I think today might have been one of my lucky days. I got home this evening, and there was a masseuse giving people free chair massages in the lobby! The business, Crystal City Chiropractic, was promoting its massage services. I decided to sign up for one, in no small part because it can help me in my race training.
Today's events inspired me to post about an aspect of training that I have not yet discussed. Preparing for a marathon is not all about the running. I am doing my best to take a holistic approach to my training. One of these items is getting a massage every now and then - right now, it's every couple of months and/or a week before a big race.
Before I detail more non-running aspects of my training, I am asking for your feedback. What non-running activities do you think that I should incorporate into my marathon training to make me a stronger runner? For the most part, I have been following the same plan for the past few months, so any new advice is greatly appreciated. I have 5 months to go until race day, so this is the perfect time to experiment with all aspects of my training.
After I receive a good amount of feedback, I will list out the non-running training that I have been doing for the past couple of months. I will also detail plans for adding on new aspects and provide acknowledgement to those who recommend it.
Oh - and I will also post my running training plan at some point. I just realized that I have yet to do so.
Ready... set... comment!
1) Break-in a number of pairs of running sneakers during training and wear your favorite on race day. Don't wait until race day to wear the new sneaks.
ReplyDelete2) Eat good foods. My favorites are beer and chips, but I don't recommend those for you. Light beer might be good, and chips without dip is probably healthier... ah, go for it.
3) Visualize a Dairy Queen Blizzard with M&Ms topping at the finish line. Posting a picture on your wall may be a good reminder before heading out on your training runs.
I hope at least one of these are helpful.
For this post, I'm looking for recommendations more along the lines of physical activities used to supplement running - such as stretching, yoga, weights, etc. - especially specific routines and/or moves that have helped with running and training for long races.
ReplyDeleteJill--
ReplyDeleteThe sneakers is a really good idea, stretching daily will help put all little issues to bed. Weight is okay but in moderation. Yoga is another good option to help with the stretching.
Not over doing your training is the biggest thing and making sure you take your rest days seriously.
Ice baths will do wonders after your long runs. Also make sure you eat after your runs with a balanced meal in order to repair the muscles.
Good luck, looking forward to more posts.
I found yoga to be a very beneficial part of my marathon training- both because yoga encourages you to focus on breathing, and because yoga stretches your muscles out well. Runner's world online has an entire section on yoga, and some different recommendations for poses. I tend to get tight in my quads, so I found triangle pose to be a great stretch, as well as downward facing dog.
ReplyDeleteVinyasas and plank position are also great for your core muscles. Strong core muscles are crucial for maintaining good running form. As I learned from my "coach" you should run with your hips pushed forward, leaning into your stride. Strong core muscles will help prevent slumping (which is tempting when you are tired) and also helps you breath deeper (preventing cramps).
Incorporating some cross-training into your routine can also be great because it breaks up the routine some, and works different muscle groups. I like swimming or biking because they are low impact but good cardio. If you have access to a gym you can do both in the same workout session.
I focused mostly on upper body and core workouts when doing strength training. I did find calve raises with 5 lbs. free weights to me helpful in strengthening my calves to prevent shin splints.
Caveat: one of the most important things I learned is finding things that worked for me. Whatever keeps you motivated is going to help. If you want to be hardcore, P90X yoga is INSANE.
Jill, I hope the training is going well!
ReplyDeleteI ran four easy runs (40-60 minutes) and one long run a week. On the days that I did not feel like running I went hiking. The most important thing for the marathon is endurance and the only way to work on your endurance is to do some sort of cardio for a long period of time. Yoga is great on your off days but I would not rely on it as a training tool. You are going to be running for over 3 hours so the most important thing is getting your body ready to deal with that.
I found Marine Corps to be a really fun race with a lot of energy. Everyone was so encouraging! I ended up running much faster than I expected and I think it was because I stuck to my training plan. Just make a plan and stick to it and you will be fine. It is too early for you to start your long runs so, right now I would focus on making running 5x a week part of your routine (if it is not already).
As for nutrition, I ate the same as I normally would except on my long run days. On those days I ate an extra meal. I do not believe in eating as you run (powerbars etc.) but I know some people who swear by them. If you plan to eat something during the race, incorporate that into your longs runs. You do not want to surprise your body on race day.
Hope this helps!
Megan
Here is some advice from my "coach":
ReplyDeleteIf you are looking for a workout to stay in shape then there's tons of things to do. However, I've seen and known many runners that don't lift weights at all don't do yoga eat like crap and they are very very good. The thing is that they simply run and they run a lot. I'm not a complete fan of lydiard but it tends to work better than relying on new age stuff. To run faster you have to run. Extra stuff is fine for an add in but not as a replacement. Running marathons fast requires running. I'm not a fan of adding extra things in unless you're maxing out your running. (maxing out doesn't mean 80 miles a week, it means that you aren't ever condensing runs for times sake or adding more miles will (not might) get you injured, whatever that mileage is)
I guess what I'm getting at is that strong legs are better than a strong core or whatever else for running. If you want to run fast, you should run.