62: Over-training, Active Couples, Kipchoge

Juggling work-life balance can be a real three-ring circus, which Lauren & Jesse know first hand. Led by listener questions, the Work, Play, Love Podcast is all about sports, biz, and family. [ASK YOUR QUESTION]

62: Over-training, Couples and Aging, 2-Hour Marathon Controversy, Tempo Workouts, Work-Life Boundaries

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Description:

Fatigue, burnout, and feeling overwhelmed. That’s what can happen when you overdo it. It’s not too far off of how you feel when you…underdo it? Jesse and Lauren reply to a marathoner who may be over-training. They talk about the controversial (and maybe over-engineered) Nike Vaporfly shoes that helped achieve a 2-hour marathon time. They respond to a listener who’s worried about her husband’s complete lack of exercise. And they talk about how to not overdo it at work. Plus, the Work Play Love duo shares the origins of the Flat Bruce, offer advice about tempo workouts, and more.

What’s goin’ on?!!

In what may be one of the fastest WGO segments to date, Lauren and Jesse bring you up to speed on everything Picky, Fleshman, and Thomas. From Lauren’s week of solo-parenting to her schedule at the New York Marathon and an update on her high hamstring injury, she shares what’s new in Work, Play, and Love.

Meanwhile, Jesse talks about what it was like to do over 120 miles of cycling at Phil Gaimon’s Cookie Fondo. At the event, Jesse got to see a bunch of athletes dig into Picky Bars for the first time, which was pretty rad. He talks about some of the Fondo feedback and gives an update on Picky stocking issues. SPOILER ALERT: Stocking issues are nearly over. All Picky Bars should be back in stock and shipping soon with some sweet-looking packaging.

Tasty Bites

11:30 - Did Ben Bruce start the “Flat Bruce” trend?

Yes! Ben Bruce started the trend of laying down in full race kit with all yer gear and taking a picture the night before your race. Search the hashtag #flatbruce on Instagram for some awesome examples of Flat Bruce pictures. Turns out, the sports psychology of doing a Flat Bruce is sound, too! Doing a dress rehearsal and getting all of your things ready is a great way to mentally prepare for a race.

13:40 - For a marathoner looking to build speed and power, what is the best way to order your workouts? Run then lift, or lift then run?

Here are a few things to consider when ordering your workouts for marathon:

• Running in the early part of the day and lifting in the evening will help you do those long runs on fresh legs
• Experiment with your workout order in the off season, try lifting before your run and see how you feel—then decide what works best for you
• Experiment with lifting first on short power days where you’re doing 200s or hill repeats

For Little Wing athletes, they are doing their running and lifting workouts all at once. On some days they run then lift, and on others they lift and then run right after.

15:52 - Have you ever offering an option where you could gift somebody a Picky Club membership?

Yes! We have offered the ability to gift a Picky Club membership during past holiday seasons, and we’re going to offer the option again! Keep an eye out for Picky Club gifts this holiday season.

20:17 - After you get a vasectomy, is there any testing to make sure it was a success?

Yes! There’s testing to make sure it was a success; they don’t just turn you loose and hope for the best. We’re not doctors, so different patients may have different post-op protocols, but there was a 6-week post-op checkup for Jesse’s vasectomy.

21:38 - What is on your workout music playlist?

If you’re a parent, you may feel the same pain as the Flomas duo: their current playlists are filled with children’s songs. But here are a few suggestions to get you going during your workouts:

• Sylvan Esso: super creative, great electronic music
• Lauren’s been digging the new Brandi Carlile album, By The Way, I Forgive You.
• Jesse made a running playlist for his marathon at Challenge Roth on Spotify 

23:15 - How do you determine your pace for tempo workouts?

Here are a few tips to help you dial in your pace for tempo workouts:

• Approximate your half-marathon pace, and then run at 10-20s faster
• The sentence test: if you can talk in short sentences, that’s a good pace—if you can carry a long conversation, you’re running too slow
• Think of it as 8 out of 10 effort sustained for an hour

25:09 - How did Jesse get his hernia?

Jesse thinks his hernia came from a hard running workout. But he didn’t realize he had an injury at first. After the initial injury, he kept running, and on his next challenging workout that included fast running (with those long leg extensions that come with running fast) he really began to feel it. He also notes that he feels the injury during twisting and side-to-side movements, like flip turns in the pool, flipping a tipped kayak, or playing basketball. Lauren also shares her experience of getting a hernia during pregnancy, and one during an intense core workout, which healed with rest. The pro tip? Don’t overdo it on your workouts – listen to your body and pull back if you’re not feeling great.

Meat & Potatoes

31:41 - I’m training for my 6^th marathon and I’m feeling really tired even though my training is consistent with my other marathon training. Do you have any advice for when you’re tired during your usual training routine?

Even though you may feel like you’re putting forth similar effort, there are a ton of other variables, like stress levels and workload, that contribute to fatigue. Otherwise, fatigue is usually a sign of over-training, and you may just need to take a break. However, before you take significant time off, here are a few things to try to reduce fatigue:

• Adequate sleep! Make sure you’re getting 8 (count ‘em!)—8 hours of solid sleep
• Make sure your diet is leaving you with plenty of energy stores—up those carbs and fats! (if you suspect you may not be getting enough)
• Get a blood test and see if there are any markers that indicate areas of opportunity for lifestyle, training, or diet changes—here’s the blood test Little Wing athletes use
• Check in with a doctor 

38:26 - My partner does not exercise regularly and I do. I’m concerned that, as we age, this disparity will affect our relationship. Can a couple age well together if they’re not both individually aging well?

Staying active as a couple is awesome, even if you choose different ways to get exercise. It can pump up your happiness levels, relieve stress, and of course there are a ton of benefits for your long-term health. If your partner’s not being active *at all*, it’s legitimate to be concerned for their health. If you’re worried about your partner’s fitness, here are some things to keep in mind:

• Your partner may want to exercise in different ways and at different intensities than you. That’s OK! A 30 minute walk every day can make a huge difference.
• Ask your partner how you can support them being active—can you give them a 30-60 minute break during the day so they can exercise?
• Encourage your partner to see a doctor! Have them check in about their fitness level as they age to give you peace of mind.

43:50 - What is your opinion on regulating shoes with carbon plates (that have been analogized to "running on a trampoline"), like the Nike shoes worn by Eliud Kipchoge in his recent sub-2-hour marathon performance?

Lauren and Jesse speak at length about performance-enhancing technologies like the ones found in the shoes that Eliud Kipchoge wore in his sub-2-hour marathon. Here are a few takeaways from their discussion:

• Technological advancements in a sport should benefit all participants
• When it comes to elite athletics, regulations should help level the playing field to ensure the athletes’ physical abilities are on full display
• When it comes to recreational sports and footwear for the average consumer, a shoe with patented technology is fine, but when it comes to professional sports, it’s an awful tough call to let them fly
• Lauren suggests there should be a standard running shoe for professional events
• Jesse notes that the sports of cycling and swimming have regulations on the type of equipment that can be used in official race conditions, and running should be the same with regards to footwear

Here’s The Clean Sport Collective Podcast about performance-enhancing footware, with Kara Goucher, Ryan Hall, and Alex Hutchinson.

Here’s a Runner’s World article about the controversial Vaporfly shoe. 

56:30 - When you’re running a small business, how do you keep it from taking over your life?

It’s really common for small business owners to make their business a 24/7 job. And that’s tough. It can lead to burnout and it can affect your personal life in negative ways. For Jesse and Lauren, it really comes down to creating boundaries for yourself. When you leave work, or when the workday is done, try to “leave work at work.” Don’t talk about it, read about it, or answer emails. Instead, try to leave your phone and other devices aside. Engage with people outside of work. And take the occasional vacation! All of these things will create a more fulfilling and sustainable work/life balance. Plus, the more you invest in yourself, the more you’ll be able to bring to the table when it is time to work.

Jesse and Lauren recommend checking out Peak Performance, by Steve Magness and Brad Stulberg, as a resource.

Follow-Ups

1:01:38 - Re: Picky Bars supply-chain snafu and life plans (Episode 60)

Lauren and Jesse get a note of encouragement from a listener who found out they really dig Cinnamon Roll’n Picky Bars. They received one as a replacement for an out-of-stock flavor, and discovered a new love (even though they think cinnamon-raisin cookies shouldn’t even exist)! They also commiserate with other folks in the WPL community when it comes to “needing a life plan.” They recommend letting your goals come to you organically and trying to enjoy your achievements without needing external validation.

1:01:13 - Re: Open water swimming practice (Episode 60, 34:56)

A listener writes in with some advice on how to get comfortable with other people swimming around you. They suggest having a partner hit you and poke at you with a pool noodle to simulate the stray arms and legs you’ll encounter in an open water swim. (kinda like this old commercial).

1:04:21 - Re: Injuries, particularly in post-partum athletes and runner moms

A physical therapist suggests checking out Go Ahead, Stop And Pee, a book that’s a great resource for exercising while pregnant, and then returning to prior performance and activity levels postpartum. It also outlines key exercises and important orthopedic changes to be aware of that occur with pregnancy.

1:05:28 - Re: High-hamstring Tendinopathy

A runner who had a similar injury to Lauren’s high-hamstring tendinopathy writes in to let the Work Play Love duo that she found relief with ultra-sound guided platelet-rich-plasma (or PRP) injections.

1:06:04 - Re: When your running group runs faster than you (Episode 60, 39:03)

If you feel like you constantly get dropped by your running group, you’re not alone! This listener writes in and says they experience the same thing. They train hard with their current group and then take it easy when they want to for a few days a week. They run with other friends on other days. One day a week? Go out with a super-fast group at their easy pace for an awesome workout.

Check out Inside A Marathon by Scott Fauble and Ben Rosario – for some more thoughts on this from marathon pro Scott Fauble.

1:08:09 - Re: Grief and loss (Episode 60, 57:30)

A listener writes in to share their own story of loss and how running has helped them grieve.

As always, submit your work/play/love question at pickybars.com/workplaylove - Thanks for listening!

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