hi! i'm training to run my first half-marathon ever!! i am a decent runner of middle distances but i find it very hard to motivate myself to run anything longer than 4 miles. any tips?? any tips for nutrition and training as well? anything you have would be extremely appreciated :) thanks girl
PODCASTS. This is my first time training for a full marathon without my big sis, so I’ve been relying on podcasts pretty heavily. This American Life is of course the classic, as well as the TED Radio Hour. I also recommend Radiolab, Missing Richard Simmons, Girlboss Radio, Cand He Do That?, and the soon-to-be-released Rookie podcast!!! Definitely check out the top charts on the iTunes store. This is an especially effective tool if you don’t have a training buddy and don’t like to run to music (like me!)
Honestly, physically adapting to long distances is only half of it. Mentally adapting if much harder, but that also means that the more you run long distances, the easier it gets. For the first few weeks of your training, you’ll probably just have to force yourself and get through your runs with mental toughness, but soon enough, 3 mile runs will feel like nothing … then 4, then 5, and so on.
Of course, my first tip is to eat vegan. The best thing you can do for your body is eat a high-protein, whole foods vegan diet. This allows you to consume lots of calories that are good for your body. However, if you aren’t already vegan, I wouldn’t recommend shifting during training (although I accidentally did that!) The main reason is because transitioning to a vegan diet takes a lot of trial and error with what works for your body and time schedule. That being said, you can still do your best to consume whole fruits n veggies, rice, nuts, soy, etc. as often as you can.
ALWAYS eat before you run. If you run in the morning, try a bagel with peanut butter and bananas an hour or so before your run. My go-to is plain oatmeal with almond milk, almond butter, and bananas. If you run in the afternoons, try to eat a Clif bar or a banana with almond butter about an hour. You might need to adjust the time or amount of food, but it’s SO important to eat before runs.
Also: EAT AFTER RUNS. As soon as you can, go grab yourself something hearty and healthy. I recommend treating yourself to something you love. Mine is thai food b/c it has lots of rice, veggies, and usually tofu (protein, mama). See this post for more. If you can’t get to a meal right away, try a piece of fruit like an apple or a banana and nuts or trail mix.
DRINK WATER LIKE IT’S UR JOB. Honestly, I rec only drinking water, but I also drink lots of coffee which is v dehydrating :/ avoid it if ya can.
EDIT: No matter what your diet is like, make sure you’re eating enough. I struggled with this one on a meal plan for sure, but whatever you can do to get those calories in, do it. My trick was to eat in the all-you-can-eat cafeteria instead of other campus restaurants like Subway. They usually had rice, veggies, fruit, and some sort of tofu dish in the vegan section. You burn about half a day’s calories running a half marathon so ya gotta replenish those nutrients. Basically, this is just my experience so listen 2 ur body gal
Spin class was the best thing to ever happen to me lol. I try to cross-train on Mondays if I have time, which usually involves biking. Stationary bikes are fab because they work muscles that you’ll use in running but in different ways/amounts. It works wonders for your speed work and gives you an excuse to vary your workout and maybe even work out in a group which is SO FUN.
If spin class isn’t your thing, try running in a pool or swimming laps. I don’t do this b/c I can’t swim, but my sister does and she says it works wonders for your total body strength, which improves your form and provides a solid foundation of support for the crucial muscles you use during your run.
This is v dorky but I always get myself excited by looking @ my race’s social media pages lol. The marathon community is FAB. Depending on what race you run, you’ll probably have people cheering you on the whole way, fun water and food stops, and maybe even some live music. The runners themselves are so lovely. You’ll find yourself talking to mama n daughter duos, sisters, best friends, people running for someone they love who can’t, or people who have run a million races in their lives. They’ll all cheer you on. It’s such a cool thing to be a part of. Let those thoughts carry you through the rough periods. It’s so, so worth it.
CONGRATS and good luck on your training! I’m only a message away if you need anything xo
