Physical Labor & Training

Stretch lots

Yes. I worked at a trucking company as a dock worker partime while I was in school. I managed to do that and run 55-75 mpw.

It was straight up @ss kicking work. I think all men should do some physical work in either their teens or twentys. Something to make you appreciate your testosterone, and be thankful when you get the job in the ac & heat.

I've never had a physical job while training but maybe try getting your runs in before you go to work. You would need lots of calories to get you through the morning though.

Good Luck

Good shoes with lots of support, stay hydrated and put your feet up during breaks if you can. Run before work, or before you go home ... once you get on the sofa, it is hard to get back up.

One of my coaches who was a 2:15 marathoner and 2x trials qualifier was a strong believer in high mileage or moderate mileage and hard physical labor. One of the guys on my college team worked on a shrimp boat during the summer and only managed 40 - 50 miles per week at best. He ran really well ... sub 24 8K in cross.

Been there done that man.

Although I was working 45-50 a week the principle is still the same. I worked in a sawmill I'm not sure what you're doing. During the school year things can really suck. Your legs will feel heavy and stiff at the end of your shift. I ran 85-90 on singles during this time. It won't be that brutal but some days will suck. Understand this.

What I did since work started early for me was I took a nap for about 90 minutes or so after work. Set the alarm and got up and ran. I just could not find a way to drag myself outta bed before work to run.

It will be very hard to make large improvements in terms of PRs early on. I would recommend doing you workouts on your off days, they'll be a waste otherwise. Get lots of sleep obviously. If I did it again I would switch to 6 day a week training schedule if your job is really tough. That rest day has helped me a lot post collegiately.

You can make great improvements in base fitness though. Just by getting the miles in and working hard labor you'll become very robust, physically and mentally.

Basically.

-Try to get your mileage in 6 days

-Look at this as sort of period of base training at first while you're figuring things out.

-Get all the sleep you can

-Try to workout on your days off.

-Keep your workouts in control, if you're doing any, go overboard and you'll find yourself in a hole you can't get out of.

-Make sure too log your miles nice and easy, hammering WILL fry you

-Make sure you stay hydrated, you'll need to drink like a fish

-Food is your friend.

-Try to get into a schedule, doing your runs at around the same time every day, this helps you ration your time.

-You can't control the weather just dress for the conditions and you'll be fine

-Most importantly don't let this be an excuse, you have to find a way to keep plugging away, eventually adapt and be much better for it.

Hope this is helpful. Good luck.

Eat lots

Emile Puddemans (sp?) of Belgium was a gardener, which requires hauling plants and shrubs a lot, and managed to make it to the Munich Games.

John Walker was a laborer, too.

Their work may have toughened them.

I recall an anecdote from Frank Horwill about a carpenter he knew who ran 15 miles ONE WAY, to and from his job from Monday to Friday. The guy supposedly rested on weekends. He was ranked #4 in Europe in the 10K that year.

I did roofing and now throw tires all day long. Make it a point to bring all your running gear with you to work, change into them when your shift is done and immidiately head to where you do your running. I look at it as extending the work day's physicality. If I go home and sit down I do not want to get back up. And I make sure to run every day on the weekend. Believe it or not you still get rest this way because you're not doing the stuff you do on your job. I actually consider running the easy part of my day when I compare how tough each activity is. Then again, I'm slow.

Steve Austin was a bricklayer and ran 3.57, 13.22, 27.53.

He tended to run less mileage than many of the other Aussie guys, 70-80mpw.

I have been a carpenter most of my life doing mostly commercial and mostly structural plus drywall(I hate that shit). Mackenzie hit it right on the nose. That guide is right on the money. I will add that you will get used to it eventually, but you will notice that when your training is going really well you have a hell of a time getting through the day at work. Your work will suffer, but push through it. I found that my bad days at work were still better than most peoples good days so I was able to keep my job. Good Luck!

I run an average of 80 miles per week. I work physically as a laborer digging holes. As with anything else you introduce in your life you will need to adjust to the new stress you are putting on your body. Every year I start working again after the winter in March. The first month or so is very difficult. My pace on every run gets slower under the same effort. Sometimes close to 40 seconds per mile. I find that even with rest my race performances slump as well. After a few months I can probably even race well after a hard day working. You will adjust but be patient it will come back to you. It's just like raising your mileage totals, it takes a while to adjust.

I also reserved my workouts for the weekend. I pick Sunday races instead of Saturday. If I'm doing a really important race I take a couple of days of light work toward the end of the week.

Another poster said to keep drinking water during the day. Nothing can be more important. Even in the cold air you will lose a lot of fluid.

Working in the rain stinks. You have to sit in it all day. It's not like running where when you have finished you can take a shower and get changed.

It can be done. If you work at it and get through the rough spot (first month and a half), you will feel better and have energy to run. Don't back off on your mileage. It will be tough but you need to keep the running going so that when you feel better you can continue where you left off. Don't stress out about your pace slowing. The pace will return as long as you continue to run. None of your friends that run with you will understand anything I just said. We are a rare breed.

Just remember that there are a few of us out there running hard and working physically so you can do it also. The last thing I can say about it is if you don't continue running as you did you will grow to hate your job. Don't let that happen. It is a good excuse not to run but don't let it be yours.

I unloaded trucks for three summers and winterbreaks during college for 40-45 hours a week. I would leave work and go directly to run approximately 70-75 miles a week on singles. Given the energy needed to lift boxes and metal parts all day, I would not go home first. It was too easy to fall asleep on the couch. Each year my back would be sore for about a week and then I was just an animal after that. Nothing like lifting a few tons during the day and knocking out sub 60 minute ten milers in the afternoon. Before I did this work I lifeguarded, which led to some horrible runs. Sitting behind a desk all day can be problematic as well. Enjoy being stronger and fitter than at any other point in your life. Make sure to hydrate.

B

mopak wrote:

Steve Austin was a bricklayer and ran 3.57, 13.22, 27.53.

He tended to run less mileage than many of the other Aussie guys, 70-80mpw.

He also had the backing of the US government, a wizard named Oscar Goldman, and bionic muscles to help him out!

But seriously, the summer before I got all-american in cross, I worked graveyards at the lumber mill in my hometown. I did odd jobs that required lifting, pulling, cleaning etc.. The graveyard shift (12-8) was the hottest in the mill. The heat would build up over the day and cool off around 8 AM or so. I ran a shade under 120 mi/wk. I was 21 though. I lost a lot of weight. All I did was work, eat and run. After work, I did my easy run after getting a snack. Then sleep during the day (which the run helped with). Then run once more before going to work. Longer session. Broke it up into AM runs of 5 miles and PM runs of 10-12.

there are some tough bastards that have posted on this thread! my hat is off to all of you. most people think sitting at a desk 40 hours a week is a good excuse to stop running.

Anybody else have stories of working hard labor and training hard?

Stronger wrote:

Anybody else have stories of working hard labor and training hard?

I live in place where temps are often 100 degrees during the summer. This guy I know - about 60 years old - will often work a jackhammer during the day then come and run track workouts and other workouts after work. I cringe at the thought.

30 years ago, I knew a Mackenzie that did it and worked as an asphalt paving guy, was that you? He would always talk about the heat.

About that time and even earlier in HS, I did about 45 or so hours of construction and 90+ mpw. The other guys on the job just stare in awe when after a morning of shoveling crushed stone you change and take off down the road for a 6 mile run instead of lunch.

Some days I would run home or our town had a series of XC races on Wednesday nights. I would run from the job to the race. Other days I would run from the job and meet other guys from the XC team at a lake.

I always thought manual work was great for preventing injuries.

All through my forties, I worked as a carpenter and laborer. Was ranked #1 in state/region (strong area) 16 times in events 400-3000m, and won one gold and two silvers at National Masters meets. Also coached several AG champions as well. Agree with a lot of what's posted above, I will add that I took time off between jobs when I was training hardest, stayed off my feet as much as possible when not training or working, and developed bimodal sleep (one hour nap after work, train in evening), and did a fair bit of cross-training (bike, weights, stretching a lot).

It can be done but you have to have a certain animalistic masochism combined with being tuned into your body to avoid injury or accidents.

In my fifties I've toned the physical work down and don't race anymore, but get back in it as my training is very consistent now.