A Call to Universities!

Study us!

While its fun relating our experiences running as Giants we want data to share with the rest of the community. There was a study from the 80's (mentioned in an earlier post) that said a 210 pound runner running an 8 minute pace is performing as well as a 150 lb runner doing a 6 minute mile. Well let's test it. What is it like for a 230 lb runner to do an 8 minute mile? (I can pull one or two off occasionally). Let's test the ground impact for both heel striking Giants and barefoot style runners like me. I like Hammer Nutrition's sports drinks but all their mixture info ends at 190 lbs.

Surely out there is a student or professor who would have interest in studying this. Maybe Hammer? Anybody?

Clydesdale Running

I ran across this NY Times article about weight class running and it's orgins.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/04/weight-classes-aim-to-balance-races/

btw, the comments under the article are as interesting as the article...

Heartbreak Ridge Half Marathon

I really like Heartbreak Ridge. It was challenging, not too crowded and is definitely on my list for next year. The Ridge in the middle of the out and back course was tough and steep on the way out, constant and gruesome on the way back. I had dreams of the pipe variety of running 10:00min miles that seemed to be working out until the turn around. The subtle downhill then turned into a "why the F do I feel so pokey?" I shamefully let myself walk a few times. Not so shamefully on the steepest part of the hill but still I wish I'd pushed harder. My 10:00 and under times dropped badly to 11:47-13:17 in miles 9 through 11. I was able to sprint the last 100 yards to the finish at a 4:44 pace. I only thought I was going to puke after that.

2:25:44 - Slower than I wanted to run but better than I expected. In May I ran Pasadena in 2:38:54 so it was a big improvement to run this with twice the climbing at almost a minute faster per mile. I'm happy with my results for my second half marathon but I have some intervals to run tonight so no dwelling. Also, I need to run more hills.

My weight before the race was 235.8. My CamelBak Mule was 10+ pounds.

Heartbreak Ridge Data

Pasadena Data

What's a Running Giant?

Welcome to Running Giants. What's the hell is a Running Giant? At 6'3" 236 Pounds; me. We are called Clydesdales at some running/cycling/triathlon events. The Clydesdale class is for dudes over 200 pounds (there's also the Athena class for dames over 160 pounds). Some events have different weights for these classes. But most events with these classes that I've seen you the 200/160 numbers.

The goal of this blog is to chronicle the training of two Running Giants: Randy Dormans and me, Chris Neuhahn. We also hope to gather information related to being a giant who runs.

My events of choice are obstacle courses like Tough Mudder and Warrior Dash. I'm branching out however with my first 1/2 marathon (Pasadena) in May, second 1/2 this Saturday (Heartbreak Ridge) and my first full marathon (Santa Clarita) in November.

Chris