I just finished my 5th week of marathon training and I wanted to evaluate what’s been going well and what I need to work on. I’ve mentioned it before but other than a longer run on Saturday, my training plan isn’t too much different from what I would normally do. Additionally, it’s pretty low in mileage compared to what many people training for marathon would cover. However, I’m still young and want to have many years of running ahead of me, so running conservatively works for me now.

What’s Been Working:

Yoga- I discovered yoga half way through my last marathon training and have made sure to incorporate it into my routine this time around. Yoga has done wonders for not only my leg strength and flexibility, but my mental sanity. I think it’s a great complement to running and I hope to keep it up 2x a week.

Running Gear- Particularly my headphones, sneakers, hats, clothes and fuel pouch. I’ve experimented with different brands of gear in the past and have settled on my favorites. Nothing bothers me during a run…no falling headphones, itchy shirts or uncomfortable sneakers. I just got a pair of running sunglasses as a gift so I’m excited to try those out too!

Compression-ing- I love wearing compression gear. I have ProCompression socks and compression shorts (from a brand I can’t remember the name of), which I wear all the time. I used to wear compression socks under boots on casual day at work. Now that I’m not working, I just wear them out with shorts and look super cool

Sticking To My Schedule- This could be a good thing and a bad thing. Good in the sense that I’m only running 4 days a week and being cautious of the mileage, bad in the sense that it’s a schedule and I know how dependent I can be on schedules. But I’m pretty flexible in the timing of runs (except for Saturday when I want to run early) so I think I’m doing pretty well with balancing this routine.

What I Can Improve:

Hydration- I felt the effects of poor hydration after my run on Saturday with an episode of leg-twitching/restless leg. I’ve also had unquenchable thirst throughout the week. I need to incorporate more coconut water into my life, especially after runs in the heat. My stomach (and taste buds) don’t love typical sports drinks so coconut water is my go-to for electrolytes.

Mapping My Run- I’ve stuck to the same route for my longer runs and not only am I getting bored with it, but it has some definite drawbacks that I have to work around. For example, there is only one water fountain (with warm water) and one bathroom within about 4 miles. Sometimes I unnecessarily stop to use the bathroom because I’m afraid I’ll have an accident when I’m not near it (#runnerprobz…sorry not sorry). I also think that not taking in enough liquids during my run contributes to the dehydration after. I do love this route because a) it’s right out my door and b) it’s along the water. I think this week I will get my ass up earlier and drive to a different area of town to run.

Foam Rolling- I need MAJOR improvement in this area. I get so lazy after running that I hop in the shower and forget to stretch and foam roll. This will come back to haunt me when my hip/hamstring/calf/butt/etc. starts hurting. I’m making a promise to myself that I will foam roll for at least 10 minutes 3 times a week.

So, like everything in life, my running is a work in progress. I’m going to focus on making the above changes and will address anything else that comes my way.

Foam rolling pros, tell me…is 10 minutes 3x a week enough?

Gatorade…love or hate?