marathon training Archives - Page 7 of 53

I still haven’t figured out what to truly call this weekly training recap since I’m currently training for 3 events which all require a bit of a different focus.

Mt Blanc 10k trail race – June 28th – Chamonix, France
Geneva Sprint Triathlon – July 19th – Geneva, Switzerland
Berlin Marathon – September 28th – Berlin, Germany

Regardless what we title it, this week’s post definitely shows how much I overdosed on training last week. I let the amazing weather, great friends, positive peer pressure, and new bikes lure me outside one too many times in addition to my actual marathon training plan. Monday morning was the first time that training for these 3 events at the same time stressed me out. In fact up until now I’ve looked at training for all 3 as a positive. I feel like both the trail running and triathlon training have helped be build a stronger than normal marathon base both physically and mentally. But, when I woke up Monday morning I realized just how much I pushed my body last week.

It’s Tuesday and my body still feels wrecked from last week’s workouts which isn’t the best way to start a new training week. I’m using this as a learning experience and making sure that I scale things back a little bit. At the end of the day, I want to enjoy these three races though Berlin Marathon is my primary focus.

Monday: The 6 mile tempo run plan was 2 miles easy – 2 miles at 8:53 – 2 miles easy In the end I ended up running 2 warm-up miles at 9:45, 1 mile at 8:46, 1 mile at 8:56, and the final 2 miles at 9:40. Even in the late afternoon heat I felt strong and really enjoyed this tempo run.

Tuesday: 1600 meter swim in the morning followed by 90 minutes of hot power yoga in the evening

Wednesday: My Speed workout plan was 1.5 mile warm-up followed by 4 x 400 at 8:08 pace sprints followed by a 1.5 mile cool down. I headed down to the lake for the speed portion since it’s convenient, straight and the views made it a perfect spot. I was able to maintain 7:40, 7:20, 6:59, and 7:52 pace. Everything clicked for this workout perfectly and I ran the whole thing with a ridiculous smile on my face even during the painful minutes.

Thursday: 2000 meter swim

Friday: Rest day

Saturday: An incredibly beautiful 10k trail run through Chamonix valley plus another 10k of trail running and hiking through Les Praz.

Sunday: A 29 mile bike ride including 3 steep climbs which definitely helped prepare me for the bike leg of the Geneva triathlon!

YOUR TURN: In preparation for this week’s long run, I’m on the hunt for new tunes. What song are you LOVING right now?

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Many runners are in the midst of applying to Fall marathon lotteries, hoping that they will receive the golden ticket to run one of the larger races such as Marine Corps, New York or Chicago. Others are pushing the button to register for smaller, more manageable and easier to enter Fall marathons. Regardless of which marathon you have set your sights on or, if you’re still trying to make the decision, this post will help you know what to think about when training for your first marathon.

I have completed over 50 races in the past few years including four marathons (New York 2010, New York 2011, Philadelphia 2012, Hartford 2013) and will soon begin training for the Berlin Marathon. I find that each training cycle I learn something new about my body, running or the training itself.

Today’s post is dedicated to the training portion of running a marathon. Coming soon I will share tips for deciding whether you need a coach, marathon gear, preparation for the marathon, and the race day itself.

As always, feel free to email me or leave questions in the comment section!

1. Strength training and foam rolling are almost as important as running itself. Strength training is a key component of distance running in order to ensure good running form, avoid injury, achieve higher speeds and mileage, and correcting imbalances. Foam rolling is basically like giving yourself a deep tissue massage on a nightly basis in the comfort of your own home.

2. Glide or petroleum jelly is your best friend. You eventually will chafe and this exposed skin will cause showers and running to make you wince in pain. Glide up so you don’t chafe up. I tend to use Glide anywhere clothing will rub such as feet, thighs, bra line, and underarms. Guys – don’t forget to use Glide around your nipples as there is nothing worse than finishing a run looking like you’ve been stabbed in each nipple. Bloody nipples are not sexy.

3. Do not let marathon training ruin your social or personal life. It won’t be enjoyable if you’re resenting it or regretting your decision. Who says long runs have to be on Saturday or Sunday if you enjoy spending late nights out with friends? Be agile with your training plan while also ensuring to respect it.

4. Before you start training, invest in good running shoes. The choice of style and brand is personal, based on your gait and needs but spending time at a full service running store where they can analyze your gait and recommend a specific model can help prevent injury in the long run. That being said, make sure you replace your model at least a month before the marathon so you’re not wearing new shoes, even the same model, on race day.

5. You don’t have to spend money or time searching for Gu, Shotblocks or other forms of popular running fuel. While these work very well for many people you can also opt to use actual food whether that be dates filled with peanut butter, baby food packets of applesauce or other fruit or granola bars. Whatever you choose, make sure that you use your long runs to experiment with different options so you know what works best.

6. Marathon weight gain is real. However, protein and water are your best friends for fighting off marathon weight gain from eating all the food due to “runger.” Make sure to increase the protein in your diet as your mileage increases especially on the day of a long run and following. I have found that the easiest way to increase protein in a healthy way is by adding protein powder or high protein Greek yogurt to my breakfast routine, adding an extra portion of lean protein to lunch salads and building nuts into my afternoon snacks. Keep in mind that the high level of exercise and mileage can leave you dehydrated. Water consumption is more important than ever before especially as thirst can sometimes be confused as hunger.

7. Respect the training plan. There is a reason that many beginner training plans are 16-18 weeks in length. Gradually building mileage will help prevent injury.

8. You can’t just focus on the long runs. I’ve known far too many people to get injured due to skipping their shorter runs and then pushing through the weekend runs.

9. Sleep is important to help your body and muscles repair and keep illness away. While I know we can’t all enjoy eight or more hours of sleep per night even 15 minutes extra each night can add up during the course of a week. Make sure to make the most of your sleep hours by nurturing your legs with compression sleeves or socks as this can help with leg recovery, especially once you’re hitting peak mileage weeks.

10. Respect the rest days. My first two marathons I thought that rest day meant non-running days and instead of resting I spent time on the yoga mat or spin bike. This led to tired legs, exhaustion and overall burnout. Now I look forward and crave the rest day as a well earned reward for giving the week’s training 110%.

Are you training for your first marathon or trying to decide? Feel free to leave any questions in the comments!

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Before we get to today’s topic, here is a picture of our brunch date this morning. I mean really, how can you not smile when you see this face?

Okay, so now back to the running talk. Two weeks ago, I was just finishing the ING Hartford Marathon. While it wasn’t exactly the marathon I’d hoped for it was still such a fun day with some wonderful ladies! As I was finishing, my immediate thought was that I never wanted to run another marathon. I think a lot of people have this during a tough marathon. But, during the train ride from Hartford to New York City I realized that the Lausanne Half Marathon, which I already had on my calendar, was only 2 weeks later. I started thinking about whether my body and mind were strong enough for a second marathon. Each year I’ve been tempted to run two marathons because there are so many wonderful East Coast marathons during the Fall. First it was whether I could do Marine Corps and New York City. Another year it was whether I could do Wine Glass and New York City. This year, I finally decided, after talking with Laura and Gia, that I wanted to give two marathons a try. When I made a pro/con list I had a hard time thinking of many cons. (photo source)

Pros:

Only 45 minutes away, via train
The town and surrounding area is supposed to be gorgeous
The entire course is along Lake Geneva
Out and back course means perfect opportunity to keep my mind occupied while watching people on their way back
Bo and other friends were already signed up for the half marathon or 10k which means friends cheering
Fall foliage along the vineyard hills should be gorgeous
First European marathon

Cons:

The course includes multiple rolling hills which will be challenging as I didn’t train on many hills
Only 288 women are signed up for the full marathon along with 1,000 men
Half marathon runners start at the turn around point 2 hours and 45 minutes after our start which means there will be faster runners passing me

I did not choose to run the Lausanne Marathon because I wanted redemption. After everything that I’ve gone through over the past few months, while I would love a marathon PR this year, I realize that it may not be in the cards. I am going into the marathon with no expectations or goals other than having a strong race and applying what I learned in Hartford. I want to enjoy myself and take in every single moment, appreciating the opportunities we can have while living abroad. I’m excited to have Bo on the sidelines cheering after his 10K race.

I didn’t share the decision to run the marathon with my family, friends or social media because I wanted to make sure my mind and body were in fact ready for the challenge. In fact, it wasn’t until we arrived at the expo yesterday that I committed 100% to the marathon. I did the runs and rest days Gia prescribed for me over the past 10 days while eating healthy and cutting back on alcohol. I listened to my body and slept 8 hours more than 6 of the past 10 days. I’ve asked Laura for advice on a daily basis and read multiple marathon recaps from friends who have rocked hilly races, including Bobbi, Stephanie and Meghann. I gave myself the flexibility to make a last minute decision which also helped reduce the pressure. But, by the time we left the expo last night I couldn’t contain my excitement anymore. I am so excited for Sunday! We’ve enjoyed a low key day in Geneva, brunching with friends and picking up ingredients at the farmer’s market before going on a shake out run along Lake Geneva. Now it’s time to hang out with my very Swiss 2XU compression socks and relax the rest of this evening with Bo, Ranald and Emily as we prepare for tomorrow!