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Tag: #eidentracing

Providence Post Marathon Slump

May 12, 2014

Why does it seems like after I finish a marathon I start to fall apart?  After I finished the WDW marathon this past January my hip flexor gave me trouble for months. I figured it was because I walked 20 miles of it to help my friend cross the finish line during her Dopey challenge while finishing chemo.  Now I am experiencing random issues here and there after the Providence marathon.  I had a very good race, it was a great race actually! I don’t know if I could have done that race as fast as I did if I didn’t have my friend there to get me to that finish line goal I set.

After my last easy 4 mile run my left calf started cramping up on me towards the end of my run.  It was a warm day out but I had been hydrating all day.  I am suspicious that it happened because I started wearing flip-flops the day before.  I iced it up and then used a heating pad on it last night and it’s feeling better, but I am cautious now.

I feel like once the big accomplishment is over, my body tells me to take it easy for a bit. Maybe the release of relief in my brain that my goal was met lets the rest of my body know it will be on a break for a while.  Who knows!  But I just want to stay healthy.  I don’t have any big races planned until June 8th when I run the Heartbreak Hill Half Marathon.  I would like to get my 3rd PR in a row with this race, but given the name of Heartbreak Hill half, I am going to assume that it will be a challenging race in the hills of Massachusetts.

With a vacation coming up, I plan on taking it easy for a little bit to let my body recover, but I am going to still get in my 2 runs per week or more if I have the time and then I have to get in a 14 mile run Memorial Day weekend.

Mentally, I was having a little trouble getting out for a run the other day.  I had a lot of stuff to get done around the house and was toying with the idea of skipping my run, but I knew it was better that I get out there and do it.  I actually just put on my running clothes and my Garmin 220 and hit the road, I forgot my headphones and didn’t realize it until I was a mile into the run.  It was just me and the road and I enjoyed that.  I was going to do 3 miles, but decided to do 4.  My pace was slow though.  Since my coach told me to do easy runs post marathon for the next 2 weeks I didn’t do any speed work or hills.  I just ran for the sake of running and I enjoyed it.  It was nice to run “naked”.

I think sometimes after a big goal is met, it’s ok to have a little downtime in your running routine.  I need this time now to regroup and focus on what my goals are for the summer and leading up to training for Dopey in January.  This is also a good time for me to give my legs a little break and do some bike riding as well to prepare for my fall Sprint Tri.

Do you ever have a running slump after a big race?

e-coaching with Jeff Galloway

March 25, 2014

I had been considering hiring a running coach for about 6 months now but didn’t do it.  I wanted to do it last August after pulling my hamstring and needing physical therapy.  Then after the therapy worked and I wasn’t hurting anymore I decided I didn’t need to.

After the WDW marathon I came home and wanted to do another marathon sooner rather than later.  I didn’t want to wait until the fall and because I had the mileage base under my belt I wanted to get one done in the spring.  I found the Providence Marathon.  This was perfect!  It’s a short drive from home, the course looks nice, the price was good and several other friends of mine decided to run it.

When I went to the Princess Half marathon a little over a month after the WDW full marathon, I wasn’t happy with my training.  I was struggling with hip flexor pain and my running was very, very slow.  I was hoping to talk to Jeff Galloway at the expo, but didn’t get the chance.  When I got home I made the decision.  I was going to do e-coaching with Jeff Galloway!  Why wouldn’t I?  I follow his training plans, I met him twice and I love his training method.  I already read several of his books and I believe in his method of run/walk/run.  Because I was planning on running another marathon within 6 months of my last, I wanted to do it in a way where I wouldn’t hurt myself, since I seem to be prone to injury.  I also wanted to use it as a method to prepare me for a decision to do Dopey in 2015.

jeffgallowayandmejanuary

What comes with ecoaching?

  • Individual Training Program to the goal of your choice by Jeff Galloway
  • A copy of one of Jeff’s books (Galloway Training Program, Galloway’s Book on Running–2nd Ed. or Year Round Plan)
  • Direct email access to Jeff, for questions and clarifications, with priority
  • Free Monthly E Newsletter
  • Opportunity to ride on the Galloway Bus for the New York City Marathon start
  • Discounts on Fitness Vacations at Lake Tahoe Meet and run with other Galloway Members at races around the world

I am  three weeks into the training plan now and I have been very happy with it.  I was surprised with the intervals Jeff recommended and the pace for my long runs, but I can see now why they are recommended.  I also liked the other workouts he prescribed from cadence runs to hill repeats.  I never took those workouts seriously before, but now I see how they are effective for the whole process of building other muscles and to help with speed.  My recover on my 2 last long runs were very quick and just this past Friday with my 20-miler I was able to hike Sunday and ran and rode my bike on Monday and didn’t even feel like I ran 20 miles just days ago.

On April 6, Jeff will be at the Harvard Pilgrim Middletown Half & Legends 4-mile run.  I hope I get the chance to run with him during the 4-mile run.  Every time runDisney had a meetup the guests had the chance to run with Jeff.  I never had the chance.  If not, I will be sure to get another picture with Jeff!  I am also looking forward to participating in his Jeff Galloway 13.1 Inaugural race in Atlanta in December.

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