by LT MarathonGirl | Jul 1, 2018 | Marathon Training, Running, Uncategorized
Hydrate
Nutrate
Poop
Run
In the summer, planning out your run the day before is just as crucial as logging those miles. I am a Weather Channel app addict. Extreme amazement at how often they get it wrong. It still helps to have some sort of expectation as to the elements. The next two weeks are gonna be scorchers here in Chicagoland. With training runs of 16, 17 and 2 10 milers during the extreme heat I’ve gotta plan on getting up as early as possible to get some relief from the blistering heat and have a strategy for hydration.
If you are planning a long run, walk, or hike here are some tips to stay hydrated.
- Hydrate before you go. This takes some planning so you don’t have to “go” when you go, but if you start hydrated it’s easier to maintain hydration.
- Choose a course that provides water. Many public parks have drinking fountains throughout. I am lucky enough to live near one that even has fountains for my furry running companion. Gotta keep pups hydrated too.
- Carry a water bottle. Not the most convenient because it gets tiresome carrying the bottle around. It’s funny how heavy a water bottle can begin to feel when you start to get fatigued.
- Drive ahead and leave bottles on your path. Not the safest most secure method, but if you are very familiar with your territory this plan can work for you.
- Wear a water bottle belt. The sloshing around may be uncomfortable, but it is handier than carrying that bottle around. I found that strapping the belt around my hips was much more comfortable than around my waste. It also doesn’t put as much pressure on your bladder if you take in too much liquid.
- Wear a hydration pack. A new favorite of mine. My husband was careful to select one for me that couldn’t get over-packed and become too heavy, the Camelbak Rogue is a game changer. Comfortable and able to store GU, keys and a cell phone it allows you to take frequent small sips and stay refreshed.
Happy running. Stay safe and hydrated.
by LT MarathonGirl | Jun 10, 2018 | Marathon, Marathon Training, Running
The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.
A training schedule to prepare for a marathon is a must, but you must build in flexibility both in your plan and in your mindset. Things are going to happen. Life is going to happen over the course of the months you will spend training. If your schedule is too rigid it can cause frustration or worse, cause you to give up.
My 2018 schedule is loaded with (more…)
by LT MarathonGirl | Jun 8, 2018 | Book Review, Marathon Training, Running, Self Development
Running is a great sport to give a whirl because you literally do not need a thing to get started. Zero start up cost. You don’t like it; no worries, you’re not out a thing.
If you do like it and stick with it, unlike other sports that require a ton of expensive equipment, you can maintain a very low budget. One way I keep costs low is by not worrying if my running
shoes are the latest and the greatest. By purchasing last year’s model instead of the newest release I save a ton of dough.
My normal run essentials are: Burt’s Bees lip balm, Maui Jim sunglasses, toasted marshmallow GU, and a great play list. A very eclectic great playlist. I love to run to music. Black Eyed Peas, Led Zepplin, Bruno Mars . . . and then I met this book. Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. On long runs it’s my new fave. It gives me the motivation I need to get the miles in. I figure if they can run hundreds of miles then I can certainly get in 13.
A great friend gave me a great tip, use the speed feature on audible.com. Putting this story at 1.25 x speed is the perfect tempo to run to.
Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Very inspiring story. I loved listening to it while out for a run.
Just a few of my favorite quotes…
“You don’t stop running because you get old, you get old because you stop running.”
“If you don’t have answers to your problems after a four-hour run, you ain’t getting them.”
“Suffering is humbling. It pays to know how to get your butt kicked.”
“There was some kind of connection between the capacity to love and the capacity to love running.”
View all my reviews
by LT MarathonGirl | Jun 3, 2018 | Marathon, Marathon Training, Running
Chances of getting drawn were slim to none I thought. It was November 30th and the last day to enter the lottery for the 2018 Chicago Marathon. “I’ll never get drawn anyway” I remember thinking as I completed the on-line registration.
The very next day I got fired. My very first thought as I stared at my boss as he delivered the message was “shit, now I’m not even going to live in Chicago. I’m going to get drawn for sure now”.
Not that you need to live in the area of the event, but it does make it more convenient, much less expensive, and you don’t have to burn vacation days to do it.
Fast forward, and here we are, day 1 of official training. I like to do my training in reverse of most conventional training schedules and start with the long day. This way instead of dreading
the impending doom of the long run I “eat the frog” and get it done first. The whole rest of the week is a piece of cake. Leading up to this week I started piling on miles to prepare for a 1/2 marathon in April and continued getting in one 13 miler per week since then. Last month was a record month for me logging 148 miles, something I’ve never done before.
Here’s this week’s plan
Sunday – 13 miles Check. Done!
Monday – Shred class at Lifetime Fitness
Tuesday – 5 miles
Wednesday – 10 miles
Thursday – 5 miles
Friday – 5 miles
Saturday – 5 miles or cross train depending on how the legs feel
Entire schedule
by LT MarathonGirl | Apr 12, 2015 | Running
It’s race week. It’s time to rest the legs and prepare for Saturday’s race. If you feel like you haven’t gotten in enough training runs or if your legs feel great – stay off of them. You can’t cram for a race like you crammed for a test in school.
From Stephen Covey:
“Can you imagine “cramming” on the farm? Can you imagine forgetting to plant in the spring, flaking out all summer, and hitting it hard in the fall–ripping the soil up, throwing in the seeds, watering, cultivating–and expecting to get a bountiful harvest overnight?Cramming doesn’t work in a natural system. That’s the fundamental difference between a social and natural system. A social system is based on values; a natural system is based on principles. In the short term, cramming may appear to work in a social system. You can go for the “quick fixes” and techniques with apparent success. But in the long run they just don’t work.”
Monday – off
Tuesday – 2 miles
Wednesday – 2 miles
Thursday – off
Friday – off
Saturday – Race Day
