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Lead Stories: Saturday, May 17, 2008

TFS Running Podcast 131:
Andrew Carlson

Posted March 23rd, 2008 at 12:15 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics, Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts

Today on Episode 131 of The Final Sprint Running Podcast I am joined by Andrew Carlson, the 2008 15k US National Champion who runs for Team USA Minnesota. Andrew has embarked on a career-defining season in 2008, kicking it off on New Year’s Eve with a course record in the New York Midnight 4-mile Run, then winning his 1st national championship in the Gate River Run 15k, then placing second in the 8k national championship in the Central Park Challenge.

In the interview, Andrew talks about his expectations for the 2008 season and his place within the resurgence in American distance running. He discusses his favorite events and what his plans are for the rest of the season. He also talks about Team USA Minnesota and the types of community outreach activities he does with them, what he meant when he said he revamped his training in 2008, how he got his start in running, when he plans to tackle his first marathon and much, much more!

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Host: Jimmie Markham
Guest: Andrew Carlson
Producers: Greg Cherniet, Adam Jacobs
Music: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File size: 15.0 MB | Length: 00:21:55

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Scaling the infamous “Wall”
Part I: Marathon preparation

Posted January 30th, 2007 at 2:00 PM by Paul Petersen

Section: Running & Training, Training Tips

I vividly remember my first marathon. I can still visualize the preparation, the excitement and anticipation, the effortlessness of the first half of the race … and the pain and agony of the last eight miles!

I hit the “Wall” during my first marathon, and I hit it hard! By the brutal end, my pace slowed by nearly two minutes per mile, and my second half of the race was 16 minutes slower than the first. Parents covered the eyes of their children as I lurched by them, and grown men wept at the sight of me. It was ugly.

I’d like to say that this was an isolated incident, but it happened in my next three ‘thons as well. Finally, I decided enough is enough, that I was either going to learn how to remove the Wall, or stop running marathons altogether. Needless to say, I preferred the first option, and began studying up on how to scale the Wall.

First, what is the “Wall“? Our bodies are primarily fueled by high-octane glycogen (carbohydrates) during a marathon. The other fuel we use is fat, which uses oxygen less efficiently. Our bodies tend to burn off the glycogen first, and once that is depleted, it will switch over to fat. This causes you to slow down, feel fatigued, and hit the “Wall”.
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