Marathon Advice
OK,
So I know I'm pushing myself to maybe unrealistic results -- and this is the first time I'm admitting this. I had NEVER been a runner, but since the surgery like many of you I have become an outdoor fitness fanatic. I had thought I should do a half-marathon in Detroit on the 19th and then decided (for myself) that my WLS journey of going from morbidly obese to loosing 210 lbs to running marathons in a short .14 months was too much to not go for it. I should also add that I only started running in January (1/4 of the track was the longest I could go at that time). However I've done a considerable amount of bicycling including a solo century in June and lots of 40-60 mile rides in the mountains of Montana/Utah/Washington over the summer, in addition to 5-7 mile near daily runs.
Here's my problem: I've only been able to get to 16 miles of running before I just can't go any further. I was hoping to do 20 today and I felt great the first 12 miles. I then ran out of gatorade and it wasn't much longer before I was having a hard time with balance, let alone maintaining my pace. After I got home I went through a period where I was so cold I was shivering (it's about 74 degrees in my house and about the same temperature outside). I've never experienced that one before. I feel that I probably had some issues with nutrition/hydration that left me in pretty rough shape.
I think if I decided to go for a 1/2 marathon I could complete that without a problem but I really want to make this work.
What advice can any of you give? I think if I can find a way to stay hydrated and keep nutrition I'll be fine. (that wasn't an issue on my century so I'm hoping there will be a carry over on that.). Before you suggest doing shorter loops I truly fear stopping earlier because its convenient. There's just something about being 6 miles from home and having only one way to get there. I also know that there’ll be water/Gatorade at least every 2 miles.
Thanks for any advice you guys can share!!!
--Sax
To me it sounds like you're not giving your body enough rest between workouts so you can hit those long mileage days with fresh legs. The 5-7 mile daily runs, combined with your cycling, is putting significant demands on your system. Rest is essential to make the adaptations for those long runs.
And as you've already recognized, your fuel/hydration needs are more than you've been providing. My running partner kept bonking at 16 until she added more carbs before and during our training runs and had a recovery snack soon after.
Although we use fuel belts for Gatorade, etc., we plan our long routes so we can pick up extra water, etc. at either convenience stores or friends' homes. We too have to avoid running multiple shorter loops because the temptation is to great to cut a run short.
At 5'2" and 130 pounds, I try to consume about 250 calories before a long run and another 200 or so along the way between my G2 and sports beans.
Good luck to you and let us know how things go.
Cassie
What kind of fuel do you use do reload while running? This last time I brought dried cherries and peanuts but they didn't seem to do the trick. I was out of the energy gels (I know that's my bad) but the last run it didn't seem to help me all that much. I did load up on carbs for the 2 days before (lots of spaghetti) in an attempt to avoid this. The rest could be it -- I've actually taken the cycling out of my routine so I can put the miles/time in my run and build my endurance that way.
Thanks for any more advice
Typically, I eat a half a bagel and peanut butter before I run. During my long run, I drink G2 (lower carb version of Gatorade) odd miles and 3 sports beans even miles. For me, I have to be pretty precise in my fueling or risk dumping. My first marathon required six emergency stops at the porta-johns. If I don't have the sports beans, I can use skittles. I haven't had much luck with the Gu, etc. The key is to start your fueling/hydration early enough in your race, so you actually have access to the fuel.
Cassie
Nice new Pic!
Link to my running journal
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1303681
4 full's - 14 halves - 2 goofy's and one Mt. Washington!
try going a little slower or have more or longer slower periods for recovery during your longer runs so you can go farther before bonking.
I am having some success with jogging 10-20 minutes and walking 3-5 in cycles to improve how far I can go and my times is remarkably not that bad.
I had success training for my first 10ks when I started this insane addicition, by walking the distance, then adding more and more jogging until I could go the whole route jogging. Now that I am trying to train for a half and do longer distances so 13 miles isn't such a shock to my body, I again am working on staying out there for the time it should take me to finish or the distance I need to go until I conquer that feat as I did the 10K distance. Of course my 10K time is better now because of what I am doing too.
HIIT interval training at least once, not more than twice a week is a real results getter too.
I am not an advocate of training 4-6 miles and being able to take off and do 13 on race day.
The other very important/essential aspect is recovery time and nutrition Cassie talked about. Rest days off or easy 2 or 3 miles just to stay moving have helped my endurance and distance days be stronger. My rest days are usually after a HIIT day or long distance day.
My simple nutrition philosphy is Carbs to run and protein to recover; based on the RNY post-op protein, water, and get moving foundation. I still take in about 200 gms of protein a day and my 64 oz minumum (usually 6-7 bottles of water a day (16.9 or 20 oz bottles)).
Keep kicking butt saxman but sometimes a step back will get you two forward.
I'm also a little older. I'm 42, 5'5", 155# and this is what I do. Cassie's marathon is really soon, but my next isn't until January.
Every training plan you will ever see calls for a max of 5 days running a week (unless you're getting into the elite classes). Mine calls for 4 run days and 2 cross training days with Sunday as a rest day. Two runs are easy, one is speed, one is distance. Day off is the day after the long run. Right now my long runs are between 8-10 miles and mostly go okay.
I tend to eat a banana and have some coffee before my long runs and generally do fine. Recovery, though, is also important. I've been making sure I eat a 4:1 carb:protein 'meal' right after ALL my workouts for glycogen replenishment. It has helped me more than anything. I'm struggling a little with low iron right now, but I'm working on it. I rarely will have anything DURING my run, but I think I'm blessed with a high amount of glycogen storage capacity. But, when I did my first marathon I did use 2 gels during the race and they helped immensely.
If you're not used to drinking gatorade, don't do it at the race. Like Cassie, I ended up making trips to the potty during the race (7 of them).
Hope you fnd what works for you. These things can be so individual that it may take some trial and error before you figure it all out.
Linn
What helped for me when I was training for my marathon, especially on the long runs, was to run miles and miles AWAY from my house so I wouldn't be tempted to cut my route short. Also I incorporated an out and back kinda methodology so I'd run out 10 miles with only my feet to bring me back in.
Are you on a training plan and what date is your marathon? If you aren't following a specific plan I'd recommend John Bingham's "Marathoning for Mortals". I used his training plan for my marathon and it worked well although I wasn't prepared for the last 6.2 miles of the race.
As far as race nutrition find out what works for you now so you won't be surprised race day. Some can handle gel packs but most cannot. I'm one of the 'cannot'. I've tried it all and I've found that on my long tris that last more than 2 hours peanut butter mixed with a little protein powder works. You just gotta find what works for you and stick with it. There's also a product that I have yet to try called Infinit that is a custom mixture tailored to your person preference. You can adjust the taste, carbohydrate, electrolyte and protein balance. It's supposed to be all the rage in the tri community but who knows. :)
Best of luck!
Chad
www.team464.com
