Let's do this!

So basically running makes you fat and give you hypothyroidism? Interesting...

Glad the calf is getting better :)

Lulu I know. I don't believe that! I have been running for 10 years. I've taken 2 breaks for a few months when I was pregnant. And I am not fat, and I don't have thyroid issues. I actually have a lot of lean tissue. I wonder if this article was written by one of the crossfit weirdies. I like Crossfit don't get me wrong, but some of the intense weightlifting people always say things like this.

Totally written by a crossfit weird-o :) I love how he advocates the way to a bikini fit body is by not doing cardio, but by doing the opposite. What is the opposite of cardio? I am thinking chip eating and a lot of couch sitting.

"the 'cardio craze' — and it is a form of insanity — is on my hit list and i’m determined to kill it."

uuhhhhh...there is more to running than being "sexy and skinny for life" -- a lot more. no thanks, mr. kiefer.

i'm glad you are feeling better. looks like you are doing all the right things. i hope to see you on saturday!

also, i like the quote.

20hrs a week of running (I would call that insanity as well)? You would have to log 120 miles at 10 minute pace. I think the 8 to 15 hrs a week that a lot of us log is certainly within a normal range.

1. Glad you are feeling better! I think you are being really smart and taking a few easy days is going to get you to the line feeling good on Saturday.

2. The guy who wrote that article is an idiot. I couldn't even read the whole thing b/c gets me too riled up! Why does everyone have to be so extreme? :-) I realize middle ground does not generate pageviews and sell advertising like wacko-nonsense does... but you know what makes a lot more sense?... Balance! It doesn't have to be one way or the other.

On a side note - perhaps I found the secret to gaining weight. I just need to run 150 miles per week at 8 minute pace and the weight should pile on...

You'll be up to 200 lbs in no time on that regimen Chad! Or down to 75 :-)

Sounds like a win/win to me! Unless I die first....

This is too funny.

Jake you should read the rest of the crap. You know this was written by some meat head.

Chad I think the answer to your weight gain is Dunford donuts. Have you tried those babies? I get 3 stack high for my birthday instead of cake.

If I were Scott Wesemann, I'd finish it off with a Diet coke. If I was jake, it'd be a Diet Dew. :P

He took the conclusions from his sources way out of context. Terribly written article, in my opinion!!

I can guarantee that I have at least 5% less body fat than Mr. Kiefer - goo.gl/Qj68Q

Haha-I definitely don't agree with this article. I do have hypothyroidism-but I don't think running has anything to do with it, (my genes do) I think it's all about balance of eating right, training right-doing what works best for your body..

Also-great race on Saturday!

Dunford chocolate-chocolate donuts are my favorite, and no, i'm not chasing those with any diet crap :) The way I see it artificail sweeteners are the best way to ruin a great dessert that I am going to eat anyway.

Lily you are being very smart with your calf and I'm sure you will be ready to rumble by Saturday.

I didn't read the article but I have seen tons that are incredibly similar lately and it is so so frustrating.

Chad I think you should take on the expiriment. haha!!

On second thought I did read this article when you linked it to Susan on fb. I seriously cannot even believe it. I do think it is important to have balance but common the author is going a little too far.

Chad haha!

Christi thank you! And yes, balance is best for sure.

Andrea- did you see one of those studies was on female rats? Wow.

Chad I drink coke zero sometimes, and when I am feeling saucey, I will drink a loaded Dr. Pepper. Yum

Rachelle thanks I am trying to get this calf thing resolved. So far it's working. And yes, this article is frustrating.

People write articles like this to justify not doing the hard cardio workouts. Makes them feel better.

You're going to do so well Saturday:) can't wait!!!

I agree with Jake. Balance and Moderation.

Steady state 65% of max sounds like very easy, flat recovery miles. If that's all you are doing, then it seems reasonable that your body would become static, absent other types of exercise or stimuli. If you are running on varied terrain at different speeds, you don't fit the profile of the runner he's being moronically critical of. His finding seems to be, "Don't do the exact same workout every day." GROUNDBREAKING stuff...

"If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bulls***."

80 articles cited? Huh. Pretty impressive. It must have taken him a long time to copy and paste them from the CD they passed out at the professional trainer conference he attended. I love how his climactic, clinching piece of evidence is just that; a single piece of evidence. n of one doesn't really prove anything; any number of factors could have changed "Jessica's" T3 level besides cessation of exercise. What a joke(r).

Jessica might have just eaten 6 dozen oysters the day before she got her T3 re-tested... that would alter it!

In any case, I'm done with running and cardio. In fact, I think I'll go out to the parking lot and try to flip over someone's SUV. That ought to get me in better physical condition.

You guys wouldn't believe the amount of guff the meat heads at my gold's gym give me for running.

Jake, can I join your SUV jumping club? Lily, you should challenge them to a race, any distance, any time. You'd mop up the track/road with their buff, hairless, spray-tanned, muscley carcasses.

So, right now, on FB, the personal trainer that wrote up my strength training diet posted this article about Women running into trouble on her facebook page. And now they're all hashing it out! Oh brother gimmie a break. You can't convince a meat head!

I hate that article. He *is* a dumb meathead.

okay, I'm glad you posted this here...because when I saw and read it on FB I didn't want to comment, or really know how to without offending people or starting a big discussion. Now, I can safely say my peace :)

I'm with the majority that doing the same thing everyday is just dumb. This is why we cross train. I don't think you need to do a huge amount of strength training to do it, and yes - runners do lose muscle mass, that is the name of the game. Your body wants to lighten up. But, that is why we vary our workouts and you throw in a little x-training and some lunging and and basic muscular work and you've got it made (in my humble opinion). You only need your body weight to do resistance training, unless you want to compete in a lifting competition or look that way, your body weight with simple at home exercises (wall sits, lunges, push-ups, planks etc) will take care of everything you need. I really do think you need more than JUST running to lose weight and/or stay healthy and/or reach your goals, but the whole lower metabolism and thyroid thing seemed like a bunch of garbage and non-sense to me. I'm glad my opinion seems pretty much on track with those that do the same thing I do - AND are more successful than I am at it! :)

Thanks for letting me vent here Lily, I've really been mulling this article over in my head since I read it on FB.

Oh, and Chad...I'd like to see you TRY and put on weight doing ANYTHING! Maybe eating 10 dunfords a day and NOT running for 6 months would bulk you up 5 or 7 pounds :)