What do you use for nutrition during a race?
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Shoes! And Jelly Beans!
What do you use for nutrition during a race?
Don't Panic
I woke up this morning with a terrible headache. It started around 2:00 am and then I'd wake up every hour until 5:30 am. I was supposed to run this morning, and it was extremely important because I didn't run yesterday due to being just plain exhausted. Beyond caffeine exhausted. Like new baby exhausted.
There was no way I was going to be able to get out there this morning. My head hurt so much I felt like I was going to throw up. A few ibuprofen (the duct tape of medicine!) and my head was bearably numb, but I was still nauseous. I'm either getting sick or there's some big storm coming (yep my head can predict storms, what of it?).
Now I'm panicked. I can't miss two days of running in a row. I'll fall behind. I'll get fat. I'll lose my motivation!
The rule of thumb is to make your long runs no longer than half of the mileage for the week. So I just need to figure out how to fit in 8 miles this week so I can feel comfortable running 8 miles on Saturday. But if I don't, then I don't. It's important to stay healthy when you are training. When you train for a race there's always a risk of pushing yourself too hard and then your immune system can be compromised. I always get a sinus infection a few weeks before the half marathon I'm training for. So I'm really wigged out that I'll get sick in the middle of my training. It doesn't help I have people coughing germs all over me lately. And little petri dishes running around my house spreading the germs incubating in their little bodies.
The lesson I've learned in training is that you need to be flexible. There will be weeks where you can't train, either because you are sick or because of vacation or something else that gets in the way. The best you can do is pick up where you left off and keep going.
Don't panic. If you get back on track you'll be fine.
I hope. Right now I feel like a zombie that ate some bad brains. Ugh. Blech. Where's the Advil?
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Horrible. Rotten. Tired and cranky.
Last week was a rest week. This week was back to work.
This meant getting up at 5:30 am to run four days this week. You have to figure out when the best time is for you to run considering your schedule and just when it feels right. I like running in the morning, with the sun just rising and the birds chirping, and no one on the road but me. But I also had a crazy work week, with nonstop meetings and deadlines and emails all week. I would get up at 5:30 am and run, then go to work, and then after dinner, it was play time with the kids (or a two hour baseball game with nine year olds just learning how to pitch and hit) and then bedtime for the kids. Then I had to wind down. I didn't get to sleep until after 11:00 pm. And today it didn't help that I ran 7 miles in the morning then cleaned the basement all afternoon.
I felt so tired it was like a flashback to when the boys were babies and I had to survive on 4-5 hours of sleep for 4 months. That's how I really got addicted to coffee. Anyway, that's how I felt this week. Horrible. Rotten. Tired and cranky.
My husband (the man with the shoes) kept telling me I would adjust. I'm still not sure how I am supposed to adjust; by "adjust" does he mean a) I'll start going to sleep earlier, or b) I'll survive on less sleep? I would assume the former, as you are supposed to get plenty of rest while training. If it's the latter, then I'm not going to make it. I NEED my sleep. Anyone who has to be around me for any length of time can attest to that.
Training for any race is a time commitment, but training for a marathon is a really huge time commitment, especially when you are slow. I see some weekend naps in my future.
UPDATE: So my husband tells me (after reading this post,and on Facebook, no less): You will "adjust" in that your fitness will improve and you'll be able to complete your workouts without feeling fatigued for days on end. When will THAT happen? I'd like to know. Cause I'm tired and cranky now.
This meant getting up at 5:30 am to run four days this week. You have to figure out when the best time is for you to run considering your schedule and just when it feels right. I like running in the morning, with the sun just rising and the birds chirping, and no one on the road but me. But I also had a crazy work week, with nonstop meetings and deadlines and emails all week. I would get up at 5:30 am and run, then go to work, and then after dinner, it was play time with the kids (or a two hour baseball game with nine year olds just learning how to pitch and hit) and then bedtime for the kids. Then I had to wind down. I didn't get to sleep until after 11:00 pm. And today it didn't help that I ran 7 miles in the morning then cleaned the basement all afternoon.
I felt so tired it was like a flashback to when the boys were babies and I had to survive on 4-5 hours of sleep for 4 months. That's how I really got addicted to coffee. Anyway, that's how I felt this week. Horrible. Rotten. Tired and cranky.
My husband (the man with the shoes) kept telling me I would adjust. I'm still not sure how I am supposed to adjust; by "adjust" does he mean a) I'll start going to sleep earlier, or b) I'll survive on less sleep? I would assume the former, as you are supposed to get plenty of rest while training. If it's the latter, then I'm not going to make it. I NEED my sleep. Anyone who has to be around me for any length of time can attest to that.
Training for any race is a time commitment, but training for a marathon is a really huge time commitment, especially when you are slow. I see some weekend naps in my future.
UPDATE: So my husband tells me (after reading this post,and on Facebook, no less): You will "adjust" in that your fitness will improve and you'll be able to complete your workouts without feeling fatigued for days on end. When will THAT happen? I'd like to know. Cause I'm tired and cranky now.
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