Training Supplement – March 31, 2017

I’m running two marathons in the next five weeks and thought it’s about time I got myself ready!  I’m fairly sure which shoes I want to wear and ordered some gels.  I’m working on my playlist but I’m not  finding a lot of up-tempo songs about Oregon.

Clothing & Gear

Shoes.  During a recent long run, I had pain on the top of my left foot wearing my Mizuno Wave Rider 20s.  I retired them and since I’m getting more comfortable with the lighter shoes.  So, what will I wear for the Eugene Marathon?  I’m pretty sure it’ll be the Saucony Ride 9 but I still have a few weeks to decide.  I like the Brooks Launch 4, but the heel rubs my ankle.

Music players.  iPod Shuffle.  I run with a Shuffle since it’s small and I can clip it onto my waist band.  The one I had been using started acting up a couple of weeks ago and I finally decided to get a new one.  I was surprised by how much the price has come down on these devices.

Sports Bras.  Brooks Maia Bra.  I bought a new bra, too.  The biggest downside of this one is that it isn’t racer back, which for me means I’m not going to wear it during the summer when all I wear are racer back tops.  But, it’s very comfortable for an underwire running bra.

(My Complete Clothes & Gear Page.)

 

Nutrition & Hydration

Gels.  Crank Sport e-Gel.  With the Boston and Eugene marathons around the corner, I bought more gels.  I ordered the variety pack thinking I might be tired of my favorite flavor – Juicy Watermelon – after two marathons.  I’m glad I ordered it when I did because I would have had to pay a lot more to guarantee delivery earlier than 10 days.

Pre-workout Nutrition.  Before last Sunday’s long run, I experimented with trying to eat more right before a long run.  I had coffee, a bagel, half a banana, and some apple juice before the run.  Although I had a pretty good run, I felt sluggish particularly in the beginning.

Routes

Hazards.  It snowed overnight March 13th.  It didn’t snow very much – maybe 3″ including sleet –  but it was so cold that the slush didn’t melt for quite a few days.

On the Mount Vernon Trail, there are drain pipes from the 14th Street Bridge that pour onto the road below.  It created some scary looking icicles after the snow storm.  It rained today and it was as if the drains were waterfalls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Media & Motivation

Music. During my recovery run last Sunday, I listened to Liz Phair.  I added this song to my Eugene Marathon playlist, so I can recall how happy I felt during that run.

“Polyester Bride,” by Liz Phair

I’m having trouble finding songs related to Oregon for the 2017 Eugene Marathon playlist.

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

Podcasts.  “Jeff Galloway – Go Slow to Go Fast,” from RunnersConnect.  For me, the most comforting part of this podcast was when he talked about doing the full marathon distance (or more) three weeks before a goal marathon.  I’ve worried about running the Boston Marathon so close to the Eugene Marathon, so this made me feel better about it.

“Help From the Team,” The Runner’s World Show.  After the last update, I wondered how the editor was doing.  The advice about being neutral about how your training is going and thinking of negative thoughts as “mental training errors” was new to me.

News.  “Huddle Wins 3rd Straight NYC Half in Thriller,” Runner’s World.  This might be the first time I watched a running event that wasn’t a marathon through my computer.  Molly Huddle is so inspiring.  My friend ran the race (finishing pretty far behind Molly) and reported back that it was a great experience.  So…  I’m thinking of running it next year!

“Runner Caught Using Bib Mule at 2016 New York City Marathon in Boston Marathon Qualifying Attempt,” by Marathon Investigation.  It’s interesting that runners have a specific name for this practice.  Is it an indication of how frequently this happens?  I took comfort that I moved up one spot in several categories in that race since she was disqualified.

Motivation.  “Our strength grows out of our weaknesses.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Last week, I fought hard to get close to marathon pace during a tempo run – in no small part because I ran on a hilly course.  I felt like a stronger, more confident runner after that effort.

What songs should I include in my Eugene Marathon playlist?