Thank you for your detailed reply, Scott. I always appreciate understanding the science behind the training, and is what I really enjoyed about your’s and Steve’s book.
Having reread that section of the book and the article you linked, I have a couple of follow up questions if you do not mind.
1. If I were to replenish my glycogen stores (e.g., eat an energy gel) when I start to slow down after 1-1.5 hours of running at my LT pace, would I theoretically be able to continue running at that pace?
2(a). From your description of the marathon runner, I presume they do not do anything to replenish their glycogen stores while running their marathon. Is that correct?
2(b). I often hear about ultra marathon runners having to consume energy gels or other sorts of food when they compete. If their bodies are so trained to produce energy from fat and are always running at their aerobic threshold, then why is there such a need for them to eat? Is it done to fuel their muscles or just to fuel their other body systems (e.g., the nervous system)?
3. When one is purposefully trying to train their aerobic system with long duration exercise, should one refrain from replenishing their glycogen stores so that they force their body to rely off of their fat stores for fuel instead?
Thank you again 🙂
