Summer Running - Part 2

As I write this article, I am about 6 weeks away from the U.S. Marathon Champs (Twin Cities on October 2, 2011). This summer has been pretty hot and tough to train for the marathon distance. Originally, I had planned on running the World Trophy 50K in Holland (8/20/11). However, after feeling a little run down with training, work and life, I decided to just focus on Twin Cities.

Secondly, I felt I needed to re-dedicate myself to better nutrition. By this I really mean the replenishment immediately after a tough run or workout. I have pretty much tried every type of Gel out there, but lately I have had really good results from using the GU Energy Gels (www.guenergy.com). I also tried a product of theirs called GU Recovery Brew, which is loaded with lots of really beneficial nutrients such as carbs, proteins, potassium and sodium.

Another great product is the JuicePlus line (www.juiceplus.com), especially the Juice Plus Complete. This is a shake that you can drink immediately after exercise. These products will take you an extra 5 minutes to prepare before your run but are well worth it. I typically make them up the night before and leave in the fridge, as I typically run very early in the morning. I then scoop up a couple of bottles and head out the door. I have experienced much quicker recovery time when taking a recovery drink and Gels during and after my hard or longer efforts. I also noticed a little weight loss as I 'fill up' quicker from the shakes and do not crave as much food.

These little tips all helped me get through the summer while training very hard. I spoke with a local female athlete this week, who is also training for Twin Cities. She started her training cycle a week or two before me. It seems the weather and training have both hit her pretty hard lately. If, like her, you hit that rough patch, don't be afraid to take a workout off and replace it with an easy paced run. If that doesn't work, consider taking one or two days off completely. In a typical 12-14 week schedule one or two days off in a row will go mostly unnoticed by the body, but the benefits are often dramatic.

Finally, I just read the book Running for the Hansons (www.vo2maxproductions.com/the-book). The Hanson Brother's run a highly respected program out of Michigan. I met Kevin Hanson when he coached at Macomb in the early 1990's. We share a very similar philosophy on training. The book obviously spends much of its focus on the Elite level athlete, but the training is broken down in a way that is enables modification for a club level athlete. Kevin is a great guy and very passionate about the sport. One of his prized female athletes - Desiree Davila finished 2nd in the 2011 Boston Marathon. On a side note, I met Desi after the Naples 1/2 Marathon (January 16, 2011) - what a nice young lady. She is pretty spunky but very laid back.

Train hard, recover harder!

Malcolm