Racing Reflections

As I sign up for my next race, I've been had the change to reflect on the Chicagoland Spring Marathon: what went well, what I might alter, and what totally bombed.

Let's start with the good.

My training was spot on as far as number of runs and hitting my mileage for the week.  I missed a handle of workouts due to fatigue or not feeling well.  The majority of the time I at least attempted the run and often was able to complete my workout.  I definitely put in the work and my legs were marathon ready.

My nutrition was also very good while training.  I stuck with my staples of a green smoothie in the morning and a large salad for lunch.  Dinner always fluctuated, but my cooking usually revolves around a lean protein (fish, chicken, steak occasionally), a carb, and lots of veggies.  More vegetables than you think it possible for a human being to eat.  Once a week we ate salad dinner as well.

What I would do differently with my food involves the weekend and sweets.  Weekends we eat out once or twice usually with a glass of beer or two.  I also eat less frequently on the weekends, though bigger meals.  My smoothies are exchanged for something heavy on the carbs.  There tends to be overall less fruit, whole foods.  I also LOVE to bake.  I keep premade, pre-scooped cookie dough in freezer bags so it can be baked as wanted.  We all know processed sugar doesn't help our athletic goals and my goal for my next race is to decrease it to two or three times a week.

Here is what went wrong.  Really, really wrong.

I went out with too fast of a pace.  And I knew it.  The whole time.  I was too excited about running 8:00 miles and hitting all my splits.  When I do a training run, the first 1-2 miles are the warm-up and I usually start off with an 8:45-8:30 pace.  After mile 2 my legs start churning and I find that 8:00 mile easily.  The pacer I was following for the first few miles was hitting 7:45, 7:30 miles, nothing was near the pace I needed to hit and it was too fast too early for me.

While I hit my mileage during my training, I ran too many of these miles too fast.  With a race pace goal of 8:00 miles, I was hitting an 8:30 at my slowest for an easy run.  I was not letting my body recover enough in between race pace efforts and speed work.  Coming from a soccer and lacrosse background, when we ran during practice I would run as fast as I could to get it over with.  I'm still running with that mentality during my marathon training and it is the wrong way to go.  My goal for my next training cycle is more easy runs at 8:45-9:00 pace and race pace efforts no more than once a week.

Totally wrong.  But seriously hilarious.  Please DNF before you die.

Other changes I would make?

Besides the nutrition and better pacing, I would like to run more miles on the surfaces the race covers.  I ran a lot of crushed limestone trails when the marathon was completely on asphalt and my legs felt it.

I am going to strength train more consistently.  I usually lift weights 2-3 times a week, but when the mileage increased, strength training was exchanged for couch time.  I notice improve posture, running efficiency and endurance when I am incorporating more lifting into my routine and it is something that is too beneficial to ignore.

I also am going to make time for more yoga.  Yoga makes my back happy and keeps my hips loose while I can't achieve with only stretching after a run.


What have you learned from a bad run or race?

How many easy runs do you run a week?

Thursday Ramblings

1. Looking at this list is giving me major race envy. 

2. I am working on getting all the grocery shopping done for mother’s day on Sunday.  Chris and I are hosting both our mom’s at our house and I want it to be really nice for both of them!

3.  The schools I am in are counting down the final days by using the alphabet.  Today is “I.” Summer break is SO close!

4. On that note, I am so happy I changed jobs when I did.  I almost have a position lined up for next school year as well! Whoop whoop!                

5. I went to bed at 9 pm yesterday.  I was really tired.

6. I really like drinks.

Especially drinks in purple containers.

7.  I already have pretty rad runner’s tan lines.  I tried switching my Garmin to my other wrist during my walk yesterday to help even out my watch tan line.

8. We are joining the pool this year.  Memorial Day cannot come soon enough! A date with a comfy pool chair, the sun, and a book is calling my name.

9. Peyton woke me up by laying her head on my neck and licking my chest.  Aren't dogs just the best?  Though it's probably pay back for making her do things like this:

It was hilarious at the time.

10. I am loving Dead Wake by Erik Larson.  His books are fantastic.  He has a wonderful way to writing non-fiction that is easily read, informative, yet not excessive.

So I said Tuesday was my last speed work day. I was wrong.  Today I officially wrapped it up with my final set of hill sprints!

4 miles easy

34:22

8:35/mile

10 x 10 seconds hill sprints 

done on treadmill 12% incline, 9.3 mph

It was not difficult to take the run easy today as the high was in the upper 80s today. 

I'm getting a little worried about the state of running shoes.  They have a number of miles of them already and they are starting to feel like they are ready to retire.  With less than a week and a half to go, I'm not sure if it's smart to changes shoes at this time.  I'm thinking I will start breaking my new shoes in and just see how they feel next week.

Do you dress up your dog?

How many miles do you get out of your running shoes?

What good book have you read recently?

Tell me something about your Thursday!

12 Signs You Should Run a Marathon

Today is a day off from running and thank goodness for that! Is anyone else really tired? I’ve been exhausted all week.  Normally I am ready to start my week on Monday morning.  This week, however, I have been hoping for the weekend since I woke up Monday.  Yikes.

Peyton and I went out for a long walk to enjoy the nice weather we've been having.  I let her off leash in the areas of the trail where there were no people around.  She did a great job and always came back when called.  She must be maturing in her old age of 2.

 

I found this great article while I was at work today titled 12 Signs You're the Kind of Person That Should Run a Marathon Regardless of How Far You've Run Before. Anything that starts off with stating that all runners have a certain level of insanity has my attention.  The 12 signs are:

1. You are perfectly happy hanging out by yourself.

 YES.

2. You are inherently patient 

3. You are competitive, but mostly with yourself 

4. You are not easily intimidated 

5. You aren’t afraid of exploring strange places 

6. You are not emotionally attached to your toenails 

Ok, well may not emotionally attached...

7. You are a forward thinker 

8. You consider weather a challenge, not a deterrent 

When you live in the Chicago area, you have to.

9. You’re a little bit of a masochist 

10. You’ve always got a little bit more in the tank after a run 

11. You enjoy running for running’s sake 

12. You can make it past the first mile

Which is truly always the hardest part.

Anything you would add to that list?

What did you do outdoors today?

What is for dinner? (I'm hungry and don't know what to make...)

Back to Normal and Foam Rolling After a Run

I'm starting to feel back to normal after last week's stomach issues.  I started to keep on eye more on what I was eating to avoid any more GI discomfort. 

My rest days for my marathon training switched this week from Monday to Wednesday, so Monday was 5 easy miles with Peyton. 

5 miles with Peyton

36:52

7:22/mile

We took a lot of rest breaks yesterday during our run to allow Peyton to rest and catch her breath.  It was warmer than she was used to so every mile and a half or so we stopped and I gave her some water.

Yesterday I made one of my all time favorite recipes:  Cinnamon Crumb Banana Bread

My excellent photography skills....

If you are a fan of banana bread, definitely give this recipe a try!

Today's run:

8.14 miles

2 miles easy, 2 x 10 minutes at half marathon pace with 2 minutes active recovery, 3 miles easy

1:03:07

My legs felt surprisingly fresh for today's run.  The 2 x 10 minute pace was 6:59 and 6:50 respectively.  This workout was officially my last speed session for this training cycle

This week I am turning my focus to stretching and using my foam roller after each run. 

Using a foam roller can help prevent injury, promote recovery, and act as a deep tissue massage.   This post has 6 foam rolling exercises to complete after your run to increase circulation and promote recovery.  I tend to foam roll my IT band, quads, and piriformis primarily as these are the tightest on me.  It is recommended to foam roll before stretching as it acts to "prime the muscles."

I think between foam rolling, stretching, lots of rest, and healthy eating will help me to be as prepared and as healthy as possible in 12 days to rock my marathon!

Motivation Monday: 5/3

Have a great Monday!

Why You Should Taper Before a Marathon

I am officially in my taper.

I'll admit it.  I LOVE when I finally get to the taper.  At this point in time my body is tired and ready to turn down the mileage.

Tapering is important because it allows your body to be as rested as possible so you can perform at your maximum potential.  You should not only cut back on the mileage, but also the intensity of your workouts.  Your easy runs should be taken at a much more conservative pace.  

Your marathon training plan should begin to taper three weeks before your goal race.  Your mileage should decrease by 10-15% that first week.  Two weeks out, your mileage should go down by 25-30%.  Your final week of tapering should be focused on getting enough rest.  Your daily runs should also decrease by 50% of your normal volume.

For many runners tapering can be difficult because of the fear of gaining weight and losing fitness.  However, your body will no longer make physiological changes to training. These adaptions take six weeks to effect your training, so high intensity workouts will not improve your performance. 

During the taper you want to be sure to include specific workouts.  Short, speed oriented runs are not going to affect your marathon.  You should, however, try to include moderate distance runs (think 8-10 miles) at marathon pace to help you hone in on your pacing.  My marathon training plan includes 1-2 workouts at marathon pace a week and removes all other speed work.  The rest of my 3 runs during the week are run easy.

Your taper should not only be about reducing your mileage.  Tapering should also include focusing on increasing your sleep, planning out your race day, finalizing any travel plans, hydrating, and your nutrition (source).  Your calorie intake should be cut to account for your reduced mileage.  You should increase your carbohydrate and fat intake during your taper to help restore glycogen levels.  It is also recommended you remove cross training from the final two-three weeks of marathon training. 

The hardest part of the taper for me is the mind games.  I start to worry about competing at my race, especially when I get comfortable with the reduced mileage.  With all the stress relief from my high mileage weeks, my nerves start to show.  Part of tapering should also include mental preparation.  What will you do if the weather is miserable?  Your previous injury starts to at up or you have side stitches during the race.  Preparation for race day during your taper will help to reduce and race day anxieties you start to feel.  I like to spend more time reading and taking Peyton for walks during my newly found free time.  It helps me keep my mind off of my impeding marathon and helps to decrease race anxieties.

Most of all, enjoy it!  You've made it this far and you've completed the bulk of your training.  Now it's time to rest and get ready for what is going to be a great race day!

Yesterday was beautiful day here in Chicago.  Chris, Peyton, and I went to my mom's house to enjoy her backyard.  Peyton loves having the freedom to run and sniff as she pleases.  My mom also has a dog that Peyton likes to run around with.

I am TWO WEEKS away from my marathon!  Today's run was really challenging, but helped to reinforce and solidify that I am ready for my race.

18 miles

2 miles easy, 14 @ marathon pace + 20 seconds per mile, 2 miles easy

2:27:43

8:12/mile average

The miles at marathon pace averaged around 8:05-8:10 per mile.  Those easy miles were run really easy.  My final two miles were around a 9 minute mile pace.

How was your weekend?

Do you like or dislike to taper?

How to Set Running Goals

Runner's World put out a new post on how to set good running goals. It is adapted from Meb's new book Running for Mortals and it is his five step plan to achieve your goals.

 

1. A Good Goal Has a Personal Meaning

 Your goals are for you.  They are not to meet other people's expectations.  Having internal motivation pushed you towards a desired outcome (source)." When you hit a tough stretch, either physically or mentally, if the goal you’re working toward has deep significance for you, you’ll find a way to persevere. But if someone else thrust the goal upon you, when you hit tough stretches, you’re going to think, 'Wait, why am I doing this?'"

2. A Good Goal is Specific

The article suggests making a specific goals without ambiguity.   "I want to sub-4." "I want to run the whole race without walking." "I am going to run a BQ." Personally, I'm very motivated by the numbers surrounding my runs; the pace, the mileage.  Instead of me saying I want to run faster, I'll make a goal to hit a certain pace during my runs to have a concrete goal to work towards.

3. A Good Goal is Challenging But Realistic

"Your goals should require you to reach outside your comfort zone while remaining within the realm of possibility."  What do you truly believe you can attain in the allotted amount of time? Do self reflection and really think about what is possible for you.

 

4. A Good Goal Has a Time Element

My race is in X amount of days, so I need to be ready!  Having a "deadline" will help keep you going.  Even something simple like making a mileage or time goal for the week will keep you working hard and moving towards your goals.  For me, knowing that I have a race to complete on a certain day gives me motivation and pushes me to work hard towards my race goals.

5. A Good Goal Keeps You Motivated

Making goals will keep you honest.  I find that having something written down within your sight a few times a day helps remind you what you're working for.  The article also suggest telling others your goals can help make you accountable.  "Friends and family will also support you when you inevitably hit the rough patches.

Here's today's run:

4 miles easy

34:39

8:39/mile

The easy pace felt good on my legs today after pushing the pace for Sunday's long run.  Afterwards I took Peyton for a 2.5 mile walk and then spent LOTS of time stretching and foam rolling.

What goal or race are you working towards?

Do you enjoy doing easy runs?  How often do you run easy per week?

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