Training Supplement – August 24, 2016

The final days of The Olympic Games were thrilling!  I also caught up on my favorite podcasts.  I worked on my New York City Marathon playlist.  I’m mid-way through The Science of Running but am going to put it away for a while.  No new clothing or gear but I customized the watch face on my Garmin 630.

Clothing & Gear

GPS Watches.  I found an app that allows me to set any picture as a watch face for my Garmin 630!  I uploaded a picture of my game face so I can scowl at myself all day long.

Clothes.  It seems as thought I haven’t bought any running clothes in months!  I visited my local running store this week and cruised several websites but didn’t see anything I liked.  Have I finally purchased everything I need?

(My Complete Clothes & Gear Page.)

Nutrition & Hydration 

Nutrition. The bland diet the night before workouts continues to keep GI distress away.  I’ve been consistently having baked salmon with teriyaki sauce and quinoa with brown rice for dinner the evenings before workout days.  I’ve also gone with water rather than sports drinks during tempo and interval runs.

Routes

Water Parks.  During a heat wave, there’s nothing quite like finishing a run with a frolic through a water park.

Media & Motivation

Music. “Brave,” by Sara Bareilles.  Sunday’s long run on the treadmill prompted me to start working on my New York City Marathon Playlist.  This might be the song I hear when I cross the finish  line.

(My “Songs of the Week” playlist on Spotify.)

Olympics.  Rio Olympics.  There was lots of excitement this week – Alyson Felix’s six gold medals, Matt Centrowitz Jr. winning the 1500, the men’s marathon…   As this Runner’s World Top 15 Running Moments at the 2016 Olympics piece shows, U.S. Track & Field was inspiring.  I may pay my dues on time this year.

Podcasts.  “Shalane Flanagan and Frank Shorter,” by The Runner’s World Show.  Shalane Flanagan talked about her fluid intake at the U.S. Olympic Trials.  I had no idea elites were so technical about their fluids!  Can I have that analysis done?  Also, Frank Shorter told riveting stories about his Olympic marathon races and childhood abuse.

Books.  “The Science of Running,” by Steve Magness.  I continued reading this book but decided to stop at the “How to Train” section until after the New York City Marathon.  The chapter on the genetics of training led me to conclude that there’s some consensus that high mileage is “good” but the intensity of those miles is debatable.  And, the author supported the idea of doing base work first in training, and then intensity.  These ideas will undoubtedly inform my next training cycle.

Magazines.  The August issue of Runner’s World had marathon racing tips from the top American runners.  The free version on their website is titled, “Lessons on Racing, Pacing, and Focus from the American Trials, by Alex Hutchinson.  The two that I want to keep in mind for the New York City Marathon are: 1) sticking to my race plan and 2) resisting the urge to surge.  In recent marathons, I’ve thrown in fast middle miles when I’ve felt good and paid for it down the road.  The Fall Shoe Guide 2016 was also in that issue.  The Brooks Ghost 9 is a best buy but, as I’ve written, I didn’t like how it fit my foot.

Motivation.  “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.” –Tony Robbins.

This training cycle, I hired a coach to see if it would improve my race times.  It’s been hard letting go of control but I truly believe if you don’t experiment with your training, you won’t really know what works for you.