Not much exciting going on here but thought I'd write a quick post about my training lately. I feel like I'm just trying my hardest to maintain fitness and gradually up the mileage while trying to get through another record breaking hot summer. I'm talkin', 85 degrees and humid at 5:30 am hot. Blech. So I've been getting up early or running late and have been hovering around 32 miles per week. This week it goes up to 40 mpw and keeps increasing after that to a peak week of 56 mpw. My training is focused on
Whispering Pines 50K which is October 13th, and will then shift to
Rocky Raccoon 50 mile in February.
Food is one of the most important components of training for me and I'm eating as many fresh, organic fruits and vegetables as I can get my hands on. Still drinking a big green smoothie every morning for breakfast loaded with hemp & pea protein, greens, carrots and fruits along with some
Matcha green tea powder, coconut flakes and chia seeds. My recovery is definitely much quicker now that I've started incorporating the smoothies, maybe I wasn't getting enough of something before? Lunch is typically leftovers from the night before heated up (roasted chickpea tacos, black bean soft tacos, stuffed quinoa peppers etc) and dinner is often poached eggs with toast or an egg sandwich. I also try to eat snack foods that are anti-inflammatory such as pineapple for the
bromelain or cherries and a handful of nuts.
Next week I start boot camp and I've also begun doing lunges and squats along with some hand weights daily. I love fall and all of the promise that it brings! Being so close to the fall season motivates me to get my butt out of bed and step up the training. Not that I'm counting or anything--but the autumnal equinox just HAPPENS to be 38 days away...although Oklahoma weather seldom corresponds to dates and times much. BUT, it's coming. :)
Now that I've started running ultras, for me the main thing is getting through the training still healthy and stronger. It's so easy to burn yourself out or get injured during the long months of training and high mileage and I feel like I'm getting better with the balancing act but only by staying very in tune to my body and adjusting when I need to.
Would love to hear from other runners on what they do during training that helps them get stronger and keeps them healthier!