No Bonk (Triathlon Training – Day 78)

The morning starts with my little buddy, Isaac, and I going to a leadership conference at his school. I am very impressed when we arrive. The entire gym is full of junior high school kids that are eager to spend three hours on a Saturday listening to speakers on how to become a leader rather than…well anything a junior high school kid would normally do on a Saturday. The conference is fantastic full of great life lessons, humor and actionable insights about how to become a leader. Normally I would have my triathlon workout completed well before noon but today I am happy to delay for a memorable experience with my son.

Because I’m leaving for London on Monday the rest of my afternoon is spent preparing for the trip including cleaning, laundry, packing and some work that I need to finish before we jump across the pond. The day gets away from me a little bit and I realize it is almost dark. I throw on my clothes and realize the longer it takes me to dress appropriately the colder it is getting and the more clothes I need. I run back up twice for additional layers. Then I help my wife, Nicole with some things on her computer. By now it is dark so I head back up for my reflective vest and headlamp. I find my vest but my headlamp is not where I usually keep it. It’s ok because a bright moon hangs from the frosty sky tonight.

Tonight I am heading out on a 9.2 mile run. Why 9.2 miles? Because the Nike+ app tells me I need to run 9.2 more miles before I hit the 50 mile mark for January and get the “Gold Trophy”. I know it is not a real trophy but only some pixels on my mobile screen but, it motivates me none the less. I’m determined to hit the 50 mile mark for the month.

I had mapped out a nice course on MapMyRun.com but because the hours had worn on I chose to vear from the predetermined map and take the trail by my house instead. I head toward Provo in the sub zero temperature. The sun has said goodnight but the cheese filled moon lights my way well enough. I feel grateful for the trail so I don’t have to worry about dodging traffic.

Mile one is easy. Uncharacteristically easy. I think to myself, “Why am I not feeling sluggish? Usually night runs for me are dreaded because I am out of energy. Mile two feels the same – sustained energy. Not far after mile two I happen upon a small herd of young deer. I gaze at the silhouettes of these majestic animals as they bound effortlessly over fences and up hills. I wonder in simple amazement what it would be like to glide across the ground with such ease. I’m fast enough that I cut the herd in half on each side of the trail. I run with these regal creatures for about one hundred yards then they turn and fall back in order to reunite. I hear them pass behind me and rejoin their compatriots while I continue down the trail. Mile three feels warmer. The furnace inside my body is really heating up. The Utah cold still battles for power but my internal heat is really cooking now. I find another little herd on mile four. They cross in front of me this time and just stare down at me from the hillside as I pass by. The trail is icy and has patches of snow. I run gingerly so I don’t fall.

Tonight I’m listening to an Audible Book called “The Champion’s Mind” which is a sports psychology study of the thoughts and attitudes of champions. It  is a great read/listen full of wisdom from the greatest human athletes the world has ever seen. I feel inspired and motivated as their words lilt into my ears.

I reach the halfway point and pause to spend a few minutes stretching my I.T. band. My inner heat maintains for the stretch and I notice that I am sweating a lot. Before I cool down too much and let the cold overtake me I get back at the run. I turn around and head back toward home. Mile five, six, and seven pass without a second thought. I realize that there has been no bonk. I have felt the same sustained energy for the entire workout. Usually by mile five or six I feel the slog overtake me. Tonight I didn’t feel any decrease in energy.

For the last month I’ve been working on becoming Fat Adaptive by changing my diet to more Ketogenic. Basically, every day I’m eating 30% Carbs, 40% Fat, 30% Protein every day. I have to say I’m loving it. I love meats and cheeses and everything savory. Because of the way I’m eating I’ve converted 6 pounds of fat to 5 pounds of muscle. The thing that everyone keeps talking about finally happened tonight. One of the purposes of being Fat Adaptive is so that athletes can have sustainable long term energy. Tonight I felt that. There has been no bonk. None. I had enough energy to even sprint the last mile. In this last mile I look down at my phone and was running six something.per mile. I kick it in and push hard. I’m going fast and have totally forgotten about the ice. I start to dance across the icy trail and feel a twinge in my right calf and one step later my left calf feels the same twinge. I slow as quickly as I can without falling on my face. Maybe running on the ice wasn’t such a good idea. I walk the last .25 miles home and give my calves a little time to recoup.

I’ll go talk to Matt Monday about my twisted calves. Even though I may have sprained my calves from running on black ice, I’m excited that eating ketogenically seems to be giving me sustained energy.