Tag: marathon

marathon monday running blog about training for Boston Marathon
running

Marathon Monday: The Miles to Boston Pt. 6

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7 Mondays Until Boston! 

Another week of training in the books.  This week did not feel particularly good, but I hit most weekly mileage for this training block, made it into 2 strength classes with Petra, and had a solid 20-miler.  So while things did not feel great (low energy, throbbing legs, tender toenails), hard things still got done. This past week felt like an important week of pushing through and getting some solid work in.  I know there are really only a few solid more weeks left of really hard training before the taper will begin. I want to take full advantage of this time to push myself and run hard and long.  

Even as I type up this recap, I can tell my enthusiasm and motivation to do so is a bit lower than it was last week.  Last week, I just wrapped up a great week of training where I felt amazing. This week is a different story. My toenails feel like they are going to fall off.  My head feels foggy and tired. The fatigue is really beginning to set in. With that said, I am going to keep this short and sweet so I can maybe lay down for a few minutes before Hudson wakes up!

These easy sunrise runs are some of my favorite miles of the week.

The Miles

  • 8 miles on the strand with jogger
  • 7 solo park loop miles
  • 10 miles with a workout (3 miles of slightly faster than goal race pace, 6:15ish + 4 x 1 K, these were supposed to be 5:40ish pace, but I was dying and did not hit pace) 
  • 8 miles on the strand with jogger
  • 6 solo park loop miles 
  • 20 miles! Solo.  Headphones made it a bit less lonely. This one hurt, but after the fact, I was pleased when I saw overall stats for the run.  More on this at the end!

The only part I want to expand on is that Wednesday workout.  I am the type of person that hates changing a workout. I am pretty determined to hit all my splits and finish a workout in its entirety.  This was not the case for that Wednesday. It was supposed to be 5 Ks, but I texted Lance after 3 and asked him what I should do since I was dying.  I was already way off pace and felt empty.  I ended up doing one more and calling it a day after 4.  This is so not me to cut it short, but I also know my body really well and on that day, my body was done.  There was nothing left. After recovering for a couple miles on the way home, I tried doing some pick-up 100 meters to make for the shortened workout, but even that felt hard.  

Besides the fact that my body is still adjusting to more mileage, it was also super hot out (hello, February in Southern California) and I am not very good at changing pace.  The 3 mile tempo part felt totally fine. It was right when I started the thousands that my legs felt like bricks. I need to work on getting better at changing gears.

What I am Listening To 

I listened to a lot of different interviews this past week.  There were a lot of solo miles with headphones. Of everything I listened to there was only one episode that really stuck with me and inspired me.  It was an interview with Veronica Jackson and Alex Bernardi on the Ali on the Run Show.  They both ran at the trials! They are two friends that pushed each other to believe in this shared goal of qualifying amidst full-time jobs and families.  I love their story. I love their dedication to dream big together. This episode was a treat to listen to and it made me really want to find a group like the women that run at 5:45 in Central Park.  Maybe, we just need to move to New York.  

How I am Fueling

Really it is all the same.  The only thing I need to add is Trader Joe’s cold brew latte dessert bars made the perfect mid-afternoon pick me up as my energy was really dragging in this hot week of training. 

Also, salt sticks, which I mentioned last week, has been a real game changer for me on my long runs.

Bowling with family really was the perfect way to spend our 20 miler.

Recovery

  • Sunday Nap 
  • Stretching at parks, while Hudson plays
  • Bowling? After our 20 miler, we bowled with Grandma Jo! It was a good reminder why I run and I don’t bowl.
  • Clearly, not a whole lot of recovery being done.  I really need to commit to rolling before bed. 

Cross-Training

  • 2 strength classes with Petra.  This will probably be my last week of these classes, since my membership just ended. I am likely not going to renew it.  I am going to have to figure out a way to supplement these classes in the weeks of training ahead.  This will probably involve some creativity and planks in our living room.

What I Keep Telling Myself 

You will eventually feel good.

This was not my week.  Things are hurting. The workout nearly killed me.  However, I still have confidence that fitness will come together in the remaining weeks and I will eventually wake up actually feeling good!  The time will come.  

Also, telling myself that the whole Boston experience is going to be so much fun.  It is beginning to feel closer and both Lance and I are getting more excited. We both will have family coming to watch, which is super special and just last week, we all got tickets to a Red Sox game.  Maybe not the best pre-race activity for a pro, but hey, that is not us, so anything goes, really.  

High + Low

HIGH

  • Hudson has finally gotten used to being back in the jogger and he has been an angel on our 8 milers.  My pace has been real SLOW on these jogger runs, so he has been extra patient to hang out in jogger for a bit over an hour.  
  • 20 miles! It did not feel perfect, but 20 miles is 20 miles.  It always feels like an accomplishment to get these 20 miler training runs in.  

Low

  • So tired!
  • The workout 
It is pretty amazing that these are my views on my run. It does not get old.

The Long Run

Thankful to have a community of loving family and friends that help out with Hudson so we can get our long runs in! Also, Hudson learned to say “Google.”

This long run was a bit different from the typical one.  Since family friends were watching Hudson, we decided to save a bit of time and run from their place in Hermosa Beach and just go out 10 miles and back 10 miles.  From Hermosa, we both made it pretty far into Palos Verdes.  

The run itself was a good mixture of flat, road surfaces and hilly trails.  It was a bit lonely, since we both did the run solo, but I think it built some good mental toughness.  

The last few miles were definitely a bit painful.  My hips felt like they were on fire. I pushed through and even got some faster mile splits in as I was on a flat surface.  While, I chose to not do an intentional workout, I did focus on staying as controlled as possible and getting faster in the last half.  

Here are the stats: 

  • 2 hours 31 minutes
  • 20 miles
  • 7:34 minutes/mile average.  
  • Fastest mile was the 19th mile at 6:36.  

Okay, I am exhausted.  This is all I got for this week.  Hopefully next week I can report with a bit more energy and enthusiasm!

marathon monday running blog about training for Boston Marathon
running

Marathon Monday: The Miles to Boston Pt. 5

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8 Mondays Until Boston!

Things are finally feeling like they are coming together fitness wise.  This past week of training, a lot of the pain from last week went away and I was left feeling really strong.  

This was a solid week of training.  I think the slight down week with a shorter long run last week, helped my body recover.  I hit 55 miles and ran my longest run of this training block. The Wednesday workout really surprised me and faster pace came more naturally.  The workout was a huge confidence builder and it made me feel like my 2:48 goal is indeed possible.  

This week, running came easily.  The miles flowed together without a ton of resistance on my part. Things did not feel like quite a struggle compared to the previous week.  This week, I felt like I was doing exactly what I was made to do.  

As much as I sometimes fight against going out on a run or getting a hard workout in, there is no denying that running is the place I feel most at home and confident.  

I was reminded of this during my workout on Wednesday.  Prior to this workout, I was feeling a bit all over the place. The house was a disaster.  The body felt tired and unmotivated. The baby was vying for my attention and I felt distracted. 

This is the headspace I was in when I started my workout.  It was in the middle of mile repeats that I hit a stride. Suddenly, the mess, the tiredness, the distraction, all melted away.  I felt laser-focused. Everything within the home that was pulling at me, mattered a bit less. All that I saw was the next mile before me: each one clicking away. These sub-6 consecutive miles did not feel nearly as hard as I was expecting. It felt like I was made for them. My training so far made these mile repeats actually feel fun.  It felt, in a weird way, like medicine. The very thing my body and mind needed.  

Find your mile repeats.  For you, it might not look like running hard miles on the strand and obsessively checking your watch.  For you, it might be in the kitchen as you whip together a Baked Alaska. For you, it might be behind a canvas with a paintbrush in hand.  For you, it might be in the garden. Whatever, it is, find your space where you can feel at home, confident in doing hard things. Find your own mile repeats that can remind you of your strengths.  The mess at home will slowly melt away. Something changes when I am out there running hard miles. The mom hat is off. It is just me, the road, and the clock. I can run with a freedom in being able to push myself as I lean into the gifts God handpicked for me. 

Clearly, I had a good week with running.  Let’s get into the details.  

The Miles

  • 7 miles on the road with the jogger. 
  • 6 solo park loop miles
  • 10 mile workout with 4 x mile on the strand with ¼ mile recovery (5:52, 5:45, 5:53, 5:56).  Felt STRONG. This was a big confidence building workout for me. These were done solo and of course I was working hard, but they felt much more natural than I was expecting.  This got me feeling more excited for what is possible. 
  • 8 miles with jogger on the strand
  • 6 solo park loop miles
  • 18 miles on Quarter Horse (HILLY!) in PV 

What I am Listening To

This week is the week leading to the Marathon Olympic Trials in Atlanta!  4 years ago, the trials were held in Los Angeles. Lance and I, along with some LMU teammates went to watch it.  At the time, I was really not into marathoning or even knew much about the process of qualifying for the trials. I wish I would have appreciated the opportunity to watch those trials more. While we are not going to Atlanta, we are excited to watch the trials from home.  Naturally, a lot of what I was listening to on the run revolved around that upcoming race in Atlanta. Here are some that stuck out to me:

  • Sarah Bishop’s interview on The Road to the Olympic Trials.  Sarah really pumps me up anytime I listen to her interviews.  First, she is a mom to 4, which I am so inspired by. Second, she is so fearless in stating ambitious goals and making them happen.  It really struck me that her plan going into the trials is to run a marathon and then fly to New Zealand to do a triathlon.  Definitely not normal, but I loved her confidence in owning that this was the plan that she wanted to pursue. In the interview she talked about her goal of breaking 2:40 in the Mesa Marathon, which was the following weekend.  It gave me chills when Matt at the end of the interview said how she met her goal by running a 2:39. Not to mention, she won the whole thing. I love this so much. It inspires me to be more bold in my running goals. 
  • Towards the end of my long run when I had to extend a few miles, I put the headphones in and listened to the Women’s Marathon Preview with Erin Stout and Alison Wade.  It was fun to hear all the names they are expecting to be contenders for those 3 Olympic team spots.  
  • Not related to the trials at all, but I also very much enjoyed an interview with Andrea Barber (aka Kimmy Gibbler from Full House) on the Ali on the Run Show.  It was such an interesting conversation and I had no idea she was also a runner.  It made park loops this week go by faster.
  • And of course, Taylor Swift was on shuffle for those mile repeats.  

How I am Fueling

  • Mid-week, I felt like baking and something sweet, yet healthy.  I made a berry crisp. This is literally the simplest recipe! I got it from Shauna Niequist’s amazing book, Bread and Wine.  You can find the recipe here.  It is the simplest ingredients that I almost always have in my pantry and it literally takes minutes to whip together and then pop in the oven.  This was good fuel to pull Lance and I into the weekend. Confession: the two of us literally ate the whole pan of crisp. 
  • Post-18 miles I tried a new pancake recipe that was a hit.  We are big Coach’s Oats fans over here. It is what I eat every morning before I run.  It is also the oatmeal I used in the berry crisp. I got this peanut butter pancake recipe from their website.  It was so good. I added some chocolate chips, which I would definitely recommend. Also, replaced the regular milk for almond milk. There is no sugar, maple syrup instead and the peanut butter adds a nice nutty, sweetness. It was the perfect pancake post-long run. The recipe doesn’t make much batter, so I would double it. 
  • Steak 
  • Turmeric Smoothies 
  • Salt Sticks (took a couple of these during the long run and loved them)

Recovery

  • Compression Socks 
  • Sunday nap 
  • Sunday bath 

Cross-Training 

This week, I was forced to slow down and not go to as intense of workout classes.  It was probably for the best, but it was not part of my plan. My typical class with Petra was already full by the time I got there, so it forced me to go to a yoga class.  I was feeling a TON of shoulder/neck tightness and pain. In the class, we used blocks to focus on this area, so it was actually exactly what I needed.  

Thursday, Lance had a meeting, so I could not make it to class, so instead did 10-minutes of my own strength work in the living room.  It consisted of band work to strengthen my ever-so-weak glutes and some planks or attempted planks. Hudson was climbing all over me and sitting on my back, so that made it a bit more challenging.  Not perfect, but hey, 10-minutes of strength is always better than zero.

Friday, I made it to another yoga class.  Again, not as intense as I like it, but got some much needed hip stretching in.  This could very much have been the key to the long run feeling so good.

What I Keep Telling Myself

8 weeks is still a ton of time to build fitness. 

It is also a ton of time to get burnt out and get injured.  I am still dealing with some major mileage comparison, but I was reminded this week that I actually am in a really great place fitness wise.  I definitely need more time, but 8 weeks truly is a ton of time to grow in fitness. This excites me. 

High + Low

HIGH

  • Feeling strong
  • Miles don’t feel as hard
  • 18 miles
  • Confidence building workout
  • Berry Crisp + peanut butter pancakes

low

  • Comparing my mileage to others and getting mental about it. I need to stop it!
  • Not making it into Petra’s classes this week
These were taken in the last couple miles of the run. These views really make the long runs not so bad.

The Long Run 

This was the longest run this training block and it felt great.  First few miles had some pretty steep uphill trails, but even on the uphill I felt strong.  It really was not until about mile 16 that my legs tightened up a bit and I was reminded that I was running long.  To me, that is a sign that I have not done enough long runs yet. And I haven’t, but I still have a few weeks to get in a few more good long runs.

The other thing I noticed, actually both Lance and I noticed this, was that we felt really good right after.  Usually, it takes awhile to recover after a really long run, but almost instantly after stopping, my legs and lungs felt weirdly good.  Again, this makes me feel excited for April 20th.  

The long run in numbers:

2 hours 19 minutes

18 miles

7:44/mile average 

Fastest mile: 18th mile, 6:41

marathon monday running blog about training for Boston Marathon
running

Marathon Monday: The Miles to Boston Pt. 4

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9 Mondays Until Boston!

This week of training, I struggled with some doubt and body pain, but ended the week with greater confidence.  It is amazing how in one mile of a marathon you feel terrible and are questioning everything and the next you feel like you could run that pace forever.  Things change quickly in marathon racing. You go through so many different emotions in the course of 26.2 miles.

Last week of training, reminded me of how fast things can change, even when it comes to training.  It reminded me to not get overly concerned when I have one bad day of training. Early on in the week, I really struggled with body fatigue and foot/hip pain. These aches and pains are all too familiar.  The good thing about now running for over a decade of my life is that I am very attuned to how my body works. I know exactly what I need to do when I start feeling hip or foot pain. Maybe this is the reason the pain does not seem to linger too long.  At least not for this week.

Tuesday, I felt literally terrible.  However, by Thursday, my body felt entirely different and my 8-mile run did not feel nearly as painful. Things change quickly. Painful days and the days full of doubt don’t last forever.  

The interesting thing with feeling so terrible is that last week was actually a slight down week.  We have been slowly building since January, so this week was a 4-mile drop.  I have noticed that in down weeks, my body usually doesn’t feel the greatest.  This pattern also helps me not feel overly concerned with the lower engery and pain I experienced in the past week.  

The doubt of questioning my goal time, mostly came out during my Wednesday workout where pace simply felt way harder than I was expecting.  Doubt is something I really struggle with on and off the run.  It is werid to even admit this because faith is such a large part of my life and who I am.  Faith in God and faith that He has me in His hands comes much more naturally to me (all thanks to grace).  The doubt is more in the form of doubting myself. I trust God with my whole heart, but it is my own abilities that I often lack faith in.  She is faster.  She is smarter. She is better.  A small glimpse of the dialogue that is contantly running in my head.  Not to get overly reflective and spiritual, but I do believe the Lord uses running in my life as a way to help me work through these seeds of self-doubt.  

I want to believe that a 2:48 or faster is possible.  I want to believe that I am in good fitness. I want to believe that I can be competitive come race day.  

The Miles

  • 6 miles with the jogger
  • 6 miles solo 
  • 10 miles. 3 mile warm-up, 3 miles of 20-seconds faster than goal race pace, 4 mile cool-down.  6:02, 6:10, 6:09 (supposed to be all 6-flat). At least, I tried. Also after a mile, I was fully recovered, so this is still an encouragement! 
  • 8 miles with the jogger
  • 5 miles solo 
  • 14 miles with Lance with 3 miles thrown in at slightly faster than race pace

Still dealing with some mileage comparison and anxiety that I am too low in mileage.  I trust Lance and I know he knows me best when it comes to running. Mileage is not crazy high, but I know the quality of work is good.  And there is still so much time to build and get those 20-milers in.

What I am Listening To 

Last week of training, I spent most of my miles listening to the “Love on the Run” series of Ali’s show.  She released a new episode each day of last week with an interview with a professional running couple. I loved it!  

I especially enjoyed the conversation with Aisha Praught and Will Leer.  They might be way faster, but even professional runners struggle with being annoyed at each other on the run.  For Lance and I, we have had way too many fights (always revolved around pace being too fast) while running together, so this very much resonated with me. 

I also loved the conversation with Steph and Ben Bruce.  I am such a Steph Bruce fan and especially loved hearing from both of them.  I am definitely inspired by the way their marriage really functions as them being such a team on and off the course.

How I am Fueling 

  • Hudson’s Z-bars 
  • Coconut water
  • Protein shakes 
  • Heart-shaped sugar cookies and chocolate (the best part of running just for fun: no limits on sugar cookies) 
  • Post-long run sushi! 

Recovery

This week, I really focused on my feet!  Pain in my feet have really flared up (I am pretty sure I have a bone spur in my left foot).  If you were to look at my feet, you would probably be deeply concerned. They are not looking so hot right now.  The left foot is in especially bad shape with what looks like a bone spur and a good sized blood blister. All this to say, my feet hurt.  My strength teacher I go to, used to be a dancer, so she had a lot of good foot exercises for me to do.  

  • Rolling out with a ball and/or frozen water bottle.
  • Foot strengthening exercises, like using toes to grab towel.  This basically just gets me to curl my toes and I can tell this is drastically helping.
  • Yoga toes almost every night seems to also be providing relief. 

Along with foot recovery, also got some jacuzzi and pool time in after our long run at the hotel we were staying at.  We basically went back and forth from the hot tub to the pool. In the pool, we swam and kicked our legs around. It felt so good after our long run earlier that morning.  Perfect afternoon recovery.

Cross-Training

Continuing with my 2 strength classes per week.  My goal for the coming week is to start incorporating more plank work.  Hopefully that will happen!  

What I Keep Telling Myself

The pain is temporary.  The pain is temporary. The pain is temporary.  

This week hurt.  It is easy for me to let the pain takeover my mind.  I am really trying to focus on the fact that it is temporary.  Whether it was a regular run dealing with overall body fatigue or a tempo that felt uncomfortable, my brain needed to remember that it is temporary.  The workout on Wednesday was initially discouraging to me because I did not hit the right pace. I also ended with hands on my knees, breathing HARD. This was just about 14-seconds off my goal race pace.  That really shook me. This should feel WAY easier! I focused too much on the pain, I do wish I could have dug in a bit more and remembered the pain is only temporary. Next time.

High + Low

HIGH

  • Long run with Lance
  • Completing the workout, even though I almost stopped when I was hurting and off pace.

low

  • Overall body pain and fatigue 
  • Feet really hurt! 
  • Tempo pace is feeling harder than I would like.

The Long Run

It is funny how your perspective with mileage really begins to change as you begin marathon training.  14 miles right now feels like not even a legit long run. As I mentioned above, this was a down week. Especially after a week of not feeling great, it was good timing to have a shorter long run.  Lance and I went on a staycation in Newport Beach last Saturday, so we ran in Orange County, instead of our typical PV long run. We ran at Aliso Woods Canyon. This is a beautiful trail and one of my favorite spots to run when we are further south.  We even saw deers on the trail! Since it was a shorter run, Lance decided to run with me. We actually did not have a single argument on our run, which is a big deal. It was a great way to start off our weekend together!

It turned out to be a nice run, especially on the way back.  It was not as hilly and the last few miles we stuck to the road and Lance paced a portion at my goal race pace (6:24).  He paced it perfectly, despite me complaining all 3 miles of it telling him it was too fast at parts and too slow at parts.  Even though I grumbled through it, those 3 miles at race pace were a good encouragement to me. For most of it, my breathing was extremely controlled and conversational.  We hit a 6:21, 6:22, and 6:14. Even in just these 3 miles that would still give me 15 seconds of wiggle room.  

The long run in numbers: 

1 hour 40 minutes

14.03 miles

7:10 min/mile average

Fastest Mile: Mile 11, 6:14 

marathon monday running blog about training for Boston Marathon
running

Marathon Monday: Miles to Boston Pt. 2

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11 Mondays Until Boston!

Another week of training in the books!  This past week of training was good and consistent, but did take a weird turn with the long run, which I will explain at the end. 

It was a week marked by 50 miles, stroller runs, tempos that felt like I was running faster than my Garmin told me, graham cracker snacking in the middle of the night, and a strange 16-miler that was fueled by kid’s fruit snacks- but hey at least it was organic!

The main take-away from training this week, is the reminder that I want to take this training block as seriously as possible, but this is also not my main priority.  I am a mom first, running quite honestly comes after quite a lot of things. And this is exactly the way I want it to be, but it means training will simply look quite different for me. 

I will always make the mileage for that week happen. If Lance says I have 50 miles, I will run 50 miles, but it is more of a squeezing in, rather than a true incorporating. For example, I will make arrangements to get that 10-mile tempo in and I will do my best to recover by drinking coconut water and devouring a protein bar quickly, but then the day will progress and we will run around at the park and check-out stacks of library books.  There will not be an elaborate stretch routine or an ice bath or rolling right after the fact. When my garmin beeps and I hit my daily mileage, my mom hat goes right back on. My days revolve around Hudson, not my runs.  

mom and son running with jogger
We had some really enjoyable runs out there together!

The Miles

Weekly mileage looked like this:

  • 7 miles with the jogger
  • 5 miles solo
  • 10 miles with 4 miles in the middle at goal race race solo 
  • 7 miles with the jogger 
  • 5 miles with the jogger
  • 16 miles solo with 2 X 2 mile pick-ups on 8 miles back 

As a whole, all the runs felt pretty good and I definitely am continuing to feel more fit.  The race pace work is still not feeling as comfortable as I would like. On Wednesday, it literally felt like I was flying, but then my Garmin told me numbers that were not as exciting.  Like I wrote about last week, the fast and thrilling miles are coming. I am just not quite there yet.

What I am Listening to

This past week did my similar soundtrack of running podcasts for the easy miles + Taylor Swift for race pace miles.  Side-note: I am in the midst of watching the Taylor Swift documentary, Miss Americana and I am so intrigued and moved by it.  But that is another story, let’s get back to my soundtrack on the road.  Here are a few of the podcast episodes that really stuck out to me this week:

This is a really great and motivating episode for a longer run.  It is about an hour and 30 minutes long. There was a lot that I really loved in this episode.  I loved how she ran a 2:42 and got that OTQ. The part that really resonated with me was within the last 7-minutes.  She talks about running with joy and the motivation to keep training and chasing goals when running is not your job. She talks about the girls she trained with and did park loops with in the mornings and all the people that made her goal happen.  Listen to this whole episode, but especially listen to those last few minutes. I was heading back from my tempo and her words struck such a cord. I want to run with greater joy as I train for Boston and appreciate running’s place in my life right now, and not run out of obligation or guilt.

I listened to this episode on parts of my long run and again was very much motivated by Sarah’s story.  I love a good running story, but I especially love it from the perspective of a mom with a full-time job and a lot going on.  As I was climbing a dirt trail from Malaga, she said something that I loved and felt very deeply as well. She talked about how postpartum, running was not an option for her, it was a necessity.  It wasn’t something that she should try to make happen, it was a non-negotiable. The thing that made her more herself.

I love her grit and determination to make things happen, even with less than ideal schedules and a big family. I could go on and on. Sarah’s discipline and overall enthusiasm for getting better, will be yet another story I will certainly carry with me into Boston. 

I loved this particular interview with Neely because not only did it focus on her getting the OTQ at Houston, it focused on the struggles that come with postpartum running.  I really appreciated Neely’s perspective of openly sharing how difficult it was even as a professional runner to get back into running after baby. This particular episode was so good and raw and very much mother runner focused, which I always love.  

If you haven’t noticed, I really only listen to two different podcasts on my runs.  It felt like a special treat when I was going out for my Friday run and saw this new monthly series that my two favorite running podcasts hosts will be doing together.  I really enjoyed listening to this conversation. It was a perfect collision of two worlds and the perfect way to spend my Friday park loops.

How I am Fueling

This week I hit 50 and my body just wants to eat and eat and eat.  I have had an insatiable hunger all week. I even woke up in the middle of the night feeling so hungry that I literally had to make myself a midnight snack.

  • Continuing to hydrate with coconut water, which is my new obsession.
  • Trying to avoid coffee in the afternoon, so I have been mixing it up with an occasional Health Ade Kombucha in the afternoon for a pick-me up + probiotics.  Currently loving the Tropical Punch flavor.
  • I love Maurten Gels for long runs, but I totally spaced and left my Maurten in the car this past Saturday, so I had to take Hudson’s organic fruit gummy pack at mile 10, which I would not recommend. At least I got some sugar to get me through the last 6 miles!
  • Food wise, nothing new, but definitely have been trying to incorporate a bit more red meat as mileage in increasing.  We did ground beef burgers one night + steak salad another. 
sunrise at a park on morning run
Loving my sunrise runs on Tuesday before Lance leaves for work!

When I am Running

Sticking with the normal routine.  Trying to get out the door when I have my runs with Hudson as soon as possible.  It has been really nice to get the run in before 10 am and then end with some time to play at the park.  The quicker we get out the door and make it happen, the better.   

Cross-Training

Same as last week! This week, I was sore from Petra’s strength class, which makes me excited!  I know this extra strength work will be the difference from a good and great result. It is not super exciting getting to the studio at 6 pm, especially as I am beginning to get more tired from the mileage, but I know this stuff is important.  Also still very much enjoying restorative yoga Friday nights. This week, I did not fall asleep in class, so I am taking that as a good sign that my body is recovering quicker! 

What I Keep Telling Myself

Run your pace, run your pace, run your pace.  

It is easy to get caught up when a fast song comes on or you hear paces other people are running or that person passes you on the strand and you feel that urge to shift gears. 

I take a lot of pride in knowing my body really well when it comes to running: I know my limits and I know the pace that makes sense. Right now in training, I am hyper-focused on that goal time of 2:48 and 6:24 pace.  As I run workouts, I literally see these numbers in bright red lights. It is really motivating and pulling me through the miles.

I have never been number-goal oriented, but this goal time and the pace that goes with it is really keeping me focused.  I know with almost certainty that there will be a great temptation to run way too fast at the start of Boston, so hoping this focus on my pace will keep me from blowing up.

High + Low

HIGH

  • Hitting 50 miles
  • Knee has healed 
  • Hudson has been pretty good for our stroller runs
  • Beautiful 16 mile long run 
  • Mid-week 10 miler with 4 miles at race pace.  It felt good to get a 10-miler done during the week, even though the tempo part did not feel as easy as I would have liked.

low

  • Post-long run.  I will explain below. 

The Long Run 

When both you and your husband are training, long runs can be logistical challenges with kids.  It is way too long for Hudson to be in the jogger, so we usually drop him off at my parents’ house. This past Saturday they were out of town, so we developed a plan.

Lance would leave early and run 8-10 miles solo and then meet me back at the park.  I would give him Hudson and he would finish his run with the jogger, as I did my 16 mile route out and back.  

The plan actually worked really well.

I started my run from Valley Park and ran 3 miles with Lance and Hudson.  He flipped it and I continued to go out. We usually do our long runs in PV, but it was actually really fun to start in Hermosa and make it all the way out to the trail cliffs in Palos Verdes, since I had to go out 8 miles.  It was also nice to get in some dirt. Not to mention, Saturday morning was absolutely gorgeous.  

As I was heading back down, I stopped at mile 10, took those fruit gummy snacks and began a couple miles at goal race pace.  Those two miles actually felt great and I was surprised that going back down to race pace felt pretty natural even at mile 10 (I literally hit exactly 6:24, which was encouraging). 

Towards the end of that 2 mile segment, I was feeling fatigued, so I stopped and ran half a mile at normal long run pace. After this half mile of recovery, ran 2 more miles with the aim to be at race pace.  I was slightly off, but it was a good two miles of staying mentally tough as my legs were really beginning to fatigue as it has been months since I have run this long and at that type of pace. This run really worked my legs, but it also was key in building a mental toughness, that I will absolutely carry with me to Boston.

Overall, great long run. 

Then, it took a turn as within 5-minutes of coming home, Hudson tripped on a rug and his sippy cup split his head.  With blood on my shirt, we rushed to the ER, only to wait hours before the stitches.  

Normally, I would like to think I would handle this situation better, but a 16-mile workout does not set you up to be in the best state for waiting in an ER with your baby.  I definitely did not fuel properly after this long run. I had grand plans of a big egg and bacon breakfast when I got home, but that quickly changed. So the long run started great, but then quickly went downhill and was fueled by stress and waiting and cookies.  Hey, not every post-run will be ideal recovery. Things will be okay.

And Hudson now has 5 stitches and is totally fine and looks extra tough! 

If you are still with me and curious, here is my long run in numbers: 

2 hours and 4 minutes

16 miles 

7:45/mile average

8:07 first mile, 8:26 last mile 

Fastest mile: 6:24 aka GOAL RACE PACE

running

More Than a Marathon

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26.2.  This is the number that has pushed me out the door.  It’s the number that reminded me of my strength and endurance that I thought I left behind in college. It’s also the number that filled my postpartum days with rhythm, cadence, hope and a sense of purpose.  Don’t get me wrong. Being a mother to Hudson is purpose enough, but training for a marathon gave me something that was just for me. It pushed me to prioritize my own sanity and well-being. It gave me goals. It gave me something beyond changing diapers and making meals.  In many ways, the choice to sign up for the San Francisco Marathon, allowed me to finally feel more like myself.

I get it.  Running a marathon might not be your postpartum remedy.  Maybe for you it looks like going on that yoga retreat that you have been dreaming up.  Or drafting that book idea that has been roaming in your head for years. Or taking up gardening, cooking, knitting.  Whatever it might be, I am convinced that as new mothers, it is essential for us to find something beyond our roles as moms, wives, and workers. Find the thing you are most passionate about and chase after it.  It is so easy to say, I will pursue that passion when the kids are older, when I have more time, when I actually sleep through the night. A few months ago, before I signed up for the marathon, that is exactly what I said.  Running a marathon doesn’t make sense now.  I have a baby, I barely sleep, I will run one later. The more I thought about it, later was not going to be any easier to train for a marathon.  Later, likely means, more kids, more schedules to balance, and even less sleep. I realized that right now, was actually probably the simplest our life will be.  Now was the time for 26.2. Life would not become any less crazy if I waited. Postpartum life is exhausting and draining, and in a lot of ways it might not feel like the best time to pursue that passion project that has been brewing in the back of your mind; however, I am convinced this is exactly the right time.  Pursue that passion. Set personal goals for yourself. And chase after it wholeheartedly. 

The marathon has been much more than just a marathon.  In a lot of ways, it was never really about the marathon.  Not fully. It was about me. It was about that girl I used to be.  The one that was competitive and driven and passionate. It was about running back to her.  It was about getting back some of those traits I seemed to let go of for a bit. It was about re-meeting her, but also about showing her this new woman I have become.  It was getting back some of the fierceness I had let go of, and showing the old me the strength and confidence new motherhood has given her. In a lot of ways, it was a blending of worlds.  It was never about getting back to that girl I was in high school or college. I would never want that! My life now is a million times more full and beautiful; however, it was about grabbing back that thing that drove me and pushed me and made me better.  It was about reaching out back to running and squeezing it to fit back into my current life of diapers and nursing and baby snuggles.

It hit me the most about how different my life is compared to when I used to compete and race, when the couple days before the race, I was concerned not about a sore hamstring or calf, but my chest, specifically my left breast.  My body seemed to just not want to give up on producing milk, so even though I stopped nursing nearly a week before the race, one side was entirely still engorged leading up to the race. And I was freaking out about it. Every time I ran, it hurt.  After prayers and hot showers, it ended up being fine for the race, but this is the perfect picture about how things change. And I love this change. I still can compete and race and train my heart out, but there are realities of my life, like milk supply issues, that keep me grounded and remind me that running is a good thing I can still enjoy and pursue, but it is not the thing. Being a good mother is my focus right now, but that doesn’t mean I need to throw out my other passions. It just will look different.

As I ran the marathon yesterday, I felt very proud. Of course, I was proud to finish it and finish well with a 6th place female finish and a sub-3 hour time, but my pride went far beyond that.  I was proud I stayed committed to the intense training even when my life of less sleep and chasing after a toddler, is not the best training conditions. I was proud that I could run competitively and put myself in the race, but still smile throughout.  I was proud of those countless runs with the jogger that made both my arms and mind stronger. I was proud of those longer tempo runs where I pushed myself into uncomfortable places and was reminded that I still have speed left in these legs of mine. I was proud of those 20 milers completed in Malaga Cove and always hitting the mileage even when my legs wanted to stop.  

In the unpredictability of motherhood, it is nice to have one thing that you can control.  While racing and running can also be unpredictable, you still have control leading up to the race.  You have the control whether you complete the runs or not. You have control of the pace. You have control of the moments you push yourself and the ones you hold back on.  Those first few months postpartum, I was drowning and overwhelmed by the fact that I felt I had lost all control. I could not control when or how he wanted to eat. I could not control when he slept.  I could not control when he decided to cry. This loss of control brought me down on my knees to the bathroom floor. Motherhood has been my very needed lesson and reminder that I am not the one in control, God is.  It showed me how I needed to let go of my very tight grip on things. While my ever-controlling heart learned to let go of things outside of my control through motherhood, running reminded me that there are certain things I can still have control of.  I still have control of my attitude and whether I step outside and push myself or not. Attitude and miles. I have control of that.  

So if you have recently entered postpartum life and are drowning, like I was, I hope this can serve as encouragement to sign up for something! It doesn’t need to be a marathon, but it could be! Sign up for any race distance. Sign up for that retreat I mentioned above.  Sign up for that hip hop class. Sign up for that calligraphy class or that ceramics class or that knitting class. Sign up for something that fills you up and reminds you of your unique giftings.  You are more than a mother. You are more than a wife. You are a daughter of the King and he made you with a great purpose. Live out that purpose. Sometimes to follow that purpose and His will, all it takes is signing-up.  He will take it from there.

running

10 Things To Do Week Leading Up to the Marathon

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This is the week.  Marathon week. As promised, this is the final post in my Marathon Wednesday Series.  This post was originally going to be a compilation of marathon inspiration from interviews I gathered from people who have completed marathons, but life happens and that idea never happened.  So instead, I am sharing a few things I am intentionally incorporating into my week to help with my performance come Sunday. While at this point there is not much more I can do that will change my fitness, there are a few small intentional choices I have made this week to help me feel both physically and mentally ready.  So, if you are gearing up for your fall marathon and have all the weeks of training carefully laid-out, but feel a little less certain about what that final week should look like, this one is for you! Here is a checklist of 10 things you should consider doing the week of your marathon.  

1. Run Less Miles

Depending on who you ask, people will have different opinions of what your mileage should like in that week leading up to the big 26.2.  Most schools of thought can agree that cutting back on mileage is a good and necessary thing; however, there are some that don’t believe in a full-on taper.  The thing with training is that especially after all the major miles and workouts have been put in, the final week is more about your mental state. For some, they might feel better if they don’t cut back a ton in miles.  For others, a significant cutdown helps them mentally feel ready. While I was initially resistant to cutting back a ton on the mileage, I have cut my runs this week down to either 4 or 5 mile runs. This is about 3 miles less per day.  I am also taking the Thursday before the race off. This is putting me at about 21 miles before I race the 26.2. While there is definitely still a temptation to squeeze in a few more miles this week, I know that those miles won’t help. If anything, they could keep me from fully recovering and feeling my freshest in the race.  

2. Run a Workout that Brings Confidence 

While there is no need to run a crazy workout during Marathon Week, a very short and easy workout, is a good thing to incorporate to help give you confidence going into the race.  I ran a workout on my normal workout day, Wednesday. It was just extra short. I ran a 2 mile warm-up, 2 miles at my goal marathon pace, and a mile cool down. This workout was solely for confidence.  I ran the two miles about 10 seconds faster than my goal pace and that was intentionally trying to go really easy and controlled. This was a huge boost in confidence. I finished those 5 miles feeling amazing. I highly suggest creating a light workout, like the one above, to help remind you that even in your tiredness, all those miles and hard work paid off. You are fit.  You are ready.

3. Drink Lots of Water

This is an obvious one, but especially if you are not great when it comes to hydration, this is the week to be extra intentional about it. Carry that bottle everywhere. Have a cup of water by your bedside.  I used to be really great at drinking water, but ever since becoming a mom, I so easily forget to drink water for myself. I am constantly putting Hudson’s sippy cup in front of him, but don’t do the same for myself.  This week, I am all about the water. I just sit and drink whole glasses and actually think about how that water is getting my body ready for the race. 

4. Take an Epsom Salt Bath, Sleep In Compression Socks & Roll

I just wrote a post about the importance of recovery, if you missed it, you can check it out here.  Recovery is essential throughout training, but this week, especially, I have been making sure I dedicate daily time to recovery.  We just had our bathroom remodeled, so we can now take baths! Taking an epsom salt bath is a great way to relax your muscles and allow for blood flow.  Every night this week, I have been sleeping in my compression socks. Again, increased blood flow. While I have not been great at rolling out during this whole training block, I am trying to spend a few minutes rolling out before I go to bed.

5. Listen to Inspiring Marathon Stories

While I typically listen to a variety of different podcasts, this week my ears are being filled with inspiring marathon stories.  While who knows what I will be thinking about during the race, I like to think that I will carry bits and pieces of the motivation and inspiration I have listened to throughout my week.  

6. Try to Conserve as Much Energy as Possible (early to bed/naps)

I like to keep my days full and busy.  While we still have had relatively full days with getting runs in and then going to our church’s Vacation Bible School, I am working really hard at trying to not use up too much energy.  I am letting certain things go this week. I know they will be there for me next week. While this one is harder for me, I am also trying to get more sleep in. We are working on going to bed slightly earlier.  While I am not really a nap taker, I am taking my afternoon rest time seriously this week.

7. Focus on Nutrition (but still eat cookies!)

Since I am really just running for fun right now, I haven’t been going crazy with nutrition, but this week I really am focusing on making sure I get good, healthy calories in.  Lunches are the hardest for me. I always make Hudson a nice, big lunch, but for some reason I always find myself just snacking or eating random leftovers for lunch. This week I am trying to put together more comprehensive lunches for myself.  Our dinner meals are usually pretty healthy, but we are especially focusing on getting in good proteins and healthy carbs. Think salmon, chicken, steak, rice, quinoa, pasta. Like I mentioned in the title, I still am eating sweets! Those cookies are necessary. They won’t ruin a race. 

8. Visualize the Race 

All week there has been a background track in my mind of me racing the course.  I am present, but there is still part of me that has my mind racing. I am playing out different situations. I am imagining feeling super strong. I am thinking of scenarios that could go wrong and how I will respond. I picture running in a pack and holding on when the pace changes.  A healthy dose of visualization, regardless of the type of runner you are is important. Even if time does not matter to you, and the major goal is to get to the finish line, thinking about running through the course, is important. Think of any big, important thing you do. You visualize how it will go, you plan, you prepare.  Running a marathon is a big, important thing. You must visualize. Also, if this will be your first time on the course, I highly recommend finding a YouTube video or resources that takes your through the whole course. We watched the course video a couple months ago, but we will definitely watch again the night or two before the race.

9. Break In Race Shoes 

If you plan on racing in marathon flats, be sure to break them in! My pretty white and pink New Balance flats just came in the mail last week.  Each day this week I have been wearing them. I did one workout in them and the other days, I have just worn them for a few days out on errands. 

10. Do Strides 

Last, but not least, do strides.  These could be longer strides, like a minute or they could be super short, like 20 seconds.  The idea is to give your legs a little feel of moving quicker and getting some turnover in. I also use strides as confidence builders and work on my form.  This week, I have not had a ton of time to do strides after my run, so instead I have used the last portion of my run to incorporate a few strides where I pick up the pace. This is a great sharpening tool. It is the cherry on top to weeks and weeks of hard training. Side note: strides are a great idea to do throughout training, but it hasn’t been something I have been very consistent at during this training block.  

To those running San Francisco this week or to those running a fall marathon, best of luck! Enjoy this final week of training.  As my college coach used to always say, “The hay is in the barn.” It is. You’ve done the work. You’ve got this. Enjoy it. Push yourself. Believe you can. 

running

Marathon Training Tips

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So you want to run a marathon, but you have no idea where to start? Then, you are in the right place. I am going to break down my training to give you some tips and inspiration when creating your own plan. The idea of 26.2 miles can feel very daunting, even for someone that has been a runner for over 10 years. The key is to start small and build from there. Especially if you do not regularly run, you cannot just jump into high mileage and workouts. You need to slowly acclimate your body to the mileage. There are tons of training programs you can access online. A popular one is the Hal Higdon training programs, which I am linking here. There are different plans based on the type of runner you are. I think these plans can be a great starting point, but I also think it is important to craft the plan to your specific body and life. Don’t be afraid to get a plan and then make the proper adjustments that make sense for you. Don’t be afraid to change around days or to increase mileage on certain days and take days off when you are struggling. I am not training with the same intensity I did in college; therefore, I am not in as good of shape. However, this is one of the first times where my body feels genuinely good and strong. I think this has a lot to do with the fact that I am in charge of my own training. The truth is, you know your body best. If you are disciplined, there is no better coach to have than yourself. Who knows your body better? With that said, no one should train for a marathon alone and isolated. Even if you are largely making decisions on your training, you should still absolutely consult with someone else to make sure you are on the right track. Marathon training is hard work, if possible, find a tribe that helps keep you motivated and consistent.

If you are postpartum and beginning to train for a marathon, you can go back and read my specific tips for postpartum marathon training, here.

Today, I want to give more specific training tips for marathon training. I am not a coach or by any means a marathon expert. This is my first ever marathon! So, I get it, maybe not the most credible, but there is this quotation that makes me feel a bit more credible when it comes to marathons:

“To run your best marathon you have to be in your best 10K shape. To be in your best 10K shape you have to be in your best 5K shape.” -Randy Thomas, Women’s XC Head Coach at Boston College

I have lots of experience when it comes to training for fast 5Ks. This is really the base of good marathon training, but of course the mileage and longer steady states must be added. So this might be my first time training for a marathon, but I have years of 5K training under my belt. I also believe a huge aspect to good marathon training is patience. You can’t jump into that 20 mile long run. You have to build and build and patiently await the 26th mile. It will come, and you will be ready.

These tips are definitely more geared to the busy person that is trying to squeeze marathon training into an already hectic schedule. This is for those that love running, but running is not everything. This is for those that want to hit their goal, whatever that might be (BQ, sub-fill-in-the blank hours, or just crossing that finish line), but do not want training to take over their lives. So if you’re still with me, and saying yes, yes, yes, that is me, then here are 5 tips to consider when beginning to marathon train:

Start Where You Are

There are tons and tons of training plans to choose from, but I think one of the best ways to create a training plan that works for your body, is starting exactly where you are and slowly building from there. I am not going to get into the technicalities of the training plan because there is so much variation based on running background, but I think a general rule of thumb is to start with what you have been doing. So for example, if before you decided to run a marathon, you were running 4 miles, 4 times a week. So, 16 miles per week. Start that as week 1 of training. In terms of start date, that will also vary based on running experience, but as long as you aren’t going from zero running, 4 months out is plenty of time to build. If you are going from literally not running at all, I would give yourself an extra month to just work on getting used to running occasionally. Back to my example. If you start with week 1 at 4 days of running per week, averaging about 16 miles, then each week, you will want to slowly increase by no more than about 4 miles. Again, this is a very basic way of thinking of it, but that number 4 was a helpful tool to help me build. I also started at running 4 days a week. I naturally increased this to 5 and then to 6 days a week. You will reach a point where it is easier to increase weekly mileage by having a really easy 4-5 mile run on one of the days you typically took off. You will also want to choose the maximum volume you wish to hit. There is definitely a point where more miles is not necessarily the answer to a faster marathon time. This is known as the law of diminishing returns. Choose your number and try to not go over it. This is again very much based on experience and your personal body, but for me, I am finding that 60 is a good number. Again, I have built to this type of mileage and I have only hit 60 for the first time about 6 weeks out from the marathon. I am staying at 60 for about a month of training and then will taper (cut back on mileage) last 2 weeks before the race. While this is definitely not crazy high mileage for a marathon, I know my body, I know my life, and right now 60 is what makes sense.

Designate a Day for Tempo Runs and Long Runs

And stay consistent! Every Wednesday is my workout days. I am at the point that I don’t even think about it. I just know that Wednesdays I need to push myself. I also then know that Thursdays and Fridays, I recover and just run based off of effort. That leads to the big long run days, which I choose to run on Saturdays. I treat Saturdays with extra care and importance. To me, these are the most important days of training. I think it is essential to have this type of training rhythm. Our bodies are smart and I believe they respond well to the same patterns over and over again.

Be Particular About Pace

Depending on your goals, pace will play a different role into your training, but regardless if you are going for the Boston Qualifier time or want to hit sub- 4 hours, pace is important. Again, lots of theories on how to pace, but based on my college training I am used to using VDOT pacing. Here is the link to the best VDOT calculator. I love this method of training because it makes pacing very straightforward. Even if you have not run a race recently, you can put your goal marathon time in and it will calculate your pace for the race, but if you click on the “Training” tab next to the “Race Paces” tab, it will give you the mile pace for easy/recovery runs, T-pace (threshold or tempo pace), I-pace (interval pace, so think mile repeats), and R-pace (repetition pace, so think hard and painful). If you get anything from this whole piece, this should be the takeaway. This is a great to make sure you are on target to hit your goal pace. Final thing on pacing, pay attention to it on workout and long run days, but really try to go off of effort on the other training days. On my easy runs I rarely look down at my pace. There is something to having runs where pace is not the focus, just feeling good and getting in the miles.

Train on Terrain Similar to Course

Know the course you are running ahead of time. Each course is different, so do your research to find out what type of course you will be dealing with (flat, hilly, rolling, down hill). Based on the course, make sure you are getting in runs that expose you to those elements. If you are running a really hilly course, it doesn’t make sense to only run on flat surfaces. Find the hills in your area and incorporate them into your runs. You can also incorporate hill workouts by doing harder effort hill repeats. The best situation of course, is to get to train on the course, but for most of us, this is not always possible. Even if the race will be your first time on the course, try to replicate it as best you can on training runs.

Take Days Off!

Your body needs rest. It is easy to fall into the more is better trap, especially when you are training for 26 miles, but your body needs proper rest to be able to absorb training. I am the type of person that sometimes struggles with rest days, especially when I am anxious about hitting my goal time. It really helps me when I think about taking days off from running as a way to get better and help my body absorb the training. Changing your perspective on rest and days off make it so much easier to allow your body the rest it needs. I often think about how an extra 8 miles will not do me that much more good, but it can definitely cause injury or burnout.

I hope these tips can help as you start your marathon training! If you do have a marathon on the calendar, I would love to hear which one and how training is going. Leave a comment below!

running

Marathon Wednesday Series

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Happy July! July over here in the Capel household is a big month. It is marathon month. We are just 25 days out from our first marathon. In just a few weeks, we will be flying to San Francisco, leaving Hudson for the first time (more on this on this to come), and celebrating our 4th anniversary the best way we know how (running 26.2 miles together!). Every Wednesday, for the month of July, I will be posting all things running and marathon training related. This will be a 4-part series that will cover the following topics:

  1. Marathon Training Tips
  2. Best Products for Training
  3. Recovery (this will be specifically geared towards the non-elite runner that does not have same access to recovery facilities that a pro runner has).
  4. Marathon Motivation (this will be a special post filled with responses from people I surveyed about what motivates them to get to that 26th mile).

If you are beginning to train for a fall marathon (Chicago, New York), I hope this series can be a helpful resource for you! I think this will be a fun month filled with (hopefully) helpful information, but also just filled with stories and inspiration that can help get you out the door and lacing up your shoes.

Marathons are not everyone’s cup of tea. I get that. Even as a runner, training for this marathon has been pretty brutal. It take a lot of time and a consistent effort. So, I get why not everyone has the desire to run a marathon. However, I really hope that this series can somehow inspire you to put something on the calendar a few months out. Put something on the calendar that will require you to work on a consistent basis. Create a goal and a plan. This could be a 5k race, it could be a local triathlon, it could be a challenge you make up for yourself (choose a distance and a mode of travel). Whatever it is, put it on your calendar and take it seriously. I cannot emphasize enough how impactful and important it has been to me, especially as a new mother, to have this marathon as a goal. It has been an outlet. More than an outlet, it has given me a purpose outside of changing diapers and making snacks. It has reminded me of my deep love of running. It has given me back a confidence I forgot I lost.

So with that, happy July and happy marathon month! I will see you back here tomorrow for all my best tips for marathon training.

Baby

5 Tips for Postpartum Marathon Training

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Marathon training is a commitment. It is hard work, requires lots of miles and time, and takes a lot out of your body. While not everyone would recommend training for a marathon a few months after having a baby, I am finding that not only is it very much possible, but the goal of completing my first marathon and getting a Boston Qualifier is such a positive outlet for me as I adjust to my new role as mother. For 8 years prior to baby, I ran competitively on the high school and college level. By the time I graduated college and ran my last race at the NCAA Regional 5k race, I thought I was for sure done with running. I was burnt out and over it. The part I didn’t realize was how important running was for me. Not only just for my lungs. It was important for my heart. And not just the health of my heart. Running fueled much more than just health for me. Yes, it has given me a low heart rate and toned calves, but more than that it has given me a heart that is disciplined, hard working, dedicated, and passionate. As much as I wanted to walk away from running, I couldn’t. Those 8 years of running, changed something within me. It built up an endurance and love for a sport that sometimes causes a lot of pain. I now know how I feel not running, not competing, not dreaming about PRs, and I much prefer who I am when I am running. It is good for me. I need the steady rhythm running gives my life. I need the structure, the mileage, the discipline. Running looks different for me now then when I was a collegiate runner. I have a baby. I sleep less. Things revolve around baby, not training. While my training is much less intense and timely, I still believe there are still some good times left in these legs of mine.

Since life is now much different compared to college, I need to adjust the way I train. I have definitely been faced with a desire and pressure to train like I used to, but then I’m faced with the reality of broken sleep and less energy and time. I also am still nursing Hudson so this is another factor that needs to be considered with my training. Marathon training is one thing, but specifically postpartum marathon training is something that needs to be handled differently. Here are five things to consider if you are training for a marathon postpartum:

1. Take Days Off

This is a good idea for any athlete, but especially if you recently had a baby, it is important to give your body ample rest and recovery. I started running about 4-months postpartum. When I started, I was only running a couple times a week. I slowly, very slowly, built in mileage and frequency. Now at almost a year postpartum, I am not that far off from college mileage. I have been still taking two days off a week. This will be my first week running 6 days. The main point to note here is that I didn’t go from having a baby to running 6 days a week. As you can see, it was almost a year process to build back into fitness and the type of mileage my body was used to pre-baby.

2. Fuel & Hydrate

Again, this is another one that is important for all humans, especially active ones, but proper hydration and fueling is even more important when you are breastfeeding. You burn on average, 200-500 extra calories a day breastfeeding. It is super important that you consider these extra calories plus the calories burnt running. Marathoning, milk producing mamas also should be sure to get in enough calcium. On average women lose 3-5 percent of bone mass while breastfeeding. It is a good idea to continue taking prenatal vitamins to help with this loss of nutrients. Along with fueling, it is also necessary to keep up on water intake. It takes water to make milk. Sweating also causes you to lose water. In combination this is a lot of extra fluid that is needed. Your body needs this extra hydration. A couple weeks ago, after running 15 miles and then nursing my baby 30 minutes after, I experienced severe dehydration. I lost way too much water and was not properly hydrating before and after. This is just another reason why hydration is so important, especially with high mileage and milk production.

3. Adjust Expectations and Goals

This is a big one. I find myself training or wishing I was training the way I used to in college. My body is simply not the same. Not only that, but my life conditions are extremely different. I cannot expect the same results when I am still getting very broken and minimal sleep. Life revolves around Hudson, not a PR (personal record). That is just the fact of the matter and I wouldn’t want it any other way, but this means that I need to adjust pace expectations and overall running goals. I think you can still have high expectations and goals. Postpartum running does not need to hold you back too much, but I do think it is mentally important to accept that your body and life is different now; therefore, training will need to be adjusted.

4. Schedule Baby Care for Long Runs

I just wrote a post all about running with the baby jogger. You can read it here.While I am still running 2-3 runs weekly with baby jogger, you definitely will want to have someone watch your baby for the long runs. My baby’s max is 70 minutes in the jogger. This takes more planning, but it is important that you can schedule out when you will get good, quality long runs in without baby. Lance and I have been doing our long runs in Palos Verdes. On our drive over, we drop Hudson and Nala off at their grandparents’ house. This is super helpful and even allows Lance and I to spend some time just the two of us. It is necessary to get runs in without jogger so you can run a bit more honest of a pace. The jogger definitely slows me down, but it still is good training. It just needs to be paired with training runs without the jogger as well.

5. Don’t Compare

It is so easy to look at your training and compare it to others. I do this all the time with my husband. I get jealous and feel behind when I see how many more miles he is logging compared to myself. He is doing more intense workouts, while I am just trying to build in mileage. The big difference here is that he didn’t have a baby 11 months ago. I can’t compare his training with mine. It is and should be relatively different.

Training for a marathon postpartum is totally possible. Like with most baby-related things, it does require a tad more planning and intentionality. While this marathon training postpartum thing is not for everyone, I have found it to be a really key element in helping me get back to feeling normal. It has given me an outlet. It has shown me I still very much have a body that is capable of handling mileage and intensity. It has given me a goal. Especially as a stay-at-home mom, marathon training has given me a purpose to focus on. So when it comes to postpartum marathon training be sure to make adjustments when necessary, drink lots of water, and allow room for lots of grace.