Bryn and I during our fun 20-mile run with 18x400m at the beginning of each mile starting at mile 2.
I have run 12 marathons in the last six years as a runner, and I am about to run my lucky 13th one in three weeks at London, where I am participating in the World Age Group Championships.
We all know how taxing marathons can be on our bodies and how strong we need to be to run a faster marathon or to achieve a PR (personal record). We also know that long runs are the holy grail of marathon training and that practicing our GMP (gross marathon pace) is super important in having a successful marathon, but how about speed, hills, and other workouts?
The number one myth that we need to get rid of is that a marathon is just about strength, stamina, and endurance. However, we should not neglect to do the weekly speed workouts, whether they are Fartleks, hill repeats, or track.
With these important workouts in mind, I will share with you my very three favorite marathon workouts that will turn all of you into marathon beasts! And speaking of beasts, this short form piece published by The Daily Cuppa matches my first hill workout. It was inspired by my Fair Oaks Chicken run 5-mile race this year, where I got first in my age group.
However, let’s not get down the rabbit hole, or the chicken one, since this story is about the yearly chicken five-mile race. Runners not only race the roosters roaming the streets, but they actually have four infamous hills to climb: Grand Daddy hill, Hernia hill, the Beast, and The Last Gasp.
I ran this race for the first time and enjoyed running over hills, through rocks by the river single-track path, and on a gravel road.
As I finished the gravel section, one of the volunteers cheered on us to run strong on the Beast hill.
My response to him: “I am the beast.”
Workouts
Hill repeats mixed with two miles of GMP. After a 2-mile warm-up, run 4X800m hill repeats ( I like to do Pennsylvania hill repeats). You can run hard uphill and use the downhill for recovery, or you can run pretty hard both ways with a full minute rest at the bottom. After the four repeats, run two miles at GMP pace, or faster on the bike trail, or a more flat surface. Then come back to the hill and finish the workout strong with another 4X800 meters. Cooldown for a total of 8 to 10 miles.
Running uphill in Ancil Hoffman Park with a smile. Photo credit: Bryn Mumma
2. A tough workout perfect for marathon training is the dreaded Michigan workout. This workout is a combination of fast track repeats on the track and tempo miles on a bike path. The paces will vary based on your fitness level and goals. To avoid injuries, start with half of the workout, or only do it as an advanced runner. My awesome friend and amazing training partner Bryn and I did this workout for the first time about a month ago. She is training for the Boston marathon and I am training for London. We were both surprised that we could still run our last 800m and 400m repeats fast and that the tempo miles didn’t feel too taxing or daunting.
The flying savage ninja – ha!ha! Photo credit: Bryn Mumma
3. And last, but not least, the 400m during your long run to break the monotony and to practice speed on tired legs. Bryn and I just recently did 18X400m starting at mile 2 all the way to 20. At the beginning of each mile, we ran 400 meters hard, but not as fast as doing it on track, but still hard enough that we ended up with some faster miles. It was a challenging workout, but it made our long run go by so much faster and our legs got some much-needed speed. Once again, this workout is pretty advanced, but it can be tailored for every runner since you can choose how many 400m repeats to do in each mile. The main goal is to shake up your tired marathon legs and to have fun with it.
These workouts seem daunting and hard, but doing them with a partner will make them more fun and less intimidating.
To sum things up, marathon training doesn’t have to be only about tempo runs, GMP mileage, and recovery runs. You can spice things up and have fun while training, and I guarantee you that your marathon results will be impressive, too.
Enjoy speed, hills, and mixing up workouts, as you might want to run more marathons when having so much fun. Happy feet, and remember that YOU ARE THE BEAST!
For more inspiration on how to let “AIR,” which stands for adaptation, inspiration, and resilience guide and uplift you during these uncertain and crazy times, please consider buying my print edition or e-book The PR- The Poetics of Running, A Book of Poetry in Motion on Amazon, or buy it straight from my blog by clicking on my books link, which will take you to Amazon. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the book is going to Girls on the Run Sacramento chapter organization.
For more info on running and real estate, whether buying or selling, please e-mail me at carmenmicsa@yahoo.com, or call me at 916-342-2446. Also mention this blog and receive a great offer whether buying (credit for closing costs) or selling (commission discount). Running for real estate with joy!
Keep chasing the things in your heart, even in the midst of disappointment and uncertainty.” Sara Hall, second place finisher at London Marathon this year.
Bryn and I at the start of our London virtual marathon in Golden Gate Park.
Between the pandemic, uncertainty, and California’s devastating fires, our marathon training and the completion of London virtual marathon in San Francisco felt like an incessant fight with the same windmills that Don Quixote fought, and yet never lost hope of changing the world. We had to be creative and flexible about getting our long runs done during our training due to summer heat, but especially the fires and the bad air quality.
As we ran passed the Dutch windmill, I could not help thinking of Don Quixote, as if predicting the tough, hilly marathon ahead.
10 LIFE LESSONS LEARNED WHILE TRAINING FOR LONDON MARATHON
ADAPTATION – Dr. Dennis Godby with Sacramento Naturopathic Medical Center, said about me that I am “AIR,” which stands for adaptation, inspiration, and resilience. Dr. Godby is my naturopath doctor and an amazing human being. Talking about adaptation, we all know that being adaptable is a key survival quality that not only keeps us alive and well, but it also enhances our flexibility and turns us into nimble gymnasts, so to speak, who can tackle life’s challenges with more ease and comfort. For Bryn and I, training meant weekly changes and adaptations to our running schedule, routes, and workouts. We ended up doing many of our long runs in the middle of the week because of the fires.
Tough track workout on a Wednesday that turned into a 14-long run to avoid the weekend’s bad air quality.
2. INSPIRATION can work on many levels when someone dedicates time and attention to achieving a goal. Bryn and I documented our weekly runs and journey on social media, and, according to our coach and Arete team mates, we together with other team mates training for Boston marathon and other virtual races, became inspiring to our Arete competitive running team. We also inspired our children, our families, and co-workers due to our devotion to running and exercising.
3. RESILIENCE did not only apply to practicing grit, but it mainly meant rolling out with all life’s punches that came to us on a weekly basis up to the last day before running London virtual marathon, when mother nature gave us a weekend of smoke from the fires raging through Napa Valley. That’s when Bryn had the great idea to move our marathon to San Francisco, where the air index quality was at healthy levels.
After a smooth 1.5 hour drive drive to San Francisco, we reached Golden Gate Park. We easily found parking and bathrooms. We took a quick picture with our bibs on at the start line, and then we were off. During the first mile of our marathon Bryn said: “I could see a bright spot in the sky and thought the fog might burn off quickly, but was happy to have it for as long it would last. After a summer of training in the harsh Sacramento sun with early morning runs during which we raced against the rising temperatures, being enveloped in a blanket of cool fog with steady temps was soothing.”
In the first few miles, we were reminded of the hidden treasures in Golden Gate Park – the Conservatory of Flowers, Rainbow Falls, Spreckels Lake, the Bison Paddock, and the Dutch Windmill with a lovely “HOPE” flower display. After about five miles of smooth and controlled running, we hit Ocean Beach, ran up past the Cliff House and Sutro Baths and onto the rocky cliffs of the Coastal Trail. We then dipped back onto the roads past the Legion of Honor and Sea Cliff mansions to rejoin the trail in the Presidio.
I have never seen the bison in Golden Gate Park before, but maybe because I didn’t get to that side of the park. I snapped this picture while running and was delighted.
Hope never fails, so when the running got tough, Bryn and I kept on going.
“Running in the fog felt like home.” Bryn Mumma
Bryn enveloped in fog, running across the Golden Gate Bridge.
After we ran across the Golden Gate bridge twice, we had finished the first half of our marathon, but the hills kept coming, as we hit the stairs in reverse. By now there were many people on the trails, most of them wearing masks. I had slowed down by more than a minute per mile, but I kept moving forward, while Bryn navigated the hills with agility and looked like she was ready to run an ultramarathon, not just a marathon.
Hills, stairs, and a little knee pain, but what a scenic and incredible tour of the city!
“Running on a soft trail, overlooking the bluffs, up and down the hills, with the scent of eucalyptus in the air, was heaven.” Bryn Mumma
Returning to Golden Gate Park for our final few miles, we noticed that the park had come alive with children and families. We passed playgrounds and picnickers, as well as Stow Lake and the Botanical Gardens before reaching our 26.2-mile finish.
Throughout our marathon, Bryn couldn’t help but feeling like running in the fog was like coming home, because it was where her now-husband and her got engaged and married, while they both finished their studies to become doctors. Much of time in San Francisco was spent in the Sunset, running through Golden Gate Park to Ocean Beach.
For me, the highlight of the marathon were the windmills and the Pacific Ocean that made our extremely beautiful, scenic, but hard San Francisco marathon course with 1,730 feet elevation an adventure to remember. Bryn seemed to glide on all the hills, whereas I struggled with knee and calf pain, but continued my run and finished my 11th marathon, relishing the fog, the ocean waves crashing onto the shore, the Dutch Windmill, running across Golden Gate Bridge twice, the sight of a beautiful heron at the end of the race, and the wonderful time spent with my friend Bryn, who ran this marathon with ease and indelible joy.
Bryn finished the marathon ahead of me, as I struggled with pain from all the hills and possibly my thyroid acting up, but I mixed running with walking at the end and got it done. As I finished, I thought about our celebration picture, which, of course, was with the Dutch Windmill.
Bryn knew I wanted a picture with the windmill, so we drove close to it, parked, and captured the joy of completing our first virtual marathon with no spectators or aid stations.
I fought hard and ran my slowest marathon since I became a runner, but had defeated the windmills and have learned valuable lessons about life, such as:
4. POSITIVITY – Bryn and I tried to find a positive in every negative.
5. PERSEVERANCE – We constantly found ways to push each other on the track, or during a long run, and never gave up.
6. CREATIVITY – We had to constantly find ways around the pandemic, the weather, our busy schedules, and I even composed a rap song for our marathon.
7. DEDICATION – Without dedication, we can’t achieve much in life. Every single week, Bryn and I communicated with each other. We both set time aside for our speed workouts and long runs, which we did together and thus made our marathon cycle feel easier than usual, more enjoyable, and fun.
8. MOTIVATION – Once I convinced Bryn to do the London virtual marathon with me, both our motivation has increased, as we stayed focused and kept each other accountable.
9. FLEXIBILITY – With Bryn being an emergency physician and myself the CEO of my Dynamic Real Estate company, we both had a little more flexibility in our schedules, which proved to be quintessential to our successful and fun training schedule that I created for us mixing most of the workouts that Mary, our team’s coach provided part of the Chicago marathon training, with some of my own training, including weekly rest and strength training.
10. ENTHUSIASM –Ralph Waldo Emerson said: “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm,” and Bryn and I had plenty of it. Chasing each other on the track was the highlight of our training, which made us run faster and stronger.
With races being canceled all around the world, now, more than ever, we have goals of becoming better human beings, helping others, lifting each other up, and just striving to be the best version of ourselves. Running goals are important, such as PRs, but the most important PR is what I call in my poetry book the pace and rhythm of life, which means being entuned with life, living in the now, and being grateful for every breath and stride we take on the trails of life.
For more inspiration on how to let “AIR,” which stands for adaptation, inspiration, and resilience guide and uplift you during these uncertain and crazy times, please consider buying my print edition or e-book The PR- The Poetics of Running, A Book of Poetry in Motion on Amazon, by clicking on the link. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the book is going to Girls on the Run Sacramento chapter organization.
Let’s be honest: when every single race we were supposed to run this year (I was supposed to run Tokyo and London marathons) gets canceled due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, we get upset, frustrated, and even depressed when we feel that our training has gone to waste, even though we all know that our health and safety come first. Our inability to race this year seems unfathomable and surreal, as in previous years we have had way too many races to run and not enough time to properly train for all. And now that we cannot race, how about a shift in perspective? We have no races to run, or a very limited amount, mainly trails and small road races, but we finally have more time to train and to be intentional about the sport that brings us so much joy.
1. The Simplicity of Running
As some of you know, I became a runner in 2015 after having played soccer as a kid and competitive tennis for 20 years plus. However, as soon as I became a runner, I was hooked by its purity and simplicity. I didn’t have to plan my tennis matches by finding friends to play with. All I had to do is put my running shoes on and take off down the street from my house till I hit Ancil Hoffman Park, or what I call my slice of Paradise. What a simple way to experience the world as poetry in motion! What tremendous joy to let my feet take me places while feeling the gentle summer breeze against my neck, my arms that moved in perfect unison with the world, and my legs that, at first stomped around like a sumo wrestler, after which they learned to caress the ground and be gentle and quiet. Not only did I relish the simplicity of running and the tremendous joy that suffused my soul, but I also started writing poetry in my head and I continue to do so. I hope to publish my poetry book at the end of this year, so stay tuned.
Therefore, one way to deal with all the race cancelations is to go back to basics and to the simplicity of running by finding more time to relish our breath, stride, and euphoric feelings induced by running.
PC: Bryn Mumma, my friend and Arete team mate The simplicity of running, but not so much of doing hill repeats- ha!ha!
2. Gratitude
In 2018 when my husband and I finished building our home, I threw a big party for the runners in the Sacramento community. Lisa Limcaco, one of my runner friends, brought a housewarming gift, a small decoration piece that said gratitude on it. She told me: “You always say how grateful you are in your posts, so I thought this would make the perfect gift.” I was grateful to Lisa for being so thoughtful, as well as thinking of me as someone who lives life with gratitude, as I never want to come across as ungrateful or entitled. To me, life is a constant opportunity to practice gratitude, not only during good times, but especially during hard and nebulous times. As Deena Kastor, who is the American record holder in the marathon, said in our Zoom meeting with my Arete team mates: “We need to practice gratitude, patience, and solution seeking.” Optimism, she added, helps us put the bad days in perspective quickly. And if you wish to become a more grateful and joyous runner, according to Kastor, then write three things you are grateful for every evening and you cannot repeat what you wrote the previous day. I also highly recommend reading Deena Kastor’s memoir memoir Let your Mind Run, which will transform your relationship to running and to the world around you.
Due to the precarious stage we are in with this pandemic, I feel gratitude can propel us forward, as well as make us more appreciative of our strong runner bodies and lungs. The fact that we are healthy and that we can run while others are fighting for their lives in hospitals, with some of them not making it, should give us the strongest dose of gratitude ever and dissipate any complaints about races being canceled. Racing will return one day and we will be even more grateful to run next to our friends and competitors, but for now we all need to find joy and gratitude for being alive and able to run.
Grateful to run faster even though I have no races in sight.
3. The Joy of Running
To me, running is pure joy as sweet and gooey as honey pouring down my soul every time I lace up my shoes to go on a run, solo or with friends, but in these times more solo. During our quarantine in March, I ran solo around my neighborhood for two months, missing my friends, but knowing that I had to do my part in flattening the curve of this contagious virus. I kept running through Ancil Hoffman Park and all the hills around my neighborhood, writing poetry in my head and composing a few rap songs. I started to relish the tranquility of my morning runs and found joy in my solitary running, because that was the only known constant in my life and it made me happy to be out in the fresh air, while social distancing. Not only does running make me elated and more content with life, but it also adds inner peace and the realization that we already have everything we need inside our souls to be joyous, as I expressed in this poem I wrote.
Jumping with joy during a solo run
Jumping with Joy
When I run around Ancil Hoffman Park,
my
magic place and slice of Paradise
where
I first became a runner
I sometimes
stop running
and
simply jump with joy
as my
way to greet the day
on
the trail.
To
salute the sun
and
kick up my heels
towards
the Heavens.
4. Health and Nutrition
We all know that when we eat healthy and focus on eating more fruit and vegetables together with high quality protein, such as wild-caught salmon, organic chicken, and less processed foods, we have a better chance to beat Covid-19 and stay healthy, besides running stronger. One thing we can really do while not having to rush from one race to another is to focus on our minds and bodies by eating healthy and clean, avoiding processed foods, and paying attention to what our bodies need, especially when we demand so much from them when we run an average of 40 to 50 miles a week.
As our focus is to stay healthy and not catch this virus, nutrition plays a big role in our overall health, as studies show that runners cannot outrun a bad diet.
In my case, at the beginning of the year when running didn’t feel great, I had to reevaluate my vegan diet and decided that it was too restrictive and not giving me all the vitamins and protein that my body needed. Test results showed I had various vitamin and protein deficiencies, so I decided to adopt more of a plant-based diet and after adding wild-caught salmon and some bison meat, my iron levels have improved and my running has never been stronger. The moral of the story is that we all have different bodies and nutritional needs that are different for women and men and that having many bad runs can mean that our body needs more vitamins and nutrients, which is why checking our iron levels and thyroid is key for runners.
5. Freedom
The fact that most races have been canceled left us with sadness that we cannot run together and compete against one another, but it also gave us more freedom to work on our speed, endurance, or just to run for the joy of running. When not preparing for races, we can devote more time on proper rest and recovery, cross training (I have biked and done more strength training), and just rediscovering the main reason why we run, which is the ultimate freedom, as we stride through time and space. As a sports enthusiast, I have never felt as free as when I run, because running allows us to move freely and to be ourselves. Running is thus the ultimate form of simplicity, gratitude, joy, health, and freedom, and until we race again safely, let’s all hold these truths close to our hearts, because in the end, it will be worth it and we will come out stronger, kinder, and maybe even faster. And last, but not least, let’s wear our masks and show others that freedom also means caring deeply about one another and doing our part to protect our fragile planet.
For more info on running and real estate, whether buying or selling, please e-mail me at carmenmicsa@yahoo.com, or call me at 916-342-2446. Also mention this blog and receive a great offer whether buying (credit for closing costs) or selling (commission discount). Running for real estate with joy!
“Nothing is good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” William Shakespeare
Going into St. George marathon, which was my 10th, I decided that I would not let the hills bother me in any way, or consider them good or bad, since I agree with Shakespeare that it is our mere thinking that makes something good or bad. Instead, I decided to train with purpose and focus on conquering the hills, especially because I had had the opportunity to run 19 miles on the course this summer during our trip to Utah. My long run that summer day in August did not go very well. The hills were long and ubiquitous both up and down, taxing my glutes and calf muscles. My legs felt as heavy as the beautiful red rocks surrounding me on the course and my pace was slower than usual.
My husband Catalin was so sweet to be my Sherpa during my long 18-mile run that day, waiting for me in various places and taking pictures of me. In this pic, I am running through Snow Canyon and making a quick stop to refuel, as well as to complain about those monster, mean hills.
Needless to say, I freaked out and thought there was no way I would run strong on the course that everybody called downhill and fast, so together with my awesome friend and coach Jenny Hitchings, we devised a great training schedule that included hills and tough speed workouts. Additionally, every time I had an easy and recovery 10-mile runs on my schedule, I would try to run trails for some more hills and elevation.
St. George Marathon highlights and Course Analysis
It was the day before the marathon and many runners from 20 countries and 49 states were stirring…
My friend and Arete team mate Briana Telford and I shared a house that I had rented through VRBO and we did everything right before our marathon. I cooked spaghetti and sweet potatoes fries for dinner, we hydrated, conserved our energy, and went to bed around 9:30 the night before the marathon, since we got up before 4 a.m. to catch the bus taking us to the start line.
Briana and I doing a short 2 mile-shakeout with strides on Friday, October 4th the day before our marathon. Most big races and marathons are held on a Saturday in Utah, since Sunday is church day for many locals, most of them following the Mormon religion.
Briana and I at the Convention Center, which was pretty small and unpretentious. We did not spend much time on our feet, which was great.
Excited to run my 10th marathon.
The start line and the first 7 miles of downhill smiles
The house we stayed at was less than a mile away from the finish line and from where we had to take the bus that took us to the start line up in the Pine Valley mountains at 5,240 feet elevation. Briana and I walked to Worthen Park and got on the bus with no wait. Once we arrived at the start line, the volunteers gave us space blankets. The temperature was 35 degrees and a little windy, so we immediately huddled around the fire together with other runners.
Huddled around the fire felt magical and we kept warm.
Watching the fire was a magical and unique experience at the start of the marathon, which was a first for both of us. The flames twisted, danced, and glowed in the morning cool air. Our legs and feet got warmer – almost a burning sensation; our bodies and souls ablaze with marathon flames that simply called our names. As we got close to the start time, which was 6:45 a.m., we finally left the fire, shed our warm jackets and sent our bags on the truck that took all our belongings to the finish line. We barely delivered our bags, when they announced that there was one minute left before the start.
Before I knew it, I started running in the dark surrounded by the cold morning Utah air and the breathing of many runners. My breathing was smooth. I ran through the darkness and could not see anything on my watch. I ran by feel telling myself not to go off too fast. My first mile was 7:48 and then I kept running by feel till the 5K, being on track. The next four miles were in the 7:20 and 7:30 pace, as the downhill was steep and I thought it was worse to put the brakes. I caught up with the 3:25 pacers and they were chatting away, talking about the one-mile long hill coming up at Veyo, a small little town with one gas station.
Miles 7-12- Let the hills begin
It is very easy to think that St George marathon is just a downhill race, as runners descend nearly 2,600 feet through scenic Southwest Utah, but unfortunately, maps don’t do justice to a course. At mile 7, I knew I had to climb for exactly one mile, so I was ready and took the hill steadily, trying to conserve energy. The hills continued till mile 12, even though there were some downhills in between, but not enough to keep me at my desired 7:50 pace. I relaxed and did not panic, as I knew this portion of the course very well. The hills did not feel very difficult, but they did slow me down. I was looking forward to taking off after these miles, thinking that it was mainly downhill, but my body had different plans.
These are not just hills; they are mountains, and yet, I came to the top with a big smile and my victory sign up. .
Miles 13 to 19 – Up and Down I Ran
I was really planning on taking off and hitting my GMP (gross marathon pace) again, but my hips were a little tight and I couldn’t quite push, so I was happy to run in the low 8s and some mid 8s. To my surprise, my calf muscles were not sore or tight and my glutes were also pretty good. I had taped both my calves using the wide KT tape and it seemed to work. As I kept losing my desired pace, I did not feel despair like I felt earlier this year running the Boston marathon. On the contrary, I was running with joy and gratitude, relishing the white, pink, and red sandstone rocks. I was keeping a steady pace and the spectators were wonderful, cheering on me and saying “Go Carmen,” as we all had our names typed on our bibs. I kept looking at my watch to see how far off I was from my goal of breaking 3:30 and I realized that I needed to shift my focus on my form, as my knees were starting to hurt from all the descending, as well as try to make this my second fastest marathon.
Miles 20 to the Finish line
The climbing up and down the hills does not end till about mile 19, when the course descends into town, where there is a flat and fast 10k for those runners who can push it. Even though I could feel my body getting tired, I started to pick up my pace and ran faster in this portion. I had promised my friend and Arete team mate Christina Nokes that I would run as fast as I could for her at the end and that I would chant our new marathon mantra: “Like a savage.” As I ran faster and stronger through town, I kept lifting my arms and was shouting “like a savage.” One of the spectators said cheerfully: “Yeah, you are a savage. ” Many spectators were amused and cheered even louder for me, which helped me run faster and with more joy. With two miles left, the spectators were handing out popsicles and I truly enjoyed mine, while running faster and stronger towards the finish line, which was electrifying, as there were rows of spectators on both sides. I had finished my 10th marathon as my third fastest marathon in 3:41:46, qualifying again to run Boston marathon, which I had promised myself not to run again till I am 70 when I will try to win my age group.
My third fastest marathon and qualified for Boston with 8 minutes below my qualifying times.
My amazing friend and Arete team mate Briana was at the finish line cheering for me and taking this video of me right as I crossed the finish. Video_Finishline_StGeorge
To my great joy, Briana PRed by about 5 minutes and finished in 3:24:25. We were both happy to complete a tough, but great marathon.
At the finish line with my awesome and speedy friend Briana.
Even though I did not PR, I was very happy with my marathon and I loved that I ran with joy and gratitude.
With St. George being considered one of the top 10 qualifiers for the Boston marathon, according to the marathon website, here are my recommendations to everyone wanting to run this course strong and qualify for Boston, or achieve a personal best time.
Training Tips for a Successful St. George, Boston, New York, or any hilly marathon
Practice running both uphill and downhill. My hill workouts included running steady uphill and controlled downhill, but I sometimes made the workout harder by running hard downhill at 7 minute pace to shred the quads and get them stronger for this marathon, which is not for the runners who hate the hills. The hill workouts that my awesome coach Jenny Hitchings gave me also included doing three miles at marathon pace after my hill repeats and sometimes doing a tempo right before the hill repeats. These specific workouts kept my quads pretty strong till the last two miles of the marathon.
Use the recovery day and easy runs to run on the trails, as the hills there are ubiquitous and you will train at higher elevation. Whenever I had 10 miles recovery on my schedule the day after speed workout, I tried to hit the trials and run super easy, but practice on the hills, which is quite helpful for a hilly marathon.
In the building phase of the marathon, feel free to do your long runs on the trails so that you can get your climbing legs in good shape.
For the most advanced runners who feel comfortable on the trails and who are not injury prone, although we can all get injured at any time, I would recommend doing a hilly, but not super technical 50K race about 5 to 8 weeks out before the marathon, as I have done that before another downhill marathon last year at Mountains to Beach and I felt the strongest out of all my marathons, but that doesn’t mean it will always work.
Speed workout on the hills doing 5 to 8 x800 meters on a fairly steep downhill and running back up. Try to do this workout once or twice a month, as the purpose is to beat up the quads to get them strong for the hilly course. Run hard, but controlled downhill with a good form and turnover, after which rest for 2 minutes at the bottom and then climb back up strong.
To sum things up, hills are runners’ best friends and we should visit them often for speed and strength.
To search free listings, please go to http://dynamicsacramentohomes.com/ For more info on running and real estate, whether buying or selling, please e-mail me at carmenmicsa@yahoo.com, or call me at 916-342-2446. Running for real estate with joy!
