I’m going to try sharing weekly recaps of how my marathon training is going – so let’s get right into it!
Monday – Rest day (and Happy Canada Day!)
Tuesday – 6.5km steady lunch run – the temperature was cooler, so I swapped my 5 a.m. run for midday.
Wednesday – 7km tempo run – I had some unexpected digestive issues and almost pooped my pants after the turnaround point. Oh joy. And no bathrooms in sight, unless I knocked on a stranger’s door. There was plenty of deep breathing and walk breaks to calm myself down. (Spoiler alert: I made it home. Barely.)
Thursday – Rest day
Friday – 5km easy run
Saturday – “Rest day” – My sister was visiting for the weekend and we had a great time touring the farm animal sanctuary where I volunteer a few times a month. But it also meant about five hours on my feet, walking around and traipsing through fields, and my legs were bagged come Sunday morning.
Sunday – 20km long run – My alarm went off at 6 a.m. and I didn’t feel like getting up, but the weather was perfect and I dragged my butt out there. It was quiet, cool, and slightly overcast, although I could feel the steam rising from the previous night’s impromptu thunderstorm.
In the last few kilometres I got HUNGRY, my stomach grunting and growling as I approached my house. I’m not sure how to stave this off and I’m concerned as the long runs get longer. I eat oatmeal and a banana with a glass of nuun electrolyte before my long runs, then a gel every 30 minutes and more nuun.
I’m going to try nuun performance, which contains carbohydrates, and I’m hoping it will help. I’m also paying more attention to eating enough during the day, and stocking up on electrolytes the day before my long run with a couple of glasses on nuun. The marathon appetite is setting in!
Overall it was a decent week, but my legs are sore today, yo. I ran nearly a half marathon yesterday! I tend to act (or forget) that it’s a big deal, but it is. I’m trying to focus more on recovery, including stretching, foam rolling, Epsom salt baths, legs up the wall and wearing my compression calf socks after long runs.
No cross training last week, as I felt like my body needed the extra rest day. Also, I think it’s time to go shopping for new runners – a process that I typically dread, as my small, bony, high-arched, talon-ankle feet are notoriously difficult to fit…wish me luck!
Run Revelry 
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