Chasing Unicorns

Running the Boston Marathon to Support Camp Shriver

March 22, 2013
by Chasing Unicorns
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Letter from Coach B4 the 21-Miler!

Hello Everyone,

 

This Saturday’s 12 mile run is another big step back in mileage before our 21 mile run on March 23rd.  This reduced mileage will allow you to recover from months of rigorous training.

 

Minor aches and pains are simply part of preparing for a marathon.  Eating well, staying hydrated, and getting plenty of rest are important ingredients to an active recovery program.  Your focus should be on preparing for our final long run next week.  Taking an additional rest day or incorporating an extra day of cross training will still allow your body to recover without sacrificing the cardiovascular fitness you’ve worked so hard to gain.

 

You should consider replacing your current running shoes if you have more than 300 miles on them.  I recommend running several shorter runs in them before the 21 miler.  Ideally, you should stay with a similar model if you’ve been happy with your current shoes.

 

You should focus on having impeccable running form during Saturday’s run.  Many runners lose their focus on these ‘shorter’ runs because they’re perceived as not being as important as longer runs.  They are equally important and deserve your attention.

 

I look forward to seeing you this weekend.

 

Your Coach,

 

Rick

Rick Muhr

Boston Marathon Running Coach

www.themarathonsolution.com

 

True greatness is not what we accomplish ourselves, but what greatness we inspire in others!

March 15, 2013
by Chasing Unicorns
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Letter from Coach

Hello Everyone,

This Saturday’s 12 mile run is another big step back in mileage before our 21 mile run on March 23rd.  This reduced mileage will allow you to recover from months of rigorous training.

Minor aches and pains are simply part of preparing for a marathon.  Eating well, staying hydrated, and getting plenty of rest are important ingredients to an active recovery program.  Your focus should be on preparing for our final long run next week.  Taking an additional rest day or incorporating an extra day of cross training will still allow your body to recover without sacrificing the cardiovascular fitness you’ve worked so hard to gain.

You should consider replacing your current running shoes if you have more than 300 miles on them.  I recommend running several shorter runs in them before the 21 miler.  Ideally, you should stay with a similar model if you’ve been happy with your current shoes.

You should focus on having impeccable running form during Saturday’s run.  Many runners lose their focus on these ‘shorter’ runs because they’re perceived as not being as important as longer runs.  They are equally important and deserve your attention.

I look forward to seeing you this weekend.

 

Your Coach,

Rick

 

Rick Muhr

Boston Marathon Running Coach

www.themarathonsolution.com

 

True greatness is not what we accomplish ourselves, but what greatness we inspire in others!

March 14, 2013
by Chasing Unicorns
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Planning for March 23rd’s 21-Mile Run

Practice Make Perfect…The Upcoming 20 Miler For The Boston Marathon!

Posted: March 12, 2012 in  Coach Rick’s Running Blog. (NOTE: This is last year’s entry, which is why he talks about a 20-mile run instead on the 21 mile run you will be accomplishing!)

The upcoming 20 miler is the perfect venue for practicing what you hope to implement on Marathon Day.  While the weather is a major variable on Patriot’s Day, you should wear what you expect to wear in the marathon.  The odds are in the favor of cooler temperatures so a long-sleeve top under your singlet is ideal.  I prefer to wear tights in temperatures lower than 50 degrees but I am in the minority.  Wearing a hat and gloves, particularly at the beginning of the 20 miler or marathon,  is highly recommended.  Many runners shed these as their core temperature rises and their muscles become  fully oxygenated.  I recommend holding onto these items as you may want to wear them again as your resources are depleted in the closing miles, particularly if there also happens to be a headwind.

I will wear the shoes in the 20 miler that I plan to wear in the marathon.  I like to have a few short runs on a new pair of shoes to ensure there aren’t any problems before the 20 miler.  I also prefer to have as few miles as possible on my marathon shoes so I don’t run in them again until April 16th.  Body Glide and sun screen are two often overlooked items.  I place Body Glide on my feet and all areas where friction occurs (i.e., calves, upper thighs, underarms, etc).  Women should also place this until their jog bras to reduce friction.  I’ve witnessed countless runners with sunburn, particularly on the back of their knees, during the marathon.  You can still get sunburn on a cloudy Spring day in New England.  Sunglasses will also keep your face relaxed.  Tensing your facial muscles is a drain on your energy.

Having a breakfast similar to what you plan to have the morning of the marathon is a good idea.  I will have a bowl of oatmeal with skim milk, a banana and toasted bagel with peanut butter.  I typically will have this two hours before the start of all my long runs.  I also carry red licorice that I’ve coated in salt along with Hammer Nutrition Endurolytes in a small pouch around my waist.  This will sustain me throughout the marathon along with the fluid I take along the course.  I typically ask (ahem…beg) a few of my closest friends and family to hold onto water bottles along the course that contain my favorite drinks (coconut water, FRS Mango, and Pedialyte are among my top choices).  Coordinating this effort is risky business simply due to all the logistical challenges so I always plan to NOT see them so I’m not disappointed and I don’t place myself at risk of dehydration.

The greatest challenge of the 20 miler is learning to properly pace yourself.  You’re still going to have an additional 5 miles to make it to the finish line in Boston.  Whatever excitement you experience at the starting line in Hopkinton this Saturday will need to be multiplied by 100 on Marathon Day.  Keeping this excitement in check on April 18th is difficult, particularly when you’ve waited for the start for so long, you’re full of energy and anticipation and the first 4 miles are significantly downhill.

It’s imperative that you realize your energy level will never be higher than it is at the starting line.  How you manage the expenditure of energy from Hopkinton to Boston will determine how positive your marathon experience will be.

Your focus should be to replicate your entire plan on Marathon Day during this Saturday’s 20 miler.  You may need to make some minor tweaks and adjustments but you should have your marathon strategy dialed in after the 20 miler.    Practicing pacing, fueling and hydration will make for a perfect marathon!

March 13, 2013
by Chasing Unicorns
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Last Days Fundraising Strategy

The April deadline approaches! Now is the time to evaluate where you are in your fundraising and make a strategy:

  • Under $1,000 raised: First, don’t panic. You can do this! Likely you: 1) haven’t started or 2) half-heatedly started… sent one letter, no phone calls; mentioned it to a few people, but didn’t follow up; posted something on facebook, no follow up.

It won’t be easy to raise $4,000 in a month, but you CAN do it. You must, however, commit to spending up to two hours a day fundraising. Send out another round of letters and follow up every single letter with a phone call. This is the KEY to getting people to give. The first few calls will be awkward, but after that you will hit your stride.

Don’t be afraid to ask. Remember you are not asking people to give you money to buy a sandwich, you are asking people to give to Camp Shriver and help children with and without disabilities. People enjoy having a chance to give!

Choose one of the following strategies below and implement one each week. This will take time and planning on your end, but it WILL get you to your goal.

 

  • $1,000-$2,000: You’ve done well, but you have a bit to go. Likely you’ve sent your letters and made some phone calls. Now re-energize your fundraising with a few events.

March Maddness is a great time to run a tournament. $20 an entry and split the pot with the winner. If you can get 10 office mates to participate, that’s $100 for the winner and $100 for Camp Shriver… If you can get 25 of your friends, family and co-workers to participate, that’s $250 for the winner and $250 for Camp Shriver! And I bet you can convince the winner to donate a $100 of his winnings back to Camp…

Dinner at your house! Hold a festive dinner (tex mex night with margaritas, pizza and wine, fried chicken and beer) and charge people a donation, from $25–$50. With a dinner for 12 friends, you can raise between $300 and $600 in one night!

Raffle off your old gift cards! Do you have an iTunes gift card, but your iPod is busted? A restaurant gift card from a well meaning relative to a place you’ll never go to? Sell $5 tickets to 20 people and raise a quick $100!

 

  • $2,000–$3,000: You are getting there, but you are worried people are getting tired of hearing from you. Don’t worry about them! They know why you are asking and they’ll get over it. Continue to call/email everyone who hasn’t given yet. Be funny and lighthearted, but keep asking!

Use your upcoming 21-miler as a way to reach out and engage those donors who have been meaning to donate, but just haven’t yet. Can you get 21 people to donate $21? That’s $441 right there!

 

  • $3,000-$4,000: The last push!

For that one last push to get to $4,000 I have two suggestions: Try everything above again, even if you already have, with the explanation – “I am so close, one more dinner/raffle/drive will put me over my goal! If you have been planning to give, now is the time! If you have given, even a small gift can shut me up forever! Be generous!”

The second suggestion is empowering other people to be fundraisers. Reach out to your closest friends and family, tell them how close you are, and ask them to help: do they know 5 people who can give $21 for your $21 miler? If you ask 5 people to give $21 and ask each of those five to find five more to give, that’s $631!

In fact, if you asked those 20 people who bought a $5 ticket to your raffle, to sell tickets to 10 of their friends, that is $1,000 right there.

 

And please, call the office if you need support and ideas – that is what we are here for!

I’m going with a similar image from last week, as I think it is just what we need :

 

 

I know you can!

March 7, 2013
by Chasing Unicorns
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Letter from Coach

Hello Everyone,

This weekend’s run will be 19 miles and is the next to last long run of the training season.  We just have the 21 miler scheduled for March 23rd before we begin the 3 week tapering phase prior to the marathon.

The tapering phase can be extremely counterintuitive.  It requires a significant reduction in mileage at a time when the temptation to continue training increases.  But following the recommended mileage on the training schedule will ensure you’re fully recovered when you arrive at the starting line of the Boston Marathon.

Refueling will be critical to your marathon success so you should develop your nutritional plan during the upcoming long runs.  I recommend ingesting 300 calories per hour.  My preference is to mix gels with water as I feel it’s less likely to upset my stomach and enters my bloodstream quicker.

You should consider replacing your current running shoes if you have more than 300 miles on them.  I recommend staying with the same model if you’ve not had any problems.    You should run several shorter runs and the 21 miler in them so you have complete confidence they’ll be fine during the marathon.

Here is a link for the course of our 19 miler.

http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/178937188

I look forward to seeing you Saturday.

Rick

 

Rick Muhr

Boston Marathon Running Coach

www.themarathonsolution.com

 

True greatness is not what we accomplish ourselves, but what greatness we inspire in others!

March 6, 2013
by Chasing Unicorns
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How to Create a Marathon Nutrition Plan

I have gotten some more requests for nutrition planning – I am so glad everyone is thinking of this.

First, a lot of nutrition is personal: depending on your weight, pace and what works for you. Here are some sites to start figuring that out:

 

How to Create Your Marathon Nutrition Plan | Active.com: http://www.runningplanet.com/training/marathon-nutrition.html

You’ve done the physical training for your marathon, but is your nutrition race-ready? Here’s how to plan and execute your calorie intake for 26.2 miles.

 

Marathon Nutrition – Nutritional Tips for Running Your Best Marathon:

www.runningplanet.com/training/marathon-nutrition.html

Marathon nutrition is very similar. Your training … There are three basic stages in your marathon nutrition plan. … The truth is that all carbs are not created equal.

 

Marathon Training Daily Meal Planner

http://therunningbug.co.uk/training/food-and-weight-loss/b/weblog/archive/2012/01/17/marathon-training-daily-meal-planner.aspx#

Jan 17, 2012 – Marathon runners in training need to make sure that they are getting the right … This menu is part of our 16-part Marathon Training Diet Plan.

 

Endurance Calculator

http://endurancecalculator.com/

Based on a mathematical model by B. I. Rapoport, published in PLoS Computational Biology in October 2010, it can calculate how much you should carbo-load before the marathon.

 

Nutrition – Tips from Jeff Galloway

www.jeffgalloway.com/nutrition/index.html

Before marathons you can eat extra carbohydrates. … converted into fat only when you’ve consumed too many calories from those sources throughout the day.

 

Once you have determined what is your personal level of ideal pre-carbo-loading / calories per race day, then…

 

The Day Before:

Carbo-load slowly as day.

 

Marathon Day

3 hours before the start

  • Eat the balance of carbs and protein that you need.
  • Hydrate

 

90 minutes before the start

  • Stop hydrating …Consuming too much water at this point, will just make make you run for a porta-potty during the first three miles of the marathon

 

30 minutes to the start

  • Sip slowly drink 6 ounces of water as you walk to the start
  • Small snack… if that workds for you!

 

During the Marathon

  • Consume between 100-200 calories an hour by your chosen and PRACTICED method (Gu, Gatorade, Pretzels, Jelly Beans, Fig Newtons…)
  • Consume water/Gatorade at every stop!

 

After the Marathon

Have a chocolate milk and a small meal with a protein/carb balance

Celebrate!

February 22, 2013
by Chasing Unicorns
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Letter from Coach – Nutrition Plan

Runners,

With only 3 long runs remaining, it is critical to have a nutrition plan for both the week leading up to the marathon as well as the marathon itself. If you have not already done so, you should plan your nutrition for the long runs. This will give you adequate time to determine how your body reacts to different foods/gels/etc?

There are two things to consider for a long run, hydration and fuel. As the average marathoner needs to consume between 150-300 calories per hour, it is critical to find your balance. How many gels (or equivalent) does your body need? How much water or fluid do you need? If you find yourself always out of energy (or bonking, as it is called) on a long run, you may not be consuming enough calories. Or do you always find your stomach sloshing while running, you may be consuming too many.

Determine the balance now as to not have surprises on race day.

I have mapped 18 miles out past Wellesley College and back.
http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/175073980
Please be advised some sideways may have residual snow so take your time when crossing dangerous areas.

See you Saturday,
Coach Greg

 

 

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