Minimum Effective Dose Marathon Training

What does the minimum effective dose look like? 

The training for my 47th marathon state was a self experiment to answer this question. Rather than a 16-18 week traditional training, here’s what I did: 

300 swings + 5K/day for 30 days 

then 

10 weeks formal marathon training 

Rather than building a base of training volume with a bunch of miles that would later break me down or put me at risk for overuse, I did what I believe to be the minimum effective dose for building an endurance engine to then layer running specific training on top of: 300 swings and 5K worth of running daily. 

The swings were anyhow- sometimes within one block of time (often 10 OTM for 30 minutes) and sometimes Pavel Tsatsouline “grease the groove” style (10 here, 20 there all day until I reached 300). 

It is worth noting I am experienced in the kettlebell swing. This is not a new movement for me. I’ve been doing them for almost 8 years consistently at CrossFit (though we disagree on American versus Russian style swings) and my own strength programming. My Husband is both RKC and StrongFirst certified also so I benefit from his coaching on technique and healthy form. You cannot learn to swing a kettlebell through a YouTube or IGTV video, y’all...you just can’t.

The 5K was also anyhow- sometimes a race, often without a watch, sometimes 800m x 6 or some other speed work that equaled 3.1 miles. 

Within the formal running training, I programmed for myself and pulled best practices from:

• Hansen’s Method - don’t go over 16 miles in a single effort 
• CrossFit Endurance - long runs every other week 
• Hal Higdon - 10% volume increase each week, 2 week taper
• Furman FIRST - key runs + total mileage 

Each concept or take away is what I used in my own hybrid plan. It is worth noting that I have completed all of these plans, some multiple times, as written. 

How did it go? By the numbers, remarkably well! I ran a very evenly paced 3:31:46 (8:05/mile) on a course that was 22 miles of double track trail. 

That performance earned me 3rd female overall; anytime I can podium above age groups I am really pleased. 

Outside the numbers? Even better. I stepped up to the starting line feeling healthy, rested, and eager to go long. You’d think this feeling would be a given for a marathoner, but oftentimes traditional training schedules have us riddled with injuries, mentally drained, and ready to hang up our racing hats for months after. 

...not me! I feel so great, I’m already registered for my next race (100K trail) and mapping out the associated training in a similar pattern. 

Will this work for everyone? No. You have to be an experienced runner and well versed in the kettlebell swing. I feel strongly about this specific movement because it not only builds an aerobic engine but also injury proofs your body. 

Speaking of injury proofing, I’ll add that I did a strength progression (5x5 push/pull/squat) throughout both the 30 day cycle and the 10 weeks of formal training. This is non negotiable. Strong first.

In a closing you can now expect from me moving forward, I want to mention what I wore: ZYIA All Star Bra + ZYIA Copper Charged Tank + Lululemon Run Speeds. 

• All Star Bra($49): look, it doesn’t get any better than this. High neck with breathable mesh detail, ultimate support with zip up back. I don’t think I’ve ever run a marathon- this was lifetime number 54- without having some sort of chafing under my arms or at my bra line until this weekend. I didn’t even lube anything up! It’s almost a little suspicious. 
  
  
• Copper Charged Tank ($31): this performed exactly like the Lululemon Silverescent Racerback tank has in the past. No chafing, light material, breathable, stylish. The only difference between the two is $27 and ZYIA uses copper instead of silver. We are a one income household with 4 kids, so methinks I’m sticking with ZYIA.
  
  
• Lululemon Run Speeds ($64): these are my gold standard and I don’t see that changing. I prefer the 2.5” inseam with the block-it pocket. They are flattering, perform well, and I appreciate the two internal front pockets as well as the lined pocket in the back (where I keep gum and ibuprofen so they don’t get sweat soaked).
  
  

Great training, great race, great gear. I’m thrilled and only have 4 states to go until I’m at all 50 plus DC. Somebody pinch me! 

To God be the glory! 

Boston Marathon 2018 (aka Waterworld aka Noah aka Frozen)

This year’s Boston marathon was a “redemption race”. An unexpected triplet pregnancy in 2015 forced me to sit out on what would have been my third Boston. 

After the triplets were born, I continued to chip away at my goal to run a marathon in each of the 50 states (current count: 46) and included lots of stroller training. We made running a team effort in 2016 by setting a Guinness World Record for “Fastest Half Marathon while Pushing a Triple Pram- Female”. A BQ in Bismarck, ND sent me back to Beantown!

Unless you have been living under a rock, you know that (for once!) the weatherman was correct about the race day forecast:

My husband was concerned about hypothermia and knows my stubborn streak. He asked me to sit this one out and just enjoy Patriots Day with my friends from college, Heather and Jack, as an indoor spectator. 

I didn’t feel like I had anything to “prove” per se, but I did feel like I need to do it. To me it would be more insane to qualify, come all the way here, leave all 4 kids for 3 days, and not even TRY to run. Plus, I already knew an important fact from my hot weather experience in 2012: the city of Boston will not let you quit! 

I purposely took a late bus to Athlete’s Village, as my concern wasn’t running in the rain (as I’d soon find out, more accurately described as “torrential downpour”). My concern was all the waiting around to begin. Armed with an extra pair of shoes and socks, I showed up with just enough time to use the bathroom, pose with the famous Hopkinton sign, vaseline my face to protect from windburn, and get into dry footwear. 

Temperatures were in the upper 30s, but the “real feel” was 27 when I began at 10:50 am in the third wave. Note: my qualifying time gets faster and faster each year while my wave and corral has been pushed farther back. I’m sure there is a statistic somewhere to support it, but my antidote says a lot about the growing level of talent out there in the running community right now!

What was it like to run in constant showers and gale force winds of 25-40 mph? Miserable. After running for what felt like at least 30 minutes only to look up and see the 1 mile marker, I decided to put in headphones and listen to an audiobook- I needed to dissociate! 

There were many moments where it felt like we were running through a car wash- inches of rain on the ground combined with gusts of wind made for crazy conditions. Still, the city of Boston didn’t disappoint. 

Families were out with rubber boots and umbrellas in Hopkinton handing out high fives. Restaurants were packed with crowds on patios and in parking lots in Framingham and Ashland. The Wellesley “scream tunnel” at mile 13 could be heard from mile 12. Funny and inspirational signs were wrapped in clear trash bags and lining the hills of Newton. Even with a rained out game at Fenway, folks lined the streets 10 people deep screaming their heads off and handing out gear (thanks for the dry socks I used as gloves, random stranger!). 

My finish in 3:40:37 wasn’t my worst time by a long shot but was also about 10 minutes slower than I was training for. Know what? I’m really proud. This race was, hands down, one of the toughest mental and physical challenges I’ve ever been handed. 

Not a single mile of the 26 was comfortable. I found fortitude I didn’t know I had, as did most of the runners out there- 95% of the participants who started on Marathon Monday finished the race. I’d love to say that Boston marathon runners are a special breed, but I know an important fact that has now been twice proven to me first hand: the city of Boston will not let you quit! 

Wrightsville Beach Marathon

I’ve been running marathons for 15 years and had never once felt convicted about participating in Sunday races...then, God opened my eyes. 

We have been studying the Ten Commandments in church and during family worship. There is a lot of debate among Christians about the application of the fourth commandment (“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it Holy”, Deuteronomy 5:7-21) and I’m still studying it. However, that’s not the law I feared I was breaking. Me? My conflict was with the first Commandment (“You shall have no other gods before me”, Deuteronomy 5:7-21). 

What’s the one thing I put before God? I’m embarrassed to admit it, but yes, it’s running. On the single day God has set aside for me to worship Him, I’m doing the very self righteous thing that boosts my ego and takes my eyes off of the Lord.

I’m not interested in convicting other runners who choose Sundays, nor do I think running is an unhealthy activity. That said, I believe it’s a slippery slope when you have something (anything!) other than God you schedule around, think about constantly, and love so much you don’t know what life would be like if it were gone. For me, that thing is running.

I’ve long asked “how can I honor a God through my running?” and knew the answer was not by simply wearing scripture on my singlet. Maybe the way I can honor God through my running is by not running. I made the decision to do no more Sunday races when God put a few runners who race exclusively on Saturdays in my path, which gave me the confidence to take action.

...problem was, I made this decision halfway through a training cycle for All American Marathon which is on Sunday. Providential for me, Wrightsville Beach has a Marathon only one week earlier. I could take advantage of my existing training and honor my decision.

Wrightsville Beach, just outside Wilmington, is only a 2 hour drive from Fayetteville. Preferring to sleep in my own bed and minimize time away from the kids, I drove down the morning of the race. For only $20, I was able to get my race bib and swag mailed to me beforehand; that made the same day trip possible and was worth every penny. 

A lot of folks from Fayetteville Running Club chose this race over All American to avoid the hills in the latter. I’m not as active with the club as I once was (see: 4 kids under age 4) so it was great to take some starting line photos and catch up with the crew! 

I also got to see my longtime running friend, Shannon, who is recently engaged and finishing a PhD program. Surround yourself with people like this and triplets don’t seem like such a time obstacle when training! 

On a pancake flat point to point course, I ran a pretty even race, averaging about 8:15 per mile. I liked that there was a relay option because it gave marathoners the opportunity to run with folks who had fresh legs, including my friend Jessica from 2011 CrossFit in Concord. 

Other highlights during the race: 

•Thomas, our Fayetteville Running Club President back when I was on Leadership, works for this race’s company now and ran with me (in denim jeans!) for a solid half mile. 

•Listening to “Quiddich through the Ages” on audiobook and getting verbally abused by a lady who did not like me playing it on speakerphone, even on a desolate stretch of the course. I’ve never had another runner say anything, let alone flip out like she did. Must be a Slytherin. 

Trey bought me Air Pods for Mother’s Day, so she can chill when I do this race next year.

•Finishing at UNC-Wilmington, where I sold yellow pages (dating myself, aren’t I?!) back in 2003. I ran by a number of apartment complexes, restaurants, and bars we sold to as well. Run down memory lane! 

I finished 113 of 558 overall, 23rd female overall, and 4th (doh!) in my age group with a Boston qualifying  3:34:53. For a woman my age, 3:40 is the standard; however, you must beat it by about 4 minutes if you want to actually run since more people qualify than BAA can accommodate. The Boston Marathon is on a Monday, so its an option for 2019!