Archive September 2018

The Running Industry is Biased Against Plus Sized Runners…

It’s not a serious title as I’m fully aware that my body size and shape is in the 1% of the 1% of folks trying to be long distance runners. I know that myself and the few other folks like me are not a profitable sector for anyone making running clothing.

But seriously what the hell is up with running clothing apparel makers sizing being so out of sync with the rest of the clothing industry?   For example a “XL” in running shorts is roughly a Medium or at best a Large and that’s being generous.

Literally my hip bones without any of that flesh and muscle that goes on them is too large to fit these.

I’m trying to find long long distance running shorts.  The same thing that every other long distance runner looks for, chafe free, fast drying, light weight, pockets for the key things etc.   But primarily shorts that are comfortable and can go long without leaving a person screaming in the shower after their super long runs as the water hits the chafing.

You find all these articles and videos for the top recommended shorts and…. I can wear none of them.

Right now I’m going to end up running my first 50K in a pair of UA Launch shorts that I cut the liner out of and a pair of UA compression shorts.   What’s the problem you ask? Well those compression shorts soak up sweat and end up weighing a bazillion tons.  The waistband ends up chafing me after about 15-20 miles.  Their so called ‘flat seam’ technology also ends up chafing me in other locations that should not be chafed.


I’d really like to try some of these awesome no seam having, no chafing after 100 miles, super light, fast drying shorts with the cool pockets but alas, I’m stuck with stone age technology.   Which I guess a dinosaur should be used to after all…

There’s no real point to this post other than to piss and moan a bit about things if you’re a runner you’ve probably never had to deal with.

 

Week 7 Road to 50 Status (The P entry)

Early Morning Carl

So… Week 7 of the training plan has come and gone.   Tuesday was a 12k trail run where we did our usual Snake / Pink trail out on Turkey Mountain.  Thursday was a M/E run with a 8K in the morning and an 8K in the evening.   Saturday was a 25K LSD which we ran the first 6 miles and then did a R/W of 7/1 (mostly).   Sunday was supposed to be a 25K as well but we need the vertical so we spent the morning going up and down on Carl over and over.

One thing I’m concerned about, at least in the heat of Oklahoma summers is I sweat faster than I process water.  I drink water and drink mix (currently Ultima sugar free) over the course of the run continuously but after 15 miles my need and ability to urinate ‘dries up’ to make a bad pun.   Today for example I drank 96+ ounces of water.  For those doing the math that’s a gallon and a half of water.  A gallon and a half…  And by mile 12 I had no desire/need/ability to urinate.   I didn’t pee until about 2 hours after the run.  During that time I consumed another 36oz of pedialyte and coke.   So 2 gallons of liquid consumed and during that time I urinated maybe 8 oz worth.

It’s normal for me to go on a long run during the summer and come back 4 to 8 lbs lighter in spite of drinking 6 to 12 lbs of water on run.   That means I’m literally sweating out up to 2 gallons of water on a hot run.

Over the distance I’m getting more and more dehydrated and there doesn’t seem to be anything I can do about it.   I drink enough that I end up with sloshy belly syndrome by the time I’m done but it just backlogs in the system and meanwhile my sweat glads are working their collective asses off trying to cool me down to the detriment of the machine.

Its kind of like having a 2″ hole in your radiator but you’re filling it from a 1″ hose.