Back to Basics: Education

I figured with as much as I'm going to invest in this marathon (physically, emotionally and financially), I should do my part and learn as much as I can about my new brilliant idea. So, last week I went to my local Borders Bookstore (Clark & Diversey) and browsed the running section. I was surprised to see such a small selection, but I chose a book by Hal Higdon (remember, I'm following Hal Higdon's 18 week training program). The book is called "Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide. To my surprise, the book is written with a heavy emphasis on the Chicago Marathon. I do believe I chose just the right book!

I thought I would read a chapter or two the night I bought the book. Before I knew it, 10 pages turned into 90. I found myself becoming obsessed with my new found knowledge and I couldn't put the book down. I'm currently on page 232 of 358 pages and find myself highlighting keys sections that I know I will find useful down the road.

Here are a few things I have learned so far:

1. Never go 2 days without running. One missed day is considered rest. Two or three days in a row without running is equal to lost conditioning.

2. As quoted from the book, "If I had to cite one mistake made by inexperienced marathoners when they seek to improve their performance, it is that they run too may of their miles at the same pace and over the same distance. There's little variety, and that limits their improvement." --I think that was written with me in mind.

3. It is highly recommended to schedule massages for yourself before and after the marathon. Yes, I said massages! The book suggests to schedule a massage within 48 hours after a long run (done on Saturdays). This helps ease the muscles back into "regular running". Hey, if the book says to schedule frequent massages, I should probably listen up. = )

4. One word: glycogen. Glycogen is a fuel supply stored in muscles and it pumps out the most efficient form of energy metabolism. Ideally, the more glycogen I have, the longer I will be able to run. However, once my muscle glycogen is depleted, the muscles start to contract poorly.

5. It is recommended that a healthy diet for a distance runner consists of 15% protein, 30% fat and 55% carbohydrates. That's right, 55 % carbs! It's important to know that not all carbs are created equal. I'll need to watch what type of carbs (and fat) I'm eating, but the book has a decent list of "good carbs" to stick to.

As a final note, I was quite pleased to read that slow runners deserve respect, too. Not everyone can run a 3 or 4 hour marathon. My goal is to finish. Repeat: my goal is to finish.