Memorial Marathon Training: Week 8

Welcome to week 8 of our training season.  This week marks the half-way point with eight more weeks until Oklahoma City!  What a great turnout last weekend to run/walk with Team in Training.  We will be running with them again this weekend.  This week those training for the full will be running 12-13 miles, while those running the half will be doing 8. There will be a group taking off from the Casady School Parking Lot at 9500 North Pennsylvania Avenue in Oklahoma City.  Those doing the marathon will meet at 7 am and everyone doing the half and shorter distances can meet at 8 am with Team in Training. Please come out and join us even if you’re doing a shorter distance or if you feel like you’re “just walking”!  We’d love to see you out there this weekend… and if you have a runHers shirt try to wear it!

You can view this in more detail at Map My Run.

Also a quick note about next week’s training.  runHers is supporting the Deer Creek Classic next Saturday.  It’s a great 5K, 10K and 1-mile fun run that supports the Deer Creek Schools.  You’ll want to register by February 26th to guarantee a t-shirt.  Students/Children are $15 and adults are $20.  The 1-mile fun run can also help all the runHers kids log more miles for the Oklahoma City Marathon!  The 10K race will be our “official” run next week so for those training for the marathon who are running 14-17… there will also be a group getting together on Sunday for an unofficial run of 8-10 miles.  Team in Training will still be meeting at 8 on Saturday morning and I will send that out in next week’s email but we would love for as many members as possible to support the race! Click here if you’d like more information.

Letter from runHers member, Christina Eckert

As the weeks go by and your miles increase, this can be the time when injuries pop up so I turned to Amby Burfoot of Runner’s World on how to prevent those.  He developed several “rules” of injury prevention over the years that most experts agree on… and while these rules won’t guarantee you won’t get hurt, if you incorporate these guidelines into your training, it will probably make your running life more enjoyable! First, know your limits.  Physical therapist Irene Davis says, “I believe that every runner has an injury threshold.”  What you are trying to do is not cross that threshold and get hurt.  Sports podiatrist Stephen Pribut warns runners to beware of the “terrible toos”… doing too much, too soon, too fast.  Experts agree this is the number one cause of self-inflicted injuries.  The body needs time to adapt from training changes and jumps in mileage or intensity.  Muscles and joints need recovery time so they can handle more training demands.  If you rush that process, you can break down rather than build up.  Second, listen to your body.  If you don’t run through pain, you can nip most injuries before they become serious.  Most running injuries don’t come out of nowhere.  They produce signals… aches, soreness, persistent pain… but it’s up to you to acknowledge those signs and take action!   Third, don’t race or do speed work too often.  Researchers have found a direct link between injuries and frequent racing or maximum efforts.  Just remember, running hard can be hard on your body, so give yourself plenty of recovery time.  Only add speed work to your training once a week. Even Olympic gold medalists only do about five percent of their training at 5k pace or faster!  Fourth, stretch the back of your legs.  Runners are tight in their hamstrings and calves and most experts say stretching may help prevent injuries there.  Fifth, crosstrain!  Most runners can benefit from at least one non-running day a week and crosstraining like swimming, the stationary bike and elliptical machine can provide a great aerobic alternative.  And last, be sure you are wearing shoes that fit properly.  While no-one believes shoes can cure your injuries, you should wear the pair that fits and functions best for your feet!  One interesting study from the Stanford University School of Medicine found there was no greater incidence of osteoarthritis or knee replacements among runners than non-runners.  That study went on to find regular running actually delayed medical disabilities (like heart attacks and strokes, along with cancer and neurological diseases) by more than 16 years in runners compared with non-runners!  Bottom line:  keep running to stay healthy, young and injury free!

A few other notes as we get ready for the Oklahoma City Memorial… now is the time to start thinking about your race day “routine”.  What do you like to eat before a long run?  What will you wear?  What gel or goo will you use and when.  How often should you re-hydrate?  If this is your first race, talk to people who’ve run these before to get some advice and then use these long runs to find what works for you… so you have your routine perfected on April 25th.  For example, runHers founder Wendi Weaver doesn’t usually need goo on runs less than 12 miles.  But I found out this weekend, that I probably need a boost around mile eight!

And one final note from my favorite source, The Runner’s Book of Inspiration, “You will never know who you are until you first admit who you are not.  What are you strengths and weaknesses as a runner (and a human being)?  What do you do well?  Is it your unwillingness to quit, your toughness, your speed, your ability to work hard?  You may compare yourself with other runners and find yourself lacking in some respect. But remember:  no one else has your unique gifts.  You possess talents and capabilities that other people, including the ones you admire, can only dream of.  And those unique gifts are what you must bring to the world.”

Have fun this training season and remember runHers is for life!

Christina Eckert

PS:  Don’t forget about registering for the upcoming Princess Run. The race will be held rain or shine on March 28th at 2 PM at Stars and Stripes Park on Lake Hefner and will feature a one-mile course for participants to run, walk or stroll through.  At the finish line, all princesses will be awarded a medal and treated to chocolate milk and a cupcake.   Other activities at the event include face painting, a nail “salon”, craft area and more!  It’s a run so fun you’ll think it’s a fairy tale!  The Princess run benefits the Leukemia and Lymphoma society of Oklahoma. If you would like to print out a flyer that you can display at your school or gym you can download one here!