RUN LONG AND PROSPER

Ahhh, long run day.  You just have to love long run days.  No seriously, you do!

I shake my head whenever I hear someone say "I just did a 20 mile run, I'm ready for that marathon".  All I can think is "and good luck with that".

If your plan is to run/walk/run/walk a marathon, its a great strategy. However, your still going to need more than one long practice run.  Remember...respect the race (even if your not "racing" it). Respect the distance! 26.2 miles is a LONG way to go.

DISTANCE RUNNING ISN'T A NUMBERS GAME:

Since there are several variables that go into distance running, you can't focus on distance as the one and only variable.  Long run days are a way to introduce your body to what distance "feels" like.  Its a way to discover what nutrition and hydration your body will need and tolerate on race day.  You'll discover at what point you "hit the wall" and armed with that knowledge you can hopefully prepare yourself to deal with it before it happens.  Mentally speaking? Long run days are the best way to prepare your mind for what lies ahead.  Because trust me, the mental part of long distance running is something that needs to be practiced.

Last year I was training for the Disney World Marathon.  Right out of the gate, I started training too hard and adding distance on too soon. From day one I began over-training and injured my SI joint, my Piriformis muscle and I had posterior hip rotation on my right side.  Essentially, I was a mess.  I began panicking that I wasn't even going to make it to the start line at that point. Mentally, it's an awful way to go into a marathon.

Mile 20 of the DisneyWorld Marathon in 2014

After 7 weeks of rehabilitation, training less but smarter, and finding the most FABULOUS Chiropractor in the state of New Jersey, I made it to the start line feeling pretty good. I did the marathon with my niece and it was our first marathon ever. Even though we didn't have a specific time goal in mind, we still incorporated several long distance runs into our training plan.  Respect the distance!

This year is very different though.  In January 2015, I'll be running the Louisiana Marathon by myself and I have a time goal in mind.  I'd like to see how close I can get to qualifying for Boston.  My dream is to finish in 3:45 but 3:55 or less would technically give me a Boston qualifying time. Even with lots practice, there's never a guarantee on race day. So if I'm taking selfies during the marathon, it means it was a bad day for me.

Long Slow Run Days:

Currently I'm doing long run days again, but this time I'm being smarter and more cautious about over-training.  I run 3 days a week and I cross train with bicycling and swimming.  The more long distance I practice, the more I've discovered that I "hit the wall" at about mile 18.  Part of practice is to make sure that I'm fueling and hydrating properly throughout the entire run.  To me, hitting the wall means that something is off and it can be one or several different reasons.  This is why it's so important to incorporate more than one long run day into your training schedule.

Every 4 miles I eat either a packet of Honey Stingers or a packet of sports beans or a packet of GU (Salted Caramel is the only flavor I can tolerate).  As soon as I'm done eating the entire packet, I make sure to follow it up with plenty of water.  I continue this ritual every 4 miles alternating between different packets of fuel.  This system (eating every 4 miles and drinking water immediately afterwards) is new to me, but so far I'm having good success with it.  Use your long run days to find out what works and doesn't work for you personally.  And, DO NOT DRINK A SPORTS DRINK FOLLOWING GELS, SPORTS BEANS OR GU!  You should drink water after consuming these!

Mentally, I get myself stoked about running...even if it's just a practice run.  Your attitude going into a race or run will dictate EVERYTHING about that run.  You must keep a positive, and if possible, excited attitude about running.  Leave all negativity at home.  I remind myself to relax my neck and shoulders during the run.  I try to smile often because it relaxes me and makes me feel happy.  I try not to dwell on every ache and pain that pops up.  I tell myself "see, this isn't so bad". I practice putting my thoughts somewhere else. 

Anytime I've gone into a race with a negative vibe, I never, ever do my best.  But if I go into a race feeling positive and excited, I typically PR.  So running distance IS ALL IN YOUR HEAD!  Be positive! Be excited! Be confident!  Know that you have practiced this distance more than once and that your body and mind knows how to handle it.  If for any reason you find yourself in pain, you must STOP.  It's never, ever worth injuring yourself!  There will be other races.

Below you'll find a fabulous article from the NY Times about fueling.  This is the strategy that I'm currently using during my long training runs.  So far it's working out well for me.  And please, don't try anything new on race day.  Practice your race day strategy during practice...or else your asking for trouble and a miserable race experience.
 Happy Running!

SPORTS GELS CAN IMPROVE MARATHON TIMES, BUT PACE THEM RIGHT

My weekly training schedule:
Monday: Run 8-10 miles
Tuesday: Bike 20 miles, Swim 1 mile
Wednesday: Run 16-22 miles, one minute per-mile slower than marathon race pace
Thursday: Swim 1 mile
Friday: Swim 1 mile
Saturday: Run 8-10 miles
Sunday: REST
* Bike and swim days are done at a comfortable pace. I do not kill myself on these days since I want to leave something in the tank for run days