Tips for starting doubles

hs senior xc wrote:

(Note: I'm going into doubles but I really need to keep my weight up. 6', 120lbs at the moment)

If you're that skinny, then I'm assuming you're dead and a zombie. Zombies can't walk well so good luck running doubles.

Jeez and I thought 125/5'10" was skinny.

Just make sure to eat and drink appropriately and keep a good protein intake. You feel tired at first but your body will adapt.

It's genetic. Family has been like this during teenage years going back generations. I eat like a pig.

Best would be if you can sleep 1 hour between trainings. This will improve you're recovery.

TAA wrote:

hs senior xc wrote:

(Note: I'm going into doubles but I really need to keep my weight up. 6', 120lbs at the moment)

If you're that skinny, then I'm assuming you're dead and a zombie. Zombies can't walk well so good luck running doubles.

This is what 6' and 120lbs looks like. Legit that was Christian Bale from The Machinist.

eat healthy. Eating good doesn't make you faster, but it helps with recovery and reduces chance of injury, which is way important when doubling.

Fluids, just drink a lot and make sure your pee is clear. Water is your best friend. Anything not called water should be gatorade, and only after a run.

Napping, you don't need napping. Just go to bed sooner or wake up later or both. When I was doing over 100 mpw I needed 8-9 hours a night. If you feel like you need a nap, means you need to sleep more at night. You only need naps if you're a pro like Galen. The dude sleeps 8-10 hours at night plus a 2 hour nap every afternooon. But you aren't training as hard as Galen so you don't need naps.

Thanks!

I'm guessing I will have a bigger appetite, right?

you are way too light

No I'm fine. Doctor looked at family history, my diet, and build and said I'm perfectly ok. Like I said, it's just genetics.

Do you have any sisters?

Your build? What build? You have absolutely nothing on you. You should probably start some wieght lifting in there too because it will make you faster, stronger, and hopefully not make you look like a skeleton.

Start off with jsut 2 or 3 miles. The important thing is getting into the routine. Don't worry about the miles, they will come naturally.

It's Summer. Don't run under the hot Sun. For best results run early in the morning (before 9am), and then again, as the Sun starts to set in the evening. 6-8 pm.

Yes naps. Take them. Your body's natural circadian rhythm wants you to take a nap in the afternoon, so do it. Throughout history humans have been shutting down mid-day, and in many modern societies, especially in warmer climates, the practice is still done. Take that power nap and rejuvenate.

The day that your doubles become nothing more than routine is the day that you've become a runner. Good luck.

hs senior xc wrote:

Thanks!

I'm guessing I will have a bigger appetite, right?

Yes absolutely. When I was doing big miles, I could never feel full no matter how much I ate. When I ate out with friends I'd end up eating most of their food lol

How many miles a week are you looking at running that you will be doubling and what did you do in the past?

Malmo knows best.

Be prepared for the first week to feel easy due to the initial excitement. That will wane. Weeks 2-3 will be much tougher. Weeks 3-4 the hardest. Weeks 4-6 you'll come out of the red and start to feel normal again, not so tired. Weeks 7+ now it's just what you do and like Malmo said, now you're a runner.

Your weight is fine. Don't "pig out", just eat when you're hungry and stop eating just before you feel "full". You also don't want to pee "clear". That means you're drinking too much. Granted, most people who pee clear think it's clear because they go into a toilet with 2.5 gallons of water. If you pee into a cup and it's clear you're drinking too much and/or too fast at a time.

Be prepared to be tired, it's normal.

Looking to run 60. I've done 30.