Zach Bitters goes 1 on 1 with Vinnie Tortorich to discuss ultra running on this Friday edition of the Angriest Trainer podcast.
ULTRA RUNNING
- Zach is an ultra runner
- Been on the podcast a few times
- What starts in the ultra world, trickles down into your work out, you being healthier
- Holds the 100 mile American record which he bested by 12 minutes
- Holds the 200k record by about 30 minutes
- Holds 12 hour run world record from event called Desert Solstice
- pick a distance under 24 hours and chase the record
HISTORY
- Zach in the past few years was coaching, training, and was a full time teacher
- Last school year, he stepped away from teaching to focus on coaching, training, and racing
- Moved to west coast (Davis) to do this
- In NorCal he has an easier time training for hilly things and more things overall
ZERO DROP FOOTWEAR APPROACH
- Zach found that this was the best when doing biomechanics research
- Bouncing on his toes would be better for his feet
- He went with Ultra Footwear because they give a holistic approach
- Toes are more spread out in the foot
- Better for trail running due to toe splay
PHYSIOLOGY
- Zach started looking at people who couldn’t take the hard load of training
- He averages 5000 miles of training for the past 3 years
- He doesn’t want to burn out — doesn’t think he will
- Runner, Frank, 70 and hasn’t burnt out
- Burning out has to do with stress (every day stress) and nutrition
VINNIE’S TRAINING
- Takes 30 mins to get to Zone 1 / Zone 2
- 135 bpm
- Spins each day which makes him dream
- New shoulder is making this possible
- He thinks about getting into ultra cycling again
- Not necessarily competing, just training
DIET
- A listener who is in ketosis climbed Whitney with her daughter
- Had coffee and some food at the top
- When Vinnie climbed Whitney, he had some bacon and eggs, then barely any protein powder — all in dietary ketosis
- Zach does not measure his ketosis but stays in a state where he can utilize carbs the best without eating too many
- Low amount of sugar !
- Purifies macronutrient ratios
- Won’t eat carbs after a hard work out
- Carbs hurt your body and cause oxidative stress
- Vinnie found that lifesavers are the perfect carb for sugar trickle while cycling
- Ketosis isn’t necesarry as long as you are monitoring carbs properly
- Check out Zach and his website here!
