Happy Sunday! I hope you all have enjoyed a good weekend so far. What did you do yesterday?

I spent yesterday morning running 15 miles around Geneva. I changed up my route a bit as my regular route has started to get a bit boring. While it’s absolutely gorgeous along the lake, running there for each of my 3 weekly runs means that it isn’t as exciting as it once was. I spent my first few miles weaving through Geneva’s neighborhoods before heading to the lake yesterday which was a nice change of pace.

The run went really well other than one necessary bathroom stop. I wore the same outfit again this week, which means that I think I’ve found my perfect marathon race day outfit! The weather was humid and overcast for the first half and then the sun came out for the second half.  For those who are interested, here are my splits: 9:42, 9:53, 9:55, 9:51, 9:51, 9:47, 9:51, 9:56, 9:43, 10:09 (hills and dodging tourists), 9:49, 9:39, 9:29, 9:21 and 8:54. 

Since my past few long runs have gone better than normal, I thought I’d share 5 tips that have helped make these runs stronger and more successful.

1. Get a good night’s sleep! Sleep is the time when your body repairs and heals it sleep. Not only will 7 or more hours of sleep leave you feeling more rested but it will also leave your muscles and body more ready to run. Sleep is so important that many coaches, according to a Runner’s World article, say that increasing sleep is the #1 thing athletes can do during taper to improve their race day performance! I like to sleep in my PRO Compression Marathon Socks and enjoy some Sleepy Time herbal tea before bed to relax.

2. Practice the optimal pre-run fueling. I’ve found that a little bit of coffee, a little bit of water, a banana, peanut butter and toast works perfectly. I take about 30 minutes to after eating to sip coffee, check out route options on MapMyRun, foam roll, and stretch while my food settles. When I was in the US I bought a few packs of Vega Sport Sugar-Free Workout Energizer, Lemon Lime and I’ve really liked it so far. The flavor isn’t great but the past two runs have been stronger than normal after mixing some in my pre-workout water.

3. Make sure you carry enough water and fuel! Always overestimate your water needs, rather than underestimate as being dehydrated during a long run is the WORST! You never know whether your frequently used water fountains will be working so make sure to carry some water with you or leave some along your path.  Another option that I’ve used in the past is creating a route which has me pass by the house so I can hide a water bottle in the mailbox or bushes. The Amphipod Hydraform Handheld Thermal-Lite is large enough for long runs and has a convenient zipper pocket for storing fuel, money and keys along with a thermal sleeve to keep water cool. I’ve tried a lot of fuel over the years and my favorite two are Salted Caramel Gu or Margarita Shotblocks.

4. Find motivation in a playlist, audiobook or podcast to keep you company along the run. Yesterday I listened to music for the first 4 miles, A Life Without Limits for the middle 8 miles, then music for the last 3 miles. It was a perfect balance and Chrissie Wellington’s story really helped motivate me through the middle miles which can sometime be the hardest mentally. If you haven’t read or listened to this book I can’t recommend it enough!

Here are a few songs that I especially loved during yesterday’s run:

• ABC – Jackson 5
• Sur Ma Route – Black M
• I Want You Back – Jackson 5
• Let The Groove Get In – Justin Timberlake
• All The Small Things – Blink 182
• How Will I Know – Whitney Houston
• Bombs Over Baghdad – Outkast
• Give Me A Beat – Girl Talk

5. Plan a fun activity or reward after your run. Sometimes it helps to have something that you are running towards or a reward you know you get to enjoy afterwards. When the going gets tough you know you have to finish in order to reach your boyfriend, friends, iced coffee date, frozen yogurt or even your ice filled bathtub! Yesterday I made a brunch date with girlfriends for 11 which meant that I had to finish my run in a 10 minute pace or faster.

Now it’s your turn! Share your own tip in the comments or share your favorite post workout reward or workout song.