Pre-Race Nutrition

I've learned so much about nutrition from the book Performance Nutrition for Runners. I've literally read it several times from cover to cover. The book talks a lot about training and hydration and has a great section on pre-race nutrition too. I thought I'd summarize it.

Basically, the week before the marathon, your nutrition should stay about the same as it has during training. Because the mileage drops, you have to be careful not to overeat and put on a few extra pounds. The book recommends rougly 60% of your calories come from carbohydrates. During training, it is important that these be "healthy" carbohydrates--fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, but during the pre-race week, any carbohydrates will do. . . even sugar.

So really, all week, I've just been making sure that my snacks are things like raisins, pretzels, apples, bananas and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, all high in carbohydrates.

The book also recommends upping your sodium consumption just slightly in the 3-4 days before the race. Sodium incrases water retention and can help with pre-race hydration.

The traditional idea of doing a "pasta" dinner the night before the race is not that important, unless for some reason you have been unable to "up" your carbs in the week leading to the race and therefore have to try to "catch up" on glycogen storing with that dinner. Dinner the night before the marathon should be something easily processed by your body, meaning that if you ARE going to do a spaghetti dinner, don't make it a whole wheat pasta because (while this is usually considered the healthier thing to eat) it is harder for your body to process and you want something easily processed the night before the race.

The morning of the race, the main purpose of the meal is to fill your liver with glycogen. Liver glycogen fuels your nervous system while you sleep, and as a result your liver is rougly 50% glycogen depleted when you wake up in the morning. The muscles, inactive during the night, remain fully glycogen loaded from the previous day.

The ideal time for a pre-race meal is about 4 hours before the race because it's early enough that you can digest and store a large amount of energy, yet late enough that this energy won't be used up by race time. 4 hours is not an option for me. I'm not waking up at 3:30am to eat breakfast. I'm dedicated but not that dedicated.

2 hours out is still an acceptable amount of time to eat before a race. You just need to eat a little bit less. At least 80% of the calories you consume in your pre-race meal should come from carbohydrates. Keep your protein and especially your fat and fiber consumption low, because these nutrients will only take up space that would be better utilized by carbohydrates. Bagels, bananas, energy bars, meal replacement shakes and oatmeal are all decent forms of breakfasts before the race. I am planning on having half a bagel with light cream cheese and blueberries. I may have a banana on the way down to the race too, depending on how I'm feeling.

The book suggests that between the time you eat your pre-race meal and roughly 1 hour before the race starts, you sip a sports drink.

From 60 minutes to 10 minutes before the race, stop drinking so that your body can clear out excess fluid before the race begins. I plan on immediately getting in line at the port-a-pots when I get to the starting area for the race and just staying in line until I have to line up for the race. Hopefully this will work out.

Between 60 and 30 minutes before the race starts, the book suggests taking one or two caffeine pills (think No-Doze). Caffeine is obviously a mild nervous system stimulant. It has been shown to enhance performance in prolonged endurance exercise. In longer events it helps to delay fatigue by reducing the perception of effort. It increases the concentration of beta-endorphins have a positive affect on your mood and reduce perception of pain as well as create a sense of well-being. Caffeine has also been found to delay fatigue during exercise by blocking adenosine receptors. Adenosine is produced during exercise and inhibits the release of dopamine. Decrases in dopamine have been linked to fatigue during exercise.

However, the performance-enhancing effects of caffeine decrease with habituation to caffeine intake (aka drinking a lot of Diet coke) so the book recommends eliminating caffeine consumption for several days before racing. It also states that caffeine pills are more effective than other caffeine sources such as coffee. Some energy gels contain caffeine, but not in amounts sufficient to have much of an effect on their own. Recommended intake is 5-6 milligrams per kilogram of body weight 60 to 30 minutes before racing.

I've experimented a little bit with caffeine pills in my last couple of medium and long runs. What I found is that one caffeine pill is amazing. Two caffeine pills is too much and made me feel wierd. Hopefully, combined with adrenaline, one won't be too much on Sunday.

10 minutes prior to the race, the book recommends creating your "bolus" or contents of your stomach. Believe it or not, you want to create a relatively large bolus before running a race because the fuller your stomach is, the faster it empties and the faster fluid and energy are delivered to your blood and muscles as you run. It is important to wait until just a few minutes before the race so that it ends up in your stomach and not your bladder. I will probably eat a Cliff Shot and drink some water, 10 minutes before the race, depending on how I'm feeling.

I guess we'll see how it all works out!

Tapering

Just in case you wondered about the theory behind tapering . . .it allows the muscles to fully recover from the trauma of high mileage during training and allows the muscles to become saturated with glycogen so you don't hit the wall. It also allows any nagging injuries or strains to recover before the marathon.

Today, Bella and I did our last 3 mile run. It was really a beautiful morning. There was a thunderstorm last night, and we got a small amount of rain. For Bella, this meant there were lots of exciting things to smell. After our 3 miles, I let her stop and smell everything she wanted because usually I make her keep going because I'm in a hurry. Today is my day off, and I wanted Bella to enjoy the cooldown at her pace. It was a LONG cool down. Evidently, there was a lot to sniff.

Tomorrow morning, we will WALK 3 miles. My mom is going to walk with me, and I am very excited! According to Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer, the three mile walk is primarily to keep you relaxed without running the risk of using up a lot of your glycogen.

I can't believe Bella and I did our last run today. Please don't tell Rick but to celebrate, Bella and I are relaxing on the couch. She's not allowed on the couch. . . but just today she's snoozing next to me as I relax. (Again, don't worry, she's not really dead. . . she's just enjoying her taper.)

The Run-Down on the Get-Up

As my last equipment update before the marathon and further proof of my OCD, I thought I'd review what has made it to the list of clothing and equipment for the day of the marathon.

Starting from the top:

Hair ties and headband--When I was in Tulsa for the half marathon, about 6 miles in, I lost my elastic headband that keeps the "wispys" out of my face. I think it slipped off the back of my head without my realizing it. My hair started to fall too. I had to stop and put my hair up again . . . which I know doesn't sound like a huge deal, but when you carry your water bottle attached to your hand, it gets interesting. As I stopped to fix my hair, I panicked, wondering what I would do if my hair tie broke as I was fixing my hair. It was a totally irrational thought, really, but all I could think about is how I was going to run 7 more miles with my hair completely down.

So, to completely overthink the problem, I will be sending extra hair ties with Rick in case I need one along the way. I also, just last week, found these awesome Scunci No-Slip Grip ties. The are just like a regular tie but they are lined with a little bit of rubber and they are So great. I couldn't find a very good picture of them but the ties look similar to this

and the headbands look similar to this but are cooler:

Sunscreen--it's supposed to be sunny and 70 degrees for a high on Sunday. Don't want to add to my already strange running tan if I can help it.

Lip Balm--I'll probably send this with Rick so I can use it along the way.

Ipod Shuffle--it's loaded, charged and ready for action. I've added to my playlist, and it now contains 7.3 hours of music. I pray I don't need all 7.3 hours of music.

Nike Dri-fit Soft Hand Women's Running Shirt. It's soft and purple, and I really like it.

Lots of Body Glide on my arms and around my sports bra

Hoodie. I went to Target and did some major bargain shopping and found a hoodie for $4 that I will use before the race begins to stay warm and then just toss-it once I start running. I really want to run in short sleeves, but I know it would be too cold as I stand around the start.

Gloves. Throw-away gloves that I'll probably run in for 5-6 miles depending on the weather. I'll just toss them along the course when I get warm.

Garmin. Of course my beloved Garmin with sweatband beneath. The Garmin has admittedly been a little quirky lately requiring me to "soft" reset it when the screen becomes blank and non-responsive. Hopefully it won't act up on Sunday.

Water. My hand-held water bottle with 3 Clif Shots stuffed inside. I will probably need 5 Clif Shots along the way, so I'll have to have Rick refill me along the course. I've been using them every 6 miles, but I may use them every 5 along the course, even if it's just for a mental edge.

CWX Compression pants. I can't remember if I've written this or not. They disappointed me. They have a hole already. Actually they got a hole less than a month after I started wearing them. I ghetto fixed it and hopefully it will last through the marathon since they aren't cheap. I'm worried they will be too hot because it's going to be pretty warm that day but at this point, I'm not changing anything so I'll just have to be hot.

Socks: Original "thick" thorlo's with the slightly rolled top. The other day, I accidently wore two different Thorlo's. They were only slightly different but the "rolled" one was slightly more comfortable. As much as I raved about the Experias recently, I THINK that the think pad of the original Thoro's is better on the long runs.

Shoes: I've had new running shoes for about a month now. I'm still not sure I'm as in love with them as I was my Brooks but I think I'll wear the new ones for the marathon. They are broken in and aren't as beaten-up as my Brooks. The are the Saucony Progrid Omni 8.

I hope I haven't forgotten anything!

7 days

This morning I woke up at 7:30am and thought, "In one week and 10 minutes, I'll be starting the marathon."

It was an exciting and terrifying thought. I was quite excited to get outside and knock out my last 8 mile "long" run today. (Obviously the only reason I considered it "long" was because it was on Sunday, as the distance makes it more of a "medium" run for me.)

As I dressed for my run today, I sat down on the carpet to put my shoes on like I always do and Bella came and stood in my face like she always does, making it pretty difficult to put on my shoes. She knows when I'm putting on my running stuff. She starts to panic because she's worried I'm not taking her running with me (which is silly because I always do), so her solution is to stay as CLOSE to me as she possibly can (even if it means standing ON me) as I move about the house, readying myself and my equipment to run. She's so funny! I have to admit that I totally love that she does this. It is such amazing motivation to get out there and run!

Anyway, as I sat on the floor putting on my shoes, I felt a wave of sadness come over me about the fact that next Sunday, I have to run without Bella. Obviously, I've done other runs without her, but today the thought made me sad.

It also got me to thinking about this marathon training process. At the center of my being, I am a process person. I like the "getting there" part of a vacation equally as much as the "being there" part. I enjoyed the 12 months I spent diligently planning our wedding as much as I enjoyed the actual wedding day. But with exercise, I've always been a "hate the process" person who strictly did it for the weight loss or physical transformation. When I started last June, I think I thought that I'd enjoy the sense of accomplishment I'd get from finishing the marathon but that all the training leading up to it I'd just have to grit my teeth through.

In the start and really for most of the training, the joy in running came during the times that I WASN'T running. It came in planning my runs, calculating the time I would need, thinking about the last run, anticipating the next one. It meant smiling when I saw that my running shoes were getting a little worn or feeling smug when my legs felt sore. It meant passing on a dessert because I knew that I was going to run later in the day. It meant taking better care of myself because I wanted to be a better runner.

Slowly, tapping into the "process" of running meant enjoying and really looking forward to the solitude and darkness on my 5 am runs. It meant looking forward to the last stretch of my morning run so I could see what the sunrise would look like. It meant enjoying the llamas and the cows who I came to count on seeing on my long run. It meant anticipating the rhythm of the predictable neighborhood dogs that bark at us along the way. It meant looking forward to my Garmin reading 2 hours and thinking how long that is to actually run. It meant looking forward to feeling hungry on a run because my body was doing something hard enough to actually deserve food. It meant looking forward to feeling sweaty.

For as much of my life as I have spent admiring runners and reading about marathon training but not really doing anything to actively move toward achieving any goal in this direction, I am angry that I wasted so much time WANTING to be a runner instead of just REALLY listening to myself and my deepest desires to run. But, since I can't go back, I'm glad I did the only thing I could which is start my life as a runner. It didn't matter how much I weighed, how out of shape I was, what size pants I was wearing. I started where I was . . . and moved toward where I wanted to be. In time, maybe I'll be a runner with only 30 then 20 then 10 extra pounds of weight. Imagine how fast I'll be then!!

So anyway, I was thinking this morning about the fact that I wish that I'd savored the moment a little bit more during the training process. . . that I'd focused less on the marathon and more on the fact that I was MOVING. I think I've gotten a little bit better at that towards the end here. It mostly just feels like time is suspended while I run and for that brief time, I am passing the world by instead of it passing me by.

I feel like because of running, I'm a little more alive every day. I still feel lazy and unhealthy sometimes, and I still feel pessimistic and negative sometimes, but overall, I feel happier and more alive.

What I'm most looking forward to about next Sunday is that moment when I KNOW I'm going to finish. I'm not talking about seeing the finish line or anything like that. There comes a moment in each long run for me where it becomes absolutely apparent to me that the balance between the energy I have left and the miles that I have left is tipped in my favor and that I KNOW I'm going to finish. Of course, I'm not saying that when I start a long run, I don't know whether or not I'm going to finish. Mentally, I always go out there with the attitude that I'm going to succeed, but there is a definite moment in every long run when you just KNOW. I'm really looking forward to that moment in the marathon whether it comes at 16 or 20 or 22 miles.

Part of me wonders if the marathon will be anti-climactic. I've enjoyed so many emotions during training and during the two races I've done. I'm looking forward to seeing if (at the finish) I will smile with happiness or cry with pride or puke from exhaustion. I guess we will see.

This week, my goals are:

• Read an enjoyable book to keep my mind off my anxiety
• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
• Eat well, focusing on carbs without going overboard
• Stretch several times per day
• Get enough sleep
• ENJOY my three 3 mile runs (actually one is supposed to be a walk)
• Rest my legs
• Think positively

So, if you've read this far. . . let me say this. . . . I'm excited and nervous and scared. . . . and because of that I will say . . . don't be afraid to send me your advice and well-wishes and thoughts this week . . . even if you've never left me a comment or sent me an email or talked to me about my running before . . . and even if you think that you've said it all before and that nothing you say will be unique. What I don't want to do is BEG for well-wishes because one of the most enjoyable things about my training and this blog has been the unexpected comments and feedback that I've received, but what I do want to do instead is let everyone know that I have savored each and every comment, every word of encouragement and every piece of advice I've received more than you'll ever know and that in the toughest moment of the marathon, I will draw on that support and make you proud!

Have a good week!

Overdue Update

"Sometimes the things that challenge us the most, define us."

I heard this quote the other day and decided that it concisely sums up why I am running a marathon, for anybody that is still wondering why.

The marathon is so close. I am excited and nervously anxious. I feel mentally prepared. I hope I am physically prepared. The one question still on my mind is HOW I'm going to push through those last 8 miles. I don't think it will be the hardest thing I've ever done, but I do think it will be close.

I haven't blogged in a while. I went on a glorious New Year's trip to the heart of California wine country. I ran among the beautiful redwood trees. I drank a lot of wine and ate a lot of cheese.

Today was my day off from work and Bella and I went and drove the marathon course. It was a lot of traffic and a lot of driving. 26.2 miles is really, really far. I'm not sure if driving the course helped or hurt. I literally couldn't believe how far it was.

Tapering messes with your mind. I'm feeling so so strong and focused and the decrease in running has made me feel like I'm losing my edge. Mostly because I think my edge was very very small. All I can think about is what I should be doing:


Should I be running? Should I be stretching? Should I be going to yoga to stretch? Should I be going to bed early? Should I be eating carbs or protein? Which shoes should I wear? Do I have enough Body Glide for race morning? Do my Cliff Shots have caffeine in them? Did I remember to trim my toenails early enough before the marathon? Should I finish all those blog entries I started but never completed? Have I run enough or too much this week? Should I make up that 8 miler I missed last week while I was in California?

The list goes on.

The Psychology of "The Wall"

I've been meaning to write about the wall for a while now. After much research, I realized that without even knowing it, I'm pretty sure that I hit the wall during my 16 mile run in Albuquerque at Thanksgiving. As much as it was a terribly hard run, I'm glad it happened so I won't be so blindsided if it happens during the marathon. I figure that if I know what to expect physically and mentally, I can minimize the effects and not panic if it happens during the marathon.

Physiologically

The problem is, despite all the training, a person's body is not really EVER ready to run 26.2 miles. The human body is not capable of storing enough fule to go for as long a time as first-time SLOW marathoners like myself usually take to complete the marathon distance.

Most believe that "hitting the wall" coincides with the point of glycogen (carbohydrate) depletion in the active muscles and liver, resulting in inadequate blood sugar for the brain and inadequate carbohydrate for the active muscles. The sensation of hitting the wall is described as being total fatigue, exhaustion and inability to maintain the pace you had been running. This is the feeling one would expect to experience if he or she were glycogen depleted.

If muscle glycogen is depleted, the muscles must rely almost exclusively on fat to manufacture ATP (energy) which dramatically reduces the amount of ATP that can be made per unit time. This decrease in the rate of ATP production forces the runner to slow to a pace that can be maintained with approximately half the aATP compared to when carbohydrates were available. For the novice runner, this speed is nothing more than a brisk walk at best. For some, a walk becomes difficult.

Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer says that four factors deterimine whether or not you ever hit the wall in a marathon:

1. Your level of glycogen in the muscle at the start. This factor is almost totally related to nutrition and how much activity you do in the 12-18 hours prior to the long run or marathon.
2. The amount of carbohydrates you consume during your run, either in liquid form (sports drinks) or gel/chew form.
3. Your level of conditioning. The more training you do, the better the muscles get at using fat as a fuel source to produce ATP. The more fat the muscle can use, the less carbohydrate it has to use and the less likely you are to run out and "hit the wall."
4. The pace you run during the long run or marathon. You can decrease your chances of hitting the wall by running at a slower pace during long runs or the marathon. The slower you run, the easier it is for the muscle to use more fat and less carbohydrate.

Psychologically

Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer says that what happens to someone when they hit the wall is that they "give up." They allow their minds to fill up with defeatist self-talk and they simply quit mentally.

So I guess really what happens at the wall is . . . whatever I decide will happen . . . and how well I can use my visualization and positive self-talk and focus to conquer the fatigue when it sets in.

I read an interesting technique that one man used. He ran the first 8 miles of the marathon and then metally told himself at that point that he was starting his 18 mile long run. He got the first 8 miles out of the way (instead of doing the dreaded 8 miles at the end) and that way he was just "sorta" finishing an 18 mile long run at the end of the 26.2 mile marathon.

I've pretty much figured out my pattern and need for carbs and water. I can make it 6 miles on my hand-held water bottle and 6 miles before I need a Clif Shot. I do think that I will carry my water during the marathon. I'm use to it and that way I can also carry my Clif Shots. It might be easier to just drink the energy drink along the way, but I guess at this point I'm just going to stick to what I know.