Geneva Half Marathon Training–Week 5

Oh how I wish every week of training could be just like last week. My body felt strong, the workouts were challenging but enjoyable, work and my travel schedule didn’t get in the way of any workouts, and I was able to enjoy a few workouts with friends which makes things even more fun!

Here’s a round-up of what went down last week in the world of half marathon training.

Monday: Nothing helps me get out of bed on a Monday like meeting a friend for a few pre-dawn miles! I had 5 miles on the plan so I decided to knock out the first 3 miles solo, enjoying sunrise along the lake, before meeting my friend Lauren for the final 2 miles. I kept each mile under 9:45 which was my goal for the run while not finishing completely exhausted.

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Tuesday: This 35 minute easy run was squeezed in during lunch. The treadmill minutes flew by thanks to How I Met Your Mother! If you’re stuck on the treadmill for a run, try switching things up with a no thought required tv show or movie. I love getting movie ideas from RunEmz who watches a different movie almost every day as she racks up double digit distances on her treadmill! 

Wednesday: Holy sore legs, this speed session left my legs screaming for two days! The workout included 2 miles of warm-up at a 10:00 minute pace followed by 12 x 30 second sprint intervals at a 4.0 incline followed by a 30 second recovery between each sprint. I finished the workout with a one mile cool down as I gasped for air, trying to catch my breath. 

Thursday: I finally took advantage of the yoga class which is offered three days a week at our office. The 60 minute yoga class was what I would consider in intermediate class with lots of balances and long poses. It felt great to stretch out my body and take advantage of this great office perk!

Friday: My only activity for the day was 20 minutes of foam rolling while catching up on The Good Wife! (Holy moly last week’s episode was a surprise!)IMG_7060[1]

Saturday: I really wanted to run with my favorite London running ladies but I knew that in preparation for the half I needed to tackle this run solo and follow the plan. Gia wanted me to do 9 miles ensuring that I avoided traffic lights and stops as much as possible. Since the pace goal wasn’t an aggressive run, a 10 minute mile or faster, so I focused on my mental strength during the run. I did two loops around Regents Park enjoying the gorgeous flowers and blossoming trees. The middle 3 miles were definitely tough but the rest of the miles felt perfect! My average pace for the run was a 9:53 – perfectly on plan!

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Sunday: We always see the Barclay’s Bikes in London but so rarely take advantage of them. Due in part to the gorgeous Spring weather, we were inspired to rent bikes and explore some parts of London we haven’t seen before. The hour long bike ride was a hilly one and it definitely had my heart pumping and sweating by the end. It was the perfect way to squeeze in some activity together!

What’s up for this coming week? The name of the game this week is pushing my body and logging the miles! I’ve already enjoyed a few cross training sessions including yoga and swimming but the end of this week includes four straight days of running!

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Geneva Half Marathon Training -Week 4

The title of this post should really be skiing does not equal running. I had great intentions for last week but sometimes that doesn’t result in great training. At the same time, each run that I did do was a quality run and exactly as prescribed by Gia. In addition, I was very active last week when I wasn’t running which does make me feel a bit better. But, last time I checked my goal half marathon includes running not skiing.

imageThe only good news about all this cross training is that I woke up both yesterday and today craving a run. That is a wonderful feeling to have!

So, instead off being hard on myself for last week let me share my sins or lack of training with you and then move forward with this week which includes four runs that focus on pace, at least one yoga session and hopefully a spin class while I’m in London this weekend.

Monday: I had a case of the Mondays and overslept by almost an hour. That meant that I missed my planned yoga class and instead opted for an at home workout after work. I tried a workout I found on Interest (Ballet Abs) then did 20 minutes of Yoga for Runners.

Tuesday: 4.31 miles at a 9:16 pace It was pouring outside which forced me to do this run on the treadmill instead of along the lake. Lately I’ve found that watching one of my favorite TV shows on my iPad really helps the time fly by faster. This run was fueled by Scandal!

Wednesday: 4.7 miles at 9:05 average pace This workout kicked my butt in the best way possible. It left me out of breath and knowing I had literally left everything on the treadmill. I started with a one mile warm-up then did 5 800 meter repeats at a 7:54 pace, taking a 3 minute jog break between each repeat. I finished the workout with a 1 mile cool down

Thursday: 4 hours of skiing

Friday: 7 hours of skiing

Saturday: 7 hours of skiing

Sunday: After 3 days of skiing I knew that any attempt to run would be complete junk. I focused on foam rolling, stretching and some arm and ab work while catching up on our favorite TV shows all afternoon. 

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Top 10 Marathon Tips – Training

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.

top 10 marathon training tips 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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