Saucony 2009XC - Nate Jenkins Twelve day Festival of HammersAugust 27, 2008
The Umass Lowell xc guys assure me that a Hammer fest refers specifically to a run or workout where a group hammers on each other and that it is only a one run event as such I can not call a twelve day cycle of training a hammer fest. I am pretty pissed about this but they are better with that sort of stuff then me. Like knowing what a Salty Pirate is ect.. So I will defer to them on this and call my 12 day killer cycle a Festival of Hammers instead. It was that or a Foss Fire and that just sounds dumb to me. So below are the details and what not of what I have been doing with the last 12 days of my life. I hope you find it interesting.
What? 12 days of super compensation training 5 tempo/progression workouts 4 short hill repeat sessions 2 long runs 34 runs 325 miles for an average of just over 27 miles Long day of 32 Short day of 25
Workouts 12k in 37:24(5:00 pace) w/ ruben Sanca on flat rd. course (baystate marathon) in Lowell
2x5k and 1 mile plus, hilly at camp foss, thought these were 3 miles when I did them but measured the area later with Gary and they were quite long, 16:05, 15:40, 4:59, 3 min solo on this one
Tough 5 mile w/ Eric Ashe at Foss, 25:23(5:04 pace)
4x4k at mines falls, bit hilly bit long, solo, 3 mins rest, 12:49, 12:50, 12:57, 12:54, all about 5:08 pace average.
Hilly 7 mile progression run w/ Rex, Ruben, Dedo(10k), Angus(5 miles) at Foss, 36:48, rolling terrain throughout with one notably uphill mile and one notably downhill mile, both noted in splits, no flat miles, splits 5:42, 11:21(5:39(uphill)), 16:39 (5:18(downhill)), 22:01 (5:22), 27:15 (5:13), 32:15(5:00), 36:48(4:33).
The full schedule
Saturday August 16 to Wednesday August 27
Saturday 8AM woods 5 solo, 41:29 tot. 5 11:30AM w/ Ruben Sanca, 4++ w/up strides/stretch, 12k hard run on baystate marathon course, 37:24, splits 4:54, 9:54, 14:54, 19:56, 25:02, 30:11, 35:17. 2+ c/down tot. 13.5 PM 10x14 second hills at foss, 41 min w/up 20 min c/down tot.9+
Sunday 7AM road/trail/dirt rd. 24, first 9 w/ Erin Dromgoole and Eric Ashe, all very easy all very hilly, 3:01:12 tot. 24+ 5PM rd./dirt rd. 5 very easy w/ campers at Foss, 45:56, some add ons going back and fourth to check on kids tot. 5+ Monday 6:50AM 9 1:05:53 tot.9 10:30AM 7, 55:49 tot. 7 4PM 9 w/ Courtney Welk, no time, tot. 9 XT Myrtle hip routine
Tuesday 6:50AM 31 min w/up, 3+ miles(one hill), 16:05, (5:27, 10:50), 3min rest, 3+miles, 15:40, 3 mins rest 1+ mile, 4:59, 16 min c/down tot. 12+ 10:30AM 3.5 w/up, 12x14 sec hills, 3.5 c/down tot. 8+ 4:15PM 7, 51:36 easy w/ Adam Tenowitz, tot. 7 XT core stuff
Wednesday 6:50AM 11, 1:16:23 w/ E. Ashe, tot. 11 11AM 9, 1:03:21 w/ Adam tot. 9 4PM 7, 57:24 w/ Liz, tot. 7
Thursday 7AM 7 easy shake w/ Courtney and Amanda, 55:22 tot. 7 11AM w/ E. Ashe, 3+ w/up strides, 5 mile hard, 25:23, tough loop, 3 c/down tot. 11+ 5PM 3 w/up w/ Adam, 16x14 sec hills, 3c/down tot. 7
Friday 9AM 24, easy, first 13 w/ Courtney, tot. 24 PM 5+, 42:02 w/ 400 runner from cmass, finish w/ Amanda, tot.5+ XT Myrtle hip routine
Saturday 7AM 11+ w/ E.Ashe, 1:19:03 tot. 11 Noon 9 solo, 1:03:42, tot.9 3PM 6+ w/ Shannon on trails in Tewksbury tot.6+
Sunday 10:30AM at mines falls, 3.5 w/up, strides, 4x4k(tough loop by mines falls standards), 12:49, 12:50, 12:57, 12:54, 3 mins jog rest between efforts, 3.5 c/down tot. 17+ 4PM 3.5 w/up 18x14sec hills, 3.5c/down back at Foss tot. 9 7PM showcase 6+ w/ add on, 52:31, tot. 6++
Monday 8AM 7 w/ Rex, Ruben, Dedo, Tim, 56:28, rex and ruben in anthrax suits, hilarious tot. 7 Noon 9 solo, 1:08:48, tot.9 3PM 11 w/ Rex, Ruben, Dedo, 1:18:28 tot. 11+
Tuesday 8AM 7 mostly w/ UML guys, all with Dedo, 53:47 tot. 7 4PM 3 w/up strides, Hilly 7 mile progression run w/ Rex, Ruben, Dedo(10k), Angus(5 miles) at Foss, 36:48, rolling terrain throughout with one notably uphill mile and one notably downhill mile, both noted in splits, no flat miles, splits 5:42, 11:21(5:39(uphill)), 16:39 (5:18(downhill)), 22:01 (5:22), 27:15 (5:13), 32:15(5:00), 36:48(4:33). Ruben was a second or two down on me at the 6 mile mark and a second or two up on me at the finish and ran 4:29 for his last mile. I doubt he’ll be settleing for 22nd again this year at D2 nats. 3 c/down tot. 13 7PM 5 w/ Gary very easy shakeout, 43:57 tot. 5
Wednesday 8AM 7 w/ uml guys, 51:42 tot.7 1PM Solo 13, 1:34:19, loop a bit long and hilly but basically a horrid no fun slow run. To paraphrase the man in black I’ve had worse runs though I can’t really remember when. Tot.13 8PM back in Lowell, rd. 6 solo shakeout, 49:49 tot. 6
Why??? To get tired, run tired and push my limits in hopes of reading my body for a breakthrough now. But much more with an eye towards long term development teach the body how hard it can really be pushed and it will perform and recover better at lesser training loads.
Verdict?? I’m thrilled I thought I would breakdown more, don’t get me wrong I’m really tired but I was real happy with all the workouts. I had hoped to run as close to 5 min mile pace on all of them as possible and I did which is great when the volume of miles in my legs is considered. The last workout was a bit different I don’t do many measured progression runs and this is the first one I have ever done with other people. Plus I let the guys control the pace so basically it was real easy till the last mile which was balls out. That was very different for me as I usually increase the pace pretty steadily and run into pain right around half way and don’t end up running that fast at the end. I think it was a good change and I had FUN doing it. I’ll have to change some of my progressions to run like this in the future I think it is good for me.
‘nate you’ve been running like shit wasn’t this a stupid idea?’ Nah been much better lately got the diet square and the iron is back up. Time to train, strike while the iron is hot and all that good stuff.
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About Nate Jenkins
Nate Jenkins is a poster boy for hard work. Following solid high school and college careers, (UMASS Lowell D2), Nate took his training to a new level, running up to 140 miles per week. He is now a 2:14 marathoner and professional road racer, sponsored by Saucony. In 2007, he became an RRCA road scholar award winner and went on to place 7th in the Men’s Olympic Marathon Trials in New York. Jenkins has established himself as one of the nation’s finest long distance road racers, and believes that hard work will make you just a little better everyday and allow you to accomplish your loftiest goals. Sign Up
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nate
Is this less effective then 10-20X10seconds? Why is entering the anaerobic system so bad? I have read that short, maximal hill sprints teach the body to recruit more muscle fibers but why is building up lactate in the base phase so bad? Does it confuse the body as to whether it should develop aerobically or anaerobically?
My high school coach had us run about 3-4 miles a day with a 5-6 mile long run once a week. Doubles were unheard of. 3 times a week we would have a workout on the track. It would either be 200's, 400's, or a combination of 200's and 400's. I became very good at running the 200 meters even though my events were the 800 and the 1600 and eventually got down to 22-23 seconds. But I had absolutely no endurance and my legs were usually shot from all the track work so my 800 and 1600 times were dismal.
Where did they get anthrax suits from? Did they just have them lying around somewhere? When's your next race?
Just wondering what your weight is right now and if it dropped alot from all the mileage.
Well take your time with the buildup I 'm a big believer that mileage doesn't get you hurt but that increasing it can. Now on a schedule of 70 miles a week, most of your runs should be pretty good but if your tired don't be afraid to go slow slow slow. If your training at 5:10 to 5:20 pace you may be more of a mid d guy or I should know who you are, but if that was supposed to be 6:10 to 20. but if you are a mid d guy don't feel the need to hammer miles too soon. Now if your a longer guy then now is the time to increase it, coming into college you'll be real tired this year and start to run better next year and really get something out of it your jr. and sr. years.
now your questions
A) I ate mostly camp food, I also ate some junk food. I tried to eat right after. all runs.
B) I don't use gels gus energy drinks at all. I got no massages but I did have an appt. with my chiropracter a few days before and after the cycle, I see him once a week for my hammy thing and he does a lot of massage and other modelities. I'm a huge believer in deep tissue massage, sports chiro, and ART and similer type body work. Also I did make a point to get in the lake after runs, ice whirlpool is better but pool or lake will do if you keep your legs moving a bit.
C) slope? steep as hell. I just jog back but you should check your heart rate until you can be sure that it is dropping back down to 120 to 130 beats per min. on the jog down. don't need to be super anal, the 6 second check is fine. basically as steep as you can find it, unless your an 800/1500 runner then get something less steep that your form can be more track like on. distance is not important, that they stay under 15 seconds is 8 to 14 is fine but longer then that and you enter the anaerobic system and leave the alatic system and that is bad.
Triples cut into recovery and make you more run down which was the point in your place you should be doing singles and maybe some doubles. no reason for triples at those miles no need to cut into your recovery like that. Also if you really want a third session do core/drill work in the gym.
E) sore? i don't really get sore much anymore, maybe after a marathon. But I do get very very tired, stiff and heavy. I struggle to get rolling and tend to breath very heavy and move very slowly at the start of all my runs. I can cut into this by doing hip/core stuff before or AIS stretching. At your age I still got very sore from a lot of exercise. I've been at it pretty hard for a good long while since then so my body is different. Again you have to train your current fitness make too big of jumps and you'll at best not asborb the training and end up tired and run down and more likely end up hurt. As Todd williams said if you've run 10:00 for two miles try to run 9:50. Same for training don't try to make big jumps just try to inch it up steady. this is an area many HS coaches screw there kids over in. they build them right up to 30 to 40 miles a week and then when they are sr's they are still running 30-40 maybe 40-50. Its inexcusable. If you run 20 to 30 as a frosh you should run 30-40 as a soph, 40-50 as a jr, 50-60 as a sr. absolutly bare min. Big part of why our HS kids are so far behind and why many kids suffer in the transition to college. Sorry for all that but its something that drives me nuts.
oh for the soreness try getting some nutrition withen 15mins after a workout, some carbs and protien, 250 plus calories, chocolate milk, kefir, protien shake. something I think it will help you a lot.
Anthrax suit? Have you ever scene a movie where there was a Ebola or something outbreak or on the news when they had those anthrax letters a few years back? Its a suit that covers everything but your hands and face, usually white, it has a hood that snaps right down on your face. It is completely not breathable. they also have elastics on the ankles and wrists and they poured sweat out when they finished. Benji Durden would have been proud.
a)What did you eat, when did you eat it and how much did you have?
b)Did you use any other recovery techniques (gels, gus, energy drinks, massages etc?) I've never used any of those but when you're running that much do you need extra help recovering?
c)On the 14 second hills, do you know the % grade and distance or did you just sprint up for a certain amount of time the jog back down without regard for the distance/slope?
d) Are triples much different then doubles? I've only done triples a couple times, do they help? What is the mininum mileage that triples are useful?
e) were you very sore in the first couple miles of the morning runs? Often I can barely move during the first few miles because I am so sore from previous sessions of hills, sprints, weights, etc. is this normal?
Sorry for all of the questions, often experimentation is the only way to see if a training idea works or not, it is not often that athletes like me get to ask questions of those who perform at the higher levels of the sport.
So one final, yet vital question-What is an Anthrax suit?
The speech you gave at FOSS was easily the best one all week and inspired me very much
Thank You
Yes, your grammar and spelling sucks, but the content was excellent and very enlightening!
all the kenyans(brother colm's group, rosa's group, canova's group, kimbia guys)the top japanese( there are 25 or 30 active marathoners in japan with 2:11 or better pr's and more sub 2:30 women then the rest of the world combined, craig mottram. The japanese do very high miles but the others are mostly your standard 90 to 110 mile a week types, some exceptions in the kenyan marathoners.
as to running slower there is a famous story about a reporter who got invited to do a four mile easy run with Paul Tergat while he was in kenya, this was the spring before tergat ran 26:20's for 10k and a few months after he had won world cross. So he shows up scared as hell and ready to kill himself to stay with Tergats group for there easy 4 mile run. He says they ran 40 minutes and he is quite sure the loop was short of 4 miles.
Yes it changes your gate, much like strides do, in a good way increasing the strenght of different muscles varying the way they move a little to increase range of motion and cut back on repetitive injuries.
in a micro sense i did increase volume and intensity but since my normal training which i'm not far removed from is 130 to 160 mile weeks with intervals and tempo's in a macro sense I didn't increase intensity at all.
the hip stuff I do is pretty tame. as is my core stuff.
I'll be interested to see where I am in 6 to 12 months as well.
as to your little nit picky thing, very nice made me laugh. my grammar sucks. As does my spelling but you stated clearly after the saying 7:30 or slower ie 41+ for 5 miles AND SOME RUNS EVEN SLOWER 8 MINS PLUS. negating the slower then 7:30 including slower then 8 min theory.
Lastly, Brett I post my stuff for two reasons, the first is selfish, its a promotion get my name out there and make me more sponsorable because people know who I am, the second is that I trained the traditional way and I sucked, really wasn't very good at all. I put my stuff up because I found a better way, online, because people put up what they were doing and having there athletes do. I promise you I am not a talanted guy. I'm not udderly without talent, but I was 5th man on my HS cross country team, at a very small school, graduated with 67 kids, and you can ask those I ran with and who coached me I was over achieving a bit to be that good. Don't be satisified with where you are, always expect to be improving and search for a better way, they are out there. Is what I'm doing right for you, maybe not, but look at what the best are doing and find one that fits you mental and physically and truly explore your potential. If i can run what I've run there are thousands upon thousands out there who can do better. Why can't one of them be you?
nate
The high modulation of your program - really hard , very easy day sequences - seems smart. Also, running more often, rather than extending the length of one or two runs per day is a safer, more efficient, more effective way to improve fitness, in my opinion. You've likely read Ernst Van Aaken.
Best of luck.
Can you give me a handful of programs that run their recovery day at slower than 8:00 pace?
and so if i wanted to run 9 min miles on my recovery day i am getting the same benefit as running 7:30? i think running slower will change my gait, altering my stride - making my foot strike different and working different muscles. I don't see the logic of running that slow, especially at your level.
I respect your work ethic and am not denying that you ran a 12 day cycle that is full of solid workouts and other sessions of strength. (those hip routines are crazy sometimes) I like the fact that you are getting used to running hard when your body is tired. You really did increase your volume and your intensity at the same time too, unless you had been running 160 mile weeks and doing intervals and tempos and hills over the past few months. AND i am not saying that i am the model trainer and you are much faster than i am, or ever will be, i just don't see the logic in some of the things you are doing and wanted some insight.
Good luck with your training and i will be interested to see where you are in the next 6-12 months
oh and one last nit picky thing: there = a place, their = someone's possession (and if you look back i said slower than 7:30 pace, which would also mean 8:00 pace or slower)
The other part is this run hard when its time to run hard and easy when its time to run easy. Too often american athletes tend to run a ton of there "easy" runs far to fast and their workouts suffer and as such there overall developement suffers. Now because the volume of this session was so high I did a ton of slow miles not ideal but you need to remember this isn't random do whatever i want training. Ya it looks a little wild but the idea was to do a ton of volume on very hilly terrain to soften the body and then do some key tempo, threshold, mp, and hill workouts while running very tired. Now increasing training in anyway is always risky in terms of injury but increasing volume and intensity at the same time is just plan stupid. I plan on doing a super compensation period down the road of increase intensity too. It won't look as impressive on the blog but it will serve a similer purpuse but that week my miles will probably be down a little or the same as they have been but instead of 20 to 30 miles at about mp for the week, I'll have 50 to 70. It will be interesting to see which one my body responds to better.
oh and one last nit picky thing 5 miles in 41x is over 8min pace.
nate
please enlighten me some more on the logic of all of this....
and what was the 12 day total? 325, if you aren't broken in 3 weeks you must be one hell of a runner
Awesome. Brave.
Hope you see great results.