The RunRunLive 4.0 Podcast Episode 4-464 – Coach Chris Twiggs
(Audio: link) audio:http://www.RunRunLive.com/PodcastEpisodes/epi4464.mp3]
Link epi4464.mp3
MarathonBQ – How to Qualify for the Boston Marathon in 14 Weeks – http://www.marathonbq.com/qualify-for-the-boston-marathon-in-14-weeks/
Chris’ other show à https://shows.acast.com/after-the-apocalypse
Zero Prostate Cancer 2021 Boston – http://support.zerocancer.org/goto/Stupid_Disease
Intro:
Hello my friends and welcome to episode 4-464 of the RunRunLive Podcast.
Let’s see if I can get this one out on time!
Today we have the legendary coach Chris Twiggs on for a chat. I met Coach Twiggs down at the Bird in Hand Half Marathon. He is the head coach for Jeff Galloway’s running program.
Chris is a high-level marathoner and ultramarathoner in his own right, and it was interesting to me to compare and contrast the Galloway athletes that he coaches to the traditional training modalities.
The net-net of it is that runners, whether they are the elites, the age groupers, the 100-mile-a-weekers, the casual athletes, the back of the packers – we are all as passionate about our sport and as curious about our training.
And in section one, since we have a lot of new runners in the world these days, with basic questions, … I’m going to give you piece on how to get started from scratch.
But – what you’re going to be really excited about is that I’ll start you out with a garden update and an Ollie update.
Here’s why. When I meet folks who have listened to my podcast, this podcast, do you know what they ask me? What they want to know? Is it about training tips? Is it about race adventures?
No. They want to know how my garden is doing. And they want to know about Ollie my crazy border collie.
So, I’m going to lean in!
First the garden. It was an interesting year. We had some successes and some not-so-successes. My tomatoes struggled because there was an epidemic of some sort of tomato disease this year in my area that caused all the leaves to turn brown and wither – they call it “Tomato Blight”.
It’s because the weather has been so wet and gloomy this summer. I feel like I’m living in Seattle.
Basically, you have to plan any outdoor activity around the next rains storm.
It’s not a 100% bad thing. Lawns are nice and green. I never had to water. As a matter of fact, I mixed up a bucket of fertilizer-water in June and have not had to refill it. The rain just keeps topping it off as I use it.
I did get some splendid heirloom tomatoes. These nice golden tomatoes with red veins that were incredibly scrumptious with a little goat cheese. Yummy. It wasn’t a total loss.
Yvonne made me plant onions, even though I told her onions don’t grow in my garden, and they didn’t.
I also had a fun experiment where I planted a bunch of old, sprouted potatoes in my compost bin. They grew like gangbusters, until something discovered how yummy they were and ate them all up.
The composting process is amazing with all this rain. It turned 4 feet of leaves and waste into a foot of soil that I’ll get to spread next year.
I had a very robust crop of peas. So much so that I just gave up on harvesting them after a couple weeks. They are a pain to shell. Same with the Beans. I harvested a couple times but ran out of energy.
Same with the red raspberries that are now in their second fruiting, and I can’t keep up.
I had a great crop of lettuces early again because of all the rain, which was great, except for having to share them with slugs.
I had a good crop oof kale until the worms got them.
I had an outstanding crop of green squash and zucchini. Barely kept up for all of June and July.
My herbs were all very stout. I especially enjoyed the invasive mint plants this year for making tea in my home office.
I got a fair amount of cucumbers. And a reasonable amount of these yellow semi-hot peppers.
But, my real successes were zinnias and sunflowers.
I had never before been able to grow a single sunflower. The chipmunks love the seeds and dig them out. I tried putting chicken wire down and they got through that. I tried sprouting them first but they just ate the sprouts.
This year I built a little hot-house frame and grew them in peat pots. I let them get a foot tall before planting the whole pot into the garden. Sunflowers don’t like to be transplanted so you have to plant the whole pot.
These sunflowers were the Russian Giant variety and they got 8 feet tall and had great big happy flowers. I have now harvested them and will see if I can get some seeds to eat.
The zinnias were a mistake. My daughter started them and gave them to me thinking they were peppers. But they were zinnias, they grew to be six feet tall and are covered with flowers. Orange, pink, red – just wonderful to cut and bring in the house for a little liveliness of décor in the kitchen.
Now, I will present to you my other reasonable success this year. First I’ll tell you a story.
In the book “Exodus” by Leon Uris he tells the story of the establishment of the modern state of Israel. When the settlers were establishing the first Kibbutz, they raised pigs. Since pigs are not kosher, when they talked about the pigs or listed them in inventory they referred to them as “Turkeys”.
Which brings me to my last reasonable success on my garden. My Columbian Tomatoes. Now I used to grow the old varieties of these Columbian tomatoes, back in the 70’s when it was illegal to do so.
Now in Massachusetts the Columbian Tomatoes are legal to grow for personal purposes. I bought 20 seeds of a variety of these tomatoes, whimsically called “Purple Kush”. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t eat these tomatoes anymore, I just like to grow them.
About 15 of them sprouted. I gave 10 away to friends. I planted 5 in my garden. 2 survived.
But, here we are at the end of September and they are quite vigorous. They are like little Christmas trees. About 3-4 feet tall and you can smell them 20 feet away.
I’m not going to try to bring them inside the house. I’ll harvest them when the frost is approaching and hang them in my attic to dry.
If any of you out there have a hankering for Columbian Tomato casserole send me a note.
I hear they make excellent baked goods.
Oh – and apples. I’ve got a tree full of apples. I’ve made apple sauce. I’m eating 6 apples a day. I’m going to turn into an apple.
That’s your garden update. How was it? Everything you hoped it would be?
OK – In section two I’m going to talk about the supply chain because it’s on the top of everyone’s mind.
But – like I said – in section one I’ll talk about starting from scratch.
Here’s the thing. I told you I’m doing a fitness project at work. I leaned in. Because of that I’m getting these types of questions.
And it’s fun and rewarding to be able to answer them.
By leaning in I’m getting rewarded.
Find something you can lean in on and see what comes back to you as a result!
On with the show!
About Zero
ZERO — The End of Prostate Cancer is the leading national nonprofit with the mission to end prostate cancer. ZERO advances research, improves the lives of men and families, and inspires action.
Link to my ZERO page: (for Donations)
http://support.zerocancer.org/goto/Stupid_Disease
…
I’ll remind you that the RunRunLive podcast is ad free and listener supported. What does that mean? It means you don’t have to listen to me trying to sound sincere about Stamps.com or Audible.. (although, fyi, my MarathonBQ book is on audible) We do have a membership option where you can become a member and as a special thank you, you will get access to member’s only audio. There are book reviews, odd philosophical thoughts, zombie stories and I curate old episodes for you to listen to. I recently added that guy who cut off is foot so he could keep training and my first call with Geoff Galloway. “Curated” means I add some introductory comments and edit them up a bit. So anyhow – become a member so I can keep paying my bills.
…
The RunRunLive podcast is Ad Free and listener supported.
Section One – Starting from scratch – https://runrunlive.com/how-do-you-start-running-from-a-point-of-zero
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Chris Twiggs
Chris Twiggs
As Chief Training Officer at Galloway Training, Chris Twiggs has mentored and coached thousands of runners in local Galloway Training Programs, Galloway Customized Training Plans, and Galloway Charity Partners. Chris is an RRCA Certified Coach, Boston Marathon Qualifier, Ironman distance triathlete, and accomplished ultra-runner (15x Hardrock 100 finisher). He serves on the board of The DONNA Foundation, helping to put on the nation’s only marathon dedicated to finishing breast cancer. He also works with dozens of races around the country to provide Galloway Pacers, helping to run/walk/run participants to the finish line with smiles on their faces.
Twitter – @Ctwiggs
Instagram – @christwiggs
Email – Chris@JeffGalloway.com
http://www.jeffgalloway.com/training/customized-training/
Section Two – Supply Chain – https://runrunlive.com/lets-talk-about-supply-chain
Outro
Ok my friends we have run-walked through the end of episode 4-464 of the RunRunLive Podcast.
Quick updates for you. My Apocalypse podcast is in it’s second season and doing well. I’m having a lot of fun with that.
I haven’t been running, but I have been volunteering for races. I volunteered for Wapack and last weekend the local 5K. Funny story. The race director is a local guy, used to be the track coach and a pretty good IronMan.
When I saw the email I responded that I could help out. And, of course, since he knows me, he ended up putting me in charge of the course marshals! Remember what I told you. Somewhere near you is a local race that needs your help. So, that was fun.
I promised an Ollie Wollie update. We’ve been through 4 session at K9 now. Both my wife and I are going which is great. He’s doing really well. One of the best things is that he’s learned to wait at the door for me to go through it and give him the release command. He’s a lot better on the lease. He sits and stays very well.
They don’t do treat training at K9. They are all about the Martingale collar, which is a choke collar. You correct the dog by giving them a pop on the choke collar. It doesn’t hurt the dog, but it gets his attention.
He’s doing great and I think it’s giving him confidence. I had him out in some pretty busy places today and he responded well.
Next week We have a conversation with Murray, one of our runner friends, who is a South African, teaching English in Korea and has written a book about meditation.
To take you out I’ll give you an opportunity to do some good! I’m going to run-walk the virtual Boston Marathon this year for Zero the organization to end prostate cancer. Since I’ve got so many people in my life that have been impacted by this stupid disease.
I’ve set up a page you can donate at. And since they let you set up a vanity URL I created one that I’m quite proud of And I’m going to put it here at the end of the show so you can go there and do it now.
http://support.zerocancer.org/goto/Stupid_Disease
Even if you’ve just come in from your run, and you’re all sweaty, and you can’t sit donw at the computer without ruining the chair. Grab a towel. Think about all the dads and brother and friends. And click that link.
http://support.zerocancer.org/goto/Stupid_Disease
And I’ll see you out there.
My Apocalypse show -> https://shows.acast.com/after-the-apocalypse
http://www.thenays.com/home.htm
MarathonBQ – How to Qualify for the Boston Marathon in 14 Weeks – http://www.marathonbq.com/qualify-for-the-boston-marathon-in-14-weeks/
https://runrunlive.com/my-books
Rachel -> http://www.nextlevelnutrition.fitness/contact-appointment/
Coach Jeff -> https://dailyfitbook.com/