Bobby McGee Method

Triathlon Forum
1

Hi Folks , I have been doing some research into different running methods and I came upon the Bobby McGee method , he advocates for walking during training and racing . I don’t know if I have it clear but can someone who knows this method clarify the concept for me since I am little bit bewildered by the method…
thanks …

2

“can someone who knows this method clarify the concept for me since I am little bit bewildered by the method…”

Gordo writes a little about it in his latest blog entry:

http://www.gordoworld.com/gblog/index.html

Haim
.

3

Busted flat in Baton Rouge, waitin’ for a train
And I’s feelin’ near as faded as my jeans
Bobby thumbed a diesel down just before it rained
It rode us all the way into New Orleans
I pulled my harpoon out of my dirty red bandana
I’s playin’ soft while Bobby sang the blues, yeah
Windshield wipers slappin’ time, I’s holdin’ Bobby’s hand in mine
We sang every song that driver knew, yeah

Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose
Nothin’ don’t mean nothin’ hon’ if it ain’t free, no no
And feelin’ good was easy, Lord, when he sang the blues
You know, feelin’ good was good enough for me
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee

From the Kentucky coal mine to the California sun
There Bobby shared the secrets of my soul
Through all kinds of weather, through everything we done
Yeah, Bobby baby kept me from the cold
One day up near Salinas, Lord, I let him slip away
He’s lookin’ for that home and I hope he finds it
But I’d trade all o’ my tomorrows for one single yesterday
To be holdin’ Bobby’s body next to mine

Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose
Nothin’, that’s all that Bobby left me, yeah
But if feelin’ good was easy, Lord, when he sang the blues
Hey, feelin’ good was good enough for me, mm-hmm
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee

La-da-da La-da-da-da La-da-da da-da da-da
La-da-da da-la-da la-da, Bobby McGee, yeah
La-da-la-da-la-da La-da-la-da-da
La-da-la-da-la-la, Bobby McGee, yeah
La-da-da La-da-da La da-da La da-da
La-da-da La da-da La da-da
Hey, my Bobby, Lord, my Bobby McGee, yeah
Lo-da-lo da-la-lo-da-la
Lo-da-la-lo da-la-lo la-la-lo la-la-lo la-la
Hey, my Bobby, Lord, my Bobby McGee, yeah

Lord, I call him my lover, call him my man
I said I call him my lover, did the best I can, c’mon
Hey now Bobby now, hey now Bobby McGee, yeah
La-da la-da la-da la-da la-da la-da la-da la-la
Hey, hey, hey, Bobby McGee, Lord!

------ instrumental break ------

La-da la-da la-da la-da la-da la-da la-da la
Hey, hey, hey, Bobby McGee, yeah

4

it was only a matter of time…

Dan
www.aiatriathlon.com

5

I could be wrong but I do not think your quoting the original version there.Kris Kristofferson and Fred Foster wrote and it was on his first album before so the “Bobby” becomes a feminine character. Of course most people think of the song as a Janis Joplin song but if you want to hear the dear lady shown up listen to the KK version after listening to hers. Its his song.

6

Thanks, I was going to say something about the song, but I was afraid to screw up the words.

7

I too was trying to figure out how this related to Tris.

8

I met Bobby last year and have read his stuff for years. Basically his method is run for 10 mins and then walk for 30 secs. He believes that if this happened in IM then a 2:32 marathon will happen.

I use this method with all my endurance athletes - for training and racing and the training effect is faster recovery for long runs and the racing is actualy faster- the logic being that the walk flushes out of ones legs in the 30 secs. It works for all my athletes - one was 30 mins faster in a IM marathon - yep lots of other reasons as well - but I am convinced the run walk is successful.

9

I was quoting the only version that I know - the Janis version. I actually came up with a few different takes on the lyrics whilst Googling, but had simply assumed that the “wrong” ones were just dumbasses misquoting. Perhaps I was right in some regard, but when I found what I was looking for the website also had the following header:

ME & BOBBY MCGEE
Janis Joplin

  • words and music by Kris Kristofferson
  • first popularized by Roger Miller in 1969 (#12 Country hit)
  • lyrics as recorded by Janis Joplin on the 1971 album “Pearl”
    (Columbia VCK-30322)

Thus I figured that there was probably more than one version, but it’s the one I know…

Maybe I’ll look for the KK version and see what how it was originally written.

10

I , like many, have always thought of this as a JJ song. So, In order to test the waters, I went to iTunes and listened to every snippet of the song by every artist who attempted to sing this song - including KK. Sorry Charlie, there is no comparison to JJ’s intonation, emotion and heart. All the other artists (and backing bands) were flat, lame, emotionless and some just plain wrong. That woman had the PIPES!

My ought.two.

11

So if you follow the Bobby McGee method, do you have to drink Southern Comfort like Janis Joplin?

Is this how it differs from the Jack Daniels stuff?

I think that’ll be my motto for my next race – “nothin’ left to lose.”

12

Also KK wrote for Janis to sing. They had some kind of a limited relationship at the time.

CL

13

I also understand that the walk-run method can mitigate the effects of heart-rate drift over time during a workout. Many of the world-class marathoners that train here in Boulder with McGee use this method in practice but not necessarily in racing, so I’ve been told.

14

I’ve been told word class marathoners mitigate the effect of heart rate drift by walking the whole race.