Torture of the Taper

What’s that pinching in my right quad? My left knee has never hurt there before. My hamstring is awfully tight. I think my Achilles tendonitis is coming back.

Apparently this is all normal during a taper, at least according to a Runner’s World article on Taper Traps.  Read it to learn some of the mistakes marathoners make during the final three weeks of training and how to avoid them.

I was so relieved after my last 22 mile run and ready to begin recovery. That first week I was exhausted, then angry and wishing it was all over with. Now I’m moving into acceptance and realization that the big day is only 10 days away. The nerves are setting in. A week and a half into my taper for the Boston Marathon I felt energized on my bike ride to work across the river up and over the bridge, rather than the tired, sluggish feeling I have started so many of my days with over the past few months. I can tell that in a few days I will be itching to run.  I’ll have to be careful on this weekend’s final long run: 9 miles, with a bit of a tempo to satisfy my need for speed marathon pace.

Time to shift my diet to more carbs! That’s not very hard since I am constantly craving them anyway. It seems I have been too busy and focused to post any recipes recently. I am developing a backlog of tasty meals to share, but you might have a to wait a few weeks…

Compression Socks: Magical Recovery Gear?

Compression socks have created quite the buzz in recent years that I just let buzz right pass me…until now. Maybe I’ve been skeptical because they’re knee highs (I have an unusual aversion to knee highs and tights that I attribute to my school uniform skirt wearing days). I’m an ankle sock girl. Not super low cut – high enough to protect against rubbing running shoes.

I’m putting a lot of consideration into flying all the way across the country for the Boston Marathon. Months of preparation are going into this endeavor, so the last thing I want to happen is have the air travel and time difference mess it up. I’m taking an extra day off work to avoid the usual time-saving-yet-sleepless red-eye flight and be sure I sufficiently adjust to the time change. I started thinking, “Maybe I should look into this compression sock thing.”

It turns out compression socks aren’t magical, and there is science backing up the buzz.  They promote blood flow helping your legs warm-up before a run and recover more quickly post-run. On a long fight, they prevent foot swelling and that awful feeling that your feet weigh a ton. Sounds like the answer to my pre-marathon flight concerns.

After reading this Runner’s World article, I’m convinced. I just might get myself a pair of Smartwool compression socks this weekend!

What do you think – are they worth it? Do you run in them or just hangout pre- or post-run?

Quote of the Day

Try to run a few inches above the running surface… This way, you avoid harmful pounding.

Mark Remy on Runner’s World

Heel-strike versus forefoot strike continues to be a hot topic of much debate in the running community.  Check out this post for a more lighthearted approach to the discussion: Should I heel-strike or forefoot strike?

Lessons Learned: Vancouver USA Marathon, 2011

Vancouver USA Marathon Post Race

• The marathon can kick your butt, even if you did everything according to plan and your training went great
• Start out even easier and more relaxed than you think you should the first 10 miles, at least 10 to 15 seconds/mile slower than goal marathon pace. This will feel like a snail’s pace with the adrenalin at the start, but it will save your legs for the final miles.
• Do longer tempos at marathon goal pace, 10 to 12 miles, to get a feel for the pace and prep your legs to keep it up for the distance.
• In the early miles, seek out someone at a similar pace and run with them. It might end up being several people at different points in the race – just don’t let that person get away from you in the final miles.

This time was going to be so much better than my first marathon. I hadn’t skipped a single training run and was hitting my target training paces. My practice (and debut) half marathon had gone great: I tested out the easy start strategy and was able to finish strong with a negative split. My legs were stronger than ever.

Tip of the Day: Buy Frozen Shrimp

The seafood counter at your grocery store may seem more appealing than the freezer aisle but here’s a secret: the fish found in the freezer aisle is most likely fresher than at the seafood counter.  The key is in the subtext on the labels in the seafood case, “Previously Frozen.”  Just like the fish in the freezer aisle, it was frozen shortly after being caught.  The difference: it has been thawed for you and sat in the case all day.

I was never a big shrimp fan until I started cooking with frozen raw shrimp.  Be sure to get deveined, easy-peel shrimp.  Sold in bulk according to size (count per pound), they are convenient, easy to use, and taste great.

Thaw: set in a colander under running water or in a bowl of water for 5 minutes.

Peel: squeeze the tail and the shrimp pops out of its shell.

Cook: over medium-low heat about 3 minutes until pink and opaque; if using in a soup or sauce, add in the last few minutes of simmering.

Result: tender, flavorful shrimp that bears no resemblance to its rubbery, pre-cooked cocktail platter cousin.

Lessons Learned: Vermont City Marathon, 2006

• Do the long runs and the recovery runs
• Evaluate your training along the way and keep your marathon goals realistic. Don’t be afraid to adjust your goals if things aren’t going perfectly – it will keep you from burning out at mile 15, chasing a goal you’re not ready to be chasing.
• Start out easy and relaxed the first 10 miles
• Have a refueling plan during the race, one practiced on long training runs
• Know the refueling options along the course and have a contingency plan if they’re not there, for whatever reason.
• Adjust your goals and pacing strategy based on the weather race day

I was burnt out, tired, working late, planning a wedding – I could give you a million excuses why I skipped runs. The fact is I skipped them and didn’t revise my marathon goals. I guess I did go from delusions of qualifying for Boston to hopes of breaking 4 hours, but a Boston qualifier was always a far reach with my training plan. I figured as long as I did the hard workouts, I would be fine even if I did miss a couple long runs. I banged out Yasso’s 800s in 3:30s, so 4 hours shouldn’t be a problem.

Training for the Downhills?

Here is a timely Runner’s World post with just over 14 weeks until the Boston Marathon.

We focus so much on training to get through the uphills in races that we don’t often think about the beating our bodies take on the downhills until we can barely walk in the days after a race.  I have ended up hobbling painfully down stairs plenty of times attributing it to a hard effort on race day, but in hindsight the downhills could have been a factor.

Training for the downhills in Boston is especially important since the course is overall downhill with much of it coming in the early miles.  I was first cued into this fact after reading this excellent race report on running Boston.  I don’t want to think about what the “wall” would feel like after all that downhill running.

Looks like I have my work cutout to reach my Boston goal to “Remain strong through the Newton Hills and plough through the wall, leaving both in the dust.”

Marathon Advice: Don’t be stupid

“I turned to my friend before the marathon and said, ‘Any last advice?’ ‘Yeah,’ he said, ‘don’t be stupid.'”

Peter Sagal on Runner’s World

Great advice – check out this post for more.  He leaves you hanging as to whether or not he followed the advice but still a good point made.  I’m a big fan of negative splitting, although it doesn’t always work out.  I have yet to negative split a marathon.  Maybe third time’s the charm.  Boston here I come!