Concrete Runners Half Marathon Training Event
This last weekend I had an amazing time leading a running workshop with the running group, Concrete Runners, in San Francisco. This running crew is full of inspiring men and women and I was so happy to be able to share my running knowledge, tips and tricks for racing. Since the Nike Women's Half Marathon is coming up in four weeks, the workshop was focused specifically on training for this race.
I am training with SIX:02 for the event and many of the women & men from Concrete Runners are running as well. The Nike Women's Half Marathon is a great race because it offers a challenging, but doable course and an incredible amount of support. I have run the race four times (3 times at the marathon distance). Many of the Concrete Runners have run the race before, but there were also a lot of new runners who are either running their first half marathon ever or running their first Nike event. This was a chance for them to ask their questions and learn what to do during training and on race day.
The most popular questions I will answer below so anyone running the Nike Women's Race on October 18 & any other race coming up on your schedule, can have knowledge on how to train.
Half Marathon Training Questions via Concrete Runners Event with See Jane Run
Q: What do you eat post long run?
A: The best things to eat - at least that I have found to work for me - is getting a mix of carbs, fat and protein. Smoothies are great for this because you can blend all the ingredients together and get quick nutrition to rebuild muscles and replenish. Try a mix of almond milk, fruit, greens (spinach), almond butter, flax seed/chia seed, etc. Really - be creative with what you have but try to get as much nutrition as possible.
Q: How do you prepare for hills?
A: The best way to do this is to find a hill and train on it. If you don't train on hills - they will be hard on race day. Also - power walk up a hill if you need to. Run when you can and take a break if you need to. Another method - courtesy of Sally McRae, elite Nike Trail Runner - is to count your steps. Run for 100 steps, walk for 50 and then repeat the pattern until you get up the hill.
Q: What to eat race morning?
A: Go with something light like Oatmeal. Or one of my favorites is a plain bagel with a bit of peanut butter/almond butter and a banana. You want to get a bit of every with out too much weighing you down. Aim for 200-400 calories 2 hours before the race.
Q: What to fuel with during the race?
A: You need to fuel at least once during a half marathon. The best way to find out what works for you is to practice during training. My favorite things to have during a race are Clif Shot Bloks and Pocketfuel Naturals (or similar nut-butter blend). You need to get in a few hundred calories at the latest around mile 6 and continue fueling with 100 calories every few miles for continued energy through the race. Try what works for you - everybody is different. Go to your local running store and try our gels, bars and gummies to see what works best. Then bring them with you on race day.
Q: How to cross train?
A: Planks are great for building a strong core. Also - work on squats and lunges to help those glutes fire during your runs. These will especially help when powering up the hills of SF. Plyometrics (or jumping) are great for running training. Try burpees, squat jumps, lunge jumps and side-to-side hops.
I answered many other questions but I just don't have room to answer them all here! Stay tuned for future running posts. Have a specific question? Let me know in the comments!
Thanks again Concrete Runners for a great event!