Daily Total: 5 miles; Weekly Total: 30 miles; Per Mile Pace: 8:30; Days Until Marathon: 9
I've never cared for fancy footgear. Most runners swear by a certain brand and/or model of shoe - unless of course they are a convert to "barefoot" running. The Nike Pegasus had been my shoe of choice for the last three years, mainly because I could use the Nike + ipod pedometer and it was the most economical of the approved running shoes within Nike. Today, I said goodbye to Nike and for all the better.
If you've visited any sporting apparel stores lately, you'd notice the hyper-trendiness of Nike shoes for women recognized by uncomfortably bright colors that seem more fit for a Japanese rock star than an amateur athlete. Not to say that I judge a book by its cover. Actually, my disgust for the recent appearance of Nikes was catalyst for considering alternatives. Apparently, in the world of athletic shoe retail, it is commonly accepted that Nike produces more for style/appearance than functionality. A sales clerk persuaded me into caring about the superior design and performance of Asics and proceeded to bring me several models for my experimentation. To my surprise, each pair of Asics offered way more cushioning and arch support than any pair of Nikes. The difference was honestly night and day.
Although in the past I'd refuse to pay more than $80 for a pair of running shoes (including taxes) due to the need for constant replacement, I ended up purchasing a pair of Asics with asymmetrical lacing (providing extra arch support) for $125. For their level of comfort, these shoes were quite the bargin. So that's it: I'm a traitor to Nike.
Showing posts with label marathon training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marathon training. Show all posts
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Day 71 - Physical Limits
Daily Total: 9 miles; Weekly Total: 35 miles; Per Mile Pace: 8:40; Days Until Marathon: 13
On a bike ride with my boyfriend some years ago, I shouted in frustration at his audaciously riding through a yellow, almost red stoplight, during rush hour in a busy intersection. In typical righteous girlfriend fashion, I seized the opportunity to categorize this instance into an overly generalized commentary on his reckless behavior when it comes to "adventure" sports, demanding to know "why do you always push it to the edge?" We both laughed at the melodramatic phrasing of my question, although he admittedly thinks that sometimes he's been cast in the real world version of Point Break, Diehard, or some other virility-themed, action blockbuster.
That question came to mind today when I was forwarded the following article by no one else but his thoughtful mother:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130731888&sc=fb&cc=fp
The existence of such science alludes to the fact that we all have a physical limit, despite any training that prepares one for mental nirvana. I often wonder about my physique and heredity, and if these will ever halt me from a particular physical goal. Pushing it to the edge may offer a thrill, but at what cost?
On a bike ride with my boyfriend some years ago, I shouted in frustration at his audaciously riding through a yellow, almost red stoplight, during rush hour in a busy intersection. In typical righteous girlfriend fashion, I seized the opportunity to categorize this instance into an overly generalized commentary on his reckless behavior when it comes to "adventure" sports, demanding to know "why do you always push it to the edge?" We both laughed at the melodramatic phrasing of my question, although he admittedly thinks that sometimes he's been cast in the real world version of Point Break, Diehard, or some other virility-themed, action blockbuster.
That question came to mind today when I was forwarded the following article by no one else but his thoughtful mother:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130731888&sc=fb&cc=fp
The existence of such science alludes to the fact that we all have a physical limit, despite any training that prepares one for mental nirvana. I often wonder about my physique and heredity, and if these will ever halt me from a particular physical goal. Pushing it to the edge may offer a thrill, but at what cost?
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
On the Road
Daily Total: 0; Weekly Total: 35 miles; Per Mile Pace: NA; Days Until Marathon: 17
It can be difficult to travel during marathon training. Unknown territory and distances and differences in weather potentially pose many roadblocks to the enthusiastic marathoner. Conversely, I find running is a unique opportunity for sightseeing and learning the feel of a place. I just returned from a 6-day trip to New Orleans and I didn't run outside once. Although I was in love with the city, average daily temperatures of 80 degrees with humidity and endless street traffic translated to utilizing the hotel fitness center on a daily basis.
I never train indoors. I am not a fan of treadmills, ellipticals, stairmasters, etc... There is something so mechanical about the whole thing and I find that I actually feel more soreness after using the machines. Thus, I kept my fitness center visits in the Crescent City to a minimum, covering no more than 4 miles per day.
Had I not been dissuaded from running outdoors due to heat and other circumstances, my hotel carried small placards from Runners World detailing suggested routes for the local area. Another resource for running tourists is http://www.mapmyride.com/ which reveals an abundance of routes by regular users in a given area.
It can be difficult to travel during marathon training. Unknown territory and distances and differences in weather potentially pose many roadblocks to the enthusiastic marathoner. Conversely, I find running is a unique opportunity for sightseeing and learning the feel of a place. I just returned from a 6-day trip to New Orleans and I didn't run outside once. Although I was in love with the city, average daily temperatures of 80 degrees with humidity and endless street traffic translated to utilizing the hotel fitness center on a daily basis.
I never train indoors. I am not a fan of treadmills, ellipticals, stairmasters, etc... There is something so mechanical about the whole thing and I find that I actually feel more soreness after using the machines. Thus, I kept my fitness center visits in the Crescent City to a minimum, covering no more than 4 miles per day.
Had I not been dissuaded from running outdoors due to heat and other circumstances, my hotel carried small placards from Runners World detailing suggested routes for the local area. Another resource for running tourists is http://www.mapmyride.com/ which reveals an abundance of routes by regular users in a given area.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Day 50 - Time Trials
Daily Total: 9 miles; Weekly Total: 45 miles; Per Mile Pace: 8:37; Days Until Marathon: 33
When the going gets tough, the tough gets going. Instead of setting a daily distance goal this week, I've been giving myself a timeframe during which I should complete my run. I find the excitement or anxiety of this approach more enjoyable than tallying the miles on my pedometer. I'm testing the waters with my stride, alternating between 7:30 and 9:30 minute mile paces.
This approach is also very pragmatic because although runners average a certain per mile pace on race day, speeds fluctuate throughout the course. The first few miles of the race are a warm up; I am running my slowest during the first mile. I pick up the pace around mile 3 or 4 and hit my peak during the middle third of the race.
When the going gets tough, the tough gets going. Instead of setting a daily distance goal this week, I've been giving myself a timeframe during which I should complete my run. I find the excitement or anxiety of this approach more enjoyable than tallying the miles on my pedometer. I'm testing the waters with my stride, alternating between 7:30 and 9:30 minute mile paces.
This approach is also very pragmatic because although runners average a certain per mile pace on race day, speeds fluctuate throughout the course. The first few miles of the race are a warm up; I am running my slowest during the first mile. I pick up the pace around mile 3 or 4 and hit my peak during the middle third of the race.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Day 46 - Exhaustion
Daily Total: 7 miles; Weekly Total: 45 miles; Per Mile Pace: 9:00; Days Until Marathon: 37
I want to slip onto a hammock and be fed periodically without lifting a finger of my own. I've hit the 45-mile per week stretch and I always seem to forget how much hunger and exhaustion accompanies this stage. Forward and on my legs go without a foreseeable repose. All of this combined with what has been one of the most scathing heat waves ever to affect Southern California in recorded history. Santa Barbara experienced a record high of 108 degrees; Los Angeles a record 113 degrees. I cannot wait until the temperature is more forgiving.
I feel like that Shel Silverstein poem "It's Hot!"
It's hot!
I can't get cool,
I've drunk a quart of lemonade.
I think I'll take my shoes off
And sit around in the shade.
It's hot!
My back is sticky,
The sweat rolls down my chin.
I think I'll take m clothes off
And sit around in my skin.
It's hot!
I've tried with 'lectric fans,
And pools and ice cream cones.
I think I'll take my skin off
And sit around in my bones.
It's still hot!
And I'm still sore... My boyfriend and I went for massages last weekend and the entire time I was wishing that the massage therapist could peel away each muscle, hang it out to dry, and then reattach it my bones.
I want to slip onto a hammock and be fed periodically without lifting a finger of my own. I've hit the 45-mile per week stretch and I always seem to forget how much hunger and exhaustion accompanies this stage. Forward and on my legs go without a foreseeable repose. All of this combined with what has been one of the most scathing heat waves ever to affect Southern California in recorded history. Santa Barbara experienced a record high of 108 degrees; Los Angeles a record 113 degrees. I cannot wait until the temperature is more forgiving.
I feel like that Shel Silverstein poem "It's Hot!"
It's hot!
I can't get cool,
I've drunk a quart of lemonade.
I think I'll take my shoes off
And sit around in the shade.
It's hot!
My back is sticky,
The sweat rolls down my chin.
I think I'll take m clothes off
And sit around in my skin.
It's hot!
I've tried with 'lectric fans,
And pools and ice cream cones.
I think I'll take my skin off
And sit around in my bones.
It's still hot!
And I'm still sore... My boyfriend and I went for massages last weekend and the entire time I was wishing that the massage therapist could peel away each muscle, hang it out to dry, and then reattach it my bones.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Day 37 - Halfway Point
Daily Total: 8 miles; Weekly Total: 40 miles; Per Mile Pace: 9:20; Days Until Marathon: 46
It's amazing how the training schedule flies by - when you're having such fun ;) - and already the first of two 20 mile runs has arrived. For the next four weeks I will be covering 200 miles, averaging 40-45 miles per week. (I should really purchase a new pair of running shoes just for the next month alone.) Then I begin to taper off my weekly total until race day rolls around.
The good news is that I'm feeling stronger on each consecutive run. Although I have not made significant improvements in my per mile pace, I feel that the power is there, looming beneath the surface. It isn't time, at least not yet, to force myself to my goal pace (8:25). Cross-training with biking and lifting weights is definitely helping to build muscle strength and endurance. Hopefully we'll see more payoff this Friday on my 20 mile run.
It's amazing how the training schedule flies by - when you're having such fun ;) - and already the first of two 20 mile runs has arrived. For the next four weeks I will be covering 200 miles, averaging 40-45 miles per week. (I should really purchase a new pair of running shoes just for the next month alone.) Then I begin to taper off my weekly total until race day rolls around.
The good news is that I'm feeling stronger on each consecutive run. Although I have not made significant improvements in my per mile pace, I feel that the power is there, looming beneath the surface. It isn't time, at least not yet, to force myself to my goal pace (8:25). Cross-training with biking and lifting weights is definitely helping to build muscle strength and endurance. Hopefully we'll see more payoff this Friday on my 20 mile run.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Day 31 - Motivation
Daily Total: 8 miles; Weekly Total: 40 miles; Per Mile Pace: 9:17; Days Until Marathon: 52
There are a plethora of opportunities to become discouraged in the course of marathon training or on race day. For example, during my last marathon I developed a severe allergic reaction to the pollen that was in the air and was unable to maintain a consistent pace for the second half of the race. After 10 weeks of foregoing alcohol and coffee for the most part, waking up before sunrise countless mornings to run, and sacrificing a large chunk of my schedule to the demands of training, my unanticipated seasonal allergies on race day were a huge letdown. I've resigned to the possibility that future races may bring similiar unanticipated, undesirable realities and that I can only digest each race as an additional notch on the learning belt of experience. The challenge is to stay motivated.
Surprisingly or not, what motivates me the most about marathon training is the challenge of the physical accomplishment itself. Of course there are mornings that an extra hour or two of sleep seems much more preferable than getting my rear out the door for a run. Even music or NPR as entertainment via my iPod loses luster after so many days of repeated listening. Moreover, the gradual improvement or occasional plateau in per mile pace time becomes disheartening. When my motivation is running low, translating to a lack of physical energy, there is no attempt at rebuilding stamina that seems too absurd or ridiculous. I'll pick a new route, make a definitive effort to seek new features out of my familiar surroundings, or even ask the universe for a surge of energy to carry me through my run.
How do you stay motivated?
There are a plethora of opportunities to become discouraged in the course of marathon training or on race day. For example, during my last marathon I developed a severe allergic reaction to the pollen that was in the air and was unable to maintain a consistent pace for the second half of the race. After 10 weeks of foregoing alcohol and coffee for the most part, waking up before sunrise countless mornings to run, and sacrificing a large chunk of my schedule to the demands of training, my unanticipated seasonal allergies on race day were a huge letdown. I've resigned to the possibility that future races may bring similiar unanticipated, undesirable realities and that I can only digest each race as an additional notch on the learning belt of experience. The challenge is to stay motivated.
Surprisingly or not, what motivates me the most about marathon training is the challenge of the physical accomplishment itself. Of course there are mornings that an extra hour or two of sleep seems much more preferable than getting my rear out the door for a run. Even music or NPR as entertainment via my iPod loses luster after so many days of repeated listening. Moreover, the gradual improvement or occasional plateau in per mile pace time becomes disheartening. When my motivation is running low, translating to a lack of physical energy, there is no attempt at rebuilding stamina that seems too absurd or ridiculous. I'll pick a new route, make a definitive effort to seek new features out of my familiar surroundings, or even ask the universe for a surge of energy to carry me through my run.
How do you stay motivated?
Friday, September 10, 2010
Day 26 - The Long Run
Daily Total: 13.1; Weekly Total: 35; Per Mile Pace: 9:09; Days Until Marathon: 57
The weekly long run is an essential component to marathon training and can be a great opportunity to practice for race day. I've established an entire routine around my long run from the time my alarm sounds until I head for the shower. Race day is already intimidating/exciting enough without the added headache of remembering all of the details of preparation, that having these memorized to a "T" ahead of time is a surefire way to a healthy and successful completion.
My routine goes something like the following with a few tweaks depending on the day's distance:
Before the run
1. Dress for the elements. I almost always wear a visor to protect myself from the sun. I'm not accustomed to running in extreme climates.
2. Vaseline to any areas that may chafe while running.
3. Apply sunscreen and chapstick.
4. Eat a quick bite. I usually opt for a slice of toast with peanut butter or jam.
5. Pack water and/or fluids with electrolytes, plus a light snack (gels, chews, etc...).
6. Strap on my road i.d. (in case of emergency tag).
7. Check that my nike+ ipod is charged and loaded with music, podcasts, etc... I don't always listen to anything, but I use the device for tracking my pace and distance.
During the run
1. Keep hydrated (I usually consume fluids at 4-5 mile intervals).
2. Stay energized (I peal open my snack about halfway or two-thirds through the run).
3. Maintain a steady pace.
After the run
1. Hydrate.
2. Shower.
3. Replenish the body with a nutritious meal.
4. Hydrate and eat throughout the day.
5. Yoga the day after.
The weekly long run is an essential component to marathon training and can be a great opportunity to practice for race day. I've established an entire routine around my long run from the time my alarm sounds until I head for the shower. Race day is already intimidating/exciting enough without the added headache of remembering all of the details of preparation, that having these memorized to a "T" ahead of time is a surefire way to a healthy and successful completion.
My routine goes something like the following with a few tweaks depending on the day's distance:
Before the run
1. Dress for the elements. I almost always wear a visor to protect myself from the sun. I'm not accustomed to running in extreme climates.
2. Vaseline to any areas that may chafe while running.
3. Apply sunscreen and chapstick.
4. Eat a quick bite. I usually opt for a slice of toast with peanut butter or jam.
5. Pack water and/or fluids with electrolytes, plus a light snack (gels, chews, etc...).
6. Strap on my road i.d. (in case of emergency tag).
7. Check that my nike+ ipod is charged and loaded with music, podcasts, etc... I don't always listen to anything, but I use the device for tracking my pace and distance.
During the run
1. Keep hydrated (I usually consume fluids at 4-5 mile intervals).
2. Stay energized (I peal open my snack about halfway or two-thirds through the run).
3. Maintain a steady pace.
After the run
1. Hydrate.
2. Shower.
3. Replenish the body with a nutritious meal.
4. Hydrate and eat throughout the day.
5. Yoga the day after.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Day 23 - The Unbearable Lightness of Yoga
Daily Total: 0; Weekly Total: 35; Per Mile Pace: NA; Days Until Marathon: 60
I cannot emphasize enough how essential regular yoga practice is to my overall marathon training. Yoga reinforces endurance and mental patience; strengthens core and limbs; relieves the body of unnecessary energy and tension; and restores the mind and body to peace. I practice yoga three times a week and I'd practice even more often if it wasn't for the busy running and cross-training schedule.
Regular yoga practice can replace other forms of stretching. I never stretch before or after a run, unless it is the cold, bone-chilling morning of a race and I need to occupy my limbs to build body heat. It is the mental investment of yoga that reaps physical rewards. I can absolutely feel the difference the weeks that I deprive myself of regular practice.
Yoga studios abound and there are even classes offered online (e.g., Yoga Today) but I mostly engage in my own practice due to schedule and financial constraints. I attend maybe two classes a month just to treat myself to something different. Kundalini and/or restorative yoga is a great way to prepare for a race and a much deserved change of pace to the intense flow or strength building yoga.
I cannot emphasize enough how essential regular yoga practice is to my overall marathon training. Yoga reinforces endurance and mental patience; strengthens core and limbs; relieves the body of unnecessary energy and tension; and restores the mind and body to peace. I practice yoga three times a week and I'd practice even more often if it wasn't for the busy running and cross-training schedule.
Regular yoga practice can replace other forms of stretching. I never stretch before or after a run, unless it is the cold, bone-chilling morning of a race and I need to occupy my limbs to build body heat. It is the mental investment of yoga that reaps physical rewards. I can absolutely feel the difference the weeks that I deprive myself of regular practice.
Yoga studios abound and there are even classes offered online (e.g., Yoga Today) but I mostly engage in my own practice due to schedule and financial constraints. I attend maybe two classes a month just to treat myself to something different. Kundalini and/or restorative yoga is a great way to prepare for a race and a much deserved change of pace to the intense flow or strength building yoga.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Day 19 - Time to Run?
Daily Total: 10; Weekly Total: 30; Per Mile Pace: 9:19; Days Until Marathon: 64
When is the best time to schedule a run? Some people I know prefer to run in the late afternoon or evening, to release tension from the day's work or because waking up at the crack of dawn is unfathomable. However, I have always preferred to run in the early morning which happens to be most consistent with recommendations by professionals. Races usually begin at dawn or between 6-7 a.m., thus training to run at this time is really in one's best interest. Besides preparing myself for the early race start time, I prefer the morning to afternoon for a number of reasons. I'm still only half awake by the time I've hit the concrete; the temperature, prior aches and pains, yesterday's disappointments, etc... are all only afterthoughts as my mind gradually comes into a full state of awareness. There are also fewer people, cars, and busy intersections at the early morning hour.
I particularly dislike running in the afternoon and advise others against running at this time to avoid indigestion (from the foods consumed earlier in the day), heatstroke (in particularly warm climates), or even being attacked (I am stunned by the number of women I see running late at night with headphones).
Of course, energy levels vary for everyone at different times of the day. Yet if you can condition your energy to be highest in the morning, it seems well worth it.
When is the best time to schedule a run? Some people I know prefer to run in the late afternoon or evening, to release tension from the day's work or because waking up at the crack of dawn is unfathomable. However, I have always preferred to run in the early morning which happens to be most consistent with recommendations by professionals. Races usually begin at dawn or between 6-7 a.m., thus training to run at this time is really in one's best interest. Besides preparing myself for the early race start time, I prefer the morning to afternoon for a number of reasons. I'm still only half awake by the time I've hit the concrete; the temperature, prior aches and pains, yesterday's disappointments, etc... are all only afterthoughts as my mind gradually comes into a full state of awareness. There are also fewer people, cars, and busy intersections at the early morning hour.
I particularly dislike running in the afternoon and advise others against running at this time to avoid indigestion (from the foods consumed earlier in the day), heatstroke (in particularly warm climates), or even being attacked (I am stunned by the number of women I see running late at night with headphones).
Of course, energy levels vary for everyone at different times of the day. Yet if you can condition your energy to be highest in the morning, it seems well worth it.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Day 17 - Hill Training
Daily Total: 6 miles; Weekly Total: 30 miles; Per Mile Pace: 9:19; Days Until Marathon: 66
Another way to increase per mile pace is to incorporate a hill session or two into weekly training. I happen to live in a very hilly area, thus hill training is really unavoidable for me. Yet I've come to appreciate how hills are a built-in form of resistance that naturally amplifies the power in your stride over time.
I do not recommend running hills everyday as this can lead to injury or overtraining. If you are running four or more days a week like I am, two days of hill training is probably ideal. Apart from hill training, one day each week should be dedicated to sprints, another day to a medium paced run, and another day to a recovery, slower run. The recovery run should be somewhere flat. On my recovery days I opt for a run along the coastline.
Another way to increase per mile pace is to incorporate a hill session or two into weekly training. I happen to live in a very hilly area, thus hill training is really unavoidable for me. Yet I've come to appreciate how hills are a built-in form of resistance that naturally amplifies the power in your stride over time.
I do not recommend running hills everyday as this can lead to injury or overtraining. If you are running four or more days a week like I am, two days of hill training is probably ideal. Apart from hill training, one day each week should be dedicated to sprints, another day to a medium paced run, and another day to a recovery, slower run. The recovery run should be somewhere flat. On my recovery days I opt for a run along the coastline.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Day 15 - Running Crossroads
Daily total: 6 miles; Weekly total: 30 miles; Current Per Mile Pace: 9:12.
Once again, I've been horrible about maintaining my blog. There were two days last week that I ran - Thursday and Friday - but was too preoccupied to remember blogging.
There are a few other areas that I haven't been completely faithful to my training regimen. It was my boyfriend's birthday this past weekend and a few birthday drinks were in order. I also drank coffee. I could probably run on with a confession, but I'll just end it here. Needless to say, marathon training is impossibly rigid at times and one needs to break the rules. Unfortunately, debauchery manifests pain in the muscles.
I'm back on track this week ;)
Once again, I've been horrible about maintaining my blog. There were two days last week that I ran - Thursday and Friday - but was too preoccupied to remember blogging.
There are a few other areas that I haven't been completely faithful to my training regimen. It was my boyfriend's birthday this past weekend and a few birthday drinks were in order. I also drank coffee. I could probably run on with a confession, but I'll just end it here. Needless to say, marathon training is impossibly rigid at times and one needs to break the rules. Unfortunately, debauchery manifests pain in the muscles.
I'm back on track this week ;)
Monday, August 23, 2010
Day 8 - Getting Used to This Blogging Thing
Day 8 (Today's Total: 6 miles; Weekly Total: 25 miles): 75 days to go until race day and I have already fallen behind on my log. Three days ago I completed my long run last week and the day after (Saturday) I logged 2 miles of sprints at the local high school track. I rewarded myself yesterday with a Kundalini yoga session and now I'm already into the second week of training. I'm realizing it isn't easy to remember to blog along with all the other distractions of life nor does my mind cease to draw a blank when it comes to blog topics beyond the details of my training schedule. I guess it being my seventh time marathon training a lot of what occurs during the course of the training itself seems like second nature and unworthy of discussion.
A few days ago I lamented the necessity for new running shoes, mainly because I find it to be really unsustainable. I should mention that my boyfriend and I strive to live a "green" lifestyle, consuming as few as many resources as possible and reusing/repurposing old items, transporting ourselves by bike, eating foods with only the most local and ecological ingredients, composting and recycling all that we are allowed to, and encouraging the rest of society to also jump on the bandwagon through our advocacy and volunteer efforts. There are both advantages and disadvantages to this lifestyle for the sake of endurance sport training.
I incorporate riding my bike to and from work as part of my cross-training. I find that foods available at the farmer's market are always fresh and usually in season, meaning that these are the best for my body. However, burning as many calories as one does in the course of marathon training requires constant replenishment of the body and in more abundance and regularity than usual. Adhering to my food morals while also compensating for this caloric deficit can be trying on the wallet. In addition to shoes (which can be recycled), I usually need to purchase new running socks and sports bras because these wear down and chafe in the process of training. And as much as I am intrigued by the "barefoot running" craze, it seems that a purchase is still required. With the exception of the Santa Barbara Marathon taking place in my city of residence, most races are a decent drive away, requiring that we burn more fossil fuels to transport ourselves to the start line. I suppose we could encourage that more races organize carpools for people traveling from afar.
If I discover more ways to avoid some of the unsustainable drawbacks of marathon training I will share them as I go...
A few days ago I lamented the necessity for new running shoes, mainly because I find it to be really unsustainable. I should mention that my boyfriend and I strive to live a "green" lifestyle, consuming as few as many resources as possible and reusing/repurposing old items, transporting ourselves by bike, eating foods with only the most local and ecological ingredients, composting and recycling all that we are allowed to, and encouraging the rest of society to also jump on the bandwagon through our advocacy and volunteer efforts. There are both advantages and disadvantages to this lifestyle for the sake of endurance sport training.
I incorporate riding my bike to and from work as part of my cross-training. I find that foods available at the farmer's market are always fresh and usually in season, meaning that these are the best for my body. However, burning as many calories as one does in the course of marathon training requires constant replenishment of the body and in more abundance and regularity than usual. Adhering to my food morals while also compensating for this caloric deficit can be trying on the wallet. In addition to shoes (which can be recycled), I usually need to purchase new running socks and sports bras because these wear down and chafe in the process of training. And as much as I am intrigued by the "barefoot running" craze, it seems that a purchase is still required. With the exception of the Santa Barbara Marathon taking place in my city of residence, most races are a decent drive away, requiring that we burn more fossil fuels to transport ourselves to the start line. I suppose we could encourage that more races organize carpools for people traveling from afar.
If I discover more ways to avoid some of the unsustainable drawbacks of marathon training I will share them as I go...
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Day 4 - Meg needs a new pair of shoes
Day 4 (Today's Total: 6 miles; Week Total: 20 miles) - There is one expense about running a marathon that strikes me as really unsustainable, but as far as I'm aware, completely unavoidable. Running shoes wear down about every 200-300 miles. Easily two pairs of shoes become expired in the duration of marathon training and it is really important to replace them or else you end up with lower back pain and slight shin splints like I'm feeling at the moment. Luckily, many athletic stores participate in shoe recyling programs. Donating shoes is always an option, but why transfer your aches and pains to someone else?
A note to novice runners: I aim for running two marathons each year. I train for three months leading up to race day, then relax for three months. I still run during lulls in between training intervals but not nearly as much. If you are a first-time marathoner and irregular runner I would not suggest adhering to the same training schedule as I log here. While I am only running a total of 20 miles this week, I will be doubling this total two weeks from now - a fairly steep training curve.
How do I increase my per mile pace? Today I ran at a 9:30 mile pace; marathon pace is 8:20. I've found that my per mile pace improves as I increase my weekly totals and incorporate sprint training into my running schedule. Sprints seem to really release all sections of the body to empower you to reach a fuller and more efficient stride.
A note to novice runners: I aim for running two marathons each year. I train for three months leading up to race day, then relax for three months. I still run during lulls in between training intervals but not nearly as much. If you are a first-time marathoner and irregular runner I would not suggest adhering to the same training schedule as I log here. While I am only running a total of 20 miles this week, I will be doubling this total two weeks from now - a fairly steep training curve.
How do I increase my per mile pace? Today I ran at a 9:30 mile pace; marathon pace is 8:20. I've found that my per mile pace improves as I increase my weekly totals and incorporate sprint training into my running schedule. Sprints seem to really release all sections of the body to empower you to reach a fuller and more efficient stride.
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