Recovering Right

When I was first starting half marathon training I layed out how I was going to achieve my sub 2:00 goal based on the things that I have neglected in the past. There were quite a few things that could use improvement and most of them had something to do with recovery. Even though I know I should, I have been really struggling get in much stretching, foam rolling, Nuun-ing, etc. I have been experiencing this nagging ache in my left thigh ever since I went skiing a few weeks ago. It isn't anything to be worried about but it is a bit annoying. I had a minor panic attack about it but have since realized that my leg is actually not going to fall off. Shocking, I know. But this little freak out reminded me that I need to pay more attention to how I am recovering after my runs. So I decided that instead of giving up something for Lent I would commit to recovering right. How you might ask, well let me tell you!

Stretching & Foam Rolling

I always forget to stretch, and foam roll, until something starts bothering me and this training cycle is no exception. Luckily nothing hurts enough that it is a problem but it's a good reminder that it is never too late to add in some stretching and foam rolling to your weekly training. Since I finish a lot of my runs at school and then have class for a few hours afterwards I often don't get much, or any, stretching in afterwards. Just because I don't have room to sprawl out and do a bunch of elaborate yoga stretches doesn't mean I can't squeeze in a few simple stretches after each workout. Even a little bit of stretching will go a long way. Then on the weekends when I have more time I am planning on doing a 15-30 minute stretching and foam rolling session after my long runs to really get to my muscles properly.

Compression Socks

I have two pairs of Pro Compression socks but I don't wear them nearly enough. Like with stretching and foam rolling I normally only wear them when I actually need them rather than for their everyday recovery properties. When I run on harder surfaces such as concrete and pavement more frequently my calves and shins get very cranky and with the weather lately I haven't been able to really hit the trails which means I've only been running on the road. I think my legs are actually getting used to the additional pounding but there are still some days where my shins hurt to touch. Just wearing my compression socks for a few hours makes a huge difference. Since the weather is colder and it is still boot season I will wear my socks under my boots as a way to wear my socks but not look like a total loser. Just a partial one.

Hydrating Properly

For as long as I can remember people have been telling me I need to drink more. I'm not sure why but I don't get thirsty very often. There have been days (more than I'd like to admit) where I had nothing to drink the entire day. The ironic part is that I get extremely thirsty when running and drink way more than normal. And to add to it I lose a lot of salt when I sweat and often end up dizzy after long workouts in the heat. I have been working on drinking enough in general for years now and will probably always have to work on this but I have been slacking off now that the temps are colder and I feel even less thirsty. To get back on track I plan on carrying a water bottle with me everywhere. Just by having it with me I will end up drinking more water. I'm going to start using my Nuun tablets more often so that even if I am drinking less what I am drinking is better quality.

Any tips? I could use all the advice I can get!

Sub-2 Half Plan of Attack

My big goal for the first half of 2013 is to break 2:00 in the half marathon. I have spent a good amount of time over the off-season looking back at past training logs to see where I can make improvements. My running journey hasn't been conventional and lucky for me there are lots of areas I can improve upon in hopes of chasing down my goals.

When I ran my 2:03 half in October I was in the middle of marathon training and had done a 16 mile long run less than a week beforehand. I hadn't done any kind of speed work in almost two months and was only running 3-4 times a week. Despite all of these faults (plus so many more) I still dropped over 5 minutes for a 20 min PR in exactly a year.

My plan going into this next training cycle is to fill in these gaps and keep evolving my training. It will be a long time before I reach my full potential with running but I know the more I do right each training cycle the better I will be as an athlete.

Working with a running coach
This is really so big it deserves another post (soon!) but I'll start here anyway. After chatting back and forth via Twitter I have found someone who is willing to help me chase down my goal of a sub 2:00 half marathon.  I have been wanting to work with a coach for awhile now and I am confident that I have found someone who can meet all of my needs. I am used to working with coaches from my days as a swimmer and I know that I work considerably better with instruction. I'm really excited to see what I can achieve with my new partner on this journey.

Consistency

During my past training cycles I ran pretty inconsistently. Some weeks I ran 5 times while other weeks I didn't run at all. While training for the New York City turned Harrisburg Marathon I ran 3-4 times a week but my mileage varied a lot. I didn't know how to properly train for a marathon and made a lot of mistakes. I know that finding my sweet spot and staying consistent will be a big part of training. But this doesn't just apply to running. Doing a core workout every few weeks is really not all that helpful. Being consistent will not only help with the physical but also the mental, which may be my weakest link.

Tune-up races

In all my years of being an athlete I have learned that if I put too much pressure on myself for a race then said race will most likely go horribly. Since I can do multiple half marathons in one season without needing too much recovery time I am planning on doing a mid March half to practice for the real thing. I also want to add in 5K or 10K here or there to gauge to fitness and see how close I am to my goal.

Core & strength work
I started doing regular strength work over the summer and almost immediately saw how much it was helping. It was right after I stopped strength training that I developed a strain in my quad that sidelined me from running for a week. While at the ortho for the strain he told me that my core is not strong enough. Developing a strong core is important for both injury prevention and getting stronger as a runner.

Do the little things right

These are the things that I know I should be doing but still neglect. I'm bringing my foam roller out of the corner and putting it to good use. Rolling coupled with stretching, compression socks and adequate sleep will hopefully help me recover quickly and properly to ensure a healthy and strong training cycle.

Clean up my diet
I may have eaten a few too many cookies over the holidays. Oops. As long as the cookie binges only happen during the holidays I should be okay. I've experimented with cutting out dairy and want to eat around 90% dairy free. Also, more veggies and less processed crap. It's time to start eating like an endurance athlete and fueling my body properly with healthy and wholesome foods.

Work on the mental aspect
This is probably the toughest thing for me in all parts of my life. As a swimmer I was constantly overcome with negative and self-destructive thoughts. My mind tends to cave long before my body does. I got a Believe I Am journal for Christmas and will be putting it to the test to help me overcome some of these mental barriers.

When Mysterious Aches/Pains Strike

For the past two weeks I have been having all sorts of mysterious aches and pains. First it was this weird pain in my left hamstring/hip/glute. I don't really know what or where it was but it disappeared as quickly as it showed up. For the time that the pain was there, though, it was pretty intense. It started on a Saturday morning and by bed time it was so bad I could barely walk. I skipped my scheduled run the next day and went for a bike ride instead. By Monday it was gone. The only problem was that a new pain had showed up in my right upper inner thigh. I get this strong discomfort when I first start running or when I walk down the stairs. It has been going on for a week now so I set up an appointment to get it checked out.

This is the worst time for me to have any kind of injury or pains though. I am just getting to the part of marathon training with the 16-20 mile long runs. I had been feeling really good about where I was with my training and was coming off a really great race. Now I feel defeated and am questioning whether I will even be able to complete my training. I don't have the kind of running background that allows for 1-2 weeks of rest or cross training. I need to be building my mileage and increasing my long runs. Hopefully I am just being dramatic and everything will be fine.



Besides cutting out lifting I have really altered a few aspects of my training. Of course I am doing the usual stretch, ice, foam roll deal but I am taking them to the next level. Since it is the beginning of runs when my leg is bothering me I am starting each run off with a dynamic warm up. Not only does this get the body warmed up but it also stretches out the body in a safe way before starting my run. If I am doing a harder run I end it with a dramatically longer warm down followed by stretching. I am also stretching after easy runs since it is best to stretch after all runs.

If I finish my run at my apartment I foam roll my entire lower body after I am finished stretching. I'm sure it means something, although I am not sure what, but I can replicate the pain in my leg when I roll my hamstring. Since it hurts I don't do that though. My quads and hip flexors are what really seem to be needing the most foam roll love lately. After I am done rolling I then ice my leg. Icing seems to eliminate the pain for at least a little while. If I run at school I still stretch after running but I foam roll and ice later in the day when I get back to my place.

I took it generally easy last week, even cutting out my long run when the pain started to increase. I am also doing a fair amount of cross training in the forms of yoga, swimming, and biking. Although a few people have suggested it, I haven't taken any anti-inflammatory medicines yet, nor do I think I will. I don't like to take any kind of medicine unless it is necessary and right now I want to track my progress to see what is or isn't working. I am also taking the elevator whenever possible since stairs produce the pain as well.

Any suggestions?

When Exhaustion Sets In

For the past few days I have been abnormally tired. I enjoy sleeping in but I have trained myself to  wake up early to get in workouts. I go to bed early and even take frequent naps if I am really tired. Lately though I am to the point where all I want to do is sleep. My body is fighting back.

Today was supposed to be my last hard workout before Sunday's triathlon. It was also supposed to be my last day before my rest week starts. I woke up this morning sore and even more tired than normal. Almost instantly I decided it was better to start my rest week one day early than dig myself into an even deeper hole.

I do think some of this is due to my lupus. Every once in awhile I get tired to the point where I just need to sleep pretty much all day long to catch up. But I regularly get between 8-9 hours of sleep a night so it's not like I am really sleep deprived.

Ever since my first triathlon in July I have really upped both the duration and intensity of my workouts. I started doing two-a-days at least three times a week, with normally at least two days on bricks or other forms of combined workouts. I started adding in weekly long runs and track workouts, and changed my bike focus from long and easy to short and intense.

It really comes as no surprise that I am so tired. My body has been working really hard and deserves some time off. But I don't want to completely stop training since I am running a marathon in 11 weeks. Instead of panicking that my training was going to be ruined I tried to make a rest/recovery plan to get be back to normal.

Extra rest day
My planned rest day was on Saturday but I am taking today off as well. I want to feel refreshed on Sunday and ready to race, not super tired and sluggish. I will be using my extra time to start packing for school and take care of some things that have been put on the back-burner lately.

Super easy workouts
I don't want to take the next few days completely off but I will be keeping my workouts as easy as possible. I want to keep my muscles loose and fresh and ready to race. Not is not the time to try to build fitness. All of the work is done.

Eating the right foods
I started taking a multivitamin back in May but that is not enough to give the body all the micronutrients that it needs. Being a vegetarian I do struggle to get enough protein so that is going to be a focus over these next few days. Primarily though I am going to cut out junk food and try to eat as naturally as possible. My body feels the best after eating natural, wholesome foods.

Stretch, foam roll, compress
Yesterday I got my first pair of compression socks in the mail that I have been living in since I got them. My lower legs feel so much better than normal after track workouts and I credit that to running in the socks. My legs in general are really tight and sore so stretching and foam rolling and becoming a part of my daily routine. I am going to be taking full advantage of tomorrow yoga class as well.

Anything I missed?

Proper Race Recovery

I am still on a runner's high from Saturday's half marathon and I have been itching to get outside for a run all week. But I know that is not a smart idea just yet. I pushed myself hard on Saturday and my body could definitely feel it on Sunday. The last thing I want is to get injured because I jumped back into running too quickly. Even though I am no longer sore I know that my body needs more time to recover. Because I do not do well unless I outline my plan for things, I put together a recovery plan to get me ready for my next training cycle healthy and happy.

1. At least five days of no running. Even though I want to run, there is really no need for me to run just yet. After my first half marathon I only took three days off and as a result dealt with IT Band pain for almost two months. Originally I was planning to take an entire week off from running but since I am home for spring break I can run on the trail here which is both flat and soft.

2. Indulge a little, but eat a healthy diet. I definitely ate whatever I wanted Saturday through Monday. I was constantly hungry and just wanted junk food. Since this week requires no training I think it okay to indulge a little more than normal. But at the same time, eating healthy foods will help my body recover better because it is being fueled properly. This week is all about balance and moderation.

3. Active recovery. Since my legs weren't too sore I started taking 2-3 mile walks on Monday. It feels really nice to loosen up the legs without any impact or requiring any effort from them. I am also planning on hitting the recumbent bike that is at my house for some easy biking. I really love using the recumbent bike and I know my legs will appreciate being able to do something this week.

4. Stretch and foam roll often. I have kind of become obsessed with my foam roller lately. I love the hurts so good feeling and my body feels amazing afterwards. The only thing that is still tight is my hips and I know that some quality TLC with the foam roller will take care of that. I have also been looking up some different stretches online to make sure that my body is being fully stretched. The biggest thing for me is to make sure that I don't get injured.

5. Ice. It may not be as helpful now but icing really helps my legs recover from tough runs, especially my knees. My muscles aren't really sore anymore but my knees always appreciate a nice ice session. My hips and IT Bands could always benefit from some ice too.

6. Sleep, sleep, sleep. Since this is my spring break I don't have to get up early and can sleep in as late as I want. I am taking full advantage of this and catching up on all of the sleep that I lost due to studying. I don't know the science behind it but sleeping really helps the body recover also, so win win situation.

7. Hydrate. This goes along with eating well. Staying hydrated helps the body do its job by fueling it. A dehydrated body is more tired and unable to do all of the things that it needs to to recover from a tough race. Additionally, it is important to rehydrate after sweating out so much fluid during the race.

Lessons Learned from Half Marathon #2

Like all races, the Rock N' Roll USA Half Marathon on Saturday was a learning experience. I wrote a post about the things I learned from running the Baltimore Half Marathon in October and I often referenced it while training for my second half marathon. I love being able to look back on what did and did not work during training. Even though Saturday's race was not my first, I think it was the most informative. So in no specific order:

1. I NEED to figure out how to fuel during long runs. I have done minimal experimenting with hydration during longer runs and no experimenting with eating or gels during long runs. During Saturday's race I drank a bottle of nuun but I could tell during the race that I needed something more. The idea of taking a gel kind of freaks me out but I am heading to the store anyway this week to buy different brands and flavors of gels and chews to try so that during my next race I will have a successful nutrition plan.

2. I need to work on my nutrition in general. It is pretty difficult to be a college student and always eat a healthy and balanced diet but I know I can do better. When I first became a vegetarian I always made sure I was getting enough protein, iron, and calcium. Lately, though, most of my meals consist of solely carbs. As much as I love carbs, I know that eating more balanced meals will help fuel my body through training.

3. Hydration is key. "Hydration is key" is a phrase that my swim coach used to always say. Regardless, I do not drink as much as I should be. Many runs have been ruined because I have been dehydrated and I do not want to continue that trend into further training. I have been doing a better job of hydrating lately and I can tell a big difference from days when I don't drink enough. 

4. Stretching and foam rolling consistently really do make a big difference. I bought a foam roller with a gift card I got for Christmas and I am so glad I did. Like most people, I could be better about foam rolling and stretching. But I did try to regularly do both after long or hard runs and I always felt so much better afterwards. Sometimes it is hard to find time to do these things but it is so worth it.

5. Pre-race anxiety is my drug of choice. Some people hate pre-race anxiety but I revel in it. I love the feeling I get in the week leading up to a big race. This feeling is my happy place and my comfort zone. It is a feeling that I grew up with and that I am familiar with. This feeling is one of the main reasons why I race, honestly. 

6. I am stronger mentally than I thought. When I was a swimmer I frequently struggled with panic attacks and was the victim of my own mental games. It got to the point that when faced with a challenge I would give up without even trying. During Saturday's race I fought mentally harder than I ever have before and in the end I didn't give up. I love that running has taught me how to be strong again. Thank you, running.

7. No matter how slow your time, running a half marathon is a great accomplishment. Compared to many of my favorite running bloggers I am beyond slow. But that doesn't matter. I did my best and pushed myself to my limits regardless of what my time is and that is what is most important. Running a half marathon is never an easy task for anyone.

It's Getting Closer!

5 days until race day! I am getting more and more excited by the minute! I have so many things running through my mind right now about all of the things that I still have to do before the end of the week. It's kind of weird because if I didn't have a race this weekend then I wouldn't be getting very much sleep this week due to studying for midterms. But this is really not the week to skimp on sleep. I love going to bed early though so this shouldn't be too much of a problem.

I have been trying to figure out how much and when I should run this week. My legs have been crazy tight from my hard run Tuesday and P90X yoga on Thursday so I want to let them recover but still get in enough miles. I went for a short two mile run last night but my knee started hurting about half way through so I started to get concerned.

I decided to try to run again tonight with three easy miles. The knee had calmed down and wasn't hurting at all! My legs were super tired still though. I stopped a few times for some stretching and that really seemed to help. I try not to stop during runs but sometimes a little stretching can make a big difference. Despite how my legs were feeling, it was a gorgeous day and I was so thankful to be able to run later in the afternoon.

After I finished my run I went into full recovery mode. I drank a glass of chocolate milk followed by some water, and then stretched and foam rolled for about half an hour. Foam rolling hurt pretty badly and I had to keep taking breaks but my legs felt so much better once I was done. I'm actually amazed at how much of a difference some TLC can make!

Now I'm off to bed to catch some extra z's. This week is all about rest and preparing for the big day!

The Importance of Stretching

I started running back in April by training for a 5K in May. Then I ran another 5K in June. Over the summer I decided that I wanted to train to run a half marathon. I decided on running the Baltimore Half Marathon on October 15 and started training right away.

When I was training for my first 5K I was never sore. I had been an athlete all my life so training to run 3.1 miles was nothing too spectacular to push my body to do. Because of that, I never really stretched.

Even throughout my half marathon training, I was never sore and therefore did not stretch. I wasn't running very many miles so I just thought that stretching wasn't really going to be able to help me all that much.

Then race day came. I was feeling great up until mile 9ish and then I started to develop a terrible pain in my right now that almost caused me to walk the rest of the race. I was too determined to run the whole to stop and walk but I was really hurting.

I was sore the day after the race and I did some stretching. Then I started running again and discovered that the pain in my right knee was still there. I tried icing, stretching, advil, rest, and when none of those things were helping I decided to see an sports medicine orthopaedic surgeon.

He told me that I had aggravated my IT band and that I could have prevented this by stretching after each run. I felt so stupid. I had always known stretching was important but I neglected to do it because I was never sore or felt I needed to.

Well now I have been stretching before and after each run. I am trying to do everything possible to make this a little flare up and not an actual injury. I am even working on getting a foam roller to help with this process.

So let me go on the record and say that stretching is incredibly important and absolutely necessary to keeping your body healthy. Please, don't wait until it is too late like I did. It only takes a couple minutes to stretch after you run and your body will thank you for doing so.

What are your favorite/most helpful stretches? Do you stretch after every run?