Marathon Training Archives

Keeping your body healthy during marathon season

October 19, 2016 by Kate 2 Comments

We are in the throes of marathon season. In the North East, the weather has shifted and it feels like autumn! Runners are either 1) feeling really good, 2) stressed that their mileage is not high enough and they are behind in their training, or 3) starting to feel a little beat up.

Often #2, stress about low mileage, leads to #3, over-training and injury. Runners worry that they’re behind and jump from running 25 miles a week to 40 and then “overuse” injuries pop up.

My Story

This has certainly happened to me in the past. My first few years of running, I was plagued by overuse injuries. In speaking with runners regularly, I found that this is pretty common, especially if you’re coming into running without an athletic base.

I went from a relatively sedentary lifestyle, sitting at a desk for the bulk of 10 hours per day to marathon training in just over a year. My body seemed able to handle the training load for a half distance without any cross-training or strength training. I just ran. At the time, I had no idea how to incorporate strength training into my running routine and I had no appreciation for the benefits of a strong core for running. I ran 5 days a week, usually at the exact same pace every time, only varying the distance on a given day.

Once my training plan started calling for longer runs (more than 12 or 13 miles), the wheels fell off. Ok, my legs didn’t literally fall off, but little injuries started popping up. For me, it was mostly hip and IT band related. The more I ran, the worse they got.

I still remember the first time I ran in Central Park. I was living in Baltimore at the time and I registered for Grete’s Gallop, a half marathon that went 2x around the hilly ~6.1 mile loop, with my boyfriend. About half way through, my left hip started bothering me and I began walk-running. Afterwards, I told Michael (my new(ish) boyfriend, at the time) how much I hated Central Park. Haha, thank goodness my feelings changed.

I was eager to get to the bottom of this hip issue so I went to see a sports medicine doctor, who ordered a bunch of tests. They are all inconclusive. I had no broken bones. And then I went to a active release therapist. Finally, a hip doctor who detected a labral tear and suggested we either operate or I get a cortisone shot. This was a long hunt for the root cause, which spanned the better part of 2 years. Even after a diagnosis from the hip guy, my gut told me that small labral tears were not causing my issue.

After all of that, I was talking to another athlete who decisively said, “I bet your ass is weak.”

“Excuse me?”

Yeah, he explained. These injuries are pretty common in new runners and can usually be alleviated by cross-training or lifting to strengthen the glutes and hamstrings. In some cases, I see runners who have strength in these muscles, but they don’t know how to engage them when they run. Activation is the issue. Either way, cross-training can help solve the problem.

And sure enough, when I started my first tri season soon after, I could feel the back of my legs and my core developing. Swimming, biking, and running several times in one week left my legs feeling heavy, but the soreness I felt slowly became less intense as my body adjusted. And my hip issue was soon a distant memory.

What you can do

If you’re in this boat, you may have upped your mileage too quickly, which exacerbated a muscular imbalance that you have. If you think your pain is from an overuse injury, I have a few tips for you:

Skip the doctor and go right to a Physical Therapist (PT). If you don’t already have someone you know and trust, choose one who works with endurance athletes. The PT can give you a number of exercises to do and sessions are sometimes covered by insurance! The thing is, you have to actually DO the exercises the PT prescribes so I always recommend going to the PT at least a few times to build the habit. Plus, you’ll often receive short massages so office visits can be worth the time and investment.
Incorporate regular cross-training. For me, cycling has been a really great way to engage the back of my legs and butt. If you’re having trouble activating your posterior chain while doing these activities, imagine you’re squeezing a quarter in between your cheeks. Swimming is great for your core. If your injury is not preventing you from running, hill work is a great way to build muscle and activate your rear. cross-training can replace a couple of your easy-paced runs per week.
Create your own strength regimen & incorporate it a few times a week. There are so many useful tools for this online. I like to see demos of new exercises to ensure I’m doing the correctly so I frequently use Runner’s World videos and other free online resources. Examples of moves that can help with common overuse injuries include, clam shells, monster walk, squats (double & single leg), lunges, plank & push-ups.

If you’re feeling a little worse for the wear, don’t wait, head straight into see your Physical Therapist. Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

On Changing Up Your Fitness Routine

September 23, 2016 by Kate Leave a Comment

I’ve failed at most of my long runs lately, not because I can’t go the distance, but because I am bored AF. I thought after ironman training that I’d feel a little burnt out, but it turns out that I’m burnt to a crisp. I think it’s normal, but that doesn’t make it any easier or help me feel any better, if I’m being honest. Who wants to be “normal”? It’s a bad word in our household. I’m being serious. So, I’m changing it up a little by trying some different fitness classes in NYC through ClassPass.

What is ClassPass?

I bought a $19 (discounted) month of ClassPass in the beginning of September. It’s a subscription-based app that gives you access to x number of fitness classes per month (x depends on your plan). Mine included 5 classes in one month for $19, which is usually $75.

If you’re someone who would prefer to take classes at a boutique fitness studio rather than having a gym membership, ClassPass enables you to do that at a bit of a discount. Here’s what it looks like in your browser. The app is well-designed and easy to use!

Pilates @ Ballet Academy East

So far, I’ve completed 3 classes, the most recent of which was a Pilates mat class at the Ballet Academy East, a few blocks from my apartment. Admittedly, I have tried Pilates before, but despite my own mother being a skilled Pilates instructor, I am very much a beginner.

The instructor was a 56-year-old former dancer who could still do the splits. I know because she was complaining about how tight her hamstrings were, but how she could still do a split, and proceeded to show us. I have never been able to do the splits. When I was 8 years old, I was close, but it’s only gone downhill from there. I guess I’m aging.

Two other students were in the class, both women, probably in their late 50s or early 60s. I came to find out that one of them would attend her actual workout later that day. This was some sort of warm-up, I guess. The other woman didn’t appear to be a dancer, but she’d clearly attended about 50 more Pilates classes than I had. So, yeah, this would be fun.

The class was challenging, but we soon established that my hamstrings were super tight and the instructor was really accommodating. Anyway, the point of this story is to tell you what I learned, which is 1) you are most certainly NOT too old to start a fitness routine, and 2) what makes our bodies effective in one sport (say running) does not necessarily translate to another (Pilates).

I walked out of there feeling about an inch taller and far more limber.

The Distance @ Mile High Run Club

The morning before, I took a treadmill running class at Mile High Run Club in the East Village. Despite not being much of a treadmill lover, I decided to take the class because Michael was teaching and the kids are with my parents this week (party!!).

Michael is one of the most creative people I know and his classes show it. There is a theme for every class – it’s a race, often a marathon or half marathon, but sometimes something shorter. So, after warming up, you spend time during the main set doing race-specific training, including hills, speed, tempo, etc. Then, you get a little bit of active recovery before you are dropped into a 5-minute race simulation. Michael ties it all together with music that relates to the theme, too.

Michael chose The Big 5 marathon in Johannesburg, South Africa for Wednesday’s class. I was pretty touched because he started mentioning things like, “runners run with the animals”, and “you have to work your way out of a valley or ‘rut’ just like in real life”. And I felt like he was talking to me. I mean, I am definitely the only animal-lover, who is currently working her way out of a rut, right? Lol. I’m kidding, but I did ask him later and he fessed up to choosing the race with me in mind. Yeah, he’s pretty cool. <3

I encourage you to try ClassPass, if you live in a city where it is offered! You can sign up here (they usually have good introductory deals)! I think it can be a great tool for when you’re feeling burnt out or just need to add some cross-training into your routine.

Also, if you aren’t receiving emails from me, you can sign up here. I’m in the midst of creating a vegan starter guide for athletes that I’d love to share with you!

xoxo,

Kate

How One Couple Balances Training for Endurance Sports and Parenting Young Children

December 27, 2015 by Kate 2 Comments

We’ve all heard it… First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage. What they don’t tell you is what happens after that. And it’s probably a good thing because for many parents, then comes sleep deprivation, countless interactions with bodily fluids, droopy mom & dad bods, and general lack of interests outside of one’s family… because who the heck has the time or energy for THAT?

Needless to say, we aren’t ‘on plan’ around here – we aren’t hitched, and much to our surprise and delight, there were two babies in the carriage. The sleep deprivation part was real and so is the bodily fluid handling, but we are determined to keep up with our hobbies… EVEN IF IT KILLS US, damnit! And we are NOT retreating to the suburbs (if Michael read my blog, he’d be jumping for joy right now)… not yet, anyway.

So, rewinding to the love part – common interests, arguably, are at least somewhat important when it comes to choosing a life partner. I was always most interested in dates who were different enough to be exciting, but at the end of the day, there has to be some common ground. Ultimately, I found it important to be paired up with someone who shares at least some of my interests. Michael is far more likely to throw a small gathering with 50 of his closest friends than I am (read: I don’t have 50 friends). I’m 100x more likely to be found curled up reading a novel than he is. I am actually not sure I’ve ever seen him read a book. In terms of common interests, we began running and competing in endurance sports as adults, and deep down, we both value health, growth & development, and the lessons we’ve learned through team and individual sports.

While he’s sliiiiightly faster than I am (ok, he’s in a whole different league), it is nice to have someone at home who “gets it” – the soreness, the hangry-ness that sets in when blood sugar plummets, the moments of waining motivation, the depression that follows soon after injury, and the good stuff, too! … the breakthroughs, the PRs, the quick and intense bonding with teammates, being inspired by others, inspiring others, and so much more good that comes from pushing your physical limits through endurance sports.

So things were humming along smoothly. We were in love. Michael was racing ironmans. I was running quite a bit and considering getting back into multisport. All was swell. And then we learned that we were expecting, not one, but two babies!! Of course, we were elated, but we couldn’t help but worry that our days of training were numbered. Managing a household, our careers and now being responsible for two tiny humans was a giant undertaking that pushed us out of our comfort zones. The kids are 1.5 years old now, and I’m still not sure either of us are really comfortable with our new normal – it changes weekly – but we have managed to run 7 marathons between us since the twins came along (me: NY, Chicago, NY and Michael: Boston, NY, Boston, NY) so that’s something.

And now, I’m taking on Ironman in a year when Michael has at least 2 marathons scheduled. It isn’t for the faint of heart, but training as a new parent is do-able. I’d love to share some of what I’ve learned so far on my journey with you.

Here’s what’s worked for us in order to juggle two training schedules and two kids under two:

Check your commitment level – Training requires sacrifice across other areas of life and both parents need to be on board and ready for this sacrifice. Before you begin, think of some of the things you’ll have to give up – are they worth it for the feelings you’ll get in return? Aside from the moment I gave birth to my kids, I can’t think of a better feeling than crossing a finish line in a race when you know you’ve given your all. I assure you that whatever you have to give up will be worth it, but if you aren’t convinced, you should reevaluate your plans.

Choose races wisely – if possible, pick races for which your training is peaking a bit before or after your partner’s peak. Both of us running Fall marathons in 2015 made things stressful, which is part of the reason we’ve decided to stagger our races a bit more in the coming year. Michael will run Boston before my training peaks for Ironman Lake Placid, which will occur before his training peaks for a fall marathon. Just as when you’re single, it’s wise to have A, B and C races throughout a season, you should rank the races in your household.

Make a schedule – there’s no avoiding this. We joke that 90% of our communication since having kids is about logistics – it’s sort of true. We have a shared Google calendar where we record our planned training sessions. We also make time on Sunday evenings to review the week ahead to make sure we have coverage at home.

Understand that the schedule will evolve – as tempting as it is (for me) to be very rigid about the calendar, training requires loads of energy so if the kids were up 5x the night prior or if someone gets sick, workouts change. And since you are usually met with the same graciousness you give out in a partnership, I learned the hard way that it is best to try to be understanding when your partner just isn’t feeling it and needs to reschedule his workout (which may negatively impact your training). Cest la vie!

Don’t be afraid to call in reinforcements – I am a big do it yourselfer – It is something that is bred into me. I come from a long line if highly independent and self-sufficient people. Call it pride or stubbornness… call it whatever you want, but I just don’t like asking for help, free or paid. So this little piece of advice that I’m dispensing actually goes against most of the fibers in my being, but it is important. Managing a household, children, a job, and training is huge. And sometimes you just need a little break to be a better, more effective, version of yourself. So, if budgets allow or if you have generous family and friends who can provide childcare or prepare a meal, consider bringing in outside help! Chances are, your family and friends will enjoy the change of pace that comes with watching your kids. Then come back to your family, work or training feeling engaged and rejuvenated.

What are your tips for new parents who are interested in training or getting back into sport? I’m curious, what worked for you? And what did you find most challenging?

Happy Training!

Last Minute Gift Guide for the Mother Runner / Triathlete in your Life

December 17, 2015 by Kate 4 Comments

There are just 8 days until Christmas. If you celebrate, it’s time to get moving on the gift buying. I ordered some items on Amazon that, despite my Prime Membership, won’t make it to me until 12/28. I know. Unbelievable! I know… I’m really spoiled by Amazon Prime.

Personally, what I want most for Christmas is to spend time with my family, immediate and extended, enjoying good company and good food. Despite my best efforts to convey this to my parents, grandma and other relatives, however, I can tell they have a ways to go before they get into the whole ‘minimalist Christmas’ thing. I do believe we’ll get there – I just think it will take a few years.

So, if like me, your loved ones want some hints about gifts on your wish list this year OR if you have a mother runner / triathlete in your life who you want to surprise with something lovely, here’s a my list of gift ideas, all of which can be procured or created at the very last-minute.

Babysitting Coupons – Especially during my pregnancy, loads of people offered to watch my twins for me once they were born – the generosity of this offer is not lost on me, buuuuut how many times has it actually happened? Zero (not counting my mother, who is also our current nanny). To be fair, I haven’t asked – it’s just not my style. So, if babysitting is truly something you’re up for, put it on paper, make sure the receiver knows you’re serious, and follow-up to schedule a time.

Delicious Coffee and Travel Mug – and I don’t mean Starbucks. My household is currently obsessed with Stumptown Coffee. We go through so much coffee these days – it’s unreal. In my opinion, there’s nothing better than fresh, hot coffee, brewed at home. But since we are usually sprinting from home to the pool to work and back to the gym again, we need a solid, leak-proof cup that holds enough coffee to keep us going and keeps its contents nice and toasty!

Triathlete T3 Kit – I think that combining some great ‘transition’ gear (that enables the speedy transition from training to work… the third transition in triathlon) in a waterproof cosmetic bag can be an easy last-minute idea. And it enables you to be creative with the contents, most of which can be found at your local drugstore (in case you’re reading this on December 24^th). My ideal bag would contain:
1. Aveda dry shampoo
2. Face wash wipes
3. Disposable razor
4. Hair ties (for those who have long locks)
5. Travel sized tinted moisturizer (with spf) and mascara – for me these are the basics that I usually wear even on minimalist make-up days
6. Protein bars – for recovery, of course. My favorite are Vega
7. Electrolyte tabs – Nuun or Endurolyte Fizz
8. Tiny first aid kit – with band-aids and antiseptic wipes

Meal prep for a week – For this gift, you can hire a cook or DIY. My sole experience with a gift like this (so far) was when my SO met a personal chef in the RRCA coaching class he took, who he later hired in advance of a particularly busy week to prep meals for us. The result was amazing! We had healthy, delicious vegan meals packaged and labeled in our fridge to eat from for about 4 days. Highly recommended.

Happy shopping to you! I’m wishing Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to all of the mother runner / triathletes (and their loving, supportive, awesome families)!

7 Ways to Keep Running During the Cold Winter

December 2, 2015 by Kate 5 Comments

For too many years I followed the same pattern of consistent running in the summer and fall only to abandon my outdoor runs as the days shortened and the air turned crisp. I was a fair weather runner. The following spring I’d regress back to my race times from the start of the previous summer and kick myself for what I perceived as a clear lack of discipline. Meanwhile, my training partners that trained through the winter were faster than ever.

Winter is fast approaching and if you live in a place where the weather fluctuates seasonally, you may already be feeling the lure of binge watching Netflix wrapped in a soft blanket, on a comfy couch, sipping a warm cup of tea. Motivating to go outside in the frigid conditions for a run feels harder than it was a month ago, and the treadmill is a bore.

Here are a few tricks to overcome the lure of the warm sofa to keep running through winter.

Set a vision. A vision is an idea for the future that guides and provides direction. If you aren’t sure of your vision, consider your answers to the following questions:

What excites you most about running? What are the benefits of running consistently? What are the consequences of not running consistently? Ultimately, what do you aim to achieve with your running?

For example, for me, running gives me time to myself and time to think. I also love the feeling of progressing towards a goal, whether that means building volume for a marathon or trying to get faster in the 5k. When I don’t run, I have less energy – my mood (and everyone around me) suffers. My big goal: to qualify for the Boston Marathon within 5 years.

Tap into your emotions. Often underestimated, emotions are a great source of energy. Your emotions, not logic, are what determine if you lace up or wrap up (in that soft blanket on the couch). Remind yourself of your vision, and connect with the emotions wrapped up in it. Consider signing up for a spring race or setting a specific goal, one that elicits emotion, like fear or excitement. If you’re someone who doesn’t enjoy letting others down, consider registering for a relay race or group competition.

Refresh your running wardrobe. The holidays are a great time to drop hints to loved ones about new apparel for your cold weather running wardrobe. If it’s been a while since you’ve been shopping, they make some really smart fabrics these days that can handle a warm sweaty body moving through sub-freezing temperatures. Temperature appropriate gloves, hat, tights, and vest are a must so if you don’t find any in your stocking, stop by your local running store to test out cold weather gear.

There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.

– A. Wainwright

Make safety a priority. Since the winter days are shorter, when running outdoors it’s likely you will find yourself in the dark, at least occasionally. It’s important that you see and be seen. To stay safe, choose low car traffic/ high visibility running routes, invest in highly reflective fabrics, and strap on a headlamp.

Recruit a friend. Not only does a reliable running partner help foster accountability, but running in challenging conditions is always more fun when you have someone there to commiserate with and appreciate how totally, extremely, awesomely nuts you both are!

Give the treadmill another chance. Not all treadmills are created equal. I wrote them off long ago because running on them just didn’t feel good to me, but I recently had the opportunity to run on a Woodway treadmill, and it was a game changer! Experiment if you can.

Bonus: If you live in a major city, you can find indoor running studios cropping up, most of which boast high-end treadmills, grade A effects (sound & light), and energetic instructors calling the shots. And hour on the treadmill flies by.

Change it up. If conditions are icy or unsafe or if you simply cannot muster the energy to get outside for a run, don’t hesitate to replace a couple of runs per week with indoor workouts, like spinning, rowing or strength training.

Netflix and your couch aren’t going anywhere. You won’t regret running during the cold winter when you’re faster than ever, setting personal records in 2016.