Want To Run The Kentucky Derby?

Want To Run The Kentucky Derby?
~Reed “Trail Rat” Nelson~
MAY 2005
It is actually a simple thing to do if you are a horse and can sprint for a mile at about a 1:47 pace. Otherwise, you are a human, and that pace should humble you right out of your Asics. Can you imaging running 10mph faster than any human has ever run? Can you imagine that you’d have to be an elite cyclist to beat a Derby contender using pedal power? Oops, you’d still need pavement.
Well, so much for the pep talks and Rat Tales. Let’s get right down to it, shall we? Humans are weak! I mean, athletically we are pretty pathetic compared to other species. Domestication has cost us dearly. [excuse me while I get another calf’s shank on which to chew]. If you relate strength and speed to size and weight, most wild animals can run rings around us or just fling us aside. It is all quite depressing.
So, if we are not to run [or bike] with horses, swing with monkeys or leap with leopards what are we to do? Well, I just wanted everyone to be humbled into the gym to pump some iron a few times a week. That is my goal here. Unless you are competing on an elite marathoner pedestal, you are going to be much better off as you age if you hit the weights. And I would bet you get faster, too.
I’m certain that most of us have heard the stories. Weight training increases bone density, retards the effects of aging, and brings about a host of other benefits. But, why is it that I see so few runners putting 45-pound plates on a bar? There is a disconnect. I think runners are afraid they will become bulky or will injure themselves. Or they do not think it is an intense workout. Let me tackle those issues with a runner’s speed.
First, let’s look at bulking up. In the past 20 months I have lifted 2 to 3 times per week. I do not skimp on weight. I lift! I started weighing in at 216 pounds and now tip the scales in the low 170’s. I lift more weight now than I did when I started. I can row, bench press, and pull up more than my body weight. I can easily press several of our smaller members above my head several times. Remember, I accomplished all of these strength gains while losing 40+ pounds. Bulking up [or not] is a matter of diet. You have to eat more than you burn to gain weight. That is a fact. Just the opposite is true, too. You have to burn more than you eat to lose weight. And, I will tell you that protein is your friend if you are lifting and losing at the same time. You certainly don’t want to lose muscle! Anyway, the bulking up worry is nonsense.
Second, there is the question of injury. This one I agree with. I would love to be able to lift with a blindfold on, as I watch people every week that just drive me insane. They accelerate weights too fast, lower them too fast, hyperextend their joints, and use varying forms that reduce results and increase chances of injury. If I had my own gym, NOBODY would work out until they completed instruction on each apparatus. If they injure themselves or get poor results, they won’t be customers for very long. The fitness club business is in dire need of a redo. But, that is another story. Fifty bucks on a trainer and you will likely never see an injury from lifting. Let them know your goals… strength, proper form, and aerobic gains.
Segue. Can we lift and get secondary aerobic gains? Aren’t weight-training sessions anaerobic? Well, yes and yes! But [newsflash], hill and sprint repeats are anaerobic too! Silly humans! The key is that you don’t rest between repeats when you run, you just slow down. You vacillate between anaerobic and aerobic condition. And what happens? You get STRONGER! It is the same with weights. Again, just put on blinders and get ready to be assertive. You will need blinders to ignore the resting fools that are standing around socializing between sets. You will need to be assertive to jump on a machine that someone was using for a lounger between sets for a quick set of your own. Don’t be shy! I am a madman in the weight room. Briskly walking from machine to machine. Using three different sets of dumbbells at the same bench at the same time. Sweating, crying, drinking spitting, huffing and puffing. I am a runaway locomotive. What does this get me? Strength increases in about 15 minutes per session. That’s right. I blow through 24 sets of weightlifting in about 15 minutes. Still time for a run or a ride? You bet… maybe both!
So, you can believe the Bowflex hype. Just 20 minutes a day 3 times a week is all you need. Now, if we could just let people know that is not the case with aerobic fitness. You can’t gain much fitness in 1 hour of cumulative aerobics per week. But you CAN gain STRENGTH. But, most of you are already aerobic gods and goddesses. Add some strength training and see what happens by fall of this year. Do it right, and then let me know if I am full of dung. I am placing bets that I will not receive any calls. Any takers???