Running Recovery

Tapering for a Marathon

April 23, 2021 by Lisa Kenyon 9 Comments

As you come to the end of marathon training, there are two things that go hand in hand. Tapering and mental toughness. You’ll need both to achieve your marathon dreams. 🙂

What is marathon tapering?

Tapering for a marathon is a period before the race, typically about three weeks, where you reduce your run distance and intensity, giving yourself full time to recover and make sure you are well rested for race day. This typically follows your longest run and as the name suggests gradually decreases your mileage over the three weeks so that the last week you’re not running any significant distance.

Tapering for a marathon can be really hard for some runners who feel like they are losing their fitness by not running strong right up until the race. This could not be further from the truth. In these last weeks rest actually becomes more important than running to let muscles repair the damage done during the intensity period. It’s also important to boost the immune system during this period of rest. The intense training required to run 26.2 miles puts a lot of stress on the body and neglecting proper rest opens you up for injury and illness. Not what you want this close to the race!

How do you taper properly for a marathon?

Your goal is to decrease your mileage and intensity, not make a drastic drop. Start by taking your mileage down by about 20%. Then in the second week of taper, even more so. Say your longest run was 20 miles. Now you should be around 10. By that last week, going out for a run should feel effortless. Plans can vary but think single digits here.

Food plays an important role in tapering. Resist the urge to over carb load. Yes, you’ll need carbs, but you don’t need to eat a plate of spaghetti every night. Focus on healthy carbs, high protein, and immunity boosting foods. I also like to dose up on Vitamin C to ensure I’m ready to go!

What else should I know about tapering for a marathon?

You might feel awful. You’ve been putting your body to WORK for months and now you’re allowing it to rest and recover fully. You may not have thought this way before, but recovering takes energy! Your body is directing a lot of energy to muscle and joint repair, your immune system, etc and that can leave you pretty tired. I usually feel like my legs are made of lead. Don’t worry though, by race day you’ll be feeling great! This is why you taper for those weeks, so you aren’t feeling recovery effects during the marathon.

GO SLOW! I say this all the time, but your easy runs should be easy. A couple of minutes slower than your goal pace, in fact. It may drive you crazy but resist the urge to race or do speed work during taper. Your body will thank you soon.

Women walking away from camera in the park

What if I get sick or injured during taper?

No one wants this, but my thought is that as long as it’s not serious (a cold, mild pulled muscle, etc) skipping a few runs won’t hurt at this stage. Again, rest is the most important thing now. Check out my advice for What do do when your training goes off the rails if things get really crazy.

Staying mentally tough

You’ve put in the work and it’s almost time to reap the rewards. At this stage, nerves are bound to start setting in along with self doubt. Trust yourself. Trust your plan. Don’t try and squeeze in more than your plan recommends because you don’t feel ready. Being slightly underprepared is better than overtraining when it comes to the marathon. And guess what? Almost no one feels ready for their first time. Most people are terrified. But if you’ve gotten to this point, you’ve got it.

You might also like:

Marathon Training: The Long Run

What to eat before and after long runs

The basics of a run recovery routine

January 29, 2021 by Lisa Kenyon Leave a Comment

I recently failed hard at taking my own advice. I’ve told y’all the importance of a proper run recovery routine, meanwhile I’m over here skimping like a college kid. Well…

For a couple of weeks my shins had been nagging at me a little. After my runs, I’d do some half-assed stretching and slap on some muscle rub, hoping for the best. Honestly, I’d gotten lazy with my routine, and the cold weather had me sleeping in longer than normal, leaving me crunched for time.

Then a couple of days before a scheduled 10 miler I realized that nagging had turned into outright pain. Even walking my dog, I felt pain. Ugh. I scheduled a massage, hoping for a quick fix but to no avail (the massage DID help and I’m a big proponent of massage, but one massage does not erase weeks of neglect). So, as much as I hated it I skipped my weekend long run. Whomp whomp.

Thankfully a few days rest and ramping up my run recovery routine was all I needed to get back in action. Here’s what I did and what I SHOULD have been doing all along.

Warm up routine

Perhaps more overlooked than the cool down is the warm up. I’m 100% guilty of skipping it often. I’ve got some ideas here, but the key is dynamic stretching. These are different movements than you’ll do post run, because you’re warming up the muscles, not really stretching them out. Keeping things loosey goosey at the start will benefit your recovery later on.

Cool down and recovery routine

Especially as we age, our bodies just need more TLC to recover. So often, we’re guilty of getting the miles in but not cooling down properly. My run coach put it to me best when she told me to think of the cool down as part of the run. I wouldn’t skip the last mile so why should I skip the cool down? It’s a totally valid point.

Instead of just a quick stretch, I’ve been doing a yoga stretch sequence (sometimes only 6 minutes!) to cool down and stretch everything out. Yoga with Adriene has been my favorite way to finish out my runs. I mix it up and add a longer cool down when I have the time, but make sure to get at least 6-7 minutes of real, slow stretching.

Self care routine in between runs

We often forget that what we do in between runs is just as important as what we do during or immediately after a run. Epsom salt soaks, yoga, stretching, massage. Ahh yeah.

Epsom salt, or magnesium sulfate, is said to help with inflammation to speed recovery and overall relaxation which can help to promote better sleep. My bedtime routine lately has been a quick yoga sequence followed by an epsom salt soak. It’s a nice calming way to indulge in some self care, especially during the winter.

As I’ve said, I’m a big believer in massage as part of my health and wellness routine, particularly during marathon training. After each run, I’ll use my massage gun for a quick treatment and also schedule semi-regular (depending on the shape of my budget) professional massages. I recommend a sports massage vs your typical “spa experience” but it’s really up to you. I find sports massage to be more targeted to athletes and better for recovery.

Focusing on these three areas (warm up, cool down, interim care) will greatly reduce your chance of injury friends. Take it from someone who should have taken her own advice. 🙂

Adding Yoga to Your Run Routine

September 25, 2020 by Lisa Kenyon Leave a Comment

I know adding yoga to my run routine is a good idea, but for me it’s always felt more like yog-ugh. I want to love it, I really do. I just….don’t. It’s probably a combination of my lack of flexibility and my inability to turn off my brain. As soon as it starts I can’t wait for it to be over.

However, here I am ready to try it again. I know there are countless resources out there touting the benefits of yoga for runners. Lately my legs have been feeling pretty heavy and tired. My cross training has also taken a back seat with quarantine and my general lack of motivation.

This has me thinking maybe yoga is the answer. Full disclosure, I tend to think this every few years and it has yet to take. This time though, I’m committing to giving it a solid try and stick with it long enough to have an honest to goodness opinion and not just my whining. You might say I’m willing to bend over backwards to make it work this time…see what I did there?

So, why am I so determined to do this?

Increased Range of Motion

Anyone else have weight training back in high school gym where they scare you about using proper form so you don’t become muscle bound and limit your range of motion? Anyone? 🙂

Anyway, running tends to use the same range of motion on your legs over and over…and over. Yoga gives us a chance to stretch and use muscles in a way we might not otherwise be doing.

Breathing

One thing yogis are good at is breathing right? I’m always a little weirded out in yoga class when everyone breathes out in a hummmmmmm.

Obviously, breathing while running is important. Not just the gasping for breath people think of while sprinting, but also the ability to control your breath and use it to your advantage to keep your heart rate in check, etc. So it stands to reason that learning new breathing techniques can only be helpful to your running (because science).

Reduced Risk of Injury

For me, I know that my hamstrings get super tight and I don’t always stretch them properly. I’m probably rolling the dice each run when I could be preparing my muscles for better recovery and keeping them a bit more loose. At least, that’s my current theory.

One of the running blogs I follow recently (and timely for me) wrote a post on weights vs yoga for cross training. Check it out for some good ideas on incorporating yoga into your run routine. I’ll keep you updated on my progress and hopefully will be able to follow up with a story of amazing success. 🙂

The running off-season (why 2020 will be ok)

July 17, 2020 by Lisa Kenyon Leave a Comment

If you’ve signed up for any races this year, you’ve likely gotten the dreaded notice: race cancelled. Whomp whomp. But wait! What if it’s all ok? What if we can just take a running off-season and get really great benefits during the madness?

I should point out that I have a fairly rigid personal rule I’ve adopted in recent years when it comes to racing. I only do one marathon every other year. I’ve done two in one year and learned that it just isn’t good for me. That’s not to say it’s not good for YOU, but I need time off to rediscover the joy in running and to let my body forget what I’ve put it through. In the alternating years I may do one or two half marathons but nothing more, distance wise.

What exactly is a running off-season?

Don’t freak out, a running off-season doesn’t mean you stop running. Oh gosh no, I wouldn’t be into that y’all. I’d need a doctors note and even then potentially someone to lock me in the house. Anywho…

A running off-season just means you’re not racing so you’re not doing race training and structured training level workouts. This period would normally only be a couple of months, but Covid’s not playing so we get a much longer period to reevaluate.

Why is an off-season a good idea?

A few reasons. Not the least of which is to prevent injury. Racing (yes all distances) is hard on our bodies. We often push ourselves to our limits and go at a level we just wouldn’t do out on a casual run. At some point, we need to take a break and recover, the length of time varying depending on how far and how often we race.

Mental burnout is also real. Just about every major race I’ve trained for has followed the same pattern. Sign up and get suuuuuper excited to start training. Start training and get suuuuuper excited for race day. Get about mid way through training and start to think about how good it’s going to feel to finish out training and get to that taper. Approach the final few long runs with dread and think OMG I’m so over this, I’m ready to be done with this stupid race! Finish the race and think OMG when can I do this again that was amazing! Ok that last part is a false high. A few days later and I’m glad to be sitting on the couch not thinking about a training schedule.

In some cases, you might also be coming off of a bad race. I’ve been there. (I’m looking at you Nashville Rock ‘n’ Roll marathon.) To be clear the race was not bad…MY race was bad. I’ll write about that more one day but back to my point. Coming off of a bad race leaves you feeling pretty poopy. You need time to re assess your running techniques and goals.

Conversely, you may be coming off an AMAZING race. Congratulations! Taking time to reflect on that and bask in the glow of victory never hurt anyone either.

What should you do in the off-season?

Whatever you want! Well, kind of. Depending on where you are in your activity level going into an off-season you may need more or less rest or “easy” days to get started. For instance if you did a ton of races in the last few months you might want to take it easy for longer than if you haven’t done many races lately. Don’t use this as an excuse to get squishy. 😉

You can take this time to focus on cross training, focus on speed, form, really anything that makes you happy and benefits your future racing. Personally, I’m kind of in a hybrid off-season state where I have a goal race next year that I’m praying still happens but I’m not officially training yet, nor have I even registered. I’m focusing on getting faster and more consistent as a runner, so that when the race comes I have a better time of it.

Go for an unstructured run, maybe even, “gasp” without your watch! Just go out and remember how awesome it is that you get to do this. Remember WHY you do this. Remember you are a damn gazelle and ain’t nobody gonna tell you how to live your best life.

Essential Pre and Post Run Stretches

July 10, 2020 by Lisa Kenyon 3 Comments

Ahhhh, stretching after a run really just feels soooo good! The longer the run, the more I look forward to that post run stretch. Often misunderstood or just forgotten altogether though, is the pre run stretch. I’m guilty of heading straight out for a run “cold” without warming up and there’s a definite difference when I do. These essential pre and post run stretches will help keep you injury free and aid in recovery.

You may be tempted to do the same stretches both pre and post run, but that’s not the way to go. Your muscles need different things before and after physical activity.

Pre-Run “Stretches”

That’s right, I put “stretches” in quotes here…because you really don’t want to do a traditional stretch and hold, as that can actually fatigue your muscles. You want to do dynamic stretches, more warmup motions here. Do these moves on both legs quickly about 10 times or so.

Hip Flexors

It’s important to get those hip flexors opened up to prevent not only injury to the muscle itself but a whole host of other things like back and even neck pain! The body is so weird and cool how everything is connected isn’t it? Anyway, open those baby’s up!

There are lots of different methods but one easy one I like is to march in place, bring your knees way up, high as you can comfortably, toward your chest. If I’m feeling extra fancy I may even open my leg up out to the side and bring it back down.

Back of the Legs

Ok real generic here, but go with me. Just a nice general leg stretch here I like to do is the same motion as the hip flexor stretch but when you get your leg up, give it a kick out like you’re about to kick someone in the…nevemind just kick your leg out so you feel a nice stretch at the back of the leg.

Butt kickers

Like it sounds, you’re going to try and kick your own butt here. Stand tall and bring your leg up behind you and yep, kick your booty with your heel. Even of you don’t make contact, it’s the motion that counts and gives a nice quad warmup.

lower leg stretch

I’m sure there is a better term for it, but stand tall with one leg out in front of you and point and flex your foot, you should feel it in the calves and shins.

Post Run Stretches

I love a nice post run stretch. There’s something about the satisfaction of knowing I’m done, and also feeling just a little “good pain” and releasing it in a stretch.

This list is definitely not all inclusive, so if a particular area is bothering you do a little Googling. These are my favorites and most essential that have, knock on wood, kept me fairly injury free over the years. Repeat on each leg, 15-20 seconds or so, whatever feels good.

Quad Stretch

This seems to be the classic “runner pose” stretch you see most everyone doing and for a good reason, it’s awesome.

Stand tall and pull one leg behind you toward your tush. You should feel a nice stretch in the quad here. Don’t be afraid to grab a chair or wall for balance.

Hamstring stretch

Flex your foot out in front of you and lean forward like you’re about to bend over, just until you feel a lil tug in the hammy. Don’t overdo it until it hurts, just enough to give it a nice stretch.

Calf Stretch

One of my personal favorites. My calves get tight quite often and this is a nice release after a run.

It’s almost a lunge but the goal is to stretch out the back of one leg, while lunging forward with the other. Most important is keeping your back foot flat on the ground. You don’t have to lean on anything here but I find it super helpful. Often it’s a tree or my car. 🙂

IT Band Stretch

A common injury source for runners that we often neglect in our stretching routines, is the iliotibial band, or IT Band.

This stretch is a little awkward, but totally worth it if done right. Stand tall and place one foot behind the other and to the opposite side. Bring the arm on that same side over your head and lean the direction of that foot (away from the foot out in front). You should feel a nice stretch from your knee up to your hip.

Now that you know, give these a try next time you get out for a run or a workout. Do you have any other essential pre and post run stretches? I’d love to know!