barb bond pic 2

Barbara Bond Does a Double

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Course du Duc - Nov. 30, 2012

Course du Duc – Nov. 30, 2012

17.5 km
9:16 pm start

The night was cold, about 30F at the start, 10 mph wind gusting to about 20 mph throughout the course.

Very crowded start and generally through the first few miles. Start was extremely slow, 8:35 min/mile pace. From there lots of fun – some good hills, scenic and oddly compelling. At times there was little ambient light so the trail of runners lit by headlamp was surreal-looking and dramatic. Lots of enthusiasm from the spectators who lined much of the course and had torches, fire pits, and various other lighting devices!

Goal was to take it easy, and not “race” and aim for a top 10 finish. Managed a negative split at the end at 7:15 min/mile, my best mile split of the night! Finished 6th in my age group at 1:26 hrs and 76/1225 overall women. Avg pace – 7:40 or so. It was harder than I thought, and running at night definitely gives one the impression of running faster than reality.

Course de l’Escalade – Dec. 1, 2012

Course de l’Escalade – Dec. 1, 2012
4.787 km (my Garmin said 2.99 miles)
2:45 pm start

The day was cold, no wind, about 33F at the start.

My intention was not to go for a top 10 spot, so I started at the back of the chute. Mistake. The middle-pack runners were so slow it took me some work to weave my way around them, and in such a short race there is no time to waste. Still, managed to work my way up and speed up. Ran three negative splits:
7:44 min/mile
7:12 min/mile
6:41 min/mile. Last 0.2-mile avg was sub-6 min/mile. I was desperately trying to catch the two women in front of me. Another 20 m and I would have had them. I think…

Goal was a top 25 finish. The course is two laps through Geneva’s old city. On the second lap I went for it, feeling pretty good (or at least not as bad as I though after last night). Wound up 17th in my age group, which made me happy.

This is the end of a busy race season for me, which began in April with the Boston Marathon. Had a fun year, ran some fast short races and my slowest ever marathon – and am very happy with how it all turned out.

Marathon Nation 2013 Feature Marathon Races

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We are really excited to announce that we have choose two new feature races for the 2013 season. Ideally we’d like as many of our Marathon Nations members and fans to participate in either of these events so we can connect with all of you and celebrate the year. We have chosen one on the East Coast and one on the West Coast, so the angry mobs should only be contained to the Midwest and abroad…maybe in 2014!

The two feature races are as follows:

Marine Corps Marathon – Oct 27, 2013

http://www.marinemarathon.com

The California International Marathon – Dec 8, 2013 (Relay option available)

http://www.runcim.org

If you sign up for either one of these races, please make sure to follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/marathonnation) or choose one of our training plans  in the MN Training Plan Store.

Hope you can make it!

Space Coast Marathon

Theresa Miller NYC Marathon Race Report (Plan B – Space Coast Marathon Race Report)

Categories: Guest Post Series, Race Report, Uncategorized by 1 Comment

New York City Marathon 2012 Race Report

 

Focused, while picking up the pace

Cancelled L

 

Oh wait! Now what? What do I do with all that fitness??

 

Space Coast Marathon 2012 Race Report

 

Way back in the summer I filled out an application to be a race reporter for Marathon Nation. I was registered for NY Marathon 2012.  Seven of us decided to register for NY since we had run a qualifying marathon or half marathon the previous year, and knew the standards would be tightening up. This would be the perfect opportunity for us all to race together once again. This would be my 7th marathon.

 

I received the Marathon Nation plan, and looked over the schedule and thought it looked tough, but I felt I could definitely do it. I read everything I received. I reviewed the pacing strategies and watched all the videos. I did the tests and marked my paces. Did I mention yet I love being on a plan?!

 

Week 7 of 24, a tough build week. I completed all my workouts for the week, hit all my times, and was feeling good. I had a tough Saturday long run, but nailed the paces. Oh yea, and by the way, it’s July in Florida!! Holy Humidity!! Sunday, after my short run, I joined some friends for an easy 2 hour bike ride. This was going to be an easy ride, and everyone was on the same page! I hung back chatting effortlessly, up and down from aero, staying away from the bike in front of me – complacent. I hit some debris in the road, was thrown from my bike, and landed hard.  Oh dear, it didn’t look good. I couldn’t move. I knew my shoulder was a mess; but that wasn’t the ugliest looking injury. My femur didn’t look ‘well’ either. The paramedics decided to call life flight because of ‘multiple injuries’…..really?? I have a marathon in 3 ½ months. It’s NY! All my friends are going! I’m doing a really cool training plan. I’m hitting all my times. I don’t have time for this! After a day and a half in a trauma unit, a fractured scapula (closed thankfully, no surgery), NO fractured femur, just some trauma to the quad muscles (which looked like my femur might be popping out my thigh); I was released…….with lots of pain meds! I slept and took pain meds around the clock for the first 48 hours at home. I went for a follow up appointment; told the doc I needed to run a marathon in 3 ½ months…..He said “No problem”…..boy was I excited! I was in a sling, I couldn’t move my arm, and it hurt to breathe but I was excited that I could run NY! The doctor basically said I could do whatever felt ok, and not do what hurt……..hmmm…….I’m probably not the best person for those instructions. I rested the entire week, stopped all the pain meds after 4 days, drank tons of fluids, learned to sleep on my back with pillows propped, and started PT on day 4. Day 6 and 7 I went for 3 mile walks on the beach; day 8 through 12 I went to the gym and rode the recumbent bike, bracing my arm in my shirt. After 13 days I went for a 4 mile run. I went right back to the training plan; just running miles for about 2 weeks, then adding the speed back in. Did my shoulder hurt? Heck yeah, but my soul hurt more to not run! And the doctors and PT all agreed that I could run as long as I didn’t need to “sling” my arm to do it! So, on to the rest of training!

 

Ready for New York! Trust the Training! Taper, Taper, Taper…..

 

The Tuesday of race week superstorm Sandy hit NYC. We watched and waited all week, listened to the news, kept up to date on the internet. All systems were a go for the race. They weren’t canceling!! No way. New Yorkers are resilient! This will be good for the people. The race must go on…..until 8 hours after we landed in NYC…….until 7 hours after we checked into our East Side Manhattan hotel…..until 5 hours after the last press conference saying the marathon would go on as scheduled…..until 4 hours after I dropped $350 on NYC marathon clothes at the expo! I received an email from a friend. “I’m sooo sorry, I bet you’re sooo pissed” Really? At what? Hmmm. And then a phone call, “your friend posted the marathon is cancelled”. What?? No way, except the TV said “yes way”…..”….a decision has been made; it’s time to move on!” Really? That’s it? Move on? We’re in NYC, most of the 47,000 runners are in NYC, and we’re moving onto where? I know, I know….all those people, who lost all their homes, and you know the cancellation is the right thing to do, but seriously?? Of course it’s the right thing, but I don’t want to hear what the right thing is. I flew to NY! I want to run the NYC marathon with 47,000 other marathoners. I want to stand on top of the Verrazano Bridge and see all of New York City, I want to suffer through the hills of Central Park, I want to cross that damn finish line! But it is not to be, and cancelling really is the right thing. It’s just too bad the right thing couldn’t have come 12 hours earlier!

 

So regroup, discuss what to do, make decisions………..but first let’s enjoy NY a bit. A run through Central Park in 40 degrees, freezing by our standards. We meet our new bff…………Meb! Wow he’s there just hanging out running a bit. He encourages us to take pictures, he shakes all our hands individually, tells each of us he’s sorry they cancelled our marathon – what an ambassador to our sport!

 

 

We finish about 10 miles, see Ryan Hall (hauling butt I might add), we hollered “Hey Ryan“, he turned and waved!

 

We drink Starbucks coffee at the Trump Tower.

 

Then we fly home, 2 days early.

 

I get up early on Sunday (NY marathon day)……..and run, and run, and run, along the river, in the Florida sunshine. It’s hot for November, and I’m sweaty. I don’t have a plan. I don’t know what to do. I run 20 miles, and it feels so good!

 

Now to really regroup. We need to figure out what to do. My friend makes fun of the fact that I don’t want to “waste fitness”……..how absurd. We have fitness all year, but this is special fitness.  We all agree on Space Coast Marathon. Its 3 weeks away, just in time for a little build back up and a little taper back down! It’s in our back yard. The course is where we run every single Sunday (and half the days in between)!! It’s our PR course, every one of us! We don’t need to travel, we don’t need to get up too early, and we could probably run the course with our eyes closed!

 

The weather is looking better and better. November in Florida is a toss up. You just never know what mother nature will hand you. It looks like it’s going to be a low of 50 and a high of 72, with a slight north wind and no humidity! Perfect by our standards!!

 

Race Day – 11/25/2012 (are we really going to get to run a marathon??)

 

I had gone to bed at 8:30 the night before and I think I was asleep by 9. I slept like a baby….that never happens! My alarm is set for 415am; I woke up at 4am. No chance I was going back to sleep. My first waking thought is “I feel amazing, it’s going to be a good day! Just a Sunday long run with 3500 of my closest friends!” I decide I might as well get up and eat so I can digest my breakfast. I’m tiny, under 100 pounds, but I can put away some food! I ate a whole white bagel with peanut butter and a whole banana. I drank a half of cup of black coffee and 1 bottle of water, after all, it‘s still Florida, you learn to hydrate well here. I bring another bottle of water with me to drink before the race start.

 

We all meet at a predetermined location about a block from the start and strategize. Gels….check (6 of them, one brand, one flavor, with caffeine), chapstick….check. My go-to tattoo – “DIG DEEP” in black sharpie on my left inside forearm (my Marine son wrote me a letter prior to my first marathon and reminded me I could push my body farther than I thought, and I just needed to DIG DEEP!)…..check!  One last bathroom stop before heading to meet some other friends at the start!

 

The gun goes off………..I rip open the first of 6 gels, chug it with water and toss it and the empty water bottle in a nearby trash can! The remaining 5 gels, my 5, 10, 14, 18, and 22 mile gels are tucked in my sports bra!  And we’re off!

 

I had decided I would be running an 8:30 pace. I don’t care what my finish time is. My PR is 3:49, I’m shooting for 3:45, but will take whatever my 8:30 miles give me! I’m going to go out slow – yeah right, somehow in my past 6 marathons I’ve NEVER accomplished that. But this time, I’m really going to do it. I’m usually a spot on pace runner; but when I marathon run, at some point around miles 8-14, that stupid “I feel so good” thought gets in my head, and I shoot myself in the feet before I can figure out what I’m doing. Not this time!! I set my Garmin screen to 2 data elements – ONLY! I set current pace and lap (mile) pace. Nothing else! This is really reaching for me. I’m a data freak. I like to see everything during my run. I like to know exactly where I am on the course; at what tenth of what mile I’m at; and how long it’s going to take me to get to the next mile! But not today. If I run my miles, and only my miles, my finish time will take care of itself.

 

All that said, that’s exactly what I did. There was a group of 4 of us girls running 830s. We had to keep ourselves in check often. My first mile was my slowest mile at 8:42! Miles 2-20 were within 5 seconds of each other. Mile 21-26 were FASTER by 10-15 seconds. I had decided that if I felt good at mile 20, I would let myself just run. At mile 18 I let myself go just a little faster. At mile 20 I stopped looking at my pace and just ran. I passed a LOT of people. I was super focused, but felt very relaxed. This is where I began using my go-to tattoo! I touched it, I rubbed it. I relished the feeling that I hadn’t hit the wall; and I didn’t think it was anywhere in sight. At one point, around mile 24, I started to wonder what my finish time might be. There were clocks on the course, but they weren’t every mile, just at random places, 5k, 10k, etc. I purposely had NO idea what time I crossed the start line, or how far off the race clock I was. I wanted to switch my garmin to the elapsed time screen…..NO WAY! That wasn’t important at this point. I would see the elapsed time when I crossed the finish line. I didn’t want the distraction! The thought left as quick as it came.

 

I took water at EVERY water station, except the first; just enough to get a couple swallows in. I never had to stop to get water. just grabbed and rolled through. My nutrition was spot on. I was able to down each gel at my pre-determined miles, without any issues and chase with a little water from the aid stations. Around mile 25 I was getting a little tired (go-to tattoo!), but I was almost there! I passed mile 26 and was on the home stretch. My last 10k was 51:56 for an 8:21 pace. I crossed the finish line in 3:42:17, a PR by 7 minutes, but most importantly my first ever negative split marathon. And an added bonus…….my only goal for the day was to run 8:30 miles and let the end time take care of itself. Race Results – Pace 8:30 – I’m not sure how that worked out like that, but sometimes things just fall into place.

 

Net 3:42:17

Pace  8:30

10k 53:17

Half 1:51:40

20 mile 2:50:21

 

2nd age group female 50-54

3rd overall female Space Coast Runners

 

Sometimes crappy things happen to make way for good things! I’m sad New York was cancelled, but it might have been the best thing for my marathon! I still haven’t run NY, but I’ll definitely go back some day!

 

Ps…. A big shout out to Mother Nature, she is not usually this kind to us on Space Coast Marathon day here in Florida J

How To Plan A Breakthrough Season of Running

How To Plan A Breakthrough Season of Running

Categories: Planning by 0 Comments

IF YOUR GOALS DON'T SCARE YOU THEY AREN'T BIG ENOUGH

With the New Year approaching the season of giddy goal setting is almost upon us. You know, that short window at the end of the year when everyone makes snap resolutions about health, fitness, work, family, diet. Unsurprisingly, the vast majority of these promises fail long before we remember to cancel that gym membership…but it doesn’t have to be this way. You can still set lofty goals for your season and achieve them, but it takes more than a deadline and peer pressure. It takes some quality planning.

Five Simple Planning Mistakes that Everyday Runners Make

If you stop to observe your own running history, or that of your friends, you’ll probably be able to pick up a few quick points on thing “not to do” in advance of a big year. Here are a few that come to mind; your own list might be longer!

* Too Little Too Late — Choosing a late-season race that allows you to procrastinate like a professional for so long that by the time the race arrives you have a bigger hill to climb than when you started.
* Too Much Too Soon — Picking a lofty goal and putting it so close there’s not enough time to train.
* Last-Minute Mixing — Adding spontaneous events to your schedule in such a way as to undermine your overall training progression.
* Goal Grabbing — Jumping on the bandwagon of a friend, simply adopting their goal and running out of motivation or desire before race day.
* Chasing Distance Not Fitness — Setting arbitrary targets for long run or training weeks irrespective of your fitness, leading to great training benchmarks but sub-optimal racing.

Thinking Big

As you consider your goals over the next few weeks (yes, take more than a day!!) be sure you pick something that is a stretch goal. I recommend this because this type of goal will keep you focused and engaged when it matters most. Setting a goal such as “Just trying to finish,” for example, won’t get you out the door to hit all your workouts — after all, odds are you’ll still manage to finish, it will just take a little longer.

Instead focus on a real target. Examples include:

* Run a sub 4:30 marathon! Or a sub 2:00 half marathon.
* Run a faster second half of my race!
* Don’t walk a single step in the last 10k!
* Finish in time to earn that special medal!

Pick Your Target

It’s easy to get carried away with your goals — I call it Athletic Amnesia. Mere minutes after saying you want to run the fastest marathon of your life, you are proclaiming this will be the year you swim the English Channel and that you finally master speaking Japanese.

Don’t get me wrong; lots of goals are great. But know which one is your most important one, and use that as your guide to help set up the year that will enable you to be your best.

Working Backwards

Once you know what your big goal is for the season, work backwards towards race day. The bigger the goal race, the longer you need to plan. As an example, a marathon might take a six-month window of planning, from initial training to building actual race fitness. A 5k, on the other hand, might only take eight weeks of planning.

Back planning also allows you to incrementally build your training and race selection up towards the goal race. Your half marathon training might benefit from a 10k race a few weeks before the big day. Perhaps there are area “tune up” races that would allow you to replace some of the longer, solo training days with friends and some fun.

Here are some additional tips to help you build out the year you are looking for.

On Picking Your “A” Race for the Season

Location — Keep it close to make it easy, or choose a fun destination race.
Social — Pick a race that either your friends might also do, or that your friends can train with you for. Starting to train too early or waiting too long to race could mean you are on your own!
Weather — Make sure the last eight to twelve weeks before your big race are conducive to training. Your stretch goal should be hard enough without having to deal with blistering heat, tornado season, daylight savings, etc.
Life-Timing — Do everyone a favor and make sure the race deconflicts with key personal and professional milestone. If you’re an accountant, you probably shouldn’t pick a late April or early May key race!

On Keeping it Fun & Fast Until 12 Weeks Out

Train to be Fit, Not to Race — If you are healthy and fit, you shouldn’t need more than twelve weeks to peak for your big race.
Local Race Calendar — Sign up for 5k and 10k events to stay focused and build critical speed without pressure.
Get Creative — Find new places to run, even if it means going out of your way. Those last few weeks will force you to do plenty of “work” when the time comes.

On Getting Focused & Doing the Work

Draw the Line — Have the official start of your race preparation clearly marked so you know when it’s time to bring your “A” game.
Shop Ahead — Have the gear and supplies your training requires so you can avoid missed workouts or last-minute shoe shopping issues.
Remember to Rest — Have at least one day off a week, if not for a physical break then at least for your sanity!
Set Incremental Targets — Pick some intermediary milestones to your stretch goal that you can test in a few key training sessions or tune up races. This could be a specific pace, distance or time.

There is no single right way to plan a season. Make sure you know the big goal on the horizon and set the small steps in motion early on. This will keep you involved and consistent, and you’ll be ready to start the real training when it matters. By the time you arrive at the starting line, you’ll be confident knowing that you have given it your best shot…all you’ll have to do is run!

Good luck!

5/31/2011 (267/365) – Baby Steps

Part 4: Eight Couch to Marathon Baby Steps

Categories: Beginner by 0 Comments

Author’s Note: This is the third installment in our new “Couch to Marathon” instructional series designed to help newbie marathoners make the most of their first race (first one is here, second is here, the third is here). From training to racing information, we’ll cover the fundamentals that all beginner runners should know. If you have any additional questions, please find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/marathonnation.

++++++++++++++++++

Once you have made the commitment to do a marathon, you have set in motion a series of events that will take you on an incredible journey. You will be tested physically, mentally, emotionally and perhaps even spiritually.

While this is your own personal adventure to navigate, rest assured that thousands more have done the same. You can use their experience as your road map. As a coach who has helped countless athletes reach the finish line, I am going to let you in on one simple secret for your preparation: Take Baby Steps.

Dream Big, Execute Small

It’s easy to spend the initial part of your marathon journey, the weeks after signing up, thinking about the race itself. But alternating between finish line daydreams of elation and late-race nightmares of cramps does absolutely nothing to prepare you for the big day.

Your dreams have pushed you to sign up, but now it’s time replace the big picture goals with some basic fundamental steps. Just like race day is little more than thousands of footsteps from the start to the finish, so too should be your training.

Over-excited is only a few workouts away from being overtrained.

Why be so granular?

Because year after year new runners overdo it in training to the point where their race is either going to be a total disaster or perhaps even a non-event.

Your experience doesn’t have to be the same…here are some key incremental steps you can work into your overall training in order to be ready for the marathon when the big day finally arrives.

Eight First Marathon Training Baby Steps

#1 – Find the Right Shoes

Before you can run, you need shoes. Proper shoes. Don’t do your first runs in the old pair you use to walk around or mow the lawn. Find your local running store, bonus if they watch you walk before recommending a shoe, and then try on a bunch.

Bring your own socks (you might need to get some new ones!) and be sure to ask what their return policy is…most are pretty liberal given the online competition these days.

You might not pick the perfect shoes right away, but you have plenty of time when you sign up for all those other races!! Getting started with running starts here.

#2 – Identify & Reserve Your Workout Window

Wanting to become a runner isn’t enough; you need to create the time to work out. A great beginner tip is to actually schedule in your runs at the start of your week. This ensures you have the actual time to get the workouts done. The added bonus is taking a few minutes to review your week as a whole instead of just making a gut call at the start/end of your day.

#3 – Think TIME, Not DISTANCE

While miles are sexy, and 26.2 miles is intimidating, don’t fall into the trap of tracking your miles until you are well into your program. Instead, track the total time you spend exercising — even if your workouts are a mix of run / walk intervals.

Tracking time means you can push for incremental change each week (adding another five minutes is doable, as compared to adding another mile, for example). It will also aid you in budgeting time for the actual workouts.

#4 – Building Run Weeks by 10% or LESS

As you get more consistent and your running fitness improves, avoid the temptation to jump too far in any one week. We’re all invincible until we get hurt, and you are only a few consecutive excessive workouts away from having an issue — like the rest of us have!

If you are tracking TIME in minutes, try to avoid increasing any given run more than 15% in one week — that means moving from a 30 minute run properly would take you to a 34:30 run.

If you are tracking DISTANCE, try to avoid increasing any given run by 10% — that means moving from a 5 mile run to a 5.5 mile run.

#5 – Recover Whenever You Feel Less Than 100%

Don’t wait for your plan to tell you when to rest; listen to your body. You might not know what it “feels like” to be a runner, but you certainly are an expert at discerning when you feel good or not. If you feel tired, sore, or run down, take a day off (or two). If you can’t sleep at night or think you are coming down with a cold, take time off.

Your top priority in getting to the marathon should be to get there health and as fit as you can be. Most runners to do the opposite: they are super-fit but nowhere near healthy and they pay the price on race day!

#6 – Nutrition Practice

Every single run is a chance to practice your running nutrition. As a runner, you will need to drink sports drink and take in digestible calories when working out. Don’t wait until you start running “long” to get this right…use all your runs to start this process.

Your best bet is to head out to the local running store and pick up a variety of things to see what you do / don’t like. You’ll also need to figure out the right frequency of eating and drinking to make sure you are properly fueled so you can avoid workouts where you run out of energy.

Trial and error is the only way you’ll find out what does the trick for you, so get to it!

#7 – Race Simulation

As your marathon gets closer, you will want to run an actual race simulation workout to test both your nutrition but your pacing plan. You probably know what you want to run, but actually being able to do it for extended periods of time is another thing entirely.

Do the math on your goal pace, and then pick a nice flat course near your house. Run the first 6 miles slightly slower than your goal pace (approximately 10 seconds per mile slower) and then run the next 12 miles slightly faster (approximately 5 seconds per mile faster).

Mentally record how you feel at every 3 mile point so you can review your actual performance (splits and time) with how you felt. How was your nutrition? Your shoes? Your other gear? What “broke down” first?

Clink on this link to learn more about marathon race simulation workouts.

#8 – Pre-Race Recon

If you are lucky, you’ll have chance to explore your race before the big day. All the more reason to pick a more local event. You can do your simulation on the course, or perhaps one of your other long runs. You don’t have to do EVERY run here, but knowledge of the course and landmarks can be a distinct help on race day.

If running on the course isn’t possible then make sure to drive the course before the big day. You’ll want to be the one behind the wheel, so you can feel the elevation changes as you use the brake and accelerator. Note key miles to sync them with your race plan; you might even want to jog two or three miles on the course as part of your final preparations.

Do you have any other key tips that beginners should consider? Please let us know by sharing in the comments below!

Roundabout detour

Why A Cancelled NYC Marathon Is Great For Your Marathon Goals

Categories: marathon training by 0 Comments

Finding out that your New York City Marathon dream had no chance of happening in 2012 was probably a crushing blow to the hours and months of training (and money!) you had invested in the day. And yet not racing the marathon could be one of the best things for your fitness and future performance. That’s right, skipping the big day could be the catalyst for significant performance gains.

But before I dive in to that topic, know that all the runners lost when the NYC Marathon was cancelled pales in comparison to what those affected by Hurricane Sandy had to–and continue to–face on a daily basis. Lost lives, lost homes and a rapidly approaching winter with many still struggling to get access to fuel and electricity.

If you haven’t already made some form of contribution or attempt to support those affected by Sandy, you can do so via the Treehugger website  which has a good list of several options.

Marathons Punch A Massive Hole In Your Season

Training and racing a marathon is an enormous mental, emotional and physical undertaking. There is the build up period of many weeks, where endurance fitness and running durability are build up incrementally to carefully avoid overuse injuries. Long runs of 20+ miles are balanced with lighter training weeks, excellent recovery and a commitment to proper pacing. But then the taper (usually three weeks), the race (a week) and the recovery (three to six weeks) punch a seven- to ten-week hole in your season.

Almost a full two and a half month window where there is no real training outside of the race itself. Given that we begin losing fitness almost as soon as we stop exercising, each additional day of zero or minimal exercise represents a missed opportunity in terms of your overarching running goals.

Your “Fake” Taper Means You Are Rested

But in training for the New York Marathon you not only did all the work — you also made time for recovery. So few of us set aside time to absorb the hard work of training without a race. As a coach, it’s one of the biggest challenges I face: convincing athletes to focus on what they can absorb, not what they can do.

So while the last-minute cancellation undoubtedly means that you are frustrated, you can look on the bright side. You are actually fit, rested, and ready to move on to the next phase of your training without the required triage and recovery period.

Time For Another Boost of Speed this Winter

The winter is the perfect time to work on your speed. If you are like most NYC runners, you’ll probably be looking to jump into one of the last fall marathons or half marathons left on the racing calendar. But I hope you’ll reconsider.

Winter time means there are little demands for volume training. The weather isn’t conducive to longer miles, daylight is at a minimum and there are literally tons of fun 5k events from Turkey Trots to Santa Sprints across the country. The winter was simply made for getting faster.

Most runners try to add speed within the overall build of their marathon training, but the demands for endurance mean that there is precious energy left to simultaneously build speed. Instead of trying to double down, build your fast first and then add far to it. This provides some variability in your training and will allow for improved fitness gains with a reduced risk of overtraining or over-reaching.

If you don’t have a good sense of how to structure a speed training phase, be sure to check out one of our Get Fast training plans in the Marathon Nation Training Plan store.

Still Want To Race This Fall?

If racing just on your brain and your year won’t be complete without hitting the wall on race day and earning another medal, then get to the Internet and start searching for a race. If possible, you’ll want to find a race that is sooner rather than later, with an ideal date falling before December 15th.

This short window means you’ll be able to resume training, perhaps even inserting a one or two longer runs in the 13- to 15-mile range. Your marathon-specific fitness won’t desert you and you’ll still be able to put your months of quality training to the test. Just don’t forget that you’ll need to recover afterwards!

Got Post Race Plans?

Whether you are racing in a make up event, taking time off, or none of the above, we wish you luck. We’d love to hear about your decision making process and your final call. Whatever you do, we wish you continued health and wellness!

photo by: Cubosh

This in NOT the Training Log You are Looking For!

Part 3: Track and Celebrate Your Marathon Training Progress

Categories: marathon training, Running Lifestyle, Technology by 0 Comments

This in NOT the Training Log You are Looking For!

This in NOT the Training Log You are Looking For!

Author’s Note: This is the third installment in our new “Couch to Marathon” instructional series designed to help newbie marathoners make the most of their first race (first one is here, second is here). From training to racing information, we’ll cover the fundamentals that all beginner runners should know. If you have any additional questions, please find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/marathonnation.

Training for a goal as big and as distant as a marathon is a real challenge. Not just for the actual work of training, but managing your mind, body and emotions across the time required to get ready. Everyone has a certain amount of respect, even fear, for the concept of running 26.2 miles. But not everyone is aware, when they submit that registration form, of the true commitment they are making.

Even Veterans Aren’t Immune

Once you’ve trained for and completed a marathon, you have a basic idea of what comprises a marathon “journey.” But even then, your perspective is twisted by the actual race itself. In other words, all that time you spent training has been wrapped into a single day. Looking back after the race, it’s really hard to discern what was good, bad or inconsequential to your performance.

Tracking — The Power of Daily Measurements

The best way to build a comprehensive picture of the sheer work your marathon requires is to track your training. You can be as detailed as you want; personal preference will dictate what’s important and your commitment will determine what you actually follow through on tracking. Whatever you do, track something. Once you start tracking your workouts and rest, you’ll not only be creating your personal roadmap to a marathon, you’ll be unlocking some serious hidden potential.

Track For Consistency

Getting into a routine with your tracking is the first step towards building a set of daily habits or rituals around your running. Once you begin logging your daily mileage, or your time spent running you will begin to build some momentum. You’ll see that you’ve run four of the six days this week, and that last week you ran five days, and that if you can put in an easy 5-miler this week that you’ll top last weeks totals…and so you head out to run. Or maybe you are building up to a bigger race later in the year, and want to kick off your training with a personal running challenge: 15 runs in 15 days, for example. Time to break out the training log!

Track For Motivation

Collecting information about your running can keep you inspired; and nothing is better than being inspired by your own actions! You might find out that you are three runs short of a personal best for a month; or that another 20 miles this month could put your annual total to 500 miles. You might look back at this time last year and see you entered a fun race; maybe you’ll head back to see if you can set a new personal best. The possibilities are endless!

Track to Maintain Your Running Health

Overuse injuries are one of the biggest issues that runners face, especially beginner runners. The problem is that most of us don’t know there’s an issue until it’s too late! A training log can show you just how much running you’ve really done, and that objective mindset will help you make the right decision about logging those extra miles. Or, if you have been the unfortunate recipient of an injury in the past, you can review the log to see exactly what you did up to that point…and avoid it in the future!

Track For Learning

One of the worst things a runner can do is make up their training plan. First timers can be forgiven, as they have minimal experience, but there are free training plans out there. But returning runners should base their next training cycle on what they’ve previously done in training…not their race performance. It’s relatively easy to say, after running a 4:15 marathon, that you want to break four hours next time. But while running more or running harder is an easy promise to make, your training log will show you just how hard your real training was — that is the data you want to make decisions off of!

Your Tracking Options

Convinced yet? I hope you are…and if so here are a few different options for you depending on your budget and technology preferences. If you have other suggestions, please put them in the comments below!

Hardcopy Version – The Journal

The best option of all, the hardcopy version of a training log will allow you to capture a lot of extra details of your running. You can insert pictures and notes, use color, and much more. This is a great option for the first timer, as so much of your early running is full of “firsts” and unique experiences that you’ll want to capture for posterity.

The Pros:

Super detailed and infinitely customizable.

The Cons:

Won’t do the math on your time and miles for you; not accessible unless you carry it around.

Digital Version – The Spreadsheet

The first step up from a hardcopy log is something very simple — a spreadsheet. I use a very basic template created in Microsoft Excel where I can upload my data daily — you can download your personal copy of this same spreadsheet here. I do this daily and then review the work either in weekly blocks (See the second tab in that spreadsheet) or by doing some more advanced chart views. You can learn more by registering to download this basic template and watching the instructional video here.

The Pros:

Easy number comparison and compilation, can be accessible if on the web.

The Cons:

Not visually exciting or dynamic, could be deleted or lost in computer crash.

Online Lite – Simple Websites

If managing your own digital log doesn’t sound that easy to you, then one of these online solutions might be the answer. They are simple and, more importantly, social. Tracking your data is easy and connects you with other folks who are doing the same thing.

Daily Mile (www.dailymile.com) – You can enter data, follow the math easily and share your progress with others.
Strava (www.strava.com) – Upload your training data to track performance overall, compete with others in your area for top times in GPS-identified segments.

The Pros:

Fun and easy to use.

The Cons:

Lacks detailed log option for more notes.

Online Detailed – Extensive Websites

If you are really into the data thing — you enjoy tracking everything, you read stock tickers for fun and count math as one of your more favorite subjects — you might want to check into a more robust tracking option. There are a few offerings out there, but few compare with the industry leader — Training Peaks (www.trainingpeaks.com). Not only can you track workouts, you can view them via playback (GPS files), track food and even purchase training plans.

The Pros:

Online and very robust.

The Cons:

Can scare the technophobe, does cost a monthly fee.

photo by: DVIDSHUB

Early morning run

Key Couch To Marathon Training Secret: Keep It Social

Categories: Beginner, Uncategorized by 0 Comments

Author’s Note: This is the second installment in our new “Couch to Marathon” instructional series designed to help newbie marathoners make the most of their first race (first one is here). From training to racing information, we’ll cover the fundamentals that all beginner runners should know. If you have any additional questions, please find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/marathonnation.

 

As a new runner, it’s easy to feel alone. Making big changes to your life by running means leaving your old, comfortable lifestyle behind. It means finding running routes and good times to run, both in your schedule and just to be safe. It might mean a gym membership and figuring out an intimidating treadmill display and the corresponding etiquette for training indoors. Whatever path you are on, it’s full of new challenges…but rest assured you are not alone.

Because every morning there are countless people in your town waking up to the early alarm to get in that morning workout in. More people than you thought possible are running at lunch, however short that might be, to keep their fitness up. And even more are stopping at the gym on the way home to get that last chance workout done.

My point is this…as a new runner, you are not alone. You have joined the ranks of hundreds of thousands of runners. It’s a fantastic, fun community, and your commitment to run is only the first step.

Once you start lacing up those shoes, it’s time for you to start doing some social outreach to make sure that your running phase becomes more than just what you do; it becomes a part of who you are.

Here are some tips on how you can connect with the broader running community to make your exercise more fun and more effective.

But I’m A Newbie… But I’m Too Slow… But I Don’t Know What I Am Doing…

Excuses abound; there are plenty of reasons why you might feel like you shouldn’t be reaching out to others. But let’s not forget that every runner was once a beginner–like you–and some on helped them out.

Almost every runner is happy to pay-it-forward, whether it’s sharing advice, routes or race recommendations. They might even join you for one of your runs.

Finding running friends is critical because as a new runner you are trying to focus on doing everything right yet you have almost zero information. You want to get the best possible shoes, train the right way, avoid all those bad injuries you hear about, lose that nagging weight and not look like a crazy person out there.

At the same time you are being bombarded with tons of information. Articles, Facebook posts, tweets, books, podcasts and much more, all full of information and are coming at you 24/7.

An experienced runner can do more than just run with you, they help guide you through all of this and find the best path for you. You can tap into their lessons learned and do a markedly better job of finding the right thing to do.

It’s a process of trial and error for everyone, but doing this with others will make the transition to becoming a runner–and a better runner–that much easier.

Real World Social Options

Whether you are old-school or you simply shun technology outside of your workday, odds are you’ll have a few different ways of connecting to your local running community.

Find A Training Partner – The simplest option is also the most daunting, but it’s the most effective. You don’t need someone for every single run, but you might find someone else who enjoys running hills with you, or tackling the long runs. Sometimes even one social session a week is enough to keep you motivated and on track. Start by sharing your running story with your friends and family, as well as local groups that your kids are part of (soccer teams, boy/girl scouts, etc). Even if they aren’t at the same level of fitness you’ll find a creative way to connect, even if it’s just for the warm up and cool down portions of your run.

Find A Local Running Group – Almost every specialty running store has some form of weekly running ritual, so be sure to start there. If you are really lucky, there will be a larger running club that has options for multiple speeds and ability levels. Again, ask at the local running store, do a quick search online or stop one of those friendly runners you see on the open road.

Hit The Local Race Scene – A little more indirect, this is still a very effective way to make some new friends. Find the local 5k race series in your area and commit to running a few consecutive events. If you aren’t the super outgoing type who makes friends instantly, running several races will help you identify a few familiar faces. You are only one post race bagel comment away from making a new connecting that could help you plug in to a more social running vibe.

Online Social Options

If you are as much of a geek as I am, you’ll enjoy being active online as well as off. If you are really introverted, then the online option might be your only means of making new friends. Here are a few ways to grow your social running circle online.

Track Your Running Online – These days there are plenty of online sites that will let you upload and track your running data. There are online training logs such as Training Peaks (www.trainingpeaks.com) that allow you to track every single thing related to working out, including your nutrition. There are newer sites that allow you to track your runs and compare your performance against others such as Strava (www.strava.com). If you purchase an online training plan, some of these sites offer training logs as an added bonus or for an additional fee.

Find Your Race on Facebook – Almost every major event is now online in the social space. Simply go to the top of your Facebook page and type in the race name. Most likely you’ll find both the official race page as well as one or more informal training groups. Be sure to “like” the race so that you’ll have access to post to the page’s timeline and connect with other runners. If you have found some training groups, then you can request to join and connect with them. The best part is these groups don’t even have to be in your area; you can still share information, training advice and get ready for the big day.

Search and Find Runners on Twitter – For the most diehard online folks, using Twitter (www.twitter.com) is another option. After creating an account, you can update your personal profile to have a running themed picture as well as a note about you being a runner. With your personal notes ready, you can then search twitter to find other runners. You can start with using search terms such as “#running” or “#marathon” for example (without the quotes), or perhaps the name of your next race. You can follow the people you find there and start building a relationship by sharing their comments, writing back and much more.

What’s Your Story?

If you are lucky enough to have your own running circle, please share with us in the comments below how you made the initial connection. Any tips or input are welcome, thanks!!

The dog loses to the couch!

Three Key Goal Setting Tips for Couch to Marathon Runners

Categories: Beginner, marathon training by 0 Comments

The dog loses to the couch!

Author’s Note: This is an installment in our new “Couch to Marathon” instructional series designed to help newbie marathoners make the most of their first race. From training to racing information, we’ll cover the fundamentals that all beginner runners should know. If you have any additional questions, please find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/marathonnation.

For most first time marathoners…pulling the registration trigger is a monumental moment. Surpassed, almost instantly, by the sudden realization that you actually have to do the race. Over time, this dread is replaced by you trying to come to terms with what it means to train to complete twenty-six point two miles.

But it doesn’t have to be a constant up hill battle. Structured properly, training for and racing a marathon can be a relativley simple and fun experience. Here are three tips to help you keep your marathon journey simple and effective.

Step One: Be Consistent

The secret to getting ready for a marathon does not lie in one magical workout that you are going to find in next installment of your favorite running magazine. It also can’t be found in the distance of any one individual “long run,” despite the fact that an informal survey of 10 runners will give you 10 different recommendations for a distance.

The secret to getting ready for race day is simple: run well and run often.

  • Whatever plan you choose, keep it simple.
  • Build it into your regular weekly and daily schedule so that you don’t have to jump through too many hoops to make it work.
  • Keep it fun by involving your friends or finding a local running group.
  • Find intermediary races between now and the big day to keep you focused and on point.
  • Schedule a variety of runs, some easy and some hard. Most short but once a week go long.
  • Alternate long run weeks with intermediate distance long runs, such as 16 miles, then 12 miles, then 18 miles, then 12 miles, etc.
  • Take frequent days off to ensure you get enough rest, especially after long run and hard run days.

Step Two: Manage Your Recovery

While most new runners get all excited about the running and the racing, the savvy runner will tell you that the time when you are not running is equally important. For while the work and subsequent fatigue of training create the opportunity for functional adaptations (aka improvements), the only way those gains can take root are if you recover.

But contrary to conventional wisdom is more than just drinking the right ratio of carbs and protein after a hard workout (4:1, in case you were wondering). It’s about creating the conditions for constant growth and absorption of work.

Here are some simple yet very effective ways to make sure you are recovering properly.

  • Consistent sleep makes a huge difference in your ability to recover. Most people need eight hours a night, but the average is closer to six. Do your best to get seven and we’ll call it even!
  • A consistent wake time also helps. If you can’t get the same amount of sleep, work on a regular rising ritual so your body gets acclimated to the morning (especially if you are moving to morning workouts). This will also help you do a better job of getting to bed at a reasonable hour.
  • Don’t just run, cross train too! The pounding of the open road can take a toll; avoid this situation by mixing in alternate days of aerobic activity such as cycling, swimming, roller blading and even just walking. It all adds up!
  • Elevate your legs based on total miles run. This is one of my favorite recovery rules; even if I don’t use it until I am running longer than an hour. Make a note of how far you run and then set aside time to sit — or lay down — with your legs up. Even better if you have some compression socks on!
  • Recovery starts before you stop. Fuel each run as best you can…there should be NO bad patches due to poor fueling or hydration. Over extending yourself within a workout, even with proper recovery, can set you back several days worth of workouts. Know your food and fluid needs and plan accordingly; every run is a chance to test and practice proper nutrition.

Step Three: Improve Your Body Composition

Not only do we need to deal with how our body handles the work we are doing, but it pays huge dividends to make sure our body is in the best condition possible. Every single pound you lose is worth approximately three seconds per mile; lose ten pounds and you are close to 30 seconds per mile faster without any substantial training!

For some runners, simply being active helps take care of this issue; but many of us need to pay extra attention. Here are some tips that can help you start the journey to a healthier, faster you.

  • Make healthier choices every day. Don’t throw out all your food; pick one thing and make a better choice. Do that consistently over time and it’ll become a habit, allowing you to move on to the next thing. Options could be a healthier dessert, or better midday snack.
  • Start each day with your best possible meal. If your days get away from you more than you’d like to admit, then focus on what you can control — your breakfast. Not only will you get a great start on your day, but you’ll be more likely to keep the healthy streak going the rest of the day
  • Fill food “gaps” with good choices. If larger meals are too daunting to manage, then put your attention on making lots of better, smaller decisions. They add up!
  • Never go more than three hours without eating something. Too long and your body’s need for calories will encourage you to choose the most expedient food…which is usually not the healthiest! Review your usual meal times and plan to fill the gaps with excellent choices like fruit, a handful of nuts, a small greek yogurt, etc.

Bonus Tip: Track Your Miles!

Knowledge is momentum, momentum is power. Tracking your miles will have the dual effect of giving you a record of your progress (congrats!) and help you build a streak of running. You can work to beat last week’s totals, beat your longest run, run a local loop faster, etc…the power is in the numbers!

 

Post run snack

Best Options for Pre and Post Running Snacks

Categories: Nutrition by 0 Comments

Post run snack

 

While we exercise to get fit, and to burn calories, the right food is critical for an optimal workout. Answer: Your goal is to start the run feeling ready to run, not hungry and not bloated with food. Striking this balance takes a bit of work to learn your own personal needs, but once you have cracked the code your run and overall fitness will improve.

Here are some basic guidelines for your running nutrition, but first remember these two key elements of running nutrition:

#1 — Every workout is a chance to practice your race fuel and hydration plan, use it wisely!

#2 — You should never “bonk” or run out of fuel on a run. This will ruin your workout and set you back in terms of recovery and future workouts.

Pre-Run Meal Tips

Ideally you will have a proper meal approximately 90 minutes before your workout. This would be low-fiber and low-fat, with mostly carbohydrates. After eating you focus should shift towards making sure you are hydrated before heading out. Approximately fifteen minutes before your workout, you will want to top off your glycogen / energy stores with something simple such as an Energy Gel and 8 oz of water.

If you are running early in the morning or are unable to really get in a proper meal, here are some alternate food options:

Runs under an hour:

  • Nature Valley Granola Bar
  • PowerBar
  • Banana

Runs over an hour:

  • Peanut Butter and Banana on whole wheat.

During Your Run

The body of your run should see you fueling as you plan to on race day. How you plan to fuel your race is a function of the distance of the event, the predicted conditions and your target effort.

At the very least you’ll want to get in a bit of fluids, such as a sports drink, about every mile. On top of that you can use fuel such as an Energy Gel, with a target of at least 100 calories every 45 minutes (yes, the sports drink will also provide you with calories).

Depending on your speed and target race distance, some athletes can get away with not fueling on race day. Regardless, training is different and training to eat under duress will prepare you to handle food on race day if required.

My tool of choice for running nutrition is a Fuelbelt (www.fuelbelt.com). The multi-bottle system ensure no bouncing while providing me with sufficient fluids. The additional pockets store my food and even my music.

Post-Run Meal Tips

Recovering from every run is important, but it’s critical for your longer workouts as well as those hard interval sessions. There is a critical post workout window, a time where your muscle cells are more receptive to being replenished and rebuilt. When the right combination of nutrients is provided during this critical time interval there is an enormous enhancement in muscle recovery.

Your recovery target is ideally a beverage with a 4:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein. There are many products on the market that provide this ratio, athletes can also make chocolate milk at home with skim milk (1 tsp of syrup for 8oz of Skim milk).

In addition to your recovery drink, you have a post-workout window where you can continue to refuel with more carbohydrate-heavy foods. The goal here is to ensure your body has what it needs to recovery so  you don’t have late evening (or night!) food binges. The duration of the refueling window equals the workout time; the longer you workout the longer your window is! Food during this time can include more grains, ranging from breads (sandwich anyone?) to pretzels, etc.

Finally, after your longer workouts you will want to make sure that you have hydrated after any potential fluid loss. This really only affects those running in significant heat or humidity, or those running longer than an hour. It’s worth weighing yourself before and after your run, and note the difference. Every pound of weight lost is worth 16oz of fluids, so if you lose 4lbs on a long run you have 64oz of fluids to get back in!

Andrea Moritz

Interview with Andrea Moritz, Ultra Marathoner

Categories: Q&A by 0 Comments

 

Where are you from?

I am from a town called Remscheid in Germany. It is located near Cologne and Düsseldorf. I currently live and work in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

What’s your one “key” workout before a big race?

My key workout before long races is a weekend double of 3 hours on Saturday and a 4.5 hours on Sunday. 

How long do you prepare for a given event?

For the longer races, i train for about five to six months specifically.

What do you eat in training & racing?

I eat and drink just about anything, but i try to eat the “bad” things in moderation (i like a good burger and fries from time to time) and the “good” things like fruit, veggies, and fish, as often as possible. But i don’t follow a specific diet, but try to eat well. During a race, i eat Honey Stinger waffles and gels, bananas, orange slices, boiled potatoes with lots of salt, and whatever goodies can be found on the race course. I drink water, Gatorade and Coke.

What’s the worst race day mistake you’ve ever made?

My worst race day mistake was not eating and drinking enough. Not only does the body bonk, but the mind starts to go down the road of negativity when the blood sugar drops – and the most important thing in ultra running is a positive attitude. Another stupid mistake I made in the Gambia was to leave the first aid kit in my room. I fell and cut my knee badly and had to run to the nearest hospital for medical assistance. Not my wisest move, but i had been up late the night before to give radio interviews instead of preparing for stage one of my run. Given this was a charity run, awareness building through media was important, but missing out on a few hours of sleep and thorough preparation of all gear and food the night before the start of a big event is not ideal.

What’s the toughest injury you’ve ever had?

The nastiest injury I ever had was plantar fasciitis. It lasted forever and even though I tried every treatment under the sun, I was off running for nine months. And when I finally started running again, I was limping badly after every run for weeks. I have no idea which one of the many things i tried finally cured it, but eventually it did go away.

Where can folks go to learn more about ultrarunning?

The best way to learn about ultra running is to show up for a 50 km race. It is not much longer than a regular marathon, but since race weekends often include anything from a 50 km to a 100 miler, you’ll have a chance to talk to many experienced ultra runners who will be happy to share their experience and advice. Ultra runners are usually a very sociable crowd and since many people camp at the start/finish area of a race, there is plenty of time to chat by the camp fire while cheering on those in the longer races. 

What’s your next race?

My next big race will be the Six Foot Track Ultra in Australia’s Blue Mountains. My flight is booked for March 2013!

If you are interested in learning more about Love4Gambia or should anyone still wish to donate to support children’s health education there, visit the web site love4gambia.com.

A Season of Distance Running Success

Breakthrough Running: A Seasonal Roadmap for Success

Categories: marathon training, Running Lifestyle by 0 Comments

As we head into the Fall running season, runners everywhere start activating with a focus on a key race. The renewed sense of purpose brings questions about their training, undoubtedly encouraged by the recent launch of our pace-based running training schedules.

Hands down most common questions people have about the training for a marathon or half marathon is volume-focused: “What’s the longest run?”

But just as you don’t focus on a single defining element of your job (How long is lunch?), or time with your family (How long is this dinner?), it’s really hard to boil down an effective training program into one single element.

Training successfully for a race requires hard work, recovery, consistency, commitment, etc. In other words, true training requires more than just hitting an arbitrary number.

It’s time you stopped thinking like a consumer of training programs, and instead focused on becoming a self-coached athlete.

That’s right, you need to be the creator of your own best version of a plan. There simply is no one right way for everyone…but there is a best way for you.

To help you on your quest, I am going to present the way we think of a full season of training inside Marathon Nation. So much of what we do, from our Race Simulations to our emphasis on intensity workouts, is counter to traditional long-distance running that it might not even be on your radar.

By the end of this article I hope you’ll at least consider a season where high-volume long-distance runs are the exception — not the norm.

Start Macro / Think Big Picture

The most important thing you can do is to step back from the daily perspective of training. There’s a simple punishment/reward mentality that most endurance athletes develop, where a day without a workout (or even with a sub-par one) is treated negatively, whereas a day with a workout is viewed positively.

This subconscious bias undermines our ability to plan and execute a long-term training cycle because it places all of our attention on the extreme short-term.

To be 100%, you need to be thinking about your running from the context of what your season looks like as a whole. It’s very easy to be drawn into thinking specifically about a particular workout or into choosing a particular workout regimen because it means the training will get done.

That’s okay if your goals are to be active. If you want to be fast or see improvement (whatever that might mean for you), then you’ll need to have some context for what you are doing.

Inside Marathon Nation, we think of each season as having four distinct components: Recovery, Basic Training, Get Fast Training, and Race Preparation.

Each of these sections serves a dual function by constituting an important part of your overall training and setting the stage for the next block.

Recovery – 10%

Every good season starts with….not training. Really. There is nothing worse than beginning a year on tired legs, as you are effectively capping just how fast or far you’ll be able to run. Not now, of course, but in the future when it really counts. It’s kind of like starting a crosscountry road trip with a great map but only half a tank of gas and no food. You’re going to have to stop or risk a roadside emergency!

If you finished off last year with a big race like a marathon or half marathon, you could use anywhere from two to four full weeks off. During this time, at least 50% of it should be dedicated to not running…ideally you won’t be very active at all at the start, but you can work in some cross training activities as your Recovery period gets longer.

None of these sessions would have goals other than keeping you sane, and maybe helping you to be social with other folks you don’t usually get to train with. Conversational pace only please!

Just how much recovery you need is entirely up to you. I know someone is ready to begin a season when they are both physically and mentally chomping at the bit to get running again. Take the time to let that hunger develop and you’ll be in a great place to run.

Basic Training – 30%

After recovery, it’s time to get in to a simple routine that will allow you to get consistent with your training and begin the process of getting fit again. The goal here is really to set the stage for your real training (which follows), not to get fast or add miles.

Inside Marathon Nation we have a template Basic Week that members can repeat as often as needed. It’s short, concise, and easily applied to the average person’s schedule.

Remember, it’s tempting to start laying down some personal best times, but we want to spend at least two to four weeks at the start of each training cycle to building a good rhythm and getting on a proper schedule that is easy to follow.

Get Fast Training – 40%

With the Recovery and Basic Training behind you, it’s time for you to start thinking about getting fast. Inside Marathon Nation we always build speed before we add distance, as experience has shown that adding intensity (speed) to a program with significant mileage in it (distance) is a recipe for over-training, fatigue, and potential disaster.

Our Get Fast training plans are all eight weeks long, although sometimes folks will follow them for just a few weeks. Regardless of your plans, know that the goal of the Get Fast plan is to improve your 5k or 10k time; the critical benchmark of your fitness inside Marathon Nation.

If you can improve your 5k by one or two minutes over the eight weeks, you will have improved your marathon potential by approximately ten minutes.

Many long-distance runners will switch to a volume-oriented approach when their race focus begins, but these early miles are often run very slowly — in other words there’s little fitness adaptation. Not to mention that a five- or six-month plan with consistent aerobic miles will stifle your fitness over the long term.

Don’t fall victim to the same old approach to adding miles; focus on the volume you can handle and manipulate the intensity to get the results you need to see great progress.

Race Preparation – 20%

And last, but not least, we have the race preparation block of your season. You started off rested, and then smartly added a basic routine that was manageable and effective. You followed that up with eight weeks of solid Get Fast training and build some serious fitness, and so far we’ve barely bumped up against your allotted training time…until now.

With the shift to Race Prep, we’ll see the intensity drop as we add more miles to your weekly program. These aren’t “hard” miles, per se, as running at 45 to 60 seconds per mile slower than your average Get Fast session is actually pretty easy in comparision. During this phase your weekly long run should progress to be between 75 and 80% of your goal race distance; you might even consider a race simulation run to test your fitness across a greater distance.

Even though the demands on your time and body have significantly increased in this phase, it’s manageable because you have been careful all year. You haven’t been training tons already, so you aren’t fatigued. You’ve been smart with your time, and as a result you are present at work and haven’t ditched your family and/or social commitments.

It’s time to focus exclusively on your race, from your diet to your equipment to training…and you have the physical, mental and personal bandwidth to make it happen!

Need Training Support?

If you are looking for assistance with structuring your training, feel free to reach our to Coach Patrick via Marathon Nation on Facebook or drop by one of our Weekly Chat sessions (details released each Monday on Facebook).

If you want to use one of our Marathon, Half Marathon or Get Fast plans as a starting point for your training, then please visit our Training Plan Store to browse all of your options.

Are you a total beginner? Then download our Couch to Marathon plan for free here.

Good luck!

Aid Station Photo

Four Steps to Mastering Aid Stations on a Hot Race Day (Marathon & Half Marathon Edition)

Categories: Nutrition by 0 Comments

Aid Station Photo
Running in the heat of the summer means learning how to manage your nutrition and hydration properly. Ignoring what your body needs will not only lead to a poor run, but it can set you back several days in terms of recovery. We’ve all had those runs where we’ve run out of food or fluids and suffered because of it.

Racing in the heat, on the other hand, requires the deliberate implementation of a plan that you know will allow you to be at your best. This plan is developed over time, and is the direct result of many runs in the heat that have taught you about your body’s needs.

Heading out for a run on a hot day means bringing your own nutrition. You can choose how much and what type of fluid to bring, as well as what types of fuel: gels, blocks, bars, you name it. You can store it all in your trusty Fuelbelt (http://www.fuelbelt.com/), and even plan for scheduled pit stops along the way.

In a race, however, is more efficient to use the resources available on the course for your nutrition plan. Here are a few simple steps to make sure that your next race nutrition plan is the best it can be.

Step 1: Assess the Race Distance

If your next event is a 5K or 10K, odds are you won’t need a lot of on course nutrition. Both of those efforts take, for most runners, less  than an hour to complete. Maybe you want to carry a gel in the event that you do start to fade. This is very unlikely, especially if you have fueled properly pre-race.

At the shorter distances you might not need to rely on the regular on course nutrition. If you are training for a longer race, however, then almost every single training run is an opportunity to practice your race fueling.

In other words, the distance of your target race determines your fueling focus in the weeks and months leading up your race.

Step 2: Know Your Needs

Not if you know what’s on the course, it’s time for you to reconcile that with what your body needs. Your body has two distinct sets of needs in a race: fluids and fuel. Ideally, you have learned over time what it is your body needs and when it needs it. That is a much better place to start than by using any formula you can find online. That said, you can always be more precise.

Your Fluids

The best place to start is by conducting a sweat test, such as follows:

  • Take body weight before a one-hour moderate intensity or run.
  • Record the amount of liquid consumed during workout, and weigh yourself again after the workout.
  • Calculate the weight change and remember to add in the amount of liquid consumed during the workout.
  • Every pound lost during your workout is equal to 16 oz of fluid.
  • Note: Most people’s sweat contains about 500mg of sodium per 16oz, so plan accordingly.

Ideally this test will be conducted in conditions similar to what to expect on race day. In other words, doing a sweat test outside in the winter will have little to no relevance to your July race. Remember that you can do repeat sweat tests as often as needed, simply by weighing yourself before and after your long run.

For example, if you discovered that after your sweat test you lost 1.5 pounds in your hour of running, that means you will need to target 24 ounces of fluid an hour. Most aid station cups hold approximately 4 ounces of fluid, meaning you would need to hit at least six stations to be on target.

Reminder: Don’t forget the sodium! Make sure your sports drink contains at least 500 mg of sodium for every 16 ounces.

Your Fuel

At a minimum, your fuel needs for the run are at least 0.3 grams of carbohydrate per hour, per pound of bodyweight. As an example, and 150 pound runner should shoot for approximately 45 g of carbohydrates an hour.

Most energy gels have approximately 27 g carbohydrates, so this runner should target one gel for every 30 min. Be sure to do the math for your own weight to be precise.

Remember this will be in addition to any calories consumed from your sports drink of choice.

Your Practice

Having a plan is one thing, being able to execute it is another. Now that you have your fueling plan in place, every single run as an opportunity to start training your body to handle the fuel it needs to perform at its best.

This will undoubtedly take repetition and tweaking, so be patient. You may need to change types of fuel, flavors of fuel, and even your means of transporting it. But if it means having a great race, it’s totally worth it.

Step 3: Research the Available Nutrition

If there is one constant in the road running scene, is the fact that nutrition on the course will change with almost every single race! If you have decided that you will need to use the on course nutrition for your day, and be sure to do your research on the event website or by calling the event director directly to ascertain what will be available on the course.

In addition to finding out the types of fuel that will be available, you’ll also want to find out the frequency at which they will be placed. While longer races such as the marathon typically have 8 stations every mile, quite often half marathon offense will have a stations every 2 miles. In fact, if you’re running a smaller marathon, one that’s off the beaten path, the 8 stations might also be infrequently placed.

Either way, you want to know both factors as they will determine what, if anything, you need to carry to get you between the stations.

Thanks to Step 2 above, you already know what you need to be at your best. Using those numbers as a target, do the math on what’s available on the course.

The best case scenario will be where all you need to carry with you is your fuel, and you can take advantage of the fluids on the course.

However, if the fluids available on the course to not have sufficient sodium to meet your needs, you have 2 choices: You can either carry your own salt pills is to supplement the fluids available, or you can choose to carry your own sports drink.  Option number 1 is definitely preferred simply because salt pills are much lighter than fluids!

Step 4: Executing Your Nutrition Plan

Putting everything together on race day is the true test of your ability to race. Being able to adjust your plan to the conditions on the day, as well as the setup of the course, will determine your overall performance.

Do your best to remain as consistent and true to your training nutrition plan as possible. Pay close attention to what you can and cannot do. After the race, take the time to notes how you implemented your nutrition plan, as this will dictate how you improve for next time.

For more tips on how to handle an station in a running race, click here to watch this video from Coach Patrick McCrann.

photo by: zhurnaly

World Domination Summit Saturday Morning Run

The Lost Art of The Easy Run

Categories: Beginner, Running Lifestyle by 2 Comments

World Domination Summit Saturday Morning RunI attended the World Domination Summit this past weekend in Portland, OR. Despite the intimidating name, the purpose of the event is to gather and connect remarkable people. My task for the weekend, in addition to much networking, was to lead a morning run for interested attendees.

Of course, this fell right in the middle of a planned two-week sabbatical from all things training!  But no mind, I resolved to honor my dual commitments to serve others and prioritize my self-care project through good planning.

Planning the simple 2.5-mile loop took way more time and energy than actually running. Between mapping it out, posting the meet up, connecting with attendees, confirming the event, harassing some star power to show up and then negotiating an early morning ride, there was a lot to do! And yet, it was one of my best runs in a really long time.

Running Is An Inherently Social Activity

Despite the fact that I do so much of my training on my own, I really think running is a social enterprise. Sure, I try to say HI to everyone I run past (unless I have snot all over my face or the sight of me is apparently terrifying you!), but that’s not the same.

When I think back to early Man running, I imagine packs of folks traveling together and/or doing some serious hunting. In this imagined situation it’s not about speed, unless of course some rabid hyena is on your trail. Rather, it’s about sticking together, communicating and working towards a common goal.

Action Step: Pick the pace that lets everyone in the group hold a basic conversation. 

Measure Running Outcomes vs Outputs

Part of my bias towards solo running is my insane focus on my pace and the training work I am doing. I have race day goals which are broken down into performance metrics and doled out carefully across any given week. As such, I am almost always operating under some kind of running “deadline.” Effective for training for sure, but not very much fun.

One way I can see fixing this issue is making sure I have a run each week where I try to create that shared experience and connection around a passion for running. In other words, remove the numbers and let the fun factor guide me.

Action Step: Pick a new route or new people to run with, or both. Shake up your routine!

Most Runner’s Don’t Run to their Extremes

One of the huge benefits of a Marathon Nation Training Plan is the quantifiable hard work based off of your fitness test. There is no slacking; the work will make you a stronger and faster runner. This is a big shock for most runners as they tend to gravitate towards a “comfortably hard” level of effort.

The effort that feels like it’s “work,” but in reality most of this effort falls into one of two camps:  First, it’s not hard enough to produce the fitness gains required for improved progress. Second, it’s not easy enough to facilitate active recovery.

By sticking with the similar intensity workout all the time, these athletes are putting themselves into a rut. Not to mention that they are totally missing out on the fun of running with others at a very comfortable pace.

Action Step: Track your time spent training in particular zones and make sure you have an equal split between time spent at high and low intensities. 

If you’re interested, here’s what I did to make the run work. I post it here in the hopes that you can do the same, or perhaps offer more input or creative thoughts on how to improve.

#1 – I posted the run online, open to all.

#2 – I clarified the pace would be dictated by the slowest person in attendance.

#3 – I chose a short, scenic route that could be repeated by other runners for more miles if so desired.

#4 – I led the run by talking, not by setting a pace.

#5 – We paused at halfway for some water and a short break.

#6 – I closed the run by thanking everyone and asking them what they liked about the run.

#7 – Rinse and (hopefully) Repeat!

Marathon Nation | Marathon Training Schedule

Operation Motivation Pt 3 – Self Talk Edition (No, You’re Not Crazy)

Categories: Beginner, Resource by 2 Comments

Marathon Nation | Marathon Training Schedule

The hardest part about running to our potential is the knowledge that, at some point, our body will want to quit.

Flat out quit. And I don’t just mean start walking quit….I mean fall into that ditch over there and pretend we’re having a stroke quit.

But not everyone succumbs to the temptation to pack in their race. Some folks thrive on this moment of extreme challenge…for them, it’s a time of clarity, of insane physical truth.

But it’s not easy.

Anecdotally, the folks who seem best equipped to deal with these challenges have experience with self-talk.

Self-talk here is loosely defined as that mantra you repeat to yourself to get through the challenging times. It could be something personal, something motivational. It could be a happy though (You can do this!) or it can be angry (We don’t quit!!!).

We want to know what YOU do.

So please join un in our quest to create a fantastic compilation of running resources for all of those un-motivated moments that we all experience.

This week’s challenge is to submit at least one personal mantra or self-talk quote to our Facebook Page (www.facebook.com/marathonnation) that gets you fired up to run!

We’ll record them all and include them in our book!

Thanks and please spread the word!

~ Coach Patrick

photo by: tellatic

Marathon Nation | Marathon Training Schedule

Operation Motivation 2012 Part 2: Digital Inspiration

Categories: Challenge, Resource by 0 Comments

Marathon Nation | Marathon Training Schedule

Getting out the door isn’t always about something you read. Many runners, myself included, are extremely visual. It’s not so much the words as it is the visceral feeling that pictures impart.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, the right motivational shot should be worth at least a few miles of running!

So please join un in our quest to create a fantastic compilation of running resources for all of those un-motivated moments that we all experience.

This week’s challenge is to submit at least one picture to our Facebook Page (www.facebook.com/marathonnation) that gets you fired up to run!

We’ll record them all and include them in our book!

Thanks and please spread the word!

~ Coach Patrick

Like This Topic?  Watch the video here, or download the podcast episode here!

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