Many friends, family, and acquaintances have reached out to me with all kinds of running & nutrition questions, so I figured I'd start answering them on my blog! Here's a message I got today:
"I was planning on signing up for the Broad Street Run in May (10 miles). I'm going to start easing into the training early since I've never done more than a 5k and was wondering if you had any tips? I was also curious if you had nutritional tips also as far as carbs/protein/water."
First off, CONGRATS! Setting a goal and deciding to accomplish it requires a huge amount of dedication and inner-strength, and that itself is something worth celebrating! With that in mind, I've come up with a list of seven tips for your first race.... I hope you find these useful!
1. Commit. Pick your target race, pay the money, and make all of the necessary arrangements. It can be scary to do this if you're strapped for cash (especially if you have to travel far, or if you get injured and can't complete it) but it's the only way to really commit. Also, make sure you have ample time to train before the race.
2. Gear up. You need a solid pair of running shoes, maybe two before you actually get to your race. Go to your local running shop and get fitted. It's a little extra for this awesome service, but totally worth it. You'll also need to figure out what type of clothes you prefer to run in... for instance I prefer sports bras from Target, moisture wicking shirts (that aren't too tight, from wherever), bike shorts (Target), boyshorts (Target), and compression socks (Nike). The most important thing is that you're comfortable!
3. Make a plan. There are training plans out there for every kind of race and every level of athlete. You can Google search for a free plan, you can buy a book, or download plans from your favorite running websites (I love the Marathon Roadmap from No Meat Athlete). In my opinion, the best plan will have you running about 4 days a week (weekend long run, weekday long run, weekday tempo run, weekday speed intervals) and involve lots of cross-training (swimming, biking, strength training, yoga/pilates). Find a plan that works for you. And remember to STRETCH.
4. Get a posse. Running alone can be extremely therapeutic, but it can also get lonely when you're out for several hours. When you go to your local running shop for shoes, ask if they have any group runs. Or you can search for running clubs in your area. I joined the Atlanta Triathlon Club while I was training for my marathon, and it's been amazing!
5. Ditch the headphones. Unless you're doing a speed workout or a tempo run on the treadmill, you need to be alert on roads and trails. While you're at it, get a Road ID.
6. Be flexible. Life happens, even when you're training. You're going to miss a work-out here and there. You're going to have to wake up REALLY early some days. You might get injured, you might get sick, you might have family emergencies... You're committing to training in spite of these things. Be flexible with your work-outs and adjust as you need to, because life will NOT STOP for you to squeeze in your long run.
7. Eat Food That Makes Sense. You don't have to be vegan to be a successful athlete, but I will tell you from my research that the more vegan meals you eat, the better you'll feel and the more quickly you'll recover from training. Most of what I've learned about training nutrition came from No Meat Athlete, but here are my top tips:
- Drink lots of water. Cut out the crap drinks (soda, coffee, etc.) and make sure you're hydrating. If you're running longer than an 1 1/2 hours, you should probably plan to stop home for a drink, or bring liquids with you.
- Eat your fruits and veggies. Most days I follow the No Meat Athlete fruit smoothie for breakfast/veggie salad for lunch to make sure I get a variety of nutrients.
- Stick with whole grains, and mix them up. It'd be super easy to eat white pasta with sauce every single day when you're training, but your body will be much more efficient if you eat a variety of grains (I love brown rice, millet, quinoa, oats, corn, whole wheat, etc.)
- Make sure you get 10-15% protein at every meal.
- Eat a variety of beans, lentils, nuts, and legumes.
- Think when you're eating: Does this make sense? After I eat this, will my body feel it's best? It's so simple, but so many of us forget this important step.
...And you're off! I'm so excited for everyone who's signed up for a race in 2012... you are all rock stars and I can't WAIT to see your finish line photos!
Do you have a question about eating vegan or running? Feel free to ASK WENDY. :-)
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