6 Takeaways from Running an Impromptu Marathon

by ChrisJPT | May 31, 2022 | VLOG

How I ran a 2:50 marathon on a whim while staying healthy and in control throughout the race

On May 1st, I completed the Eugene Marathon. While I’ve completed plenty of Ironman Triathlons, this was my first ever attempt at the distance as a standalone event. I did this race in support of my good buddy, Johnny Kvietkus. This was his first race back following a horrific car accident last summer. Although his sister and nephews would be there on race day, I thought it’d be fun to accompany him. I also had to honor a pact I made with one of my athletes, Tonya.

I promised her if she qualified for the 2023 Boston Marathon during this year’s race (which she did with flying colors), I’d toe the line with her next April. Since I’m not getting any younger, I thought I’d better get my qualifying time sooner rather than later. So I threw caution to the wind and registered three days before the race.

Outside of one 14 miler, my longest run in the past two years was the weekly 12-mile jaunt I do to my in-law’s house for Sunday dinners. I was also sidelined from running for eight weeks in late 2021 due to an unexpected knee issue, which I fortunately recovered from.

If you are prepping for your next marathon, here are six key takeaways from my experience for you to consider as you begin ramping up your training.

1) Stop trippin’ over the long run

You can’t cheat the volume going into a marathon. But to avoid leaving several critical boxes unchecked, don’t structure your training around the long run. When it comes to tackling marathon training, my friend and PT extraordinaire, Mike Studer, sums the long run up nicely saying,

“Stay on your feet for the length of time you project the marathon to take. For example, if your goal marathon time is 3 hours, you may only need to cover 20 miles in long slow distance during your training cycle.”

If running long and slow was all that mattered, I wouldn’t have had the strong race I did. Sure I faded a bit towards the end (see below), but I think the other types of runs were integral to my success.

As my good friend and colleague, Joel Sattgast says,

“The long run is an opportunity to demonstrate confidence, mental more than physical. If a runner can complete 20-22 miles, then what’s 4-6 more?”

For example, I often include the following sessions during a typical week:

1. 45 – 60 minutes at conversation pace, including anywhere from 5-15, 10-30 second strides.
2. 45 – 60 minutes at conversation pace with a mishmash of hard intervals ranging from 1-5 minutes in duration.
3. 60 minutes at conversation pace on rolling to hilly terrain or a 30- 45 minute tempo effort.
4. 90 minutes of running over to my in-laws with an occasional pitstop at Fremont Brewery, turning the final mile into a beer mile 🤫🍻
5. 20- 30 minute transition run off the bike AKA T-run (remember, I’m a triathlete).

These runs challenge coordination, heart and lung function, tissue capacity, power and confidence. As you review these workout sessions, keep this rate of perceived exertion (RPE) chart in the back of your mind.

2) Practice for race day and fuel like you mean it

It blows my mind how much runners and triathletes worry about factors that are out of their control while neglecting what they can rehearse such as nutrition and pacing.

Although I didn’t register for Eugene until a couple of days before, I started considering the race about two weeks out. Given the situation, I knew I needed at least one long run to rehearse nutrition and pacing. A week before Eugene, after a short walking warm-up, I put in a 14-mile effort slightly faster than my projected marathon pace. I knew if I could hold a brisk effort, I’d have the confidence to get it done on race day.

Given the energy demands required to run a marathon, I knew it was also critical to have a clearly defined nutrition strategy.

Everyone is different, but I’ll provide a window into my approach starting the day before. In reality, however, it begins well before in terms of hydration and sound fueling for energy availability.

Fueling the Day Before Eugene

After a 25-minute shakeout run with Johnny on Saturday morning, we went out for a late morning breakfast where I had a monster pancake, a plate of hashbrowns, an egg and one piece of bacon.

For the rest of the day, I snacked on pretzels, nonfat yogurt, and pita during the afternoon before having a sensible pasta dish with some chicken in the evening.

Race Day Fueling

On to race morning…4:30 a.m….RISE & SHINE CAMPERS!

I made sure to get up early and start fueling at least two hours before the start of the race at 7 a.m. Giving your body this amount of time to digest is crucial to ensure everything can break down, exit the gut and be used by the working muscles once the gun goes off.

For breakfast, I had:

• 1 cup of organic unsweetened apple sauce
• 1 banana
• 1 plain bagel
• 14 ounces of sports beverage and then sipped on water to thirst before the race

For the race, I took seven Huma gels on board and stowed them in my favorite Salomon waist belt, the Pulse. The Huma gels are 100 kcals and consist of ~22-26 grams of carbohydrates.

My target for the race was ~60g of carbs per hour, so I planned to consume a gel every 20 ish minutes and then rely on what the aid stations had for the home stretch. Long story short, I nailed my nutrition!

It’s worth noting: I’ve trained my gut over the past several years and have a cast-iron stomach, so please exercise caution in adopting my exact approach because it may not be appropriate for you.

3) Strength training is essential

If there’s one thing a runner should do beyond run, it’s strength train. While running should comprise the bulk of your training as an endurance athlete, strength training ensures we have the requisite capacity to withstand the performance demands of running. This is especially true for masters level (over 35 years old) and geriathlete (over 55 years old) runners. Incorporating strength training:

• Improves movement economy
• Reduces or delayed fatigue
• Improves anaerobic capacity
• Enhances maximal speed

I don’t know about you, but what runner wouldn’t want that?! When it comes to running, our bodies need to withstand:

• Cumulative loads given the repetitious nature of running
• Peak loads considering certain tissues and regions need to withstand upwards of 8x bodyweight force
• Energy storage and release since running is a plyometric activity

My strength training included some combination of the following movements and exercises based on where I was in training:

1. Farmer’s marches (check out my recent post on marching drills)
2. Squats
3. Deadlifts
4. Single leg drill (step-ups, toe taps, long lever bridge)
5. Calf raises
6. Push press
7. Jump rope

While there is still a lot of research to be done on strength training, it’s something I strongly advocate for runners. I like to think of strength training as “coordination training under load.” If you don’t already prioritize strength training, any type of strength training is likely to create a positive stimulus. Aim to layer it in 2 – 3 x per week, ideally on non-running or lighter runners days.

4) Prioritize consistency and moderation

Despite many athletes being enamored by heroic or jaw-dropping workouts on social media, nothing promotes physiologic adaptation like measured training day in and day out. If you get overzealous and trip something off such as a muscle pull or tear, be prepared for your training to get derailed.

While adding intensity to a training cycle is important, make sure to get into a rhythm before revving the engine. Furthermore, when preparing to layer intensity into your sessions, be sure to come into the workout centered and ready.

Full disclosure: My marathon performance was the culmination of years of consistent and moderate training while peppering in calculated intensity, which ultimately allowed me to go deep in the well.

5) Focus on what is in your control

Speak to any marathoner, and you’ll learn about the dreaded 20-mile mark. Of course, the “goin’ gets tough,” but don’t let it get to your head. Every course is different and the conditions always vary. The main thing you can control is how well you pace the race leading up to the last 10K.

Stay conservative early at the start, avoid going out too fast and focus on nutrition. Study the course and race accordingly. For Eugene, I made sure to write mantras in permanent marker on my hand to keep me honest but anchored for each segment of the race. There were two hills that hit during the first half of the race and so it was important to stay sensible early on. From there, the course was relatively tame. While my mantras were generally spot on, I should’ve labeled the fourth one GRIND because it sure as hell wasn’t a PUSH at that point.

6) Find a shoe that gives you a boost

Although I typically downplay the role of shoes, if you find a supershoe that feels comfy, springy, and light, you’d be silly not to use it. Worst case scenario, you’ll have a psychological advantage on race day.

Having done a lot of personal testing comparing various metrics (heart rate, pace, effort) between traditional running shoes vs. those with carbon plated technology, I’m someone who undoubtedly benefits from the latter.

For this race, I went with the Saucony Endorphin PRO 2, and they were divine.

If you want to experience what it feels like to run on mini trampolines, this shoe has you covered. Rumor has it that the ASICS METASPEED, the next shoe I’ll introduce into my rotation, is also the cat’s pajamas. I promise to report back.

Aim to find a shoe that weighs less than 440g (pair), feels comfy and has a carbon plate. Otherwise, be prepared to hit the F8 recalculate button post-race, wondering how much faster you could’ve gone and the precious seconds you left on the course.

Huge shout out to Rachel Lee at the Run Shoppe, who takes care of my running shoe fetish.

Final Thoughts

The most obvious takeaway from the race is how much less of a logistical headache a marathon is relative to an Ironman. I’ll continue to race long course triathlons, but the marathon was a much more enjoyable experience and vibe. You also don’t have to deal with a bunch of stressed out type A triathletes staring at your calves and quads trying to size you up going into the race. There’s nothing relaxing about racing a triathlon. I sometimes wonder why I do them in the first place. Based on my first marathon experience, I can’t wait to race Boston and put in a focused training block to avoid running a second impromptu marathon.

Burnout in Physical Therapy | Where Passion Collides With Reality

by ChrisJPT | Oct 28, 2021 | VLOG

It’s become clear a good chunk of physical therapists have become disenchanted with the profession and are suffering burnout.

Can’t imagine it has anything to do with the insurmountable levels of debt and pressure from employers who lack core values and prioritize patient churn out.

“How can this already be happening,” you think to yourself as I’ve only been practicing for a couple of years?

I must confess the situation has me distraught to the point where it’s brought me to tears.

Is what I’m experiencing normal or are these unjustified fears?

I went into this field to help others reclaim a life of movement and get back to the things they love.

I thought this was gonna be rewarding but I’m starting to feel like I’ve had enough.

Every day I run around a clinic throwing tips and tricks at complex, volatile situations.

Then I have no choice but to stay long after my shift writing notes, which are nothing more than overexplaining.

How in Sam Hill am I ever going to pay off $100k+ in loans and where does starting a family, enjoying some leisure reading, and pursuing my hobbies fit in.

Please throw me a lifesaver because I’m drowning in all these nonsensical explanations patients are given about why they’re in pain…what a sin!

Before I forget, do you know how I can get out of a non-compete?

Is it something I’m locked into because I’m on the verge of conceding?

I don’t know bout’ you but I can’t sit through one more compliance meeting.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, I feel like it’s time to switch professions or jump ship.

And don’t get me started over the fact some states still require a PT script?!

Why is it that when we know there’s a leak in the ship we sit there and watch it sink (thanks Johnny!)?

I don’t know about you but if we stay on the current trajectory, I’m genuinely concerned the physical therapy profession could go extinct.

Now more than ever physical therapists are looking for purpose and patients desperately need individualized care.

Unfortunately, clinicians are having their passion(s) crushed thanks to a soul-sucking system and employers who’ve created a sense of despair.

It’s time we stop feeling sorry for ourselves, reclaim our profession, and get back to the things which matter most?

What happened to creating an unparalleled patient experience, clinical excellence, and simply being a gracious host.

Let’s take a moment to revisit the wise words of George Patton, who once said, “Courage is fear holding on one minute longer.”

I’m sure you probably feel like things are going bonkers.

Now’s the time to double down on your situation so you can position yourself to break through and conquer.

Do your best to put your fears and worries aside while getting crystal clear on your core values then rework your narrative as a person and clinician.

I’m excited for you to discover the opportunities that await and look forward to following your mission.

Remember to immerse yourself in and connect with your local community while pouring your hands, heart, and mind into your craft.

Only then will you get established as a trusted resource at which point there’ll be no looking back.

Please stop worrying about all these new-age marketing platforms characterized by suspect strategies and tactics.

At day’s end, they’re nothing more than a racket!

Rather, focus on doing the best job you absolutely can day in and day out.

Remember in case you forgot…the best marketing is still word of mouth.

By no means will this be an easy journey as you’ll surely encounter some obstacles along the way so remain patient and revel in the process.

A final reminder…YOU GOT THIS!

How to Apply the Science of Step Rate to Your Running Using the RunCadence & Spotify App

by ChrisJPT | Feb 15, 2018 | VLOG

Tap the RunCadence App

Select “Test”

Tap Ready & Start Running

Run for 1′ w/ phone in hand

Once you have finished the one-minute test, this screen will appear which shows your average step rate as well as +2.5, +5, +7.5, and +10% above your avg step rate. We generally recommend starting with +5% when it comes to gait retraining. This is the value that you will plug in to the Spotify app when prompted. We’ll cover this in more detail below. In the event that you are able to readily adopt the +5% step rate, feel free to increase it to +7.5% if not +10%. While you can increase your step rate above 10%, apppreciate that doing so occurs at a great metabolic cost.

Step 1:

Once you have downloaded Spotify from the app store, simply tap the icon to open it.

Step 2:

When the homescreen of the Spotify app appears, tap the search button centrally located at the bottom of the screen.

Step 3:

In the searchbox, type in “running” then click the search button at the bottom of the screen.

Step 4:

Scroll down until you see “Genres & Moods.” Tap the icon with the running man.

Step 5:

You will have the option to select various types of music so pick the one that suits your fancy 🙂 We often encourage folks to select a style of music with a distinct beat as it lends to better sychronization in terms of your foot contacts.

Step 6:

When you arrive at this screen and are prompted to start running, simply click the “skip” button at the bottom of the screeen and plug in the value obtained from using the RunCadence Test. Consider starting with the “+5%” value.

Step 7:

You are ready to roll/run! Aside from periodic advertisements, you will now have a continuous playlist based on the beat frequency you plugged in. Bear in mind that maintaining a consistent/steady step rate for a given running speed is most easily accomplished on level ground. Hills and softer surfaces may cause you to deviate from the target.