Alright boys, since you all have (will have) completed marathons, I would like to profit from your wisdom.
I set up a training plan with runnersworld - first training for a half-marathon & then training for a marathon - to prepare for Houston in January.
My first question: given my current pace, I find the pace set by the training plan, even for the short runs, to be a big step backwards (going from an 8 min. pace to a 10:54 min. pace). Will I increase my chance of injury or make it harder on myself by keeping my current pace for short runs? I find that I am too competative with myself to slow down. When I run longer distances (10+) and notice that my pace is "too fast" I have a hard time allowing myself to slow down. Any mental tricks or do I need to just have a talk with my competative side?
My second (and last) question: I may have lovely lady lumps (have I mentioned how much I hate that song?), but I am no camel. Help me with hydration tips. If it isn't coffee or alcohol, I am clueless. What can I do the night before a long run to ensure that I am hydrated but not having to pee every 15 mins. during my run? I am sure that I have followed the Kenyan method to the t: pint-sized Vodka tonics the night before a run (I am almost certain that is what the secret Kenyan running manual states). At what distance do you find gels necessary/most beneficial?
Ok, I am sure I will have more questions as I get further into my training. I trained for a half-marathon last year with Sixpack and Deetschei, but I wasn't in the shape then that I am now, so I feel like I could push myself harder than the training plan. HOWEVER, I want to minimize the potential for injury, since I am having some knee pain and I have been experiencing a shooting pain down my left calf and into my ankle (shin splints, no doubt).
Oh oh oh. One more thing, remind me again what the general rule of thumb is for changing shoes? 300 miles or 500 miles?
I set up a training plan with runnersworld - first training for a half-marathon & then training for a marathon - to prepare for Houston in January.
My first question: given my current pace, I find the pace set by the training plan, even for the short runs, to be a big step backwards (going from an 8 min. pace to a 10:54 min. pace). Will I increase my chance of injury or make it harder on myself by keeping my current pace for short runs? I find that I am too competative with myself to slow down. When I run longer distances (10+) and notice that my pace is "too fast" I have a hard time allowing myself to slow down. Any mental tricks or do I need to just have a talk with my competative side?
My second (and last) question: I may have lovely lady lumps (have I mentioned how much I hate that song?), but I am no camel. Help me with hydration tips. If it isn't coffee or alcohol, I am clueless. What can I do the night before a long run to ensure that I am hydrated but not having to pee every 15 mins. during my run? I am sure that I have followed the Kenyan method to the t: pint-sized Vodka tonics the night before a run (I am almost certain that is what the secret Kenyan running manual states). At what distance do you find gels necessary/most beneficial?
Ok, I am sure I will have more questions as I get further into my training. I trained for a half-marathon last year with Sixpack and Deetschei, but I wasn't in the shape then that I am now, so I feel like I could push myself harder than the training plan. HOWEVER, I want to minimize the potential for injury, since I am having some knee pain and I have been experiencing a shooting pain down my left calf and into my ankle (shin splints, no doubt).
Posts
7 comments:
i can't answer your questions... but they are good ones and i am looking forward to the answers myself. i have a few training Qs for the masters... you have inspired me and so i'll post those this weekend.
the question i *can* answer is about the shoes. 500 miles (or so i've been told numerous times).
cheers!
p.s. i agree- i hate the lovely lady humps song. hate it.
Hey you, that's a load of questions!
first off, i'm glad you decided to do two training plans instead of one mega-training effort to get to the marathon. you would burn out so fast you wouldn't know what hit you if you spend the next six+ months training. if you break it up, you stand a better chance of not going crazy. part of the problem of training isn't the actual running, but the mental fatigue of constantly having a run on your schedule and constantly juggling things so you don't miss that run.
10:54 is a pretty slow pace to start your long runs. there are basically two trains of thought about it: either you run long runs at race pace, or you run it slower...personally i try and run it nearer to race pace because i'm not convinced my body will magically speed up on the big day. but your race pace should still be considerably slower than your 5-7 mile pace. that pace just won't hold up for your first marathon. i would say just run it in a way that is comfortable, without going too slowly. i think that if you have a good base, and if you eat and stretch well, then you shouldn't injure yourself if you adhere to a proven plan. quite frankly, you have had by far and away the best base of any one of us in terms of preparing for your first marathon. you could start training today if there was something in the fall. don't worry about whether you can do it, that's a given. no doubts here.
also remember though, slowing down isn't about "competing", it's about being intelligent. you can run yourself into the ground all you want, but breaking down at 17 miles and watching all the old ladies go by you isn't exactly going to "win" you the race, now is it? (and, by the way, you're not going to win the marathon, so go ahead and talk to the competitive side and give her some knitting to do! ;))
i'm a bit weird with hydration, so you might not want to follow my advice...i drink about three litres of water a day even when i'm not running...BUT, i would say just make sure you are keeping a water bottle by your side, and try and pee before you run (sounds idiotic, i know). ALSO, mix it up. everyone is dying now because they drink too much water and not enough sports drink. powerade rocks because it has loads of carbs, and carbs are what you need to keep going. Gu is nothing but carbs (and sometimes caffeine) distilled to look like, um, right... i think you should experiment with them and see when they help you...most of the time the packaging says start with them after 45 minutes, but i've always waited until at least 1.5-2 hours...i think they're just trying to sell twice as much product.
OK, i'm sorry this is so long :) i htink the general rule of thumb for new shoes is between 300-500 miles, you can usually feel it in your legs (you might be feeling it already) having said that, i asked oraccle nick about this in england, and he switches between 700-1000...he also runs marathons in around 2:32 (!)
last but not least...promise me you'll at least think about this- find a running group. or do a charity running group. there are some fantastic ones out there. most of them only require once a week meetings (i know there are some in houston) for weekend long runs. most of them have TRAINERS who give you PROFESSIONAL advice, and most of them can really help you with nutrition, rest, and other crazy ideas that we just vaguely mention. i know you're a bit of a maverick, P.P., but if i could do my first marahton again, there is NO DOUBT in my mind i would do it with a training group. you don't need to, but having someone at key points in the race cheering you on and giving you your Gu/specially mixed sports drink when you need them is never a bad thing...not to mention having people to run with/pace yourself with.
GOOD LUCK!
BTW, i i dont really think you need any luck :)
I agree with Dayton on the pacing issue. So, I will leave it at that.
Hydration: I try to make sure I have quite a bit to drink before going out for a run, but in advance. If you get up at 7 and drink some and leave for your run at 9, odds are high you will get rid of some of it first. I also, and this is a bit personal, tend to ignore the urge to pee unless it becomes overwhelming, which has been rare. In these instances I've always run to the nearest bathroom or tree and taken care of the issue. I would never not hydrate because I was afraid of needing to pee. I also keep water bottles with me on any run longer than 6 miles. I found it really helped my times, especially running some of these hills.
As for Gels and fluids, I use Gu2o and Gu gels together on my runs. Contrary to Dayton, I take a gel every 30-45 minutes. Whether or not they sell more product, I do find a significant increase in endurance and occasional bursts of speed. In both marathons I suffered extreme fatigue, which I have attributed at least partly to a lack of hydration. An accurate assessment considering the disappearance of fatigue after drinking some gatorade.
To sum it all up, you should start experimenting now using the information we have given you, and find your own schedule. Eventually over the next 8 months you'll figure out what works for you.
As for shoes I've always followed the 500 miles rule, which is about the time they start to hurt my knees anyway.
Keep it up!!!! You'll do great, and I'm with you every step of the way!
Such a liar. You love that song.
Hi Pounder. I wouldn't drop back to 11 minute miles if you're doing well at 8s. Whatever your race pace is (that you can sustain for 13-26 miles), I'd aim for that plus about a minute on a typical training run, and if you're hurting on a given day in a non-strengthening sort of hurting way, slow down. And if you're feeling good, don't be afraid of running fast, running fast is the point. Well, maybe not the only point, but if you want a good time in a race then it's the point. Personally I think hydration is overrated. I don't go out of my way one bit to drink water, I generally only drink a glass or two if I'm really thirsty, otherwise it's pretty much coffee or alcohol. I did a long run of 15 miles today (it's Saturday) and I'm not sure I've had any water yet. Two cups of coffee before the run and I think all I've had since the run is this Jack and coke here. Maybe I should go have a glass of water. Of course, since you're in TX now hydration is probably important to some extent. When I was in AZ I did my best to run before 9 or after 7, at least from March through October, and knew where drinking fountains could be located at least every couple miles of my route, usually stopping once during a 10 mile run. Before a race I'll bring a 20 oz sport bottle and drink 10-20 oz, and generally my gastrointestinal system knows a race is coming up and purges itself of all contents in one to two visits to the j-jon and/or local trees. If I'm doing a marathon, I generally hit PowerGels at 10 and 20 and grab a water cup every mile or two, of which about 2 oz make it down the hatch and the remainder all over me.
Hope this is of some use. Good luck!
Oh also no alcohol the night before a race (better yet none for a few days before). Milk is good. Make up for the lost alcohol after victory is yours.
Post a Comment