Heat Warning from Dr. Bright! Please read

All Cap City Runners.  Please read the following from Dr. Bright, medical director of the Cap City Half Marathon.  It’s going to be warmer than we have been used to running in lately and it is important that you both take precautions such as hydrating properly and slowing down and also know the signs of heat related illness.  PLEASE READ BELOW from Dr. Bright.

It’s gonna be warm

We are looking very closely at the weather situation predicted for race morning. The forecast for race morning is calling for higher than normal temperatures on the course. 10TV.com is forecasting a high temperature of 78° while other forecasts have predicted temperatures as high as 83°.

Proper Hydration

Staying properly hydrated can help to prevent heat related problems from becoming a life threatening problem. Hydrating properly is very important. We have secured additional water at all aid stations as well as the finish line. Thirst is a good indication that you are under hydrated. You should maintain hydration levels slightly greater than your hydration program in training, but not excessively so. Over-hydration can lead to other serious medical conditions.

Heat Related Illness Symptoms and Ways to Avoid It!

Elevated temperatures and high humidity can cause heat related illnesses.  The faster you are running the higher your risk for heat-related illnesses will be. Slowing down can significantly decrease your risk for heat illness.

Choosing proper clothing is also very important. Wear loosefitting lightweight clothing. Saturday will not be the day to wear running tights, long sleeve shirts, or compression socks/garments.

It is also very important that you complete the emergency medical contact information on the back of your race number.

Recognizing symptoms of heat illness is important. Symptoms may include headaches, dizziness, confusion, fatigue, nausea and vomiting. If you experience any of these symptoms stop running immediately and if symptoms persist seek medical attention.

Stay safe out there and see you at the finish!  – Coach Aimee

Race Plans – Pre-Race Plan, Pacing, Drinking on the Run, Barack Obama, and PARTY!

This is it!  The Cap City Half Marathon is just days away and the Expo is tomorrow and Friday!  You should all be resting up and thinking about what your race day will bring.  A little planning and visualizing now will make your race morning much more enjoyable and less stressful.  Coach Julie just posted some great advice on pre/during/post race nutrition, hydration, and support crew here.  I want to give you last minute info on logistics for race morning, the race itself, and of course The Byers Xtra Mile Finish Line PARTY!  A lot of the people worry about getting to the right place at the right time in the morning and having a plan will certainly help.

The Night Before The Night Before

This is the night to try and get to bed a little early.  Have a nice dinner, maybe visit the expo and pick up your packet, get home and get to bed.  The nerves have not settled in yet and the best thing you can do for yourself is get some good quality sleep on Thursday night!  You might be a little bit nervous tomorrow and getting the rest you need Thursday, will make it so that it is not a big deal if you have a bit of insomnia/pre-race jitters Friday night.

The Night Before

First, if you haven’t already – pick up your packet.  Take the time to confirm your registration and print the confirmation before you go so that you can head right to your bib table and pick up your packet.  Make sure everything is right including the event you are doing, the corral you are in, everything.  If you have any problems or need to make changes, there will be a solutions desk that will be happy to help you!  Stop in and say hello to the M3S folks and Coach Julie and I.  I will be at the Expo Thurs from 5-8 and Fri from 2-8 and I’d love to meet you and answer any last minute questions.  Once you get everything that you need, get some good carbs for dinner and set up your race gear.  Set out your race gear, including pre-race warmups and post-race dry clothes.  Make sure you remember to pack any nutrition you plan to bring with you!  Take a look at the parking options and plan your attack.  Relax and try to get some sleep.  If the jitters keep your mind racing, don’t worry.  Just relax and do something soothing, you got your good sleep last night!

Race Morning

Try to arrive early enough to give yourself time to get parked, get your gear to gear check, hit the restrooms, and get to your corral.  Note that the corrals will load by 7:40am.  You don’t want to be fighting your way in so get there ahead of time and don’t stress.  There will be plenty of awesome volunteers to guide you as you go.  Once you are in the corral, enjoy the moment.  There will be others like you getting ready and most runners are friendly folks, so don’t be afraid to talk to each other!  David has put together an awesome starting line and each of the champions will be starting a different corral.  Jerry DePizzo will be playing the National Anthem which is not to be missed!  Then it’s race time.  There will be about 60-90 seconds between each corral start, so remember that when you pass by the official race clocks out on the course.  Your time will not start until you cross the start line though! Relax and take the first couple miles to settle in.  Don’t let the adrenaline of the awesome start get you moving more quickly than your plan!

Race Plan and Pacing

First and foremost enjoy it.  Take in the moment and enjoy what you have already accomplished by getting the training done.  You are already a champion.  In the first few miles you will most likely feel great and you should!  You are trained, tapered, and ready to go.  Hold yourself back.  The two best ways to run an endurance event are to 1) Run an even paced race or 2) Run negative splits.  Running an even pace is great for folks with a time goal and those who are good at knowing their pace.  It is an awesome thing to tune into your body and hit a pace, then hold it for the race.  An even more fun approach is to run negative splits, that is to start out slower than your eventual goal pace.  One of the best things about doing that is that you will still be feeling great at mile 10 or so and you can run strong, when many others unfortunately will be wishing that they had started off a bit slower.  As you pass them enjoy, pat yourself on the back (in your mind) for being smart and not blowing the first two miles out of the water.  DO NOT GO OUT TOO FAST.  This is the best way to have a terrible day.  If by chance you run the first mile or two much faster than your plan, fix it immediately.  Don’t think “oh cool I’m doing great” and stay too fast.  You will regret it in the last few miles.  Start out slower than you want and work towards your pace.

If you choose to run with the MIT pacers, great choice.  They will be running an even paced race.  Most of them will be slightly faster (only a few seconds) than their posted pace while running in order to account for a little bit of slow down during the aid stations.  A great plan is to keep an eye on them.  They will be running with balloons of different colors signifying the quarter and the half.  You don’t have to be right next to them to stay on pace, just keep an eye on where they are and you will stay on track.  If you want to run alongside them though, they will be more than happy to have you!  They are full of motivation and happy running vibes so take advantage of this terrific group of runners.

Drinking on the Run and Actually Getting it in Your Mouth

This is a skill learned only by doing it.  If you haven’t already perfected this, join the crowd.  I ran the Scioto Mile 15k a few weeks ago and got orange Gatorade mostly on my sleeve and my Garmin and NOT in my mouth.  So I took my own advice at the next one which is … 1) Make eye contact with the volunteer and call out what you want “water” or “sports drink” 2) Grab the cup and move to the side before you slow down 3) Slow down a little or slow to a walk when you are sure no one is going to run into you from behind 4 ) Pinch the cup to make it flat and easier to get into your mouth 5) Get a good swig and try to hit the trashcan with the empty cup 6) Pick your run back up.  Sounds easy enough, don’t worry if it goes a little bit less than perfectly.  My best advice for this is to take a throw away bottle, like the mini Gatorade bottles or kids water bottles filled with sports drink for the first few miles.  This way you can take your hydration when you want and don’t get stuck in the early aid stations which can be crowded.  You can toss it in a trashcan at one of the aid stations when you are done with it.

Aid stations will only be on one side of the road.  There will be signs that say “Aid Station Ahead” on the same side of the road that the aid station is actually on.  Please make note of that and start moving that way before you get there and you won’t have any problem.  Water will be first and Gu Brew (like Gatorade or Powerade) will be second.  Call out what you want and the volunteers will be listening!

President Obama

The President will be in town on May 5th at the Schottenstein Center.  In addition, State Science Day will be going on at French Field House.  Lane Avenue will be closed at that point for you all running so no worries.  You should have no trouble with traffic on the way into the race, but it may be a little slow going home.  So why not hang around and party with us!

Byers Xtra Mile Finish Line Party

Get your medal and take a finisher photo!  After you get cooled down a bit and grab some recovery fuel, make your way through runner recovery to the Byers Xtra Mile Finish Line Party.  There will be much celebrating!  Toast your accomplishments with some bubbly, beer, and chocolate.  Then enjoy what the party has to offer including a concert by SWAGG.
Congrats and Enjoy YOUR Moment

Congratulations to each and every one of you who chose to take on this journey with us.  We are all so excited for race day to just hurry up and get here!  This is your victory lap.  The race is the celebration of the accomplishment of all of your hard work.  YOU alone earned this and YOU deserve the celebration of your life.  Enjoy!

See you at the finish line on May 5th!

Getting Ready for the Big Day!

Wow!  We are ALMOST there!  A few days away from the Cap City Half Marathon!

Our training programs are just about complete and now it is time to focus on our final ‘details’ to ensure a great race day performance!

• PRE/DURING RACE DAY: Make sure to eat/drink easily absorbable carbs 45-60 minutes before race time – this includes bagels, orange juice, power bars, Gu, etc..  Please do not eat anything that you have never eaten before – (don’t try a new flavor or product – you need to make sure what you put into your body is something your body will welcome!).  Make sure to take some GU Bars with you (tri shirt pockets or pin to your shorts or shirt), or take advantage of the various refueling stations (there is 1 Gu station as well).  (A good rule of thumb is to take in an additional 300-400 calories every hour you are working)
• POST RACE DAY:  Make sure to refuel quickly – with readily absorbable carbs (bananas, oranges, juice, bagels) and then make sure to get a good meal with protein within a few hours of your race.  Make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day; stretch and celebrate yourself!
• FRIDAY NIGHT NUTRITION: Eat a good meal, with carbs (traditionally known as a ‘pasta night’) – to put glycogen into your muscles. Adding a little salt to your pasta may help to hold water into your cells – but don’t over do it.  Drink water throughout the day on Friday!
• FRIDAY WATER:  Also – make sure to get as much sleep as possible the night before!  Prepare yourself so that you can be your best!  (Coach Aimee has a great blog about water consumption -check out her post!)
• SUPPORT SYSTEM:  Let your friends know that you are doing the Cap City Half, Quarter or 5K – and give them opportunities to support you – either by asking them to come out and cheer you on, make signs, follow your tweets on Twitter, and/or updates on Facebook!  Your support system is a great way to add an extra push to your step!

Take care of your mind, body and spirit to prepare for the big day!  Spend some time relaxing/breathing/stretching and focusing on Friday and make sure to remind yourself just how far you have come along the journey.  If you are looking for a stretching routine for runners, click here: 

Once you cross that finish line, we will be there to celebrate with you!  Remember – life is about the journey, not the destination – so enjoy every step of the course!

See you at the finish line!

Hydration – The Right Way for YOU!

Race week is upon us.  As I type this, I am sweating.  It’s hot.  It’s the last day of April in Columbus.  Two days ago I ran 22 miles in the sleet, now it’s 80+ degrees.  Race day looks promising, but a little on the warm side if you ask me.  It will probably change 5 times before Saturday, so be prepared for anything.  The biggest question that I have left unanswered so far, in my mind at least, is that of proper hydration.  We’ve talked about nutrition and hydration was mentioned in that blog.  I want you to hit the “water” stops and grab the sports drink for the carbohydrates and also the electrolytes.  This is the first time I’ve mentioned that.  Your body really likes balance.  It wants and needs water but it also needs the other stuff that comes out when you sweat, which are electrolytes (mostly salt NaCl).  The question of how much to drink and what exactly to drink has been going round and round in the running community for several years.  Since I cannot do this topic justice I’ve asked Professor Steven Devor at Ohio State Exercise Physiology to help.  Below is a great discussion from Professor Devor about hydrating the proper way, which is to be very specific to EACH one of YOU.  Hydration is not a one size fits all thing and he gives a really easy way to figure out how much you need to put in to keep up with what is going out when you run.  Thanks so much to Dr. Devor for this awesome message about hydration.

Can you Drink Too Much?  In Short – Yes

If you want to be successful and complete longer training sessions and races you must avoid or delay dehydration caused by fluid losses from the body.  Fluids are primarily lost through sweating, breathing and using the toilet.  Years ago the advice was “drink, drink, drink,” and we assumed there was no downside to consuming as much fluid as possible. Unfortunately, consuming large amounts of water without electrolytes can lead to a condition called hyponatremia. Hyponatremia, also known as low sodium concentration or water intoxication, occurs due to prolonged sweating coupled with the dilution of extracellular sodium caused by consuming large amounts of fluid with low or no sodium.

Balance is Key

Sodium, chloride and potassium are electrolytes, and these electrolytes remain dissolved in the body fluids as electrically charged particles called ions.  Electrolytes help to modulate fluid exchanges between the different body fluid compartments and promote the exchange of nutrients and waste products between cells and the external fluid environment.  There is actually an electrical gradient across cell membranes. The difference in the electrical balance between the interior and exterior of cells facilitates nerve-impulse transmission, stimulation and action of skeletal muscles during running and other activities, and proper gland functioning.  If you consume too much water and not enough electrolytes, your body pulls electrolytes from its cells in order to create the right balance for absorption. If you consume too many electrolytes and not enough fluid, your body pulls fluids from within to create the right balance for absorption.  The bottom line is your body likes balance. Keeping your body in electrolyte and water balance, or very close to balanced, is part of the challenge as an endurance athlete.

Individualized Hydration

The easiest way to measure your sweat rate is to weigh yourself without clothes on before you do a one hour exercise session. After the hour session, return home, strip down, wipe of any excess sweat from your skin, and weigh yourself again. Assuming you did not use the toilet or consume any fluids during exercise, your weight loss is your sweat rate. For each kilogram of lost weight, you lost one liter of fluid.  To convert it to pounds, for each pound lost, you lost 15.4 oz. of fluid.  If you drink any fluids or used the rest room between the two weight samples, you will need to include both of these estimated weights in your calculations. Add fluid consumed to the amount of weight lost. Subtract estimated bodily void weight from the total weight lost.  I would be sure to record the heat and humidity conditions in your sweat test. Repeat the test in cool and hot conditions. If you are a triathlete, repeat the test for swimming, running and cycling because sweat rates will vary for each sport and vary with environmental conditions.

Through the years I have been able to come up with the following guidelines based on weight and different environmental temperatures.  They are only guidelines, so it would still still be best to do the individual tests  in a lab. None the less, I believe these are good averages.

Weight 100 pounds
Fluid Ounces Per Mile Depending On The Temperature: 50°F: 3.0  60°F: 3.2  70°F: 3.3  80°F: 3.6  90°F: 4.1  100°F: 4.7

Weight 120 pounds
Fluid Ounces Per Mile Depending On The Temperature: 50°F: 3.6  60°F: 3.8  70°F: 4.0  80°F: 4.3  90°F: 4.9  100°F: 5.6

Weight 140 pounds
Fluid Ounces Per Mile Depending On The Temperature: 50°F: 4.2  60°F: 4.4  70°F: 4.6  80°F: 5.0  90°F: 5.7  100°F: 6.5

Weight 160 pounds
Fluid Ounces Per Mile Depending On The Temperature: 50°F: 4.8  60°F: 5.0  70°F: 5.3  80°F: 5.8  90°F: 6.5  100°F: 7.4

Weight 180 pounds
Fluid Ounces Per Mile Depending On The Temperature: 50°F: 5.4  60°F: 5.7  70°F: 5.9  80°F: 6.5  90°F: 7.3  100°F: 8.4

Weight 200 pounds
Fluid Ounces Per Mile Depending On The Temperature: 50°F: 6.0  60°F: 6.3  70°F: 6.6  80°F: 7.2  90°F: 8.1  100°F: 9.3

Weight 220 pounds
Fluid Ounces Per Mile Depending On The Temperature: 50°F: 6.6  60°F: 6.9  70°F: 7.3  80°F: 7.9  90°F: 8.9  100°F: 10.2

Weight 240 pounds
Fluid Ounces Per Mile Depending On The Temperature: 50°F: 7.2  60°F: 7.6  70°F: 7.9  80°F: 8.6  90°F: 9.7  100°F: 11.2

Some Good Food Choices for Runners from our friends at Ohio Health

The countdown begins in earnest.  We are officially in celebration week, or race week, which is my absolute favorite time of the year.  We’re all counting the days, checking the weather constantly, and thinking about how to get ready for Saturday.  One of the biggest questions that both Julie and I receive is about nutrition.  We have talked about nutrition on the course and carbohydrates and such, but a lot of people want to know WHAT exactly are good options for runners.  You see articles like this in Runners World every month where they have a guest chef who runs give his or her favorite running meal, either pre or post run.  Since I am not a nutrition expert, I enlisted the help of someone who is.  Dawn Holmes is a Sports Dietician with Ohio Health.  She has some great advice on good food options for runners and the reasons why.  The information below is from Dawn.  Thanks so much Dawn for helping us with our race week food prep plans!

Top Foods for Runners

Dawn Holmes, MS, RD, LD, CSSD

Sports Dietitian, OhioHealth Sports Medicine

Your body will perform based on the fuel you give it.  Just like gas in your car, put the right stuff in and you’ll get great performance.  That means three meals and a couple snacks to maintain your energy during the day and with training.  Choose half your foods from healthy carbohydrate sources – whole grain breads, oatmeal, pasta, brown rice, fruits, and vegetables.  The other half from lean protein sources, healthy fats, and low-fat dairy to round out your day.

Top foods for runners include:

1)      Whole Grain Breads – These are a great source of energy from complex carbohydrates which contain fiber, B vitamins, Vitamin E, antioxidants, and phytochemicals.

2)      Salmon – Not only a great protein source but it also provides essential omega 3 fatty acids.  They help curb the inflammation that occurs with training and keep your heart healthy.

3)      Yogurt – This food has it all – carbohydrates, protein, and potassium.  Plus calcium and Vitamin D to support strong bones. Even those with sensitive digestive systems should be fine.  For less added sugar, try plain yogurt and add your own fruit.  For more protein, try Greek yogurt.

4)      Kiwi – This little fruit contains quick-acting carbohydrates and over 100% of your daily Vitamin C.  Just cut in half and scoop out the tart goodness.  It’s also a good source of potassium.

5)      Stir fry – A quick and easy meal with loads of vegetables and lean meat.  Try using peppers, carrots, and broccoli which are rich in fiber, beta carotene, and immune-boosting Vitamin C.  Add lean beef to increase your iron and zinc.

Proper Pacing Come Race Day – Part 1 Pacers

We’re less than 10 days from Cap City 2012!  I am so excited and I know all of you are getting pumped and just a bit nervous.  You should know by now how your fitness has improved over the last several months of training.  You may have a goal in mind for a time come race day.  You’ve seen the course maps and may have even driven the course.  Now you need to figure out your race pace and strategy.  I will dedicate an entire blog to that, but I want to focus this one on the use of pacers.  Lots of big races have pacers, some good some bad.  We’ve got a great team of pacers for Cap City, the world famous MIT pace team! They are out there for you.  They want you to enjoy every minute of your race experience, so they will worry about the pacing duties so that you do not have to deal with it if you don’t wish.  They will point out the porta potties, upcoming water stations, places where you should run the vectors (the shortest part of the road and how the course is marked – not cheating!).  They will generally run even paced race and their goal is to have you finish ahead of them!  How they deal with water stops will vary only a bit, some will walk them, some will slow down and then let you all catch up.  When in doubt, ask them!

MIT Pacers

Marathoner in Training is a great group of runners here in Central Ohio.  For many of us, it has become a lifestyle and not merely a training group.  We love running and love hanging out together, on the trail and off.  The majority of MIT pacers for Cap City are also MIT pace coaches.  We do this week in and week out, about 45 weeks of the year.  We love pacing and we can nail a pace when asked!  We also think of ourselves as moving cheerleaders (but not overly peppy, don’t worry).  There’s a lot of support and chatter from the pacers, so you can just zone out and run if you want!  They will be running an even pace throughout the course.  They will have special singlets and pace signs and balloons so that you can easily find them come race morning.  They will be out there early so you can talk with them and see if their plan matches up with your own.

Some info from Specific Pace Groups

A few of our pacers wanted to share some pre-race info with you all.

2:45 Group Dave and Jen

Jen and Dave will be pacing for a 2 hour and 45 minute finish which is an average pace of 12:35. Our plan is to walk through all water stops, so we will run closer to a 12:00 mile pace to compensate. Jen will preview the course with the pace team Sunday AM so we are prepared to be great course caddies!  Training and pacing for MIT every week makes for a fun and fabulous race day. – Jen and Dave

2:20 Group Jennifer and Nicole (a very spirited group)

We leave no man behind. I always make every last of my pack pass me at the end :0)  We also do a lot of Whoo hoo’ing at mile markers, what happens on the trail stays on the trail ha.  We do enjoy dressing up to entertain ie st pattys halloween etc -  Jennifer

2:05 Group Erin and Dave

Welcome to the 9:30-9:33 minute pace group! We expect to finish in 2:05 and have lots of fun out there! This will be a VERY popular pace group and we will be carrying a sign and balloons for you to keep an eye on the whole race.   Our goal is to ensure your race is evenly paced. We hope to finish BEHIND you! As your pacers, we will not stop to drink at the hydration tables. Your pacers will grab, chug and jog through the stations to give you a chance to quickly hydrate without getting water up your nose. We will speed back up to pace as we leave the hydration tables. Don’t forget to smile for the cameras!

Plan your race but make some time to enjoy it!

Make sure that you have a plan in mind for pacing, nutrition, hydration and such.  Don’t worry if something goes slightly amiss however, like you go out too fast.  Don’t just give up your plan, fix it immediately.  If you went out too fast in mile 1, slow down as soon as you’ve figured that out.  Fix your issue as soon as you can and you’ll be right back on track.  The pacers will help you control yourself if you plan is an even paced race.  If however, you want to run negative splits (faster in the second half than the first) maybe choose a slower pace group initially and work yourself up to the goal pace later in the race.  This is a great plan and is super motivating to pass folks at the end of the race!  Whatever your plan, make sure you take some time and enjoy yourself.  This is your victory lap.  You’ve done all the hard work in training and race day is the payoff.  Relish your accomplishment and make sure to smile when you see the race photographer out there!

Happy training and see you on May 5!

Protein Bar Or Power Bar?

Many of you have been asking me about the various ‘bars’ on the market, and which are better for training/recovery and just energy in general.

There are different bars for different needs – and not all bars are equal. It is important that you look at a few things:
1.) The Protein
2.) The Fat
3.) The Carbs/Sugar
4.) The ingredients

Of course, the more natural ingredients in a bar, the more likely your body will enjoy digesting it. When you eat products with a lot of synthetic ingredients (usually long words that are hard to pronounce), your body doesn’t recognize it and has to create additional enzymes to process it. This can cause overwork for your digestive system. So, in short, where you can find more natural ingredients and simpler products, I encourage it.

In addition, there is a big difference in ‘bars’. While I don’t want to recommend one brand over another, I can tell you the following:

1.) Power Bars – or High Energy Bars (brands: PowerBar, Cliff, etc) are typically higher in carbs and sometimes sugar. These are typically intended for someone who is working out for 1-3+ hours and is burning their readily available fuel source (high intensity) and need some quickly absorbable/easily digestible fuel. Your body can use carbs/sugars at a high level if you are burning them or recovering from burning them. An example: Use energy bars when on a long training run/ride – to consume every 45mins-and hour to supplement your energy system.

I notice some people using energy bars for every day living. While these can be a calorie-control way to get some good energy – I’d encourage you to make sure you are getting some protein in as well when you are snacking throughout the day.

Protein bars, on the other hand, typically have a higher protein content. Protein is an essential building block for muscle and so if you are looking to improve your strength and muscle definition, consuming Protein Bars prior a workout and within 45 minutes of a work can be a nice compliment to aid your muscles in breakdown and repair. They are good for training/every day use… you just need to study the label – if the product tastes like a candy bar- chances are, it may have the sugar equivalent to a candy bar. Sugar, when unused in its digestible timeframe, turns into fat – so you may want to look for products that have a good combination of protein, carbs and fats. While I do not support one brand over another, I have found the EAS Carb Control, Detour Brand and Zone Bars to have a good combination of these items for my preferences/goals.

Remember that if the bar is sweet, but the sugar is low, the replacement product may be a sugar substitute, which may not be the best solution either.

Spend some times looking at your labels, reading about the various products and deciding that based on your goals – what the right choices are for you.

You don’t have to consume bars at all – lean protein sources like beans or chicken, granola, almonds, eggs, and yogurt can be wonderful additions to a workout program – the bars add convenience and take the ‘think-work’ out of it, but just remember that not all bars are created equal.

Share with us what your favorite brands, and energy/protein sources are…

Taper Madness Time – The Hard Work is Over Now Rest Up!

After your last long run this weekend you will be officially in the taper period of half marathon training!  Yay, congrats and great work!  I will not sit here and lie to you all.  The taper is my absolute LEAST favorite time of any training season.  In fact, I hate it.  There’s not much that I hate, but I hate tapering.  It may seem counter-intuitive if this is your first endurance event, because we’ve been waiting for the time we can rest, but believe me it can be a tough time mentally for some myself included.  Understand that this too is a very important part of your training, just like all of the hard miles you’ve logged and the good nutrition habits you’ve started.  The body needs this time so that it can perform at its best come race day.  If done well, the taper gives you that edge that you need to race!  You want to be completely rested and recovered going into your race, with no lingering aches and pains from training.  Keep calm and hopefully YOU can enjoy the taper!

What is the Taper?

Tapering is as much an art as a science.  The goal is to completely recover from all the hard weeks and months of work that you have put in during your training.  It is time for the body to completely rebuild and replenish all of its systems, repair any lingering damage, and eliminate any built up fatigue.  In a half marathon program, this occurs about 2 weeks out from the race day.  We will cut the volume of the workload back down (i.e. the miles) but keep some of the intensity.  Note that I said “keep” not “start.”  If you’ve been doing speed work of some type: pace runs, tempo runs, etc., you will still do them but at a much shorter distance than previously.  You will NOT add speed work now if you have not been doing it throughout and you will NOT increase the intensity.  If you have been doing some speed, you want to do it still but in a much reduced volume.  The goal is just to keep the snap in the legs and keep them used to the fast turnover.  If you have not been doing speed and have no idea what a pace or tempo run is, don’t worry now is definitely not the time to start.

The taper is used to get an athlete to “peak.”  You have probably heard this term for track athletes and for swimmers.  Swimmers will often train hard up to and including their early championships.  They will only rest, or taper, before their main goal event.  That causes them to peak physically for that training cycle and their best times of the season come right after that taper period.  They are like fine tuned machines all tuned up and ready for race day.  That is us now too.  Only with rest comes that peak.  Some say that they’ve peaked too early and their best times come before their goal race.  If you’ve followed an appropriate training schedule and done the work, start tapering now, and that should lead to you peaking on race week.

Cut the volume of your runs.  If you are following my plan on the Cap City Half Marathon site or almost any good training program, you will notice that after your last long run your total weekly miles will drop, your long run mileage will drop, and most of your week day miles will drop.  This is the idea.  You are still running some, you don’t want to stop completely but you are running less. 

My Favorite Mantra – Nothing New on Race Day!

Again, I say it! In this case, it means no new running stuff.  Don’t go out and try the best new training plan that the running magazine is touting (until after the race).  Like I said before, don’t start speed work if you haven’t been doing it all along.  No new shoes, no attempts at barefoot running, don’t go running on the sand in the beach in Jamaica (I’m still recovering from doing that last week – but I’m not racing in two weeks!).  Nothing new .  ALSO … now is not the time to try Cross Fit or Zumba, as great as they are and no matter how badly you want to try them.  Don’t hit the weights at the gym if you haven’t been doing it all season.  We want to recover fully not put our bodies through new stresses from which they need to recover further.  This may seem obvious, but things that are physically stressful are not to be started right now!  This includes activities like roofing your house, pulling out old landscaping and mulching your yard, hiking with your best 4-legged buddy.  I’m not calling anyone out specifically, but these are real examples (well one of them is) from my favorite running partner of all time – you know who you are!

Aches and Pains

Part of the madness of the taper comes from these strange aches and pains that always seem to crop up during this time.  Do not worry, most of these are normal.  If something hurts or even feels off, TAKE THE DAY OFF.  Don’t run.  Just relax and get extra rest.  If it still bugs you the next day or so, get in touch with your favorite sports med doc.  Most of these aches and pains are your body’s way of rebuilding itself and some of them are in our heads, but not all.  If it doesn’t get better with a couple days of rest, see your doctor.  Also, stay away from people with obvious illnesses.  After long runs, over about 1.5-2 hours our immune systems are a bit compromised.  Maybe postpone the outing to the ultra-huge screen cinema until after the race.  You want to do the normal things to prevent colds and such during this time: eat well, get good quality sleep, wash your hands, stay away from people who are sick.

Running More in the Taper Won’t Help but it Can Hurt

Can’t decide if you feel something odd in your foot?  Don’t run today.  Take the day off.  If you’re feeling a little bit tired from yesterday’s long meeting with the boss, take the day off.

To be blunt, at this point in the training either you’ve put in the work or you haven’t.  You cannot cram 16 weeks of training into the last two.  Physiologically, you are not doing anything good for yourself by running more than the schedule calls for in this time frame.  The adaptations necessary to get you to the finish line occurred during that 16 week time frame, not these last two.  By running more now, we would only be tiring ourselves out and setting ourselves up for an unhappy day.  If you have done the work, YOU ARE READY.  Believe that.  Your body is used to the work-recovery cycle that we have been asking of it these last 14 weeks.  It knows what to do and your systems are in place now to make it happen.  Taking an extra rest day here or there can only help you now.  Make sure that you are resting and letting your body recover fully!

Mental Games

Believe me, I understand that you don’t want to skip a run.  Runners have the reputation among other endurance athletes as being crazy obsessive type A personalities.  I battle this stereotype all the time, but sometimes I am the perfect example of that exact thing – crazy and obsessive.   The issue is that we love what we do.  It has become our outlet, our stress relief, therapy, and go to “me time” of the day.  After a run, our heads are clear and our bodies are pumped.  Now I’m asking you to NOT do the thing that takes away the stress and for some that causes MORE stress!  Don’t worry, no matter what your brain is telling you one or two extra days of rest are not going to make you instantly gain weight.  You won’t immediately lose all the fitness gains you’ve worked so hard for these last few months, in fact you will be stronger for the time off.  You won’t forget how to run fast.  You may in fact gain a couple pounds over the next week or so, no big deal.  It is most likely water as we tend to be dehydrating ourselves over the training cycle.  It will all come back off come race day.

Strategies for dealing with taper madness are many.  My favorite strategy is to take the time that you would normally be running and spend it with your support crew.  Thank them for giving you that extra hour without the kids or for making dinner a couple nights a week, so you can run.  Take them out to dinner.  Remember what your wife looks like or what your husband’s favorite beer is and enjoy the time together.  Sit on the sidelines at your daughter’s soccer practice instead of doing laps around the fields.  Go out with the girls or the guys for a drink (but only one).  Enjoy this time with them, thank them for listening to your stories of this mile or that.  Talk with them about something other than running shoes and the miraculous powers of Body Glide.

Enjoy the taper.  You’ve earned it.  I am so proud of all of you and cannot wait to meet you on race week.  I want to take this time to thank all of you for allowing me the privilege of working with you these last few months.  I love going to random places and hearing from people “I am training for my first half marathon at Cap City!”  It’s happened so many times: at Benny’s in Marysville, at Nurtur Salon, at the airport, at the post office.  Amazing.  Thank you all so much.  Congrats on putting in the tough work.  Rest up and recover well.

I promised you a blog on hydration and it’s coming, but I wanted to get this one out there just before you complete your last long run.

As always, email me if you have any questions.  I can’t wait to see you all on May 5th!

Eating on the Run – Part 2 of Nothing New on Race Day

The question of how to properly fuel for an endurance event is a huge one.  Many of us start on this journey as a way to get fit and to lose weight.  The second one sometimes is at odds with our nutritional needs as endurance athletes, which is often why I will tell someone whose main fitness goal is to lose weight NOT to train for a marathon yet.  The reason for that is simple, you need to fuel your body so that it can perform.  The nice thing about a half marathon distance is that many times just by getting out the door for all the training we will lose some weight and still be able to adequately fuel our bodies for our runs.  But what does that mean?  Essentially, it means that we need to give our bodies the right types of fuel so that it can turn that fuel into energy, in the body’s case that means turning it into ATP.  All sources of fuel can be turned into ATP, including sugars (carbohydrates), fat, and protein.  We want to make sure that we are using the first two and not the third (protein for ATP production would mean you’re using your muscle for fuel – BAD).   So there’s a lot of science behind all of this, but you’re probably not looking for a lesson in the Krebs energy cycle today, you just want to know how to eat before, during, and after a race to ensure a quality run and to not “hit the wall.”

Rule #1 of endurance races – nothing new on race day!

I know I sound like a broken record, but this is HUGE for food and hydration.  Practice your fueling strategy for before, during, and after the race to make sure it all works for you.  We all have very different tummies and what your buddy can handle may be disastrous for you.  Also, what works for a 5 mile run may not work for a 10-13 mile run.  So practice all of it.

Carbs – a little bit more science

First and foremost, if you are an endurance athlete you should not be on a low carb diet during your training and racing  (unless of course you have worked something out with your physician and/or a registered dietician that knows your training schedule).  Your body needs carbohydrates to make ATP directly (from glycogen in your muscles) and also to make ATP from fat.  If you don’t have enough carbohydrates around you will not be able to tap that fabulous energy storage system we call fat.  Unless you are running a track race of 400meters or less, you will be using some fat for energy.  You want your body to get used to using fat efficiently as an energy source and that comes from training at the proper paces (i.e. not too fast).  I want to be clear on this though, you need the carbohydrate around in order to utilize that fat source.  If not, you could actually start breaking down your muscles for energy and obviously that is not beneficial to anyone.   Starving an endurance athlete’s body of carbs will only lead to things that are not fun: hitting the wall, feeling dopey or “out of it,” and definitely having to slow down.

The Night Before and The Morning of Your Race

Traditionally, this is where runners want the “pasta party.”  This is a great idea.  Your main goal of the meal the night before is to top off your carbohydrate stores (really your glycogen stores).  You want to eat high quality carbs and some protein that you know work for you (because you’ve practiced …).  Some ideas are: of course spaghetti and meat sauce, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, potatoes, etc.  I like whole wheat pasta with a little olive oil and garlic because sometimes red sauce bothers me.  Again, try and find what works for you.  You want your last big meal to be about 12 hours before your event.  You’ll want to have another meal about 1-3 hours before your event.  This is your true “top off the tank” meal.  It should be mostly, if not all, carbohydrates.  You essentially want 200-300 calories or so, closer to 300 if you’re at 3 hours prior less closer to the start.  I like oatmeal and yogurt, with a little peanut butter before long runs.  From about 60 mins pre-race until about 10-15 minutes before your race, don’t eat any sugar.  Eating sugar in this window actually makes your blood sugar drop a little bit, so make your last sugary snack or drink (including Gatorade) about 1 hour pre-race and then not again until just before you toe the line (10 mins or so pre-race).  Again, practice all of this before you get to race day!

The big question – how to avoid the wall … Eating during the Race
First of all what is the dreaded “wall?”  Essentially, this happens when you run yourself out of sugar/carbs/glycogen.  Your body is now trying to use only fat to propel you forward.  This is a slow process for the body and it is using its energy to keep you alive first and foremost, sending energy to your vital organs and such and THEN to your muscles.  Your only response can be to slow down tremendously or even stop running or walking.  You may feel like you are running through molasses now, working really hard and not getting very far.  What do you do now?  Well the best thing would have been to not get there in the first place, but if you do hit the wall, slow down and start taking in some carbs (Gatorade, Gu, etc).  You may eventually start to feel better, but you probably won’t feel like you did at the start of the race.  So let’s avoid this altogether, which is entirely possible for a half marathon.   During a race of an hour or longer (which I’m assuming is most of us reading this unless your name is Meb, Ryan, or Abdi) we should be taking in carbohydrates at a rate of about 100-240 calories per hour from the very beginning of the race (essentially aid station #1).  Happily, this is pretty simple to accomplish with what is out on the course.  You want to go through the aid station and grab the sports drink at each stop, not just water.  Gatorade, HEED, Powerade, etc all have a nice amount of carbohydrates that are meant to get into your system easily.  Don’t dilute the sports drink, if you do you only mess with the highly researched balance that these companies have worked out for you.  Don’t skip aid stations.  Start with the Gatorade right away, aid station 1.  If you decide to use a condensed version of carbohydrates like Gu, Sport Beans, Gu Chomps, Clif Blocks, Carboom, Honey Stinger, etc great!  They are like dehydrated versions of sports drink.  The key to these is to chase them with water at the aid station, not sports drink.  For me the plan is typically miles 1-4 drink Gatorade, then mile 5 Gu with water, repeat.   This will vary for you based on pace and what your palate preferences are and what your gut can handle.  You want to drink about every 15 minutes or so, which will be about every aid station, but you might want to carry a throw away bottle if you want to avoid the traffic in the early miles at the aid stations.

Try the above strategy in your long training runs.  Make sure this works for you and doesn’t have you running toward the porta potty.  It sometimes takes some trial and error to figure this out.  People are different, that’s why there are so many different products out there.  Some people HATE the consistency of Gu but love Sport Beans.  Some people hate chewing Sport Beans, but love Carboom.  Find your favorite and make sure it works (before the expo please)!

Refueling after long training runs and races

Once you get that well earned medal, you still have work to do.  Refueling is just as important for your training as fueling during your workout, same with races.  You want to start refueling right away to begin the process of replacing your carbohydrate stores and start recovering.  The BEST time to do this is within the first 30-60 minutes after your workout, preferably the first 30 minutes.  Your body is like a carbohydrate sponge at this point, primed and ready to be replaced.  It is now that you want to drink that recovery drink, eat that banana with some peanut butter, or drink your chocolate milk.  Not only will this help you with replacing your glycogen stores, it helps you to refuel you so that you are not STARVING a few hours from now and overeat.  Now is the time to get some protein, you want about a 3:1 or 4:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio after your workout.  Enjoy that chocolate mile before hitting the finish line party!

I’m trying to hit you with the info hard and fast in these last few weeks leading up to the race, so that you’re ready to go come race day!  Also, if you’re like most of us you check the website a lot to calm the nerves.  If you have any specific questions, let me know.  Next in line for publication is a guest discussion from Professor Steven Devor at OSU about hydration – how to calculate your own needs for hydration and electrolytes.  Thanks to Dr. Devor for his help with this post too!  Train well, rest up, eat your good carbs, and I’ll see you on May 5th!

What is your reason?

Why would you run that far unless someone is chasing you?

Do you hear that question a lot from friends, family, co-workers?  If so, join the club.  Most people would not even think about attempting a half marathon let alone make the time, effort, and commitment it takes to get to the starting line.  We all start off on this journey from vastly different places, with different goals, fitness levels, and reasons for going the distance.  As you continue down the path of the endurance athlete, the answer to both questions above will undoubtedly change.  Whatever your reason, whatever your goal, it is yours alone.  It is real.  It does not matter if you are running to set a world record, a personal best, to finish in front of your husband, to raise money for cancer, or to check it off the bucket list.  Hold onto it and remember it come mile 11 when you know that the finish is close but it is not close enough.  I have friends who coach younger athletes, high school and youth.  Often they have to find ways to motivate their athletes to work harder, to push more.  The one major difference in coaching adult runners is that I have never once had a tell an athlete to work harder or to just find some motivation.  It’s already there and if anything we as coaches have to slow people down, teach runners how to rest.  You’ve already proven that you are a champion by undertaking the training and your self-motivation is the reason that’s kept you moving forward.

Celebrating the gift

Many of you know me personally, we’ve logged more miles together on the banks of the Olentangy than we can count.  Those of you that do, and those of you who read my posts, know that I’m a pretty open person.  I’m a “sharer.”  Maybe I share too much, but that’s what we do with all those hours on our feet.  Running has taught me so much, and not just about myself as an athlete, mostly about people, life, and the sweet gift we are given.  This season for me is so much different that any before it and I know that goes for hundreds of my fellow running buddies this Spring.  In the past, I have run for personal best times or to qualify for a specific race or even as a stepping stone to a later race.  I’ve run races to pace others and by far those have been the most fun.  I’ve run for the medal, for the Boston qualifying time, for the glory in my own mind, or to prove something to myself.  In the end, even the races where I’ve been running as a pacer, the races were for me.  I do not believe that this is selfish.  We all need the “me time “and how we choose to spend that time is our decision alone.  You and I have chosen a lifestyle that moves.  We journey together toward a race, but the true gift is the daily sunrise and the run that we are blessed to take each day.  Some days they are blissful, others they frankly just hurt, right?  But the constant is that we have the ability to go and do it, whenever and however we choose.  To run is a gift and we receive it again and again every day.  Our bodies and our minds grow stronger with each one and the celebration continues.

This year is different

This year is different.  I have no goal time, only to run.  I run for joy.  I run for life.  I run because others cannot.  I may not run very fast, but that is not the point.  I do not care what the clock says, only that it is running.  My first race of this year will be in Utah, a few weeks after you all finish Cap City.  I will talk to people along the course, smile at every photo op, and enjoy the movement because this year is different.  I will cry I’m sure, but the tears will not linger.  I will laugh though too because this is a celebration, a moving 26.2 mile tribute to life lived fully.  Mine won’t be the only one, of that I’m sure.  Running mile 26 I will search my memory to find that huge smile, a smile so big that it cannot fade away.  There is only one reason I need, because this year is different.    On May 19th I will run for my friend.

Let YOUR reason pull you through

This is by far your biggest training week.  You’ll be doing your last truly long run and then the taper will begin.  There will be times when you are tired or bored or just not in the mood.  When those times hit, think back to the initial decision to start this journey.  Whatever made you press that “register” button is still there in your mind.  Let it be the strength you find when you can’t seem to summon your own.  You are all amazing and truly champions for taking on this challenge.  Enjoy the last big week, recall the reason you started.  Run healthy and I’ll see you at the finish line on May 5th!