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Apr 4, 2011

Marathon training and weight loss

10 mile recovery bike ride today.  This was a really tough one.  It was difficult to get myself out of bed.  It was difficult to workout with the weights today.  It was difficult to keep the pace on the bike.  Overall, a very difficult workout.  I guess I'm getting a glimpse of what I'll feel like after a marathon.  Of course, I won't be doing anything the day after my marathon.  I also plan to run a 5 mile run tonight.  Why?  Because I need to chance my long run to Saturday and I want to have Friday off of running before my long run.  I just feel better going into the long run rested up.  Fortunately, that will also give me Sunday off as well and then back on schedule again.  Unfortunately that means 5 tonight and then 8 tomorrow morning!

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I have read many articles and blogs about weight loss and training for a marathon.  I'm not advocating it.  My issue is that I seem to gain weight after a heavy workout.  For example, I did my long run yesterday and from that I gained over a pound this morning.  Now I know a pound does not seem like much and it could be muscle building.  Heck, the scale changes that daily but almost every time I have a hard workout, my weight goes up.  I don't worry about it because overall my body feels strong and I'm in good shape but it's just very strange.  What are your thoughts?  What happens to you after a tough workout?

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I think I have decided on my September Marathon.  It's called the Capital City River Run Half Marathon in Lansing, Michigan - our state Capital.  Check it out at http://ccriverrun.org  It runs through part of Michigan State University, Downtown Lansing, and much of it is on the Lansing River trail(paved).  Anyone run this half before?  It sounds like an incredible run and I can't wait for it.  This rounds out my season too.  I've got all my races finally picked out for the year.  I big jump for me in the running area.  I did many races last year but this year half of the distances are 10 miles or more.  I'm doing one marathon, four half marathons, a 10 mile run, a 10k(possibly 2), two 5k's(possibly 3) including a mud run, Warrior Dash.


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Question of the day:  Are you religious with your training plan or flexible?  I'm usually pretty religious with it and stay on pace.



Have a great day and......Keep Running!!!!!

10 comments:

  1. I am usually very religious about training plans too... I can be flexible if I have to, but I try really hard not to have to. :) Hope your run was good this morning!

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  2. I'm pretty religious about training plans... although I try not to stress when I have to deviate. With little kids, life's schedule gets mixed up some days. And I've learned it's better to give a rest when something doesn't feel right than to push it (injury!!).

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  3. I'm religious about the miles per week with my training plan, but flexible about which days my workouts happen - with 4 kids and a husband who often works late, I have to be.

    I find I gain weight after a hard workout, but then lose it again over the following days - I think water retention is the culprit...

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  4. I am pretty religious. I stick to the plan as much as possible but I also add to it. The one thing I never do is short myself. if the plan says "run 8 miles today" I run 8 (or more).

    Nice race line up you've got going!!

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  5. I am the same way with my weight. I will be up every time after I workout and down when I dont. For someone who is trying to get their weight down anyway, it makes me NOT want to work out til I can get some weight off. Very frustrating!!

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  6. Good job getting a tough workout done! It seems like you have been doing well staying focused. Great job. I'm not a runner for weightloss but I do know that it's pretty normal to gain weight during tough training. I have definitely gained weight over the past year and a half that I've been running. The only thing that's changed about the clothes that I wear is that my pants are tighter in my bum and thighs, but not in my waist. I'm pretty sure it's muscle gain (lol that's what I'm telling myself anyway!) so it's good. I am pretty flexible with my training plan but I do need to focus a bit more on it. It's just so tough for me with my schedule but perhaps I need to learn to make some sacrifices.

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  7. Oh and congrats on choosing a marathon for the fall!! I am in the process of doing that myself.

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  8. I ran my first half yesterday and getting out of bed today was a HUGE chore my workout was also super tough. I feel your pain!

    I'm fairly flexible with my training, but that's probably because I don't follow a real plan.

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  9. Thanks everyone. I'm like the stick with miles but maybe not always on the same days. I've been pretty good tough. Jogging with Fiction - congrats on your first half. With as much training as you have been doing, you probably could have done the full! - Nice time too - under 2 hours!!

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  10. Nice job getting it done.

    I'm pretty religious once I write my plan down. Once it's in text, I just figure I have to do it.

    If you (or anyone else) is still looking to fill out your 2011 schedule, check these out: http://www.michiganhalfseries.com/ I'll probably be running the September half marathon and maybe the November 10K.

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