Listener Q&A: May 2021

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Who’s ready for summer?

For some of us, summer isn’t coming–it’s already here!

But seeing as the summer unofficially starts this weekend, I suppose it’s going to happen whether you’re ready or not!

Before it’s “legal” to wear those white pants again, let’s do a little Q&A, eh?

You Ask, I Answer!

In case you’re new to these parts, here’s what’s going on.

At the end of every month, I do an episode dedicated to you and your questions.

Want to get a question answered in a future Q&A episode? Come join our FB group, watch for the post asking for Qs, and put your query in the comments.

Basically, whatever you ask I try to answer!

Sometimes, the answers aren’t worth a whole lot. But every once in a while I like to think (or at least hope!) that I hit the nail on the head!

When it comes to free advice, there are no guarantees that you won’t get any more than what you paid for it.

That said, I promise to do my best!

And if nothing else, there are usually at least a few decent memes/GIFs to make it worth your while.

Let’s get into this month’s questions, shall we?

This Month’s Questions

How early should I run to beat the heat this summer?

How are the guitar lessons/book writing coming?

What hobby or activity would you pick up if running were no longer an option?

Obviously, it would depend on the reason that I couldn’t run anymore and what limitations I would have.

Exercise-wise, it would probably be more strength training and yoga-based. Though I could see a fair bit of cycling, probably on the spin bike, mixed in as well.

Other than that, I don’t know that there would be one thing that consumes my life as much as running does, but probably more of a rotation of different interests.

I would love to spend more time focused on gardening and growing things around the house.

Puzzles are always a favorite.

Maybe tackle some home improvement kind of things.

One thing is certain, I would have to find something to fill the void as I’m not one to sit idly by and waste the days away.

What do you eat/consume during a half-marathon?

Any advice for a first-time marathoner?

That’s the biggest thing, right there.

But in order to give yourself the best chance possible to have fun on race day, make sure you do a better job of training for that first 26.2 than I did!

Hehe.

I’d also advise you to avoid setting a time goal.

As cliche as it is, simply finishing your first marathon is a big enough deal in and of itself.

If you decide to do a second one? Then you can set a goal beyond simply finishing (if you want).

Trust the process. Push yourself to do something you’ve never done before.

But most importantly, have fun.

Have you done a Ragnar or other multi-leg relay? Would you do it again? Any chance for a Diz Runs team at some point?

I’ve never done one, but I would definitely be up for it.

As for putting a team together?

Sure, if someone wants to do all the leg work, I’ll be there!

Just being honest, I don’t have the bandwidth to organize something like that right now.

Down the road? Perhaps.

But it’s not something I can take on right now.

What does post-race recovery look like after your first marathon?

Lots of variables at play here, but in general I wouldn’t suggest diving right back into your training ASAP post-race.

I like the idea of doing some non-impact training, at a very easy level, such as biking or swimming.

Once you’re free of any lingering soreness/discomfort, that’s when you can probably think about starting to train again.

Of course, my suggestion is to wait until you’re Pain-Free + 3 to get back to work.

How many Hidden Mickeys did you find while at Disney for your Anniversary?

Will eating during a 13-mile run enhance performance?

Why do I feel lower to the ground when I’m sprinting?

When is the apparel coming?

How do you properly clean a hydration pack?

In Covid-times, my base has really suffered. A buddy wants me to run a half in a couple of weeks, bad idea?

Physically, you can probably do it (assuming you have still been running some).

Is it going to be your best half? No.

Are you going to be quite a bit more sore post-race? Probably.

Are the last 3-5 miles going to really suck? Almost assuredly.

It’s not the best idea to do the race, but it’s not necessarily the worst idea ever.

Who’s the better pilot, you or Rebekah?

What consideration do you take as a salty sweater?

It’s really not that complicated.

Just make sure you’re replacing your salts/electrolytes a little more aggressively during the summer months.

And check out this episode with sweat scientist Andy Blow from earlier this year.

Can you discuss transitioning from 5 days per week of running to 6 days?

Hmmm…

It’s been a minute since I made that move, but it was definitely a process.

If memory serves, one thing I tried to do before I added the 6th day to the mix was bump up my weekly mileage a little bit while staying at 5 days.

So let’s say I was running 30 miles per week, and thinking about adding a 6th day that would usually be a 5 miler before work.

For a few weeks leading up to adding the day, I tried to bump my weekly mileage up into that 35-mile range.

Then, when I added the 6th day, I eased into it.

So maybe I “only” ran 32-33 miles that week, but I did it over 6 days instead of 5.

And over the course of a couple of weeks, I built up to where I could pretty comfortably run my 35 weekly miles without it being too much of a struggle, mentally or physically.

Do you have any tips for staying positive during a race?

It’s not easy if/when things start to go sideways, but finding a way to keep smiling goes a long way.

Can I get enough calories from liquids to avoid solids during a marathon?

In theory, you definitely can.

In practice, maybe you can.

How many calories do you really need to take in during your race? Can your stomach handle that much liquid during said race? Are you comfortably able to carry enough fluids with you to get you through the race? Or are you willing to stop mid-race and refill your bottle?

Depending on how you answer those questions, then you can probably get enough fuel on race day simply from liquids.

Have you ever been caught in a thunderstorm during a run? What did you do?

What kind of potato chips do you prefer on race day?

Classic lays.

But I’m pretty much down for whatever.

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And that, as they say, is that.

As always, the answers in this post are the abridged versions. For a bit more, make sure you press play at the top of this post.

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What Was Your Favorite Question and/or Answer this Month? Let Me Know in the Comments Below!

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