There are two very important members of my marathon training village I forgot to mention in my last list.

First is Gabriel Brooks.  He is an amazing PT and my body mechanic.  Any time my body breaks, Gabriel is the one to pick up the pieces and put me back together.  When I was running 15 miles a couple of months ago, I heard a “pop” and felt a horrible pain in my right knee at about mile 13.  I walked then ran it in.  Then, was in pain after finishing 3 miles.  I emailed Gabriel.  He fit me into his busy schedule and did a video analysis of my running gait.  I knew my gait was less than perfect, and the video showed it was worse than I thought.  Gabriel gave me a few exercises, made a shoe suggestion, and things to watch when I run.  Like Tonja, Gabriel knows my body.  He is also an athlete and understands what I’m trying to accomplish.  I can honestly say that I wouldn’t be running in Paris if it weren’t for Gabriel.  Gabriel works in the Sports Medicine clinic at Texas Childrens Hospital.

The other member I forgot is Trigger Point.  I guess this isn’t a member, but a tool.  I use their tools after my long runs to help speed recovery.  A day doesn’t go by that I’m not using one or more of their tools right now.  They are helping my body recover from the last run and be ready for the next.  For example, one area Gabriel identified as a problem is the knots in my calves.  I use the Trigger Point tools to really get in there and work them out.  The balls are much better than tennis balls and the rollers much better than foam rollers because they have solid cores.  That means the outside gives a bit, but the core is there to allow you to really get into a knot and work it out.

The more I think about all the people it takes to get me to a marathon, the more I am glad to be surrounded by them and the tools they provide.  I can’t do it alone because . . .it takes a village.

I ran my first two marathons in 2001 – Houston in January and Marine Corps in October.  At this point, I was a novice runner.  I been running under a year.  I remember the training being a challenge, and each race was a challenge for different reasons.  But, I also remember the thrill of coming across the finish lines.  Now, nine years later, I’m training for the Paris marathon.  What a difference nine years makes.

I like to think of myself as an independent person.  However, I’m not sure if it is that I’m a more advanced runner, or understand my body better, but I’ve discovered that marathon training takes a village.  First, I have my husband who will be running the race as well.  He supports me in every way.  Then, come my training buddies – Theresa, Moya, and Jen.  Theresa and I got to know each other when training for Houston almost ten years ago.  We finished Houston, and she talked me into running Marine Corps.  We have forged a strong friendship over countless miles on the road.  She has been doing my long runs with me.  I’m not sure where I’d be without her.  She told me that someone asked her what race she was training for.  When she responded “Paris” the person got all excited for her.  She had to tell them that she wasn’t running it, but a friend was.  It is a true friend who will run 15, 18, and over 20 miles with you when she isn’t going to run the marathon herself.

Training also takes nutrition.  Luckily, since I’m a sports dietitian I have that kind of covered.  However, I use Infinit* as my sports drink.  I use and recommend Infinit because you can custom mix your sports drink including how strong you want the flavor.  I placed an order earlier this month and their usually speedy service was a bit delayed.  I emailed and got a response back from Laurie Walter.  We emailed back and forth.  I explained about having two long runs left and needing to test my new mixture before Paris (I added caffeine – first time to try it).  Lauire understood and upgraded the shipping so I could have it for my run this weekend.  Laurie and the Infinit gang are now a part of my marathon training village.

Taking care of my body and all of its various parts has also become critical.  I’m not sure if it is because I’m older or if I’m more aware of my body, but massage has become another key piece of my training.  I have a fabulous massage therapist, Tonja Samford, who I’ve used for eight or nine years now.  I think she knows my body better than I do.  I’ve learned the importance of pre- and post-run massages to prepare and recover.  A post-run massage has become part of the reason for finishing these last few long runs.  Tonja is  a member of my marathon training village.

Another group of members of this village are all of my non-training, non-running friends who are lending their support.  It is exciting when they ask about how training is coming, and express excitement about the upcoming run.

The final, and in some ways most inspiring members of my marathon training village, are those who have donated to my Challenged Athletes Foundation Race for a Reason.  This is the first time I have raised money for an organization.  The encouragement and financial outpouring is exciting to see.  I know that each step I will take in the Paris marathon will benefit those who, due to physical disabilities, face greater challenges that I do in being physically active.  To all of you, I say “Thanks!”

Actually, to my entire marathon training village, I say “Thanks!”

The next time you take on an endeavor, be it physical or other, think about the your village who helps you get there.

*If you would like to try Infinit, enter “penny” in the Special Codes area for a 10% discount on your orders.  I do receive a small referral fee when you use this code.

After thinking I was done with marathons, I decided to sign up for the Paris Marathon. Its a business trip. . .really it is. I have a client, Tom Coyne, who is writing a book about running his first marathon. He and a group of friends chose the Paris Marathon. He hired me, through a running coach I work with, to help him with his nutrition. I’m going with Tom and his group to Paris to help with any pre- and post-race nutrition issues they may have. And, I thought, “Why not run the marathon while I’m there? When will I have an excuse to run the Paris Marathon again?” And, I found myself back in marathon-training-land.

Marathon training has reminded me of a lot of the things that those I work with deal with. One of my reasons for training was to see how my training and racing has changed since I became a Dietitian. It has changed, and I continue to learn. I’d forgotten what it was like to experience the dreaded “sloshy stomach” on a run. I’ve had to tinker with my fueling. I’m working on using concentrated bottles since I won’t have a supporter to hand me fuel along the course (John, my husband, will also be running). Fueling for Paris is a bit different because the water stations are every 5K, not every 1 to 2 miles like in the US.

This week, however, I was reminded about the importance of a recovery meal. I ran 10 miles Monday morning. I thought, “this will be an easy 10, easy recovery.” The run was good. I pushed it. It was warmer than it has been in a while. I got home and discovered I was out of my recovery drink. DUOH! I thought, “It will be fine. No big deal.” Was I ever wrong. I was more sore and fatigued than I’d been after my 15 mile run. I was still sore Thursday, and am still feeling it today.

When you workout for 60 to 90 minutes or longer, it is important to have a recovery meal. Personally, I find liquid easier to tolerate than solid after a workout, but either will do. The key is to find a mix of protein and carbohydrates that works for you. For me, I need about 3 to 4 grams of carbohydrates for every 1 gram of protein. If you drink chocolate milk, it is perfect! Chocolate soy milk can work, too.

The second key is to have your recovery meal within 30 minutes of finishing your workout. If I’m using a mix, I have it mixed and in the refrigerator so I can grab it as soon as I get home. During this 30 minute period, your muscles will suck up the carbohydrates and protein like sponges. This means your muscles will re-build up the glycogen (storage form of sugar) that they like to use for energy when you are working out. Wait longer than 30 to 45 minutes, and your muscles don’t absorb the carbohydrates and protein as quickly meaning it takes you longer to recover.

This week reminded me about the importance of having that recovery meal. I knew it, but now I KNOW it. So, next time you are planning a longer workout, be sure to have your recovery meal and see if you notice a difference in how you feel.

Last year, I was contacted by a great running coach, Lowell Ladd, about one of his clients.  This particular client is training for his first marathon and writing a book about it.  He wants nutrition counseling. . . .can I help?  Of course!  I talked with Tom Coyne and we got started with his nutrition planning.  He has a group of 12 friends who are training to run the Paris Marathon in April, 2010.   They have a fun blog called 26.1 To Go.  I love the tag line for the blog, “The quest to solve the greatest mystery in sports: Where the hell is everybody running to?”

Then, I started thinking. . .when am I going to have a business excuse to go to Paris?  Then, I thought some more. . . when I am going to have such a great excuse to, um, run the Paris Marathon?  It only took a few minutes to go from thinking about running it to being a registered participant, to thinking “what the heck have I just done!”

I ran both the Houston and Marine Corps marathons in 2001.  My reasons for running Paris are many: because it is there and I can go, because it would be “fun,” to see how my training and nutrition have changed now that I’m a sports dietitian.

I began training a few months ago and training has been going well.  It has reminded me of a lot of the issues that my clients face when training for and racing a distance event.  However, now that I really understand how to fuel before, during, and after my training has been much smoother.

We are a month out from the race.  I’m filled with a mix of excitement and fear.  At this point you start to wonder and worry about every little ache, pain, and/or tinge.  “Was that a real pain?”  “How is that going to affect my run?”

I’ve also decided to dedicate this run to help those who have a hard time being physically active – those with disabilities.  I’m raising money for Challenged Athletes Foundation.  If you’d like to help CAF “provide opportunities and support to people with physical disabilities so they can pursue active lifestyles through physical fitness and competitive athletics” you can make a donation by clicking here.

In the mean time, I’ll keep training and planning.  And, dreaming of running through the streets of Paris.

Did anyone else step on the scale last week and get a reality check?  I know I did.  However, I also know that if I’m on the scale January 1st or 2nd, that is not a “good” checkpoint.  Over the years, I’ve gotten to know that my body is really good at retaining water.  If on New Years I had a couple of, um, beverages and some salty food, I can be up as much as four pounds due to water.  It takes a few days to get things back to normal.  So, if I step on that scale and the number is higher than I expected I check it for a few days to see what is really going on.

However, if the number stays higher than I’d like for a week or so, then I start looking at making some changes to my intake and activity.  I’ll look for places to cut a couple of hundred calories (typically 200 – 500) through out the day.  However, there is one place I will NEVER cut calories.  What’s this “magic” place?  My recovery eating.

Typically if you work out for 60 to 90 minutes or longer, you need to think about a recovery meal.  When you workout for 60 to 90 minutes or longer, your body depletes the glycogen stores in the muscles and liver.  The result . . . fatigue.  If you have a recovery meal, you’ll be ready to face the rest of the day and ready for that next workout.  The recovery meal can also help if you find yourself hungry all day after a workout – even if it is less than 60 minutes.

Here are some guidelines for the recovery meal:

• Consume it within 30 minutes of finishing your workout.  Your muscles are like sponges during this time and will suck up the carbohydrates and protein you consume.
• Eat/drink something that has 3 to 4 grams of carbohydrates for every one gram of protein.  This has been shown to optimize the uptake of both carbohydrates and protein by the muscles.
• Have it ready so you don’t have to think about it.  If you have to think about it, you might not have it.
• Try different things to see what works for you.  I have two favorite recovery drinks, but there are a lot out there.  Try a few (many have sample packets) to see which you like best.

Why don’t I cut calories from my recovery meal?  Because, I know I don’t feel as good the rest of the day, and because my next workout will suffer.  Neither of those are things I’m willing to compromise for a couple of hundred calories.  I’d rather get the calorie reduction from other places and have a great day and great next workout.

So, if you’re working out (and getting faster in the off season like all my Endurance Nation buddies), be sure to get in that recovery meal.  If you’re trying to lose some weight, look for other places to cut calories – for example use smaller portion sizes.  For more ideas, you can check out my newsletter archive.

Here’s hoping you have a happy and healthy 2009!

When people decide to take on a new physical challenge – a 5K run, their first swim meet, a sprint triathlon - they typically jump into the physical training.  I know I did.  Experienced athletes also typically focus on physical training.  What is often neglected is nutrition training.  Yes, your nutrition needs training too.  Nutrition is the one thing that can end your race day before it even starts.  Example: your doing an out of town race and decide to try a new sushi restaurant the night before your race.  All goes well until the next morning when you discover you can’t leave the bathroom.  Or, you can leave the bathroom but end up with stomach cramps, vomiting, etc.  No race day for you after all that physical training you’ve done.

We also tend to focus on what we’re going to eat the day of the race: breakfast, pre-race, during, post-race.  However, I’ve worked with many athletes who have race day gastro-intestinal issues (GI issues) that don’t relate to what they ate the day of the race.  The issues can relate to food eaten one to two days prior to your race.  When planning your race nutrition, you need to practice, at a minimum, your night before eating.

If you notice you’re having GI issues during your training, look at not only what you’re eating the day of your training, but the two days before.  You may find you need to go to white, low-fiber bread because the closer to a big training day your body can’t handle the additional fiber.  Or, you may find that something about oranges sets your stomach off (yes, I’ve had a client not be able to eat oranges prior to a race/training).  Notice when you add or remove foods what happens to your training/racing.

If you are doing a race out of town, one of the last things you need is the stress of finding somewhere to eat the night before the race.  What I do is find a reputable chain restaurant for my pre-race dinner.  Know the menu, know what you’ll order, any modifications you’ll make and order it.  Or, stay somewhere you can cook so you know what you’ll be getting.

As far as race day, practice what you’ll do during the race in your training sessions.  The rule of thumb: if it works OK in training, it won’t work on race day;  if it works great during training, it should work OK on race day.  Know what you’ll eat and how your body responds.  If you’re traveling, pack your race food with you.  If you can’t pack it, know what stores carry it and have a backup plan.  I had a racer tell me that is wife raced with the frozen peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (they work well in special needs bags of long course triathlons – they thaw by the time you reach your bag).  They couldn’t pack them for the trip, but planned to pick them up when they arrived at the race site.  They ended up spending much of the afternoon searching for them in all the stores and finally found them.  Talk about added pre-race stress.

Having your pre-race and race nutrition nailed down will give you one less thing to worry about on race day so you can focus on having a great physical race.

Its officially SUMMER!  For those of us in the Houston area, I think its been summer since about March.  Here, it went from pleasant to HOT in a matter of days without any time to acclimate to the change in temperature.  This means that our bodies don’t quite know what do to as far as sweating.  You’ll probably find that you sweat more than usual until your body gets used to it.

During the summer it is particularly important to pay attention to how much you are sweating when you are exercising outside or even working in your yard.  Studies have shown that as little as a 1 to 2% drop in body weight can impact your athletic performance.  Or, you can swing the other way and over-hydrate.  Studies have also shown that we can be pretty good at estimating how much we are drinking but we can’t estimate how much fluid we are losing through sweat.  Personally, when I’m doing triathlons I find that I tend to under-hydrate on the bike and over-hydrate on the run.  The result – a sloshy stomach accompanied by stomach cramps.  Not a fun way to do the run.

Most people are also spending time outdoors gardening, working on their house, etc.  Don’t forget the importance of hydrating when you are outside in the heat (regardless of activity type) for a period of time.

How can you monitor your hydration?  One of the easiest things you can do is to weigh yourself before and after you workout or before and after you work outside in the heat.  Both times you weigh, you should be nude (or in the same dry clothes) and dry (take a minute to towel off before stepping on the scale – don’t forget to towel off your hair, too).  For every pound you’ve lost, you should drink 16 – 24 oz of fluid over the next couple of hours.  Two pounds or so lost, I’m not concerned.  More than three pounds lost and I start to get concerned about dehydration.  Going in the other direction, if you find you are gaining weight, you could be running the risk of being over-hydrated and should consume a little less fluids.

For the athletes out there, you may have read that some studies have shown that high performance/professional runners are dehydrated when they finish a race.  I’ve heard people use this data to argue that you should finish a run dehydrated.  However, keep in mind that each person is different, but most people I know can tell a performance difference if they are dehydrated in the form of headache and/or just not feeling right.  To me, there is quite a difference between those professionals whose job is to run and those of us mere mortals who run/train in addition to our other jobs.  As people train, their bodies adapt to that training.  I’ve had the opportunity to run with Jeff Galloway a couple of times in 2000 and 2001.  I asked him about what he drinks before and during runs since he didn’t have any fluids with him.  At that time, he would drink a couple of cups of coffee before a long run and would be OK without other fluids on the run.  Now, how many marathons had Jeff run at that point?  More than I have fingers and toes I believe.  Therefore, for professionals and highly trained people (like Jeff), that may mean their bodies can handle performing in a dehydrated state.  For most others who are not training for hours every day, I’m not sure this is a good idea.

Finally, if you are exercising outdoors consistently, I’d recommend conducting a sweat trial every month or so.  A sweat trial can help you figure out how much you should be drinking and can help you figure out a starting point for salt/electrolyte intake. You want to do it on a shorter workout so you don’t have to also account for urine output. Here’s the steps (get out those calculators again):

1) weigh yourself nude/dry before your workout
2) weigh yourself nude/dry after your workout
3) multiply the amount of weight you lost by both 16 and 24 (it takes about 16 – 24 oz, maybe more to replace every pound of fluid lost)
4) To the two numbers you got in #3, add the oz you drank (both water and sports drink). Again, you get two answers.
5) Divide the numbers you got in step 4 by the hours of your workout. This gives you an oz per hour to shoot for. Then, you can break this into 4, 15 minute or 6 10 minute drinking intervals. Some people find that marking their water bottle every 2 to 4 oz helps them track how much they are drinking and when.  If the numbers you get are unrealistic (e.g. 80 oz per hour), then you need to determine how much you can realistically drink without negatively impacting your performance.

Second, is to look at electrolyte needs.  For every 4 cups (32 oz) the guideline is you need to take between 500 and 1000 milligrams of sodium. Some people need more, some less. This is a starting point. If you are crusty when you finish working out, you need to be on the higher end or perhaps even more.  You can and should get this during your workout through sports drink/salt tablets/etc.

Also, you should do sweat trials several times through out the year because we sweat differently in the spring than in the summer and fall.