Can I use the Badger System?
Ha ha ha. No.
I was reading this post-Boston Marathon interview (pdf here) with Shalane Flanagan, and she had a really interesting answer to the question “What was your weekly mileage like?” (when training for Boston):
It’s hard to say because I measure my mileage a little differently than most people. I go by the Badger system, so most of my mileage is counted at eight-minute pace per mile. So if I do an 80-minute run, I only count that as 10 miles. I think I maxed out at 115, so if you were to measure how normal people do, that could have been a little bit over 120. But, in general, hovering around 110 miles was kind of my comfort zone, where I was able to still get in really good quality.
So interesting! Have you ever even heard of the Badger system? I’d like to use that. Ha! My mileage would be a lot higher than it really is (I realize that is not the point).
If you are like me, the lifestyle and training plans of elite runners fascinates you. I love reading about how much they run and when, what they eat, what they like to wear, how many massages they get, and how much they nap. Ahh, the naps.
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If you could take one aspect of an elite runner’s lifestyle, what would it be?
The napping! Oh, and running being my full time job. Hee hee.
And I just have to say, I really admire Shalane. Every article I read about her makes me like her more. Especially whichever one it was that said she curses like a sailor. And! She has a cat!
I curse! I have a cat! We’re practically twins! (sooooo kidding)
And I really like what she said in this article about being inspiring. Side note: I have the same mindset as Rachel about the whole “I wanna be inspiring” business – I feel like you should do the things you love for intrinsic purposes, not for outside validation. If you do happen to inspire others, fantastic! But I don’t understand chasing that.
Anyway. But people like Shalane are inspiring. And I liked how she responded to this question about what she wears. You do make running look cool, Shalane. And you make it look really easy. Ha ha.
I’ve got to ask about your pink shoes and pink shades and your compression socks, which is such a cool look. How much thought do you put into that in before a race? Does it give you a certain kind of feeling when you’re out there competing?
Jerry would hate if I admit that I care what I look like. He’s used to dealing with a bunch of dudes who could care less what they wear. But you know what? I do think it’s fun to look sharp, and I hope running looks cool. I like to inspire people. We’re in the inspiration business, so it’s nice to be able to work really hard, put yourself in the best position possible, and then draw attention in a positive way. I would hope some little girl says, “Oh, that girl looks cool. I want to be a runner.”
Themocracy
I curse. Like a sailor! Alas, though, I have a dog and, for the record, he does not cuddle. I so love Shalane but I guess we’re not twinsies.
I would like to adopt the nap policy of elite/pro runners. Run in the morning, eat, nap, run again. Sounds AWESOME!
LOL! I bet you can find another thing to be twinsies with her about! 😉
It is an awesome schedule! I know, because that is what I did when I was on furlough. Muah ha ha. Sigh.
Girl Crush!! Woo hoo!!
I would LOVE to run my races in those running panties that the elite women wear! It must be so freeing to run in panties 😉
YOU CRACK ME UP!
But how do they not chafe? Oh, they have a thigh gap. LOL!
I bet I could nap like an elite! And that’s about all I could do like an elite! I read that interview with Shalane last week and thought it was a really interesting interview! She sounds really down to earth.
I thought it was really interesting too! So cool to read about her training for Boston, and how she didn’t even realize how many ladies were behind her when she was in the lead!
LOL at the comments about the running panties and the thigh gap!!! SO TRUE!!! It would also be great to run in the first corral all the time, get my own special hydration stations and bottles, and have my gun time be consistent with my chip time!
You can have your own special hydration systems at indoor halves and fulls! Or that ciruclar logic race that Mo did! LOL. But, yeah… not quite the same 😉 I guess the only way for us to be in first corral and have consistent gun to chip is to be in small races… w/o corrals! LOL!
I would love to use the Badger system!
I loved that article about Shalane – I adore her. So many people said after Boston, “She blew up on the hills” and I kept thinking to myself, she trained for a 2:22 and ran a 2:22…not exactly blowing up. But Rita Jeptoo just freaking crushed it! What an amazing day to be part of!
I’m with Gina – I could totes nap like an elite 🙂
I still love Rachel’s blog post. It says everything I feel on that subject…
When I was watching, I didn’t know what happened on the hills because the feed cut! I assumed she got dropped (or did blow up) but you are right – that is what she trained for! (and I wasn’t running my mouth about it, lol) That is so cool that the women’s record was broken, and more than once and that she got the fastest American woman record on the course!
I loved that post too! Rachel said it so well. She told me about the post idea in Feb and I emailed her that day (when she posted) like, when are you going to post it?! LOL. I could go on and on about that…
I give in to peer pressure. But really, that post was sitting in my drafts for over a year. It was time.
I never curse. And I hate cats.
LIES!
Also, no comment on “Badger” system? LOL
I was getting to that, but work got in the way.
Is it the Bucky Badger system????
I think so! I couldn’t find much other info on it, so that has to be it!
I think it comes from this: http://imgur.com/mVK4C
LOL!!! That is definitely the system I am using!
I would so love having a whole team of people to keep me healthy and recover- a coach, a PT, a massage therapist. Because you know having to roll myself back and forth on the foam roller is way too much work…. I’d rather just have someone rub me.
Ha ha. It’s so true though… something about the foam roller just seems like too much work, even though we spend all this time exercising!
I love Shalane. I really do. I don’t know anything about this badger system but if it is going to make it look like I run more miles, sign me up!!
Love Shalane! I have never heard of the badger system, but ummm, I don’t see Shalane running any 8 min miles ever. Like say Boston… She “gets” 17.5 miles for that. The extra 5 in her calculation seems a bit light- no? I mean I run mostly 8 minute miles… And I am no Shalane. I do like to curse. You can take the girl out of NJ, but….
Yeah, I thought the 115 vs 120 seemed light, too. Was she really running 130? I am really curious if I will ever see anything more about the so-called “Badger” system. I found this http://juicerunningloose.tumblr.com/post/12474530055/badger-miles-a-badge-mile-is-a-mile-run-by-time and something on the let’s run forum, but the other top google search right now is this blog!
I’m confused by the Badger System…so, you run by time and just use your average pace from all your runs? Interesting.
Yeah, this site explains it a bit. http://juicerunningloose.tumblr.com/post/12474530055/badger-miles-a-badge-mile-is-a-mile-run-by-time
I like Shalane because she seems like a real person, not a stuck-up athlete. Runners are cool like that.
I like the Badger System, but I’m not sure how I would manage to keep track.
As for pro’s – I would take the gear and having other people worry about fixing my bike (I just had to drop a lot of money on it this month).
Oh, and someone else mentioned it, but a team that would keep me healthy. And a trainer to make sure that I’m really doing my strength training. That would be great!
Oh yeah! It would be nice to have someone else do the work on all our gear! Someone was just telling me about a video Lance Armstrong made about how to change a flat and in the vid, I guess he is like “I don’t know how to do this,” cause someone always did for him!
I’ve been running off of eight minute miles for as long as I can remember…it’s my “go to pace” and I calculate almost everything off of it! Shalane and I must be BFF….haha