We have officially entered the holiday season with Thanksgiving around the corner.The holidays are a busy time filled with planning, shopping and attending many holiday parties.The holiday season sometimes is an excuse to skip exercise.However, we must beware of these thoughts so that we can move past them and continue our marathon journey.Giving into these thoughts and skipping multiple marathon training sessions can cause you to fall too far behind to catch up.Here are some suggestions to implement into your thought process this holiday season in order to stay on track and cross that finish line.
1.Remember your excitement and your commitment to train when you signed up for the marathon?Committing to training for a half marathon can be a metaphor for so many other areas of your life because it is about changing old thinking, habits and your lifestyle.
2.Realize you are a new you.Old thought patterns and behaviors do not support your new lifestyle.Take the time to stop and think about yourself.The more you take care of yourself the more you will have to give to others.
3.As the holiday season gets closer, start to write down what you need to do for the week so you can see it on paper.Be sure to include your training.Writing it down helps to make sure we achieve what’s on the list.
4.The positives have to outweigh the negatives. Take a minute each morning to write down the reasons you decided to do the half marathon. This will help you re-inspire yourself each morning and assist you in staying focused.
5.It is never too late to find an accountability partner! Call your marathon training buddy or a family member who knows you have committed to this training.
6.Remember today is a new day! Rid yourself of negative internal talk that does not support your goals. Become aware of it and let it go. There is always time to get back on track with your training, but stay focused on today vs. being focused on the past.
Staying focused does not come easy to many of us. It’s natural to go through phases of being unenthusiastic and feelings of being burned out. However, it’s important to find a balance during this holiday season. It is not about saying no to every holiday party or only staying an hour just to say hi. It is about changing that traditional holiday ritual of making cookies for your entire staff. If you find yourself saying, “I do not have time,” step back and find what is most important to you at this moment.
Look forward to seeing everyone on Sunday at our 10 mile run/walk this week!
“Running is the greatest metaphor for life because you get out of it what you put into it.”
-Oprah Winfrey
For months Team GBI has put forth amazing training efforts that include stretching, cross training, cardio training and distance training.Go Team GBI! However, today I’d like to remind everyone that what you put into your training also includes what you do on your rest days. Rest days are important in order to allow our muscles to relax and rejuvenate as injury is the #1 mistake of beginning marathon runners. Remember that our muscles are resting on these days but our nutritional habits should remain consistent.
The brain is a powerful thing which can help or sometimes hinder us. For some of us when we hear the word “rest” we think “take a break” and sometimes this includes a break from being focused on what you are eating. Keep in mind that rest days are not meant to be rest days with food. You may even need to focus more on nutrition during rest days because while your body is not exercising, beta endorphins are not being produced. The production of beta endorphins causes the “feel good” rush you have after exercise. Another reason you may need additional nutritional focus on rest days is that you may have more down time during rest days. This can create an environment for possible snacking. Remember that mental stamina is an essential part of training.
What to do during rest days:
1.Stay mentally focused by reading motivational books, taking the time to do a meditation, journal your training progress or stretch.
2.If you have injuries or sore muscles do light swimming, biking or stretching. Keeping the body in motion may alleviate the soreness. Remember to be mindful not to overdo it.
3.Continue to stay focused on hydrating yourself and eating foods that will support your goals like complex carbohydrates and healthy proteins. Remember, what you eat on rest days will affect how you run the next day. A perfect example may be our last long run on Sunday. It was our smallest turn out since we started training. Halloween was the day before. I trained that day but I have to say that was the hardest training day for me since we started the training. I ate more candy on Saturday than I usually do which I know affected my run on Sunday.
It’s all about awareness and making choices that will support your intentions as well as creating an environment for enjoying the process of training. Let’s keep up our good work and give it all we’ve got!
Deciding to walk/run in this year’s Las Vegas half marathon is a great feat to accomplish.So, don’t be shy and be sure to ask your friends and family for support on race day.You will want the encouragement of the crowd cheering you on.What will be better than seeing a friendly face in that crowd?!It will be a lot of fun for the spectators (and us) because this year the Las Vegas Marathon is being put on by Rock n’ Roll Marathons who will be organizingmusic stations on/near the marathon path.
Here are some tips to help guide your friends and family so they can make sure that they see you during the race.
Start/Finish Line:
This year’s race will be starting at Mandalay Bay.The start line is actually located on Las Vegas Boulevard in front of the hotel casino.The race will also finish at Mandalay Bay in the parking lot at the south end of the property.So, for early or late risers this is a good spot to show their support!
Las Vegas Strip – Between Reno and Sahara:
This year’s course is set up so that spectators will be able to catch half marathon runners anywhere along the strip, not once, but twice!Your friends and family can pick their favorite spot on the strip and they will have the opportunity to see you heading northbound and then southbound when headed toward the finish line.
Las Vegas Strip – Southbound at Spring Mountain Road:
At this point in the race, the half marathon participants will have less than three miles remaining to the finish line!Less than half a mile north of this location there will be a band stage on the Desert Inn overpass.This is a great spot for spectators to catch some music while also showing their support on race day!
Also, be sure to tell your friends and family that Las Vegas Boulevard is CLOSED for the race.If they are coming from west to east or east to west they will need to find a parking spot on that particular side of the Strip.Parking will most likely be jammed so be sure your friends and family have a game plan in place before leaving the house!
The race is only one month away.Keep up the good work and be sure to share this blog with your friends and family!
Many marathon runners go through mental, physical and emotional exhaustion post race day. This is what they call the “post-marathon blues.”This is when many runners fall into a funk after the race with no motivation to exercise. It is important to plan your mental recovery to minimize the sense of loss you may feel after race day. For months you are focused, planning your life around your trainings, being motivated by the excitement of the unknown and completing the race. Then it’s just over - or is it? It’s up to you to decide!
After the marathon, you’ll need to continue to listen to your body.Your body will need time to rejuvenate and replenish. Be mindful of your internal dialogue. Your thoughts may be saying “Rest is your reward for this great accomplishment.” Remember that while you rest, it is important to bask in your great accomplishment instead of the fact that training has come to an end. Talk about your success, journal about it and delight in the fact that you completed your goal with great intention and focus. Finishing is a great accomplishment, but address the definition of rest in your mind as well as how you will reward yourself. Taking the time to decide to sleep in until 9 am instead of getting up at 4 am is resting. Many people want to reward themselves with food after they have exercised; the voice is they deserve it. If you reward yourself with food make sure it is the 1oz of ice cream, candy or whatever goes with your meal. You may also want to think about buying a new pair of shoes, going on a mini vacation or giving yourself a weekend off to read the book you never have time to read. There are so many ways to reward yourself!
While resting, keep in mind that the longer you step out of your training/exercising schedule, the harder it is to get back into it. Think about cross training activities you may want to do or continue doing, i.e. swimming, spinning, yoga, etc. You may not continue to train for distance and time but keep up the exercise days that have been working for you. Possibly sign up for another marathon or a shorter distance race to assist in keeping the motivation going. Have a plan and be thinking about what you want to accomplish next. Your goal may be a faster time on another half marathon or something completely different. For example, in my mind I know of a sprint triathlon in April that I am already thinking about, talking about and getting excited about. I find this helps keep the motivation going and prevents the post training blues.
Remember that for most people, exercise time decreases after race day. If you have increased your caloric intake for your current training it will have to be adjusted after race day.You will not need the additional calories after the race - although you may have gotten used to consuming them. However, keep in mind that you may have gained muscled during the training and therefore your caloric intake might need to be lower than it was during training, but more than it was before training began. The key is to listen to your body; it will tell you what it needs.
The bottom line is plan ahead and be mindful.Listen to what your body is telling you but also decide whether what it is telling you is supportive of your future goals and intentions.
Halloween marks the first major event of the year’s holiday season. This Halloween let’s remember to be mindful of our holiday celebration customs in relation to our training.With the carnivals, office potlucks and trick-or-treating, comes candy. Many of you may be wondering if candy is totally off limits this year or will hinder your training. You may be thinking, “How can Halloween pass me by without one bite of a delicious chocolate treat?”
Remember, Halloween or not, candy is not off limits. You can have 1 oz. of candy 3 times per day with your meals, if you choose to. This holds true throughout the year, but we need to be more aware of our choices around the holidays. Often when we think of Halloween (or any holiday) as a once a year opportunity or as a special occasion, I find that it gives us permission to overdo it. Keep in mind, Halloween is not just about the candy. Instead of focusing on treats alone, get caught up in the fun of decorating your house or office, buying and carving pumpkins and eating pumpkin seeds (One serving of pumpkin seeds has 20 grams of protein). If you usually enjoy giving out candy at your desk, hand out plastic spider rings instead. Center your celebration around dressing up or creating a new costume. After all, dressing up in a goofy or scary costume really IS a once a year opportunity!
Now, you may wonder, “Do the simple sugars in candy hinder our trainings?” If you want to save your candy for our long run, you can use candy instead of using your gels, sports beans, etc.However, be mindful of whether or not this really allows you to enjoy the treat. “Simple sugar” means that the sugar breaks down faster into your blood stream. In regards to your body, simple sugars tend to make you feel tired, slow, sluggish – I think you get the point. For training you want to focus on complex carbohydrates, which I discussed last week, to stay alert and energized.
Remember we are walking/running 8 miles the day after Halloween - I know you guys want to feel your best! Enjoy your Halloween candy but don’t go over 1 oz at any meal you choose.
Hopefully, we’ve all been mostly injury free up until this point – maybe only a few blisters here and there and, of course, sore muscles.As we move up to 9 miles this week, let’s be more mindful than ever of how our bodies feel and how we can prevent any serious injuries from taking place. Below are three anti-injury technique categories that I’d like us to focus on.
Stability
Stability in your workouts will help you avoid injury. It becomes more and more important as our long walks/runs increase to keep up a consistent training schedule.
Continue to build up your mileage at the same rate each week. If you miss a long run, don’t jump to the next mileage level without catching up for the week you missed first. However, still be sure to give yourself several days between long mileage sessions.
Preventative
Taking notice to how your body feels will also help you stay injury free. If something doesn’t feel right during a workout, don’t push it. It’s always OK to stop, rest and recover. Stretch before any workout. When stretching, don’t bounce. Hold the stretch for about 10 counts. Be sure to focus on the muscles that will be most used during your training – running day stretches and cross training stretches may be different. Prevent dehydration by drinking fluids 30 minutes before your workout.
Recovery
After a tough training session consider taking an ice bath. Your muscles are inflamed from the workout so try to avoid taking a hot bath or sitting in a hot tub. If an ice bath is too cold, try putting an ice pack or a frozen bag of veggies on your sore muscles.
Now that your trainings are getting more vigorous, it’s important to work on proper breathing techniques while walking/running. Proper breathing can improve your endurance and help you to enjoy your training more. Breathing incorrectly can affect your performance by causing fatigue, which in turn, shortens the distance that you are able to complete. Added stress on your body can also be a result.
There are several universal breathing techniques that can be helpful. Learning breathing techniques while walking/running may be difficult or feel unnatural at the beginning. However, like with most things, with practice it will become easier. Start off by choosing one technique at a time and practice it while seated. Work on that specific technique until it feels natural and then incorporate it into a training session.Find your favorite and most useful technique and stick with it! The following are some breathing techniques:
1.Breathe through both your nose and mouth
This practice will assist in increasing the amount of oxygen taken into your air passages.
2.Breathe from your diaphragm
Close your eyes. Put one hand on your chest and one hand on your belly. Just breathe normally. Which hand is moving?The hand on the chest or the hand on the belly? Take time to focus on moving the belly while breathing instead of the chest. If you are moving the belly you are breathing from the diaphragm and your breaths will be more complete.
3.Maintain a 3:2 breathing ratio
Inhale for 3 steps, then exhale for the next two steps. This will assist in deeper controlled breaths. A 3:2 breathing ratio is suggested for people who do a light jog pace or less.
Check out this short video on breathing for additional information:
Now that our trainings are getting longer, I wanted to discuss the importance of fueling your body. Today let’s talk about the importance of carbohydrates. There are two types of carbohydrates, simple and complex. During training you want to increase your intake of complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates break down at a slower rate which means they provide a slow, steady form of energy which is best for long distance training. A few complex carbohydrate food choices are pasta, rice, beans, vegetables, legumes and potatoes. Beans and legumes are great choices for bariatric patients since they include both protein and complex carbohydrates.
Where does the energy come from?
The energy we utilize during long distance training primarily comes from glycogen, which comes from carbohydrates. The more glycogen storage you have during training, the better you will feel and perform. The more you train, the more efficiently your body will store carbohydrates as glycogen. This means having a consistent exercise program will condition your body to convert more consumed carbohydrates into glycogen vs. being stored as fat. Because carbohydrates break down into glycogen, the more carbohydrates you take in, the more available glycogen becomes. However, don’t let this be an excuse to overdo your carbohydrate intake. For many, exercise is used as an excuse for an excessive intake of carbohydrates and typically poor quality food choices as well. Remember to be mindful of excessive intake that can sabotage your efforts for performance.
As a bariatric patient you are taught to eat 4 oz. of food a meal and I usually recommended that 3 of those oz. are protein. During training you may want to alternate your percentage of carbohydrate intake. For example, after trainings your post meal may consist of 2 oz. of protein and 2 oz. of a complex carbohydrate or 3 oz. of carbohydrate and 1 oz. of protein. The key is to pay attention to your body and find out what works best for you. Choose a combination of proteins and complex carbohydrates that help you feel your best.
Remember, complex carbohydrates are needed as part of a balanced meal plan for optimal performance and feeling great!
See this resource for complex carbohydrate options:
As you all know, this year’s GBI team has ‘banded together against obesity’ and committed to stretch, sweat, train, recover, press on and accomplish a huge goal – together. A half-marathon is quite the accomplishment. How better to achieve our shared ambition than with the support and friendship of others? Know that our team is not alone. In today’s blog, I’d like to give our group a bit of inspiration by sharing stories that I’ve come across about other groups who have already or plan to accomplish the success and splendor of team fitness.
Shoe trouble?Many of us have already experienced blisters, sore feet or black nails. Just what is the right shoe for each of us? For this man and group of runners, the answer is no shoe! (Don’t try this at home!)
Busy Moms.This team is recognized by Shape Magazine and is large in numbers. The goal of this global group of runners is to make time for those individuals busy with family life to do something good for their health and spirit. Check out these Moms In Motion! http://momsinmotion.com/about.aspx
Run for a Cause.Keep in mind that this year’s Las Vegas Marathon is cause driven. All registered runners are actually on one big team – a team aiding the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America. http://las-vegas.competitor.com/press/2009/ccfa/
What other groups have you seen or heard of? Elvis? Santa? 5K runs? Other causes?
Remember, the Las Vegas Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon 2009 is our current goal, but what’s next? Keep a look out for other groups or events that may inspire you to keep up with your training in the future and don’t forget to bring your team. It’s a healthy lifestyle we’re all after. Let’s find ways to continue our phenomenal team support and progress!
