When it comes to half- marathon training no man is an island. Building and maintaining communication with a training support system will help you stay motivated as you prepare for and accomplish this feat.Having a support system helps you to be accountable to someone else besides yourself and provides additional encouragement when you need it most.
Your training support system can consist of anyone you choose as long as those people believe in you and are willing to take the time to provide encouragement and discipline to help you stick to your goals. Be sure to involve them in your training and share your goals – as positivity will keep you on track. Keep in mind your GBI team will also be there for you as your primary or additional support system.Training with a compatible partner, or as part of a group of runners with compatible goals can be especially beneficial as they can provide support, motivation, humor, structure, information exchange, and sometimes coaching.Once you have determined who will be in your support system, take the following steps:
1. Make a list of things you need help with during your training
2. Make a list of the people in your support system
3. Regularly communicate your goals and progress to these people
After months of encouragement and helping you stick to your training goals, the people in your support system can stay updated on your race-day progress through “Runner Tracking” offered by the Las Vegas Rock n Roll Half-Marathon.With “Runner Tracking,” real-time updates of where you are at in the race can be sent to your friends and family via text message, by signing up here: https://www.competitorwireless.com/
If you have yet to build your support system, please start thinking about who those people could be and have a serious conversation with them to see if they are willing to be a part of this undertaking.And remember, Team GBI is here for you every step of the way.
Yesterday we learned about the importance of hydration and how to properly hydrate before a workout. Today, we explain how to hydrate during and after a workout and the risks of drinking TOO MUCH water.
During and after:
During a workout, drink ¼ to ½ cup of water every 15 to 20 minutes throughout your training session. In hot weather, you will need more because of increased water loss due to sweating. Your thirst mechanism is blunted during exercise, so don’t rely on drinking only when you are feeling thirsty. Set your watch to go off every 15-20 minutes to prompt you to take a drink.Post-workout, recover with two to three cups of water.
Too much water:
Staying hydrated is important, but it’s possible to overdo it.Drinking excessive amounts of water can cause a rare, life-threatening condition called Hyponatremia. This occurs when someone drinks so much water that they dilute the sodium in their blood. It can cause a clouding of consciousness, nausea/vomiting, lightheadedness, dizziness, and in severe cases, seizures, unconsciousness or death. Drinking no more than eight ounces every 20 minutes typically provides enough but not too much fluid.
I hope this two-part series has answered any of your concerns about hydration while training for the Half-Marathon in December. Keeping the right amount of fluid in our bodies is an important routine that we should all become familiar with.If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to leave us a comment in the box below.
To those of you who were able to attend, we hope you had a great experience at the first official Half-Marathon team training this past Sunday. For those of you who weren’t able to make it, we hope you participated in your own training session to prepare for the big walk/run in December.As you begin the training for this amazing physical feat, please get into the habit of drinking sufficient amounts of water before, during and after a workout. Especially during these hot summer days, staying hydrated is vital to your health and performance.
In this first part of our two part series on hydration, we will explain why our bodies need water and how to hydrate before a training session.Tomorrow, we will discuss how to hydrate during and after a session and the dangers of over hydration.
Our bodies are made up of 60% water. Every reaction inside of our bodies happens in water, from digestion through muscle contractions to converting fat into fuel that our muscles use during a long workout.Studies have found that a loss of two or more percent of one’s body weight due to sweating is linked to a drop in blood volume. When this occurs, the heart works harder to move blood through the bloodstream. This can also cause muscle cramps, dizziness, fatigue and heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Hence, the essential need to keep the right amount of water in your system.
Before:
Did you know if you wait until you are thirsty to take a drink, then it is already too late to catch up on replenishing your fluids during that workout? That’s why you must hydrate BEFORE you begin working out. It’s recommended that the average person drink at least 16 ounces before, but not immediately prior to a workout. Your body needs time to take in and distribute the fluid. You should not quickly drink two glasses of water and bolt out the door for a walk or run.Two to three hours prior to a workout, drink two to three cups of water (think of it as the 2:3 rule).
Please check back tomorrow, or sign up for our RSS feed to see the second part of our series on hydration.
Our official training starts this Sunday, September 5th at Kellogg Park at 8am. In preparation for this week’s training you should be walking at least three miles per week to prepare your body for the marathon training schedule. Walking first before training will begin the conditioning and hardening process of the bones and soft tissue.
As you’ll notice our trainings increase one mile per week for the first five weeks. Therefore, it’s important that you begin at a level where you can comfortably set your walk/run pace. If you’re already walk/running on a regular basis you may be tempted to walk/run more than the training schedule suggests. We highly encourage you to stick to the schedule provided so that you don’t get burnt out. Following the training schedule will ensure that you have the necessary training and endurance built in order to complete the ½ marathon in December.
Remember that marathoners come in all shapes and sizes! Everyone should set an intention for their run and listen to your body’s cues. We look forward to seeing you on Sunday!
Our Gastric Band Institute ½ Marathon Team training has officially launched into its first week! The team will stretch, warm-up and take their first steps onto the track as a group this coming Sunday at 8:00am. Patients at all levels of fitness and marathon experience will join together in success as the team begins its second year.
All group trainings will be taking place at Kellogg Park: 7901 W. Washington Ave. (between Buffalo & Durango). We hope to see you each week at our group long walk/run days! Keep in mind that it is important to include rest, cross training, strength training and short walk/run days in your weekly routine.
Group Training Days
September
5th: 3 miles
12th: 4 miles
19th: 5 miles
26th: 6 miles
October
3rd: 8 miles
10th: 7 miles
17th: 9 miles
24th: 8 miles
31st: 8 miles
November
7th: 10 miles
14th: 8 miles
21st: 10 miles
28th: 4 miles
December
5th: RACE DAY
Be sure to follow our Special 2010 Marathon Edition Blog as race day nears! We will be posting team updates, training tips and more! You can also stay up-to-date on marathon details by “liking” the Gastric Band Institute on Facebook or by checking out our YouTube page for our video posts.
If you have any questions regarding the training please email Denise Burton Grace at Dburton@bandandbypass.com.
Do you have clothes sitting in your closet that don’t fit anymore?Are you tired of buying new clothes to keep up with your changing body as you reach your goal weight?
The Gastric Band Institute is excited to announce that for three days in August we will be hosting another, popular Clothing Exchange event in our seminar room.On Friday, August 20, Saturday August 21, and Monday, August 23, from 11:00am – 3:00pm, you can bring in your non-fitting clothes and leave with some new ones!If you’re not interested in the clothes, feel free to just come and visit with your fellow weight loss surgery patients.The seminar room is at the Gastric Band Institute offices at 3810 Meadows Lane on the southeast corner of the Meadows Mall.
Several patients were in the office today who have done very well with their weight loss using the gastric band.Losing the last 15-20lbs is usually more about food choices, exercise and avoiding high calorie snacks than it is about finding a perfect band “adjustment.”Most patients learn this by having their bands adjusted too tight and needing a little bit taken out.When I see patients undergo a series of tiny fluid adjustments and complaining of stagnant weight loss, usually they are depending too much on the band and need to depend more on their food choices.Our support groups and Mindful Eating classes, taught by our nutritionist Prudence Ticknor, are a great way to refocus for those last few pounds.To sign up for the Mindful Eating series or to find out more about our support groups, give us a call at 702-313-8446.
After several months and many, many short run/walks, group run/walks and strength training sessions, Team GBI crossed the Half Marathon finish line December 6, 2009. Excitement, accomplishment and even a little relief were felt as each GBI patient finished the 13.1 mile Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon course. Below are some photos from race day.
On Friday, December 11, 2009, Dr. Atkinson, Dr. Soong, Marathon Coach Prudence Ticknor and Team GBI gathered to celebrate and share stories about their marathon training and race experience. Food, support and friendship were shared at this congratulatory event! Below are some photos and a video from the dinner.
Congratulations team and good luck in your future trainings and races!
Congratulations on completing your half-marathon training for this year’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon on the Las Vegas Strip! We are very proud of you, your weight loss success and your dedication to healthy lifestyle changes. That’s what Gastric Band Institute’s philosophy is all about.
Remember to have fun on race day and keep your friends and family close by for extra support. Also, be sure to share your training and marathon success stories with others.Your journey is an inspiration to us all.
It’s finally almost here: the big race day! Many of our minds have already started racing with doubts of not being able to finish or walk/run the race fast enough and we are a bundle of nerves. On race day, instead of focusing on running/walking the total 13.1 miles, focus on doing a mile at a time. Your goal is to get to the next drink station, then the next and the next. We all can do one mile. Before you know it, you will be at the finish line. Remind yourself that words and thoughts create feelings and feelings do not always tell the truth. Here are a few techniques you can do to keep yourself strong now and throughout the race.
The night before or the morning of the race take a few minutes to visualize yourself walking/running 13.1 miles. See yourself crossing the finish line with all of your friends and family and the crowds cheering you on. Visualize yourself waking up full of energy, feeling vibrant and energetic throughout the marathon. Visualize yourself finishing without any injuries and a smooth easy journey. Remember whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.
Take some time to come up with positive mantras to counteract the negative internal dialogue creating the fear, nerves and doubt. Saying these mantras the night before will allow you to get a bit more sleep and will assist you during the race to the finish line. Remind yourself you have done the training, you are physically ready, fear is just a false expectation appearing real and that pain is temporary while this accomplishment is for a lifetime. Find a few mantras that will work for you and when you notice you are focusing on anything negative, switch focus to the mantras you have picked for yourself.
You should all be proud of yourselves for getting to this point. You all have the mental toughness, focus and determination it takes to finish. See you at the finish line!
Your training support system can consist of anyone you choose as long as those people believe in you and are willing to take the time to provide encouragement and discipline to help you stick to your goals. Be sure to involve them in your training and share your goals – as positivity will keep you on track. Keep in mind your GBI team will also be there for you as your primary or additional support system. Training with a compatible partner, or as part of a group of runners with compatible goals can be especially beneficial as they can provide support, motivation, humor, structure, information exchange, and sometimes coaching. Once you have determined who will be in your support system, take the following steps:
