Marathon Training Recovery

Recovering after a long training run is hard, there is not much time to rest and let the muscles rebuild/repair. During training there is a lot of fatigue, soreness, and not much rest! The accumulative fatigue is actually helpful for training. Google “accumulated fatigue running” and you will find articles discussing this!

Even though it is good to go into a run a little tired, it’s still best to help your body heal as much as possible.

1. Refuel -Everything I’ve read says to refuel with in 30-45 minutes. For me, this is nearly impossible. I can sometimes get a little fruit in my tummy, but anything else makes me nauseas. Once my stomach settles, I eat a big breakfast. Eggs and sausage have been my go to the past few weeks.

2-Hydrate-it’s hard to drink enough during a run to replenish everything you are losing. I run with water/Gatorade mix, but the bottle is only ~16oz, and I don’t like it completely filled. I’m incredibly thirsty the day I run, there’s not enough fluids to keep me happy. I drink water and Gatorade ALL.DAY.LONG.

3-StretchI aim to finish my run about 1/4+ miles away from home/car. That way I can walk and cool down. I stretch my calves, hamstrings, and quads. Nothing major, just a little stretch after miles of using those muscles. I stretch later in the day as well. I honestly don’t foam roll the day of. It’s just too painful!

4-Compressionsocks, sleeves, tights, whatever you got, wear it. It feels good and really helps!

5-Epsom salt
I really don’t know how or why Epsom salt works, but it does! I like getting scented kinds because it’s more relaxing.

Training Log (7/14-7/20)
Monday-core
Tuesday-3.5 miles
Friday-3.0 miles
Saturday-13.1 miles

my fastest half by 1 second! And it was HILLY.

I’m a little indecisive

So I totally picked a marathon, wrote out a training plan, and was set on running in Tulsa…then I started thinking about other races.

I read this article. And wanted to run ALL of them. Luckily a lot of them were sold out. After doing more research, I decided to run

The Richmond Marathon.

It’s only a week earlier than Route 66, so there isn’t too much tweaking to be done to the training plan. And the race is on a Saturday, which I LOVE. It’s not at home, so the large family and friends cheering section and sleeping in my own bed are out. But we are staying at the Westin and they have comfy beds, and I know I’ll have a cheerleader and maybe a running buddy in the course.

And just so you know, I’ve been looking at this.

Galloway Monday: increasing millage

Powered by Bling, and Pretty ‘lil Mudder and I are talking about increasing millage…SAFELY!

I’ve scheduled my races pretty close together, so once I got up to 13.1, I’ve just kinda maintained. I drop down for a few weeks then pick it back up.

The standard rule of thumb in to increase by no more than 10% each week. I’m not sure I like that method. It means pretty small increases in the beginning. 10% of 5 miles is only 1/2 a mile. To train for my first half marathon I increased my long run by 1 mile each week (for most weeks). I don’t like this method either. It means constantly running longer and longer.

In order to increase my milage for the marathon and take into account that I work every third weekend, I increase for 2 weeks, then take a little break. So the past few weeks long runs have looked like this:

5 miles
7 miles
9 miles
4miles

The next few weeks:

10 miles
12 miles
5 miles
13 miles
14 miles
5 miles
RACE 13.1

Then I’ll start increasing more for the marathon. I’ve been increasing by 2 miles, but only because I’m not too far out from a 25k race, so I’m not starting from scratch. As I go beyond 14 miles, I will probably just increase by 1 or 1.5 miles. I don’t want to push to hard.

I like my “rest week” it gives my body time to recover. I do run a few times during the week as well as cross-train.

Galloway Monday

Today we are looking at Galloway vs other training methods. I have to admit that I do follow a lot of Jeff Galloway’s method, I’m not a purist…I mix a few other things into my training. Like most things, it’s not one ways fits all!

I like scheduled walk breaks with the Galloway method, although I often switch my walk breaks up, gotta keep it interesting!

I like running all of my shorter distances or using shorter runs to do speed work. I like the 2 shorter runs from Run Less Run Faster-increasing the lactic acid threshold and VO2 max. While the Galloway method doesn’t say not to do speed work, it’s not really stressed.

There are some days when you just want to RUN. No breaks, no intervals, just steady pace all the way. Once again the Galloway method doesn’t say you can’t do this, but the method is focused on walk/run intervals.

I think there are so many training methods out there, and you should do what feels best. One day that might be different than the days before. Which training method is best for you depends on how experienced you are, how much you want to run each week, how long you want to train, etc, etc, etc.

Galloway marathon training schedules run much further than other schedules. 20 or 22 miles is the longest for most. I’m still torn as to how far my longest will be.

This weeks runs:
Wednesday: 3 miles 29:12
Saturday: 2 miles 19:01
Sunday: 9 miles 1:36:40

Powered by Bling, and Pretty ‘lil Mudder are comparing the Galloway method too!

Come on get HAPPY

Have you heard of the app Happify? It has games and activities to train your brain to be HAPPY! Sounds fun, right? It has scientific backing, that you can be happier, just by using the app and doing the activities.

I think we are want to be happy, but sometimes we get stuck in a rut, or things are not going our way. Try HAPPIFY, it’s free! I have do many reasons to be happy, and I want to focus on the positive. People want to be around other happy people. Don’t ask “what’s wrong”, ask “What’s right” “What is great about today”!

I learned about Happify, from I’m Fit Possible. And clicking my Happify link would be cool for me! Feel free to find the app on the App Store yourself, I just want you to check it out. I’ve enjoyed using it.

Back to paleo

In November I started eating paleo, I was really strict for a while…then I started to be more or more lax…then I was eating pizza and wings, feeling like poo, and having killer headaches. I never had recurring headaches before “going paleo” but now I notice gluten giving me a headache, and back on board, and for a good reason.

I struggled in the beginning with EASY and FAST paleo meals. I don’t have time to make a complex meal ever. Which is why I fell off the bandwagon.
I do eat dairy (mainly yogurt) so I have that as a meal option. I need breakfast food at breakfast. I can’t eat a salad at 7am! I am also ok with corn and beans in moderation, so hummus is an awesome lunch!

meal ideas
Breakfast:
COFFEE
Eggs (bacon or sausage)
Or Larabar and fruit
Or yogurt and fruit
Nuts, berries/fruit, coconut milk

Snack:
Apple with nut butter
Or Yogurt
Or Nuts
Corn chips and salsa
Popcorn
Hummus and veggies

Lunch:
Salad
Soup
Lettuce wrap
Leftovers

Dinner:
This is the EASIST paleo meal for me. Meat, veggies, maybe a sweet potato.

Galloway Monday-nutrition and fuel

Running nutrition is pretty important! I’m a little ritualistic about pre-run/race nutrition, but during my run I’m still tweeking my nutrition.

I usually run in the morning (especially now that summer is here. Before I run I eat a Larabar.

Chocolate Chip Cherry Torte is my FAVORITE!!!! But I’ll eat pretty much any of them. If it’s a short run, a Lara bar is enough, longer runs I also have a banana or applesauce. I have a cup of coffee as well, coconut milk creamer is good for running-dairy and running can get ugly. Race days often involve a little more food, no dairy or gluten though!

During my run I drink water, and sometimes I set up a Gatorade stop at the house. I tried out a new water bottle, and I liked it. My bottle looks like this:

I carried my phone and nutrition in the pouch. I’m not sure it was a great idea, I had to be careful getting my chews out.

I like Gatorade chews, cliff bar chews, and salted caramel gu. Those are my go to nutrition choices. I take something every 4 miles, during a race I try to time it with water stops, so it’s not always exact, also I take something at mile 11, not 12. It’s my pick me up for the end (in a half).

Long run this week was 7 miles. The first 4 miles-I ran 1 mile walked 1 minute. The last 3 miles I did a 4:1 ratio. Same pace for both! 7 miles in 1:14 is decent.

This really isn’t new news on me, but check out Powered by Bling, and Pretty ‘lil Mudder for other nutrition ideas.

The start of back to back runs

This weekend begins running 2 days in a row. I’m not a streaker, not a run everydayer, I need my rest! So running 2 days in a row is new to me, but that’s what I signed up for, so I’ve gotta practice!

This morning I ran 1 mile (that was weird too, I didn’t want to stop) with Ella, and 2 Minnie Mouses (Minnie Mice?) in the stroller. And tomorrow I’ll run 7 miles. I’m still recovering from some intense squats on Wednesday, so it felt good to loosen up my legs today, hopefully they feel good tomorrow.

The humidity is still bad, the air is THICK. I need to use my inhaler before I run, otherwise I’m struggling out there. Im still happy it’s summer, I love spending the day in the pool!

So, since we are talking about another Disney race, let’s talk about costumes. I’m thinking Maleficent for the 10k.

I saw the new movie, and I’m in love with her. I don’t know who I want to be for the half: Princess Leia, Padme, Marie from Aristocats, Mrs. Incredible…

Are you ready for summer training?

The humidity is here, the heat is here, and in Saturday we can officially say SUMMER IS HERE! I love summer, and sun, and all things hot!

BUT summer training, you know the super early morning runs, the buckets of sweat, the weird tan lines…I don’t love those.

I’ve been looking through books, websites, my work schedule…
trying to get a training schedule in place for both Dumbos Double Dare in August and Route 66 in November.

It’s exhausting just thinking about running 20 miles for training. I using some of the principles from Run Less Run Faster and Jeff Galloway to perfect my schedule. I’m thinking either 20 or 22 miles will be my longest training run!

Are you ready for the hot , Hot, HOT training this summer?

Galloway Method Monday-What has Galloway done for me?

It is Monday, so it’s time to link up with Powered by Bling, Pretty ‘lil Mudder, and Shorty Runs for more talk about the Galloway Method!

Janet Jackson asked, “what have you done for me lately?” So today we are talking about what the run-walk-run method has done for us.

I am still new to following the run-walk methods, so I don’t have a lot to talk about (but this topic was my idea!) I don’t have an examples of how I have improved my time. BUT I have gotten through some mentally tough training run by running a mile/10 minutes and walking 1 minute. Breaking up a long run seems to help me.

I have officially started marathon training, I know that I will need to use Galloway to get through all 26.2 miles. I plan on running my short runs, doing some speed work, maybe hills, but my long runs, even when they aren’t really long, will be run-walk intervals.

I ran 5 miles, 10:1 run:walk, my first few miles were at a 10min/mile pace, but then I started picking up the run pace.


I relaxed by the pool after!

Earlier in the week I pushed pretty hard through 4 miles. I kept all the miles under 10 minutes (and really kicked it at the end-8 min pace!

Read more about How Galloway has helped other runners