Tips & Advice from your coaches
Each weekly newsletter will include comments and information from each of our head coaches. Happy Training!
ATP
BAZINGA
Some of you may have seen the bright orange ATP shirts. On the back it says "Bazinga" and many of you may wonder what that is. Well, there is a TV show called the "Big Bang Theory", and in that show one of the main characters uses the word Bazinga as his catch phrase. He might play a trick on someone and instead of saying "gotcha" he says "Bazinga".
Each year that I've coached I put a something on the back that represented the season. One year we had "Agony Torture Pain" (for ATP). Last year we had "Seriously Serious", saying what you had to be to be in Team ATP. This year while we were doing a bazillion squats I encouraged the Team to extend "more butt" to help balance and keep proper form. Team ATP wanted that as our phrase on the back of our shirts, but I did not think USA Fit would have liked that. So as the coach I selected "Bazinga". I told them that other runners would see "Bazinga" on the back of their shirt as Team ATP passed them. A special runner's "gotcha".
But I think "Bazinga" has become much more to the Team. I hear them yelling it to each other as encouragement. And I've seen a few Facebook messages include it. But as Team member after Team member competed in a race to find they completed it in a new PR, the runner that gets the "Bazinga" is the runner in each of them.
So as you run the marathon this weekend I hope you find the "Bazinga" inside of you too.
Bazinga!
Larry Graf - ATP Coach
Blue / Green
Hey blue/green,
I can hardly believe the race is this Sunday and that our training season is coming to an end. The entire group has done such a great job training and preparing for the marathon. You have accomplished something that most people wouldn't dare attempt and this Sunday you're going to do something some only dream of doing.
So here are some tips for post marathon recovery.
- After the race just walk around and take it all in. You just finished running a marathon and you've earned the right to walk around and just enjoy yourself.
- After you've walked try to get some stretching in
- Make sure to refuel; chocolate milk is awesome after a run
- When you get home try to take an ice bath, it really does help with soreness and inflammation.
- Try to take a nap; your body has just been through 26.2 miles of pounding pavement and needs some rest
- The day after the marathon do some walking and maybe get a massage
- Resume running or exercise when your body is ready for it
Congratulations on your training and good luck Sunday.
Jessica
Yellow
Hey there Yellow Runners,
Only a couple of more days and some of you can add another marathon to your list (I will be adding # 6) and those first timers of you can now officially call yourselves marathoners. This is so exciting for me as a coach to see. I am really proud to have had the privilege to coach each and every one of you guys this season. Keep in mind that you have trained really hard and that you can do it. A little trick I read about in Runner's World, when you get to the really tough miles in the run, here are some tricks. I use the last 6 miles of the race to thanks different individuals. For one mile I think about the people that have supported me throughout the season, for another mile I think about all the great people I met this season and how each of them has influenced my training, then for another mile I think about those that unfortunately could not run with us during the race be it because of injury or other commitments, the next mile I think about my family and how very proud of me they will be. The last two miles I try to kick it into high gear, I can hear the people cheering at the Alamodome, just waiting for me to finish, because I know all of them are waiting just for me.
For those of you who were there on Saturday, you heard me say this, and I will continue saying this, enjoy the actual race. Take the time to soak in the crowd support and if you have an opportunity, meet other runners. Some of my best friends are runners I have met during a training program or a race. Last year I ran a half in Dallas, without much training or support, and by the end had coached a runner to finish the half under 2 hours for the first time, and became friends with him and his buddies.
Some small advise for after the race - grab a beer; meet us at the SA Fit Tent; STRETCH your muscles; and continue to move around the rest of the day. I know most of you will just want to go home and take a nap, which is fine, but try to only lay down for about 30 minutes and then move and do something and then lay down again. I am telling you this, because after my first marathon I did not do that and I was sore for over a week. Your muscles will recover faster if you move them around after the race.
We are all proud of our Yellow Runners this season!!!
Your coaches - Svenja, Sarah, Michelle, and Vidal
Red
"Planning for Recovery"
Well this is it! Can you believe race day is just around the corner, all we've been preparing for the past six months will be put to the test, so I say, let's Rock N Roll! Just remember to get your stuff ready now and do not deviate from what you know works, and just have fun! And after the race, don't neglect a very important part to training-your recovery. Recovery is just as important as all the training we've put in, unless you plan to hang up your running shoes or don't mind walking around like Frankenstein. And if not, which I hope is the case, then here's some guidelines for recovery:
Right after crossing the finish line: your body will want and need some TLC from you. And it all starts right after your run. What do we do after track work outs or tempo runs? A nice cool down jog. But since we don't have the place to do that at finish line, make sure you keep walking and don't sit down immediately. Change into comfortable shoes and put on warm clothes but just keep moving. Don't sit for prolonged periods of time the next couple days if you can avoid it. Consider taking Monday off from work or walk the dog at the park.
Nutrition: The next important thing is food and hydration; drink drink drink! Drink the bottle of water as well as the sports drink they offer you at the finish line. If you have been training with a specific recovery drink or foods, pack them in your gear check bag from the Expo. You probably will not feel like eating at the finish line, but eat all the high-carb foods they offer as soon as you feel you can before leaving the finish area. Later Sunday afternoon as well as Monday, go ahead and eat what your body tells you it wants. I crave chili cheese tater tots and chocolate milk shake, then have a juicy steak and beer, but "don't do as I do, do as I say"! Your aim should be for recovery foods immediately after the race of high-carbs and proteins to start repairing your muscles. And keep your diet for the first or two day healthy and well balanced as well as stay hydrated with both water and sports drink with electrolytes. Your thighs and calves will thank you, I promise! This is key, you do not want to get yourself dehydrated or sick.
Stretching & Massage: if you can stretch before leaving the finish area, do so gently with dynamic movements because your muscles will be very warmed up and you don't want to over-do it. Do your regular stretching regime before you go to sleep Sunday and your body will thank you! And keep up with your light dynamic stretching morning and night for a few days. If you use a foam roller or trigger point regularly, these will be great for your recovery as well. There is as much debate on massage after running as there is on stretching. I wouldn't suggest having a massage the same day because that will just release more toxins into your blood stream already full of lactic acid and wastes from your muscles. But if your body is calling for therapy wait a day or two before scheduling your appointment as your muscles are sore, tired, inflamed, with micro tears in them and now in repair mode so you don't want to negate all the recovery by breaking them down in a massage too quickly.
Running again: there is a general rule to rest a half day to day for every mile ran. That would mean almost a month! It is going to be an individual question depending on your experience and how you know you have recover. My own personal general rule is no running for 6 days, and after months of training that seems like a long time but if you start back too quickly or too hard you may risk injury or burn our mentally. When you do start back to running, do so at an easy pace for a short amount of time as the training schedule called for easy recovery days following long runs. And besides, you should enjoy the rewards of what you just accomplished.
Running will always be there so savor the moment, show off your medal to friends & co-workers! "I run to motivate people, to convince them that they can do what they set out to do in life." - Quote from Chilean miner, Edison Pena, after completing Sunday's New York City Marathon less than a month after surviving 69 days stuck in the collapsed mine in Chile.
~ Signed, Your Red Coaches
Orange
"Before your next marathon, think about a person who helped make your marathon possible. Then consider showing your appreciation by dedicating the race to that person." Joe Henderson, American runner, coach, and writer
Purple
Planning for Recovery Article
Can you believe that we are done? You did it!
You are about to see your goals come to life. Did you ever think 25 weeks ago that you would be here? It seems like it went by so fast. But we couldn't let you part without those last bits of wisdom. While you are planning for the race this weekend, don't forget about the recovery. The rule of thumb for recovery is to take one day easy for every mile in the race.
That doesn't mean lying on the couch eating Ho Hos for two weeks. It simply means gradually increasing your walks for the next two weeks while keeping the intensity easy. It can be tempting to get back on the horse and work out hard after the post-race soreness subsides; however, doing so dramatically increases your chances for niggling aches and pains and even injury. Especially for first-timers.
You've just spent the better part of 6 months getting ready for this weekend. Now is the time to take a one-week holiday from walking and let your body heal. Never underestimate the power of rest and recovery - it allows your body and mind time to adapt, grow stronger and accomplish your goals.
Take a break from walking for four or five days, and cross-train three times for 25 to 30 minutes with activities that are low impact and will warm your muscles. Incorporate full-body flexibility exercises after every workout (yoga is perfect). Consider treating yourself to a massage and taking complete rest days as well.
Here are my 7 tips for great recovery:
Walk around: Don't sit down after the race, walk around. Keep the blood flowing by walking around for around 10 to 15 minutes post-race; then proceed to spend that same amount of time stretching. Stopping too soon after a long run might cause fainting or leg cramps, which can damage your muscle tissue. Walking around will allow you to enjoy the activities surrounding the race. Walking later in the afternoon after a long race can also be beneficial to your body's blood flow.
Eat: Grab water and a balanced snack that includes carbohydrates, protein, and some fat about 30 to 60 minutes after the race. If your stomach can't handle food right after you finish, grab a sports drink or chocolate milk instead as theses options both have a health mix of electrolytes, sugar and calories.
Rest: Not only do you deserve a few days of rest before you get back to pounding the pavement, but your body needs it. If you head back out on the open road or treadmill too soon, you may risk the possibility of a bad workouts and increase your chance of injury. Don't feel like you are going to lose your hard-earned endurance and fitness levels, as a few days of rest is just what your body needs. If you just can't stay away, go for a short walk or do some stretching to feed your desire to move.
Recover: Take advantage of the free massage often offered at running events. Once you get home, take an ice bath, and do some gentle stretching to help decrease that pain/soreness from all that repetitive pounding on your legs. All of these activities aid in your body's circulation, which allows a natural cycle of bringing new nutrients to over-worked parts of your body.
Dealing with your feelings: Don't be concerned if you feel fatigued after the big race. You just put your body through a lot of stress to cross that finish line. Long-distance walkers should be aware that light depression might set in post-jaunt. Why? Your body experiences a huge dip in endorphins from the time you complete your race and a few hours after.. You just put in months of training and now all that hard work is over. You might feel lost without the training, especially since our group is the most awesome ever. GO Purple
Reflect: Reflect on what went well on race day and with your training. Look also at what didn't work and what you could have improved on for your next race. Each race should be a learning experience, positive or negative. Remember you have been bit by the marathon bug we hope to see you back.
Celebrate: There are very few people who complete a marathon of any kind, so take it upon yourself to celebrate your victorious deed--no matter what time you clocked in at. No one can take the feeling of that last stride across the finish line away from you--so cherish it!
There are probably more that I could think of but at this time we just want to say thank you from all the coaches. Thank you for pushing though the hot sun, injuries, and bad days. Thank you for all the smiles, hugs, and energy. You inspire us to come back every year. We have watched you grow and in some cases "shrink a booty"...lol. But all in all we will remember the journey we shared. We hope to see you all at the pasta party this Friday and if you're not there, we wish you best of luck on Sunday.
Walk on & Walk Strong
Aqua
This week's topic is "Life after the Half Marathon". We have been training for six months now. Every Saturday, we have dragged our tails out of bed at the crack of dawn (and sometimes before) to hit the road for our group runs. At least three times a week, we have hit the gym, the track, or the neighborhood streets to complete our easy runs, our speed work, and our hill climbs. We have added cross training and recovery methods to our training. Now, in less than one week, is the big race! All we have trained for will come to fruition. But what about after? I'm not talking the recovery drinks, the refuel, the ice baths, or the rest efforts after the race. I'm talking about the next Saturday. And the Saturday after that. The great thing about this long training period is the conditioning that you have built up in the past months. You should take some time off after race day - at least for a week (and maybe two). You have been tearing down your muscles and bones and now it is time to let them heal and recover. Some expert runners say to take one day off for each mile run hard on race day. The great thing is that you won't lose this conditioning and endurance with this short vacation. It sounds easy, to take time off, but most of us want to get right back out there for a group run and keep up the training peak we have reached-both physically and psychologically. Hang down and rest. Take some time off and after a week or so start gradually building back your mileage. If you really miss the group runs, join us in December as we begin our training for the Austin full and half marathon scheduled in February or one of the other races in New Orleans, Dallas, Houston, Sugarland, Bastrop, just to name a few. Continue your training and keep off those extra pounds over the holidays! Or not. You have earned the rest.
Thank you for training with us this season. It has been our pleasure to run with this group for the past several months and we hope to see you all at the Pasta Party this Friday night! You all will be amazing this Sunday. We can't wait to see the medals you will be wearing after you cross the finish line. And, of course, the smiles!
Things to remember...
