This is how my week has gone:
Monday: Still reminiscing about sub-4. What the, where was I? Oh yeah, still reminiscing about sub-4 ...
Tuesday: Staring at my whiteboard at work; map out rough timline to next marathon, but quads and ITB tell me to get real
Wednesday: Got a massage; expected miraculous instant relief, but seemed to only accomplish lightening my wallet
Thursday: Laced up and ground out 4 miles after work. Cold. Dark. Windy. Hurt so bad, no, good, hurt so good. Right.
Friday: Went to Run On and bought a Brooks cold weather running pullover and a thicker pair of gloves.
Saturday: Doing my marathon plan in reverse. 3 mile pace run. Piece 'o cake.
Sunday: 8 mile LSD run. Missed out on The Half today, which I've run the past 2 years, but this felt better.
So I'm unofficially thinking about White Rock on Dec 10. I want to try for another sub-4, and this gives me a chance with only 6 more weeks training instead of starting over with 18 weeks again. A friend at work said to do the last 3 weeks of my marathon plan in reverse, and then do it forward again. Seems simple enough.
What I hope to do differently this time is 2 things:
(1) Stay with the pace team. No more banking minutes in the first half; famous last words :)
(2) Stick with straight Gu+water all the way or straight Powerade all the way.
I'd heard that Gu+Powerade leads to stomach cramps, so I've been taking water with the Gu and Powerade at all the other water stations. However, this work guy told me that once in the stomach, no matter when in got in, the Gu and Powerade "neutralized" each other and so nothing got to the muscles. Is this true?
Then the other guy at Run On who coaches marathoners for the store told me it didn't make any difference! His trick for avoiding cramps is to start salting up his food 3 days before a race. What do you think?
10 comments:
I've never heard of Gu and Gatorade or Powerade cancelling out their good effects. It's all good for me. I need that caffeine and also the fluids.
Your week sounds about right. Slow recovery but progress. I have a half in four weeks to get ready for.
Hmmm, the only thing Ive heard is keep it simple. Don't do anything new during the race. So I'm no help! Good week of getting back out there, Rich.
I am a little concerned about your doing White Rock so closely after MCM. White Rock is five weeks away! Then again, I am nosy and a bit of a neurotic, so what do I know?!
But one thing I noticed is that if you were to follow your friend's advice and "do the last 3 weeks of my marathon plan in reverse, and then do it forward again," you should have run 10 miles today or yesterday. Then your next LSD is 14 miles. And optimally, your next LSD after that is 20 miles (!!!!). Then you only have a two-week taper.
One difference between training for my first marathon and my second was that in training for the latter, I threw in marathon-pace miles (or faster) at the end of several of my Saturday long runs. That helps one mentally, to know that one can run strongly at the end of the race, where it matters most.
For example, it seems you were on the right track for training, but perhaps you didn't do some or enough marathon-pace miles in your LSD runs and perhaps could have benefited from some speedwork, to get you used to the discomfort of racing when you're tired.
Also, re fluid intake: Try not drinking water, but all Gatorade in your next marathon. That will give your body the salt it needs. And the Run On guy's suggestion of salting your food makes some sense. Although I think we tend not to realize how much sodium we already ingest daily.
One benefit from his reasoning is that you will drink more fluids ... that other thing your colleague mentioned, of Gu and Powerade neutralizing each other, is illogical. Does not make sense at all.
Sorry this is so long; let me know if you want to hear more of my thoughts re your doing White Rock.
I don't think things could cancel each other out? That just doesn't make much sense.
I think 6 weeks is plenty of recovery time. Why not!?!? People run 50 marathons in 50 days.
What is that - 6 weeks between marathons? Oh, this will be fun. I've got advice. I just did my last two marathons 5 weeks apart, and I rocked my second one, not my first one. I did normal, but low-mileage training for the first one - three long runs of 18-20 miles, but probably no longer than 45 miles weekly ever during the training. After the marathon, I took 5 days off. My five weeks of mileage in between? . . 9 - 21 - 37 - 12 - 18. I ran a 17 miler midway, other than that my longest run was an 8-mile. I was sort of 'freaked out' not knowing what to do, but I think the key is listening to your body. You likely have all the key training in already, but just need to maintain.
I agree with 'not banking time' - if I did one thing right the second marathon, it was that I started out slower and paced better - instead of banking time, you'll have banked the energy for later on.
I've never heard the Gu+Powerade thing, but maybe that's why I had cramps when I tried to train with both, and not with water. You have to do what works for your body - experiment in training. I could only take in Gu and water, no electrolyte drinks at all, then just loaded up on them as soon as I finished. Salt? I live off of salty foods, maybe there is something to that for me - that I build it up in my system before a run. Sodium seems to be a huge thing in research lately.
Do what your gut tells you - just be smart.
Wow - another marathon just 6 weeks after MCM... Yikes.
I go for Gu + water. Gels + Sports drink is too much sugar for me and upsets my stomache. Salt is helpful too.
i HAVE heard/read that gu should be followed by lots of water, not sports drinks (but not bcs they "neutralize" each other!) So i drank gatorade during the run, and then had a gu every hour, right near a water stop. neutralizing sounds like baloney. but who knows.
But ARE YOU NUTS doing another one in six weeks?!?!
Yeah, i guess so. GOOD LUCK with that!
Rich, did you read the NYT story last week about marathon myths, including what causes cramps? I thought of you. Powerade is pretty much pure sugar, as is Gu. Where's the cancellation?
Hi Rich - I'll reply to your email tonight or tomorrow - have lots to say! But the uptake: I think you can rock White Rock if you run smart. MOre later on that.
Re Gu+ water or Gu+Gatorade. Hmmm. I drank Gatorade with my GU. And drank pretty much Gatorade the entire MCM. But my stomach can handle anything, knock on wood ....
Take electrolyte caps. I like Succeed; Hammer Nutrition also makes something. Essentially these are salt caplets with other essential minerals. I sweat HEAVILY (in 40 degree weather I will be soaked) and I've never, ever cramped in any race (from 5k to 70 miles). I take one to two every couple of hours depending on the temps, and I monitor the swelling in my hands - if they are swollen, I'm probably taking too many caps. I also take Clif Shots and drink gatorade endurance or other sport drinks (Clip2, Heed). At aid stations I try to eat something salty and drink some coke, and that helps keep me going.
Good luck in your training!
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