Half Marathon Training

[Sweetc0924]

Good morning (or evening depending on where you are )

 

I am a half marathon runner (not competitively by any means!) and I will be starting my whole 30 journey on Monday (mom comes today to take the 7 bags of food out of my apartment so I have zero distractions!) I have been eating fairly organically when I do cook, but have a horrible sweet tooth and eating out tooth some days - I also really enjoy my wine nights... so this program is a perfect fit to try and kick some bad habits out in order to keep my good habits strong!

 

Anyways - I am midst of training for a half marathon and I am reading a lot about how people are struggling through runs and work outs, which makes me a little nervous. My half is in one month from today (April 10th) and it will be tremendously hot out. I don't mind not doing well or running my typical speed for the race, but I don't want to lose momentum with training. I have never been great at pre and post workout besides shakes and pasta/veggies/meat.

 

It sounds like I need to ensure that I keep a good amount of fats in my diet daily - avocados, oils, etc. along with broccoli and those good carbs. With these, eating a boiled egg pre workout and then post workout - then my dinner? (I work out after work, but before dinner time).

 

Are there other suggestions or ideas that y'all have experienced or done to keep your endurance up while training?

 

*Sorry if this was asked previously, I did search and couldn't seem to find something specific on marathon running.

 

Thanks in advance!

Chelsea

[jmcbn]

Hey Chelsea

 

This topic has been covered many times on the forum. The best way to do a search is via Google - type 'Whole 30' + 'your query' in to Google and you should come up with a number of links to previous discussions on the subject such as the ones below:

http://forum.whole30.com/topic/13159-how-can-i-follow-whole30-principles-while-preparing-for-a-half-marathon/

http://forum.whole30.com/topic/13143-starting-whole30-during-marathon-training/

http://forum.whole30.com/topic/24520-half-marathon-soon-low-energy/

http://forum.whole30.com/topic/33779-struggle-running-on-whole30/

[Mrs.Mathias]

Hi Chelsea,

 

I'm on day 18 and am a runner (4 days a week). My next half marathon is on April 24. My runs have really suffered during the conversion from being a sugar burner to fat-adapted. This week I do see an improvement. I'm putting forth an effort, and my paces are better then they were for the first couple of weeks. I'm sticking with it, I no longer want to be a sugar burner.

 

I run first thing in the morning. I was eating a hard boiled egg prior, but felt so slow and sluggish I decided to just skip it. Post run, I'm having a bit of mashed sweet potato and chicken breast or fish right afterwards. (within 15-30 minutes). After I shower and change, then I make my first meal.

 

Half marathon training is a real challenge while doing the W30, you may want to wait until after to get started. Or, start now, but just know that the first couple of weeks will feel more arduous. Good luck and hang in there!

 

~ Elyssia

[doedoechachacha]

I think every body is different.  For me personally, I can't eat too much for my pre-wo meals or I feel really sick.  I work best with something that's more easily digestible.  Here is based on my experience:

 

• A really small bit of protein like a handful of nuts is great because it has the protein + fats already.  I've found that just protein is not enough energy so definitely add some fat.  Don't have sugar or other carbs (i.e. potato / banana, etc) because you're not helping your body burn fat efficiently.  I had a banana one morning and felt like crap in the middle of my run because it finished burning it so quickly.  It made my blood sugar out of whack.  I also found that flaxmeal is awesome.  For my pre-race meal, I added some flaxmeal to my eggs and I think it was great - not too filling, and a sustained energy for me.
• It's going to be a rough adjustment at first because your body is so used to burning carbs.  But once it adjusts, you're going to feel great.  My boyfriend finished his half marathon without carbs for the first time and his performance sky-rocketed.  He was amazed, and he felt GREAT before / during / afterwards.  He swears by it now - he is a whole30 believer.
• I really like jerky as a post-wo meal.  It's fast, portable, and lean.  I've read that you should add starchy veggies (i.e. potato) as well - this will help replenish you and give you energy.  But if you can help it, you can also leave this out (is what I've read).  I've also had a cup of almond milk post workout.
• You're supposed to have dinner right after your post-wo meal.  I haven't really experimented with this much otherwise.
• I've read a runner's blog that she would keep dates filled with nut butter rolled up in wax paper (like candy), as backup during her races... like kind of a whole30 compliant sports gel.  

 

Hope that helps a bit.  I'm still working on all of this myself!

[Mrs.Mathias]

• It's going to be a rough adjustment at first because your body is so used to burning carbs.  But once it adjusts, you're going to feel great.  My boyfriend finished his half marathon without carbs for the first time and his performance sky-rocketed.  He was amazed, and he felt GREAT before / during / afterwards.  He swears by it now - he is a whole30 believer.

 

What did he do for "fuel" during the race? Just water? I drank coconut water on my last long run (12.5 miles), and that seemed to work fine. I also skipped the pre WO meal because I was feeling too sluggish with it.

[whistlingstephanie]

Can I ask what you guys are using to fuel during long runs? I've been reading a lot of different opinions on here and am looking to get more suggestions... I used to use gels and Nuun tablets (contain sugar) and feel like my runs have really been suffering the farther I go. Definitely going to try bringing more coconut water as that seemed to help. Thanks in advance! 

[Mrs.Mathias]

Can I ask what you guys are using to fuel during long runs? I've been reading a lot of different opinions on here and am looking to get more suggestions... I used to use gels and Nuun tablets (contain sugar) and feel like my runs have really been suffering the farther I go. Definitely going to try bringing more coconut water as that seemed to help. Thanks in advance! 

I'm just using coconut water. I have an 11 mile run this Saturday, and that's all I'm bringing. I'm off the W30, but now that I have finally fat-adapted, I don't want to go back to being a sugar burner!