will hardly break your bank over a 6 month period.  You might ask why the B-Complex?  Not only do they help promote protein synthesis and metabolism, but B vitamins promote energy as well.  Ever notice the percent of B-12 that's contained in a "5 hour energy" that you buy for 5 bucks a pop?  Get a bottle of complex B vitamins and save yourself some money.

Price Breakdown (per 4 to 5 months)

~$18.99  -  Super Advanced Whey Protein Blend - 2x daily 

  ~10.00  -  One a Day Vitamin

     9.99   -  Omega 3 Fish Oil Capsule - 2x daily

    13.99  -  Complete B-Complex Vitamin - Taken after meals 1x or 2x daily depending on energy levels.

    21.99  -  Amino 1500 - In between meals or before a heavy workout 

+ 35.00   -  BCAA 2200 - After a heavy workout (marathon, race, two-a-days, etc.)

$109.96 before tax  

 *You can find these supplements at your local Vitamin World and CVS stores. 

Supplement Labels:

10.52 mile run

Thank god for camel packs!  A ten mile run without water are you kidding me! 

Supplements: An Array of Choices. Which One is For You?

    I have experimented with an assortment of supplements from creatine to branch chain amino acids.  The idea behind taking such supplements are to find that competitive advantage and improve recovery time.  To date I will expand in detail upon what supplements I have tried and which supplements I now use.  Accordingly, each one of us is different, but I can tell you from experience (in my opinion) what supplements are a waste of time and money as apposed to seeing actual results.

(to compare ingredients, click on images to enlarge)


HYDROXYCUT:
    This dietary supplement is rough on my body,  especially the kidneys.  After three cycles of this product (approximately 4 months, not taking the recommended 3x three times daily) dose my body begin to express signs of (abnormal) dehydration.  Take a look at the ingredients and you can see that its more or less a caffeine pill on steroids.  An interesting ingredient called White Willow extract is basically a natural form of aspirin.  This strikes me as unusual and dangerous.  Might explain why my kidneys were hurting.  Another side effect is elevated heart rate due to the product design which lead to feeling paranoid and not my usual self.  After not seeing results and the ill side effects I decided to stop using this product.  I do not recommend this supplement as a means to weight loss.

i

CATALYST: 
    The idea behind this product is to shred body fat while preserving muscle during high intensity work outs.  After taking this product I defiantly saw results without any negative side effects loosing around 15 lbs.  Eventually I decided to research the ingredients as a means to finding a cheaper and perhaps better preforming supplement.

Genf20: 
    In search of different supplements I ran into a road block.  I was turned on to the idea that certain supplements can possibly help your body increase the levels of HGH that are naturally secreted.  Honestly, I didn't see any positive or negative impact on my body.  This supplement seemed to work just like the Catalyst did at 2x the price.

Below are the supplements I take before workouts and on a daily basis.

Amino 1500:
    This is the product that I have been searching for.  If you notice the ingredients include branch chain amino acids and most if not all the ingredients of both the Catalyst and the Genf20 at a fraction of the cost. ($18.00 at Vitamin World) 

One-a-day multivitamin/multimineral:
    Also try Centrum Performance, it includes B Vitamins to increase energy.

Omega-3
    There is a laundry list of benefits  published about this supplement.  Fatty acids aid in cardiovascular regulation, memory recall and so on.  I recommend this supplement to any one.

  Every body builder knows that taking creatine and whey protein are sure fire ways to bulk up and preform better, however; my goal is not to bulk up, but to better my overall performance, stay lean, and recover quicker.  The last three supplements defiantly aid me in my goal.

Cardio Trainer

    Today I discovered a free app called Cardio Trainer for the Droid.  Above are my results, below are shared (via Facebook) results.  This app tracks your pace, mileage, time elapsed, and approximate calories burned based on your height and weight.   Certain stats such as distance and pace are determined via GPS which leads me to one of my favorite aspects of this app, the ability to track yourself on google maps in real time.  When my workout is complete I save the results and share them like mentioned before and/or race myself next time out.  Really motivates me to see exactly how far I have ran, especially motivating sense I plan on mapping out a couple more routes.  Elevation calculations (graph located at bottom of image) are handy during hill runs, which will happen this Thursday.  Today my aggregate elevation change was 156.7 meters or 171 yards.  Last, but not least; saved results can be compared to a world wide high score database so I can see where I stand!

    A little inside information to my training schedule.  The idea behind my training schedule is one day in the gym hitting weights and the next day is dedicated to cardio.  Rotating through out the week starting with weights on Monday and ending with weights on Friday.  Rest on the weekends if you want to call it rest sense I am involved in Indoor Soccer on Saturdays and Mondays, not to mention outdoor soccer on Sundays!  Stay active my friends!

    Route details:  San Dieguito River Trail following the shore of Lake Hodges from parking to the dock and back.

ran 6.86 mi on Aug. 10, 04:44 pm (Time: 00:49:06)