Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a great weekend and got some amazing training in! We really have been blessed with such an amazing summer! Still suffering from GI problems, which caused me to cut my long run short, but I really was ok with it when I stopped. I had put in 17 miles, and that is pretty damn good for marathon training. Keep in mind that anything over 1.5 hours is prepping you for that marathon! Make every run mean something, and be proud of each and every one of them!

“The Grass Is Greener Where You Water! Do The Work. Be Kind To Yourself (& Others). Believe That Where You Are Right Now Is Right Where You Are Suppose to Be.”

8/18/2014 Monday Rest 0 Was pretty tired from yesterday’s 18 miler
8/19/2014 Tuesday Track 5 1 mi warm up, 5 X 1000 @ whatever pace my body felt like today – superrrr tired and did not eat well all day (not enough food – not good!), 1 mi cool down w/up – 10.00 1. 4:25, 2. 4:26, 3. 4:20, 4. 4:22, 5. 4:16 Cool Down 9:47 (About 7:08 – 6:55 pace)
8/20/2014 Wednesday Rest 0 Family came to visit
8/21/2014 Thursday Cycle 0 45 min cycle
8/22/2014 Friday Easy Run 5 Went running with neighbor! Woohoo a new running partner! I’m so use to running alone, but it really is better having company! 9:00 pace
8/23/2014 Saturday Easy Run w/ strides 5.08 4 strides – went running with neighbor! 8:24 pace
8/24/2014 Sunday Long 17.3 Goal was to do 20 – Had to cut it short due to stomach problems. Felt amazing otherwise! Legs & energy feeling great! 8:28 pace
Total Mileage 32.38

THE LONG RUN

How I fueled my run?

  • I wore a 2 bottle fuel belt filled with H20, and drank periodically over the course of 17 miles.
  • Tested out a fuel source – 1 Bags of Blocks & 1 Packet of Honey Stinger Gel. (All I had in my house – did not prep well for this run)
  • Every 30 min I took in 3 chews, at 2 hours I took in the Gel. Also, had another water bottle at my car to drink as well, because I finished both bottles of water.

The Good Points

  • I ran 17 miles!
  • My body felt really good and strong.
  • Didn’t hit “THE WALL”
  • Kept my mantra going of “Stronger, Longer, Longer Stronger.” It has a great rhythm to it, and really helps to keep my mind from wandering. Also added, “Strong & Steady!”
  • I am truly feeling like an endurance runner!

The “OH this is what Marathon Training Feels like” Points

  • Deep belly breathing was critical for me during this run to keep my stitches at bay; and it only helped for a little while. I was suffering from about mile 10 – 17. Around 15-16, the pain was so bad it felt like I was getting stabbed in the side. I’m pretty sure that I am having gas issues (I know TMI). I probably stopped 5-6 times during the latter portion of my run to stretch it out.
  • I had to stop at mile 9.5 to stretch out my quad, because it felt like it was pulling on my knee.
  • One thing I’d like to note is that if your form starts to break down, for example, your knees start knocking, or your kicking your calves, etc. then SLOW DOWN. If when you slow down, your form is still compromised then call it a day for that run. NEVER run on compromised form – it’s just not worth the outcomes it could bring!
  • Good Form Cues For Yourself: Shoulders Down, Head Neutral, Run Tall, Roll through landing foot. I also make sure my right leg doesn’t swing out. (It’s fancy like that at times). See where your trouble area(s) may be, and just BE MINDFUL throughout the run!

Post Run Recovery

  • Walked for about 1 – 1.5 miles. Did some light stretching.
  • I was pleasantly hungry after the run, so that’s always good! Not wanting to eat, isn’t a good sign, FYI. It means you are probably dehydrated or possibly ran too hard. If you are going on a slow long run, it will be taxing, but not to the point you want to puke, or not eat after it.
  • I had a protein/carb shake with whey protein & almond milk, a little bit of Gatorade, and water of course.
  • Dinner: Had some sushi

For more fueling tips check out these posts! One, Two, & Three!

Happy Training Guys!

*****Natalie Johnston is USATF & RRCA certified runner coach serving areas PA, NYC, & NJ.*****