I have a short run/rest option today (Friday) as I roll into a 10 mile race (Sunday), so I feel empowered to hit the rest button! And it will be an ideal time to really take it easy and revisit the strength training I'm certain I didn't do enough of in this cycle. Even though I've felt really good, reducing the miles and maybe using some of that time to be constructively critical is appealing - why have I felt good and how could I feel even better?
Something I'm curious if others have experience with: for the last 4 + months I've been regularly (at least once a week) doing hot power flow yoga. I know I've benefitted from the mix of stretching, strengthening, and plain ol' aerobic conditioning - they're hard workouts. Would love to hear if others have worked this into their training and how they balance it with other cross/strength training.
I don't have much experience with yoga, but I found a YouTube video of a yoga person offering a 30-minute class for runners. I've enjoyed it as a chance to stretch a bit, but also just get some breathing and relaxing in to some degree. I've wanted to get more into yoga, I just need to be more intentional about it.
It's hard to do without being intentional as you say. Getting to devote time and energy to just doing yoga is making a big difference. But you can always do some down dogs and forward folds as part of a dynamic stretching routine.
I started with what are likely the same videos (Yoga With Adriene - great videos) and it helped me decide to give it a go in a studio. But, as you say, you have to commit to it for a bit to really gauge that. Some days my body rejected it. Other days I'd try a different practice and my interest was piqued. Just had to get a good sample size and see if my body adjusted.
It's funny that you mention yoga. I restarted a practice using the same Level 1 principles: 3 x a week, building habits, etc. I'm into the end of Wk 2 and I've felt a noticeable difference in how I feel both physically and mentally. Bottom line: I think yoga is great and you're right, you can get a serious workout going that will probably help running mechanics in the long run.
Also: hot power flow yoga sounds badass.
Also, also: Crush that race on Sunday and tell us about it.
I think the note about the mental impact of yoga is a good one. I was definitely skeptical as I started being intentional about it, but I've found that to be a huge factor. When running, there's the lovely ability to zone out that I can't really do with yoga. So it's a period of time to really check in on how my body is feeling and what my limits are, especially when I'm doing the same poses and transitions, more or less, each time.
I think "hot power flow" makes it sound more imposing than it is. It is hot (95 degrees or so) and the flow (vinyasa) is continuous for ~75% of the hour. I do recommend folks try it at least once if for no other reason than to laugh at how sweaty you get.
And I will absolutely share about the race! I've done this race a couple times and I'm not after a PR, so my goal is little more than enjoying the course and being able to gauge if my training regimen was a good one.
Once I wrap up my marathon next month and finish my recovery, I feel like Level 1 and 2 can be helpful ways to get back on track once it's time to get into my offseason. I like the idea of dialing it back to basics in a lot of ways. Due to travel and other things (colonoscopy year!), I'll probably end up taking a sizable chunk of December off from running, so when I get back on track, I want to sort of start over in a lot of ways.
That's one thing I love about this newsletter is the ability to take something from it regardless of experience level or goals.
Separately, I wanted to gauge the crowd on a blister issue during marathon training. Paul, I noted it on Twitter, but basically, I used a Compeed pad over a blister on the bottom of my foot (inside left foot just below the ball) that I developed last Saturday. Worked fine to get me back running on Monday (3-mi easy), Tuesday (6-mi easy), and Wednesday (speed work, 10x400) without any notable issues. However, Thursday I ran a 5.5-mi easy and felt a hot spot develop. I checked after and I had another blister that grew adjacent to the first. The first is improving but this second basically saddled the edge of the Compeed pad.
My issue: Had a planned day-off today. I put on a new Compeed pad yesterday that covers the two blisters. I have a planned 20-mi run tomorrow, then 3-mi or rest day on Sunday. Do I see how this is feeling and push the 20-mi to Sunday? I've had multiple people suggest popping (with appropriate sterilization and cleaning), give it a day of recovery, then go. I've never dealt with this kind of thing before, and my biggest worry is infection and it turning into a recurring issue over the remaining weeks of my training (Running Philly November 24). Any thoughts?
I have a short run/rest option today (Friday) as I roll into a 10 mile race (Sunday), so I feel empowered to hit the rest button! And it will be an ideal time to really take it easy and revisit the strength training I'm certain I didn't do enough of in this cycle. Even though I've felt really good, reducing the miles and maybe using some of that time to be constructively critical is appealing - why have I felt good and how could I feel even better?
Something I'm curious if others have experience with: for the last 4 + months I've been regularly (at least once a week) doing hot power flow yoga. I know I've benefitted from the mix of stretching, strengthening, and plain ol' aerobic conditioning - they're hard workouts. Would love to hear if others have worked this into their training and how they balance it with other cross/strength training.
I don't have much experience with yoga, but I found a YouTube video of a yoga person offering a 30-minute class for runners. I've enjoyed it as a chance to stretch a bit, but also just get some breathing and relaxing in to some degree. I've wanted to get more into yoga, I just need to be more intentional about it.
It's hard to do without being intentional as you say. Getting to devote time and energy to just doing yoga is making a big difference. But you can always do some down dogs and forward folds as part of a dynamic stretching routine.
I started with what are likely the same videos (Yoga With Adriene - great videos) and it helped me decide to give it a go in a studio. But, as you say, you have to commit to it for a bit to really gauge that. Some days my body rejected it. Other days I'd try a different practice and my interest was piqued. Just had to get a good sample size and see if my body adjusted.
It's funny that you mention yoga. I restarted a practice using the same Level 1 principles: 3 x a week, building habits, etc. I'm into the end of Wk 2 and I've felt a noticeable difference in how I feel both physically and mentally. Bottom line: I think yoga is great and you're right, you can get a serious workout going that will probably help running mechanics in the long run.
Also: hot power flow yoga sounds badass.
Also, also: Crush that race on Sunday and tell us about it.
I think the note about the mental impact of yoga is a good one. I was definitely skeptical as I started being intentional about it, but I've found that to be a huge factor. When running, there's the lovely ability to zone out that I can't really do with yoga. So it's a period of time to really check in on how my body is feeling and what my limits are, especially when I'm doing the same poses and transitions, more or less, each time.
I think "hot power flow" makes it sound more imposing than it is. It is hot (95 degrees or so) and the flow (vinyasa) is continuous for ~75% of the hour. I do recommend folks try it at least once if for no other reason than to laugh at how sweaty you get.
And I will absolutely share about the race! I've done this race a couple times and I'm not after a PR, so my goal is little more than enjoying the course and being able to gauge if my training regimen was a good one.
Once I wrap up my marathon next month and finish my recovery, I feel like Level 1 and 2 can be helpful ways to get back on track once it's time to get into my offseason. I like the idea of dialing it back to basics in a lot of ways. Due to travel and other things (colonoscopy year!), I'll probably end up taking a sizable chunk of December off from running, so when I get back on track, I want to sort of start over in a lot of ways.
That's one thing I love about this newsletter is the ability to take something from it regardless of experience level or goals.
I should have you write my press releases. That's *exactly* the right idea. At some point, we're all in one of these stages.
Separately, I wanted to gauge the crowd on a blister issue during marathon training. Paul, I noted it on Twitter, but basically, I used a Compeed pad over a blister on the bottom of my foot (inside left foot just below the ball) that I developed last Saturday. Worked fine to get me back running on Monday (3-mi easy), Tuesday (6-mi easy), and Wednesday (speed work, 10x400) without any notable issues. However, Thursday I ran a 5.5-mi easy and felt a hot spot develop. I checked after and I had another blister that grew adjacent to the first. The first is improving but this second basically saddled the edge of the Compeed pad.
My issue: Had a planned day-off today. I put on a new Compeed pad yesterday that covers the two blisters. I have a planned 20-mi run tomorrow, then 3-mi or rest day on Sunday. Do I see how this is feeling and push the 20-mi to Sunday? I've had multiple people suggest popping (with appropriate sterilization and cleaning), give it a day of recovery, then go. I've never dealt with this kind of thing before, and my biggest worry is infection and it turning into a recurring issue over the remaining weeks of my training (Running Philly November 24). Any thoughts?