Going long at 15 Hours of Fitness
So, you want to “go long” at the first-ever KPF 15 Hours of Fitness! What is “long”?
Long is in the eye of the beholder!
It could be 2 hours. 6 hours is LONG. 10 hours is LONG. 15?! That’s a different world!
I will try to keep this article to the point- people spend years acquiring this knowledge through experience(which you are about to get) and schooling. Feel free to contact me if you have any additional questions!
WEATHER
Let’s start with the easy stuff. The weather is looking… hot.
There is plenty of water here to refill your bottles. I’ll talk about fueling in a couple segments.
Thanks to COVID, every class will be dictated by the turnout of each hour. If there are only a handful of people during certain segments, we will go inside when possible- but know that if there are more than 3 or 4 people in addition to myself, we will be OUTSIDE.
PACING AND STRATEGY
Fif. Teen. HOURS. Yowza. To strategize, you must wrap your brain around what is coming, hour by hour. The schedule is
5a Cycling or Cycle Circuit Fusion
6a Bodyweight Blast
7a Core and More
8a Aerobic Assault
9a Outdoor Boot Camp (rain or shine)
10a Saturday Circuit
11a Agility
12p Cycling or Cycle Circuit Fusion
1p Functional Fitness
2p Mid-Day Jog/Walk
3p Outdoor Yoga or Boot Camp if raining
4p Aerobic Assault
5p Saturday Circuit
6p Leg Crusher
7p WILD CARD CLASS
8p SOCIAL HOUR
Where is your strength in this schedule? Can you find a way to “remain calm” with the things that come easy to you, in terms of speed, or weight, or reps? Hold something back. You shouldn’t feel wasted until the end!
Where are your weaknesses? Plan for them mentally. Can you cut out the negative-self talk before it starts? Beware the downward spiral. Negative thought leads to negative performance, which leads to even worse negative thought….which leads to quitting. STAY IN IT. If you give me your “goal hours” before you start, I will do everything I can to get you there!
Change your expectations of what you think you can do every hour. If you’ve been at it for 13 hours, you may not get a full-depth lunge at 6p Leg Crusher :)
Just keep it positive.
FUELING
It goes without saying that a big dinner the night before, and a robust breakfast an hour and a half before the start should be good. Be sure to hydrate in the days before, and include a good amount of protein in both meals. Before one Ironman World Championship, legend has it that Paula Newby-Fraser downed mass amounts of pizza and ice cream the night before she won. So, there’s that.
During the day of- a mix of sugary and salty things should suffice- and that includes the drinks. Peanut butter sandwiches, chips, fresh fruits, swedish fish, twizzlers, etc. The thing we have going for us is that what we are doing will vary every hour, and you have 5 or 10 minute windows every hour to figure out what tastes good at the time! In the world of endurance, what tastes good is usually exactly what your body is craving. You’ll be amazed how your appetite may wax and wane, and what didn’t taste good an hour ago... may all of a sudden be the best thing you’ve ever eaten.
It is DEFINITELY a good idea to bring a full meal- something very calorie dense. You might eat it in segments, or just stuff it all down in one sitting if the timing is right!
At super-low points, a little caffeine goes a long way. I’ve had success with plain-ol coffee, 5 Hour Energy, Red Bull, and even gels and other sport product with caffeine. Timing is everything, as there is always an equal (and sometimes greater) trough in the wave of caffeinated emotion! Know that the low after the high will be for real.
EQUIPMENT
-Gloves. Durable ones that cover the whole hand. What about those thin work gloves?
-SUNSCREEN- one of the worst injuries I have ever had was an extreme sunburn in Florida during a Double Iron
-Extra clothing- include socks, shoes, underwear, shirts, tanks… you get it. In the “winding down” time of one class would be a good time to get changed.
-Mat- it might get a little gravelly :)
-Any other special items: inhalers, epi-pens, ankle/knee braces, etc
-Bandaids, anti-chafe product, etc
-Foam rollers, trigger balls, etc.
THE BODY (Superficial)
When I say superficial, I mean skin. While we will be varying the activities, there is no doubt chaffing, blisters, etc may occur. Pack accordingly.
THE BODY (Muscles and Joints)
Even though technique and proper movement is EVERYTHING, the true cumulative fatigue of what is to come will have you “feeling it”. Modify, modify, modify. Speak up for recommendations. Just listen to your body, and tune in as regularly as you can. I’ll talk about this a lot on the day.
THE MIND (Most important)
First off- remember who will be here…. Probably the most supportive, coolest, down-to-earth, humble people around. We are all here for the same reason- to have a fun day pushing our limits! Nervousness before something like this is normal- but you know that in this company, there is no reason whatsoever to be intimidated!
One. hour. at. a. time. Some hours will fly by. Others may drag. Stay relaxed in the low points.
Stay in the moment, and avoid “looking ahead” to other classes. Be in this one.
Nutrition is what guides the mind. When you eat something that “works”, your mindset WILL change. My philosophy when I’m in a bad mood in an event is to EAT EVERYTHING until you feel good again!
Don’t forget what this is- a test of mental tenacity. Whether you go 3 hours, or 15, if you hit a few walls and plowed through to your Goal Of Hours, you won! The body can literally do anything. Some hours may be a struggle, but if you ride the wave through the low points, you may finish on a high… just in time for the Social Hour! :)
-kp