This week the coaches tackle questions about Crohn's, Fatigue and associated Neuropathy, Critical Power and hilly race prep and end on the connection between nutrition and heavy legs. 

Coach MK and Coach Sarah livestream question and answer sessions each week on the Fitness Protection Program Facebook Page, The Fitness Protection Program YouTube Channel, and Twitch, simultaneously. Join us! They are a lot of fun and super informative; anyone may ask follow-up questions during the live broadcast.

ReBuild

1. Hi coach MK and Coach Sarah. After a stressful summer September has gifted me with a Crohn’s flare (grrr). I have feel terrible and can’t even make through the easiest workout in week one of lane one. This is fairly demoralizing so I have very little motivation to do anything honestly. I know that 30 minutes is the minimum necessary to make progress, but it there something with a shorter duration that will at least provide some benefit? I’m hoping that knowing what I would be doing is in some way beneficial to my body can help motivate me out the door on days that it would be much easier to give up. Thanks!!

• 20 minutes!
• critical/crucial adaptations
• anything is better than nothing

2. My health is not good right now, and in after a hard honest conversation with myself I am happy rebuild is here for me. I'm dealing with massive fatigue and neuropathy in both my arms and legs. The fatigue is making it hard to get up in the morning and move my body. And the near constant pain is such a mental suck. My question is while I am trying to figure out what is going on with my body, is it ok to do both the rebuild and maintain strength? Thanks so much for having a safe place for me to keep my running practice while I can't do what I want to.

• totally good with it as long as doc and PT are OK with it, in this case we are not de facto worried about CNS fatigue
• ask what can I do what can I do

3. What's the best way to adjust when I am legitimately not pushing it according to plan (running 5 days a week but doing bare minimum avocado toast/140 3 of those days b/c of busy work schedule), but then I had to cut my long run short because my foot was hurting. I feel like I overdid it today (rest day). Should I take an extra rest day? Walk for a couple of my runs?

• order of operations - we want to keep moving forward (we don’t care about the intensity)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmtONuBkAsI (foam rolling with wonder woman!)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAVbzw5_nYo

Maintain 

1. Hi coaches, thanks for all of the love and encouragement. Can you talk a bit more about the cooldown? How slow should it be? Does it have to be under 140? I am curious about how the magic happens here. Maybe that could be a topic for a longer podcast. I am really asking because I don’t want to tack 16 minutes of super-slow onto Monday’s workout.

• unsexy work
• so important, it’s where we start when planning workout. Matters because when you are working 140 or below, you’re not working so hard that your body is in panic mode; 
• magic happens because you are recovering while you are moving - blood can be delivered to muscles 
• time is less important the fitter you are

2. Hi. I was wondering if you can talk more about the concept of “power” with running, which you have mentioned in the past. I’ve been running by heart rate for about two and half years, but only since beginning FPP have been better about consistently doing my strength training (thank you for this format that keeps it interesting but still approachable!). I am not worried about pace anymore, but I do worry about my heart rate being so high on my runs, and wonder if I will make some progress with this now that I’m more dedicated to strength training. I’m in the strength beta now. Just wanted to hear about the science behind this concept and understand it better. Thanks!

• critical power - different cases for different people
• https://www.strava.com/activities/2691042621 look at MK’s Strava!

3. I will be part of a road relay race in October. I have volunteered for the hilly 6 mile section. What strength exercises would help me get ready for this? I know it would be helpful to practice running on hills, but what kind of workouts should I do on the hills? Replace the Monday/Wed harder stuff with hilly workouts? Thank you so much!

• try to replicate hills that will be on the course in your long runs

4. For the last few weeks my body has felt great but my legs feel HEAVY. HR stays low but I find myself wanting to walk, especially easy runs. What gives? Any explanation? Will this just pass? Love the workouts and ready to start the marathon ramp. All suggestions welcome!

• hormones and nutrition