Tag: marathon training

How Long Should You Taper Before A Marathon? Here’s What the Research Says

On By idratherbestrongthanskinnyIn fitness trends, marathon training, The Boston Marathon, The New York City MarathonLeave a comment

After months of intense marathon training, it can feel counterintuitive to slow your roll in the last few weeks before your race. But that’s exactly what a taper is: An opportunity to tone down your training, reduce your mileage and intensity, and let your body really absorb the months of hard work you’ve put in — while simultaneously resting in order to regroup your full strength and energy by race day.

For some runners, the taper is a dream. A chance to rest after a physically and mentally demanding couple of months?! Bring it on! 

However, a lot of the runners I coach absolutely HATE the taper. Even though it’s designed with optimal race performance in mind, it disrupts the routine they’ve so diligently followed for the past several months, and can even make them feel lazy. Many of my runners report feeling sluggish rather than rested. And for some of my female athletes especially, this less intense volume of mileage worries them that if they don’t pay close attention to their nutrition, they’ll have a few extra pounds to cart around with them on race day.

This leads to a lot of athletes “kind of” (but not really) tapering, or asking me to keep their taper short and sweet (just two weeks).

Despite the apprehension about the taper, research shows that a longer, more disciplined taper may improve marathon performance.

A study published in Frontiers in Sport and Active Living analyzed the training activities of more than 158,000 recreational marathon runners to define tapers based on a decrease in training volume (or weekly mileage). 

Researchers found that strict tapers were associated with better mathon performance compared to relaxed tapers, and that longer tapers (up to three weeks) were associated with better performance when compared to shorter tapers. In fact, a strict three-week taper was associated with a median finish-time saving of 5 minutes and 30s, or 2.6%, when compared to a shorter taper.

These study results are similar to previous research on the subject, and suggest that recreational runners can improve their marathon performance by adopting a longer, more regimented taper.


The bottom line? The dreaded taper might just be your ticket to a new PR. Embrace it!


Smyth B, Lawlor A. Longer Disciplined Tapers Improve Marathon Performance for Recreational Runners. Front Sports Act Living. 2021;3:735220. Published 2021 Sep 28. doi:10.3389/fspor.2021.735220

Does weather really dictate running performance?

On By idratherbestrongthanskinnyIn cold weather running, marathon training, running, The Boston Marathon, The New York City Marathon, travelLeave a comment

It’s marathon season! Which means everyone with a race on the calendar is fixated on one thing, and one thing only: The weather.

That’s right. Out of all the things you can and can’t control on race day, obsessively checking and rechecking the weather seems to be a runner’s favorite past-time. As a running coach, I’ve heard all sorts of theories on “the best weather for running,” ranging from cold-weather enthusiasts to those who thrive off sunny skies. But it made me wonder: what’s actually the best weather for running a marathon?

A 2020 study published in Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise analyzed meteorological data for 1258 races — from the marathon, to the 50k, to the 5k and the 3000m steeplechase — held between 1936 and 2019 across 42 countries, enabling analysis of 7867 athletes. Through machine learning, it concludes that a Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature of between 10 and 17.5 degrees Celicus — or 50-63.5 degrees Fahrenheit — increased the likelihood for peak performance. For every degree outside these optimum conditions, performance declined by 0.3-0.4 percent.

A different study published more recently in Frontiers of Physiology analyzed data from the Berlin Marathon results over the last 45 years, and found that temperatures greater than 15 degrees Celsius (59 degrees Fahrenheit) and higher precipitation levels impaired performance of master marathoners.


So, what’s the moral of the story? While you can’t guarantee a perfect weather day, if your heart is set on a PR, you can schedule your next race strategically. Pick a marathon in a specific location and at a specific time of year to increase your chances of waking up to good weather. While you’ll probably still obsess over your weather app in the weeks before the big day, at least now you can do so with a little more science on your side.

Pushing for a PR Sabotaged Me. Here’s How Embracing Failure Led to Better Results

On By idratherbestrongthanskinnyIn fitness trends, Inspiration, marathon training, running, The Boston MarathonLeave a comment

My friend Erin and I have a set of rituals for our weekly early morning runs.

It involves multiple 5 a.m. alarms, a quick accountability text, a subway commute that always seems to get delayed, and sometimes, a twinge of regret (why do we torture ourselves so early?!).

Once we’re finally ready to run, the excuses begin: “Don’t hate me if I’m slow,” I’ll plead. “I was up until midnight finishing an assignment.”

Erin almost always rolls her eyes, citing a different reason for why she’s not feeling 100 percent. And usually, I breathe a sigh of relief. Whew. No pressure if I’m dragging ass today.

But lately, I’ve been second-guessing this lackadaisical approach to our training. We’re both naturally competitive, career-driven, accomplished women. We work full-time, take on side gigs, have thriving social lives, and in our spare time, we run marathons (and qualify for Boston). What about that says, “Let’s take it easy today, shall we?” And yet, this excuse-riddled scenario continues to repeat itself.

After some reflection, I realized that this hedging behavior doesn’t just apply to running—it also overflows to my career and personal relationships. I routinely preface my participation in group brainstorms with, “I don’t know if this is a good idea, but…” to soften the blow if my suggestion is rejected. I find myself telling friends that I’m “cautiously optimistic” about a new guy I’m dating to buffer my real feelings, just in case it doesn’t work out.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized I was holding back in just about every aspect of my life. It was unsettling, to say the least. And I’m not alone: I hear similar caveats all the time, often from other runners: I’d love to run with you, but I’m not that fast. I would train for that race, but I have a lot going on right now. I missed a PR, but I wasn’t really going for it on this hilly course.

Looking for some kind of explanation for this behavior, I called up Ben Oliva, a sport psychologist and mental performance coach for SportStrata.

Read the full article on Runner’s World.

Photo by Ian Tuttle

Desiree Linden Didn’t Just Win The Boston Marathon — She Reminded Me Of The REAL Reason I Run

On By idratherbestrongthanskinnyIn Inspiration, race recap, running, The Boston Marathon, travelLeave a comment

About two weeks ago, I saw something on my Facebook newsfeed that stopped me mid-scroll: the weather report for the upcoming Monday showed a light monsoon with teeth-chattering temperatures. On any other Monday, this type of disheartening weather would be, well, just another Monday. But it just so happened that this Monday was also the day that roughly 30,000 runners were planning to make the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton, Massachusetts, to Boston, an event formally known as the Boston Marathon.

As a registered runner who’d been training for the race for almost five months, I began to feel my excitement for the race turn into unease. Maybe it won’t be so bad, I thought. Maybe it will be like one of those snowstorms they make a huge deal about, and it doesn’t even flurry!

It ended up being a historic race for many reasons. Not only were the wet, cold, and windy conditions some of the worst many of the runners had ever seen, but Olympian Desiree Linden became the first American woman in 33 years to win the marathon. But more on that, later.

This was my thirteenth marathon, so perhaps I should have had an inkling that something would happen to throw it out of whack. I left for the race wearing multiple layers, a hooded poncho, and plastic bags secured with rubber bands around my sneakers. “It looks like you’re heading off to a day at a chemical plant,” my friend Laura joked as I geared up to face the elements. When I got there, the Athlete’s Village (where runners congregate before entering their starting corals) was worse than anyone anticipated: mud everywhere, puddles 10 Porta Potties wide, runners in rain getups even more ridiculous than mine. We laughed at the absurdity of it all — what else could we do?

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Nevertheless, I had trained hard for this race and was determined not to let bad weather stop me from reaching my race goal — a marathon PR, or a personal record. But even the most elite runners had eschewed their runderwear for full rain jackets, which is pretty much unheard of in the professional running world. Despite the universal setback, there was only one real solution: continue to move forward, towards Boston.

I’d love to tell you that despite the conditions, I crushed the race. That I didn’t let it phase me. That, gosh, I thrived in the harsh conditions, just like the men’s winner, “citizen runner” Yuki Kawauchi, who blew everyone away by besting the pros to become the first Japanese man to win the Boston Marathon since 1987. But alas, I did not (thrive, that is). I kept up with my goal pace until about mile 13, when I started feeling an extra tightness in my quads, and, was I just imagining it, or was the headwind more powerful now?

I had trained hard for this race and was determined not to let bad weather stop me from reaching my race goal

Read the full story on Bustle.

20 Boston Marathon Finishers Share The One Thing They Wish They Knew Before The Race

On By idratherbestrongthanskinnyIn Inspiration, marathon training, running, The Boston Marathon, travelLeave a comment

I remember my first Boston Marathon. I trekked out to Coolidge Corner with some of my friends, armed with sunscreen and Nalgene bottles filled with vodka. What I witnessed was terrifying: There were faces pitted with pure exhaustion, individuals limping along the course defeatedly, and way more bloody nipples than I ever thought I’d see in one day. At one point, a group of drunk college kids tried to cross over the route and knocked over some helpless runners along the way. Later, a runner pulled over in front of our group and tried to take a gulp from my friend Eric’s boozy hydration pack as he embarrassedly stammered, “Sir, it’s alcohol.”

Pure shock and limited knowledge about endurance races aside, I felt so inspired by all of the runners making the journey from Hopkinton to Boston that after I returned to campus, I ran on a treadmill in an empty Northeastern Marino Center, watching (mostly inebriated) college kids return from their cheering posts along the course in droves outside the window.

Several years, one graduation, and two of my own marathons later, I would get my own chance to make the epic right onto Hereford Street and left on Boylston that so many runners dream of. Though I’d watched the showdown happen live for five consecutive years and knew certain things — like if I took a drink from a college kid on the course, there was an 80 percent chance it would be beer — there was still a lot I didn’t know about how the race is organized, and what exactly this complicated course entails.

To help those running the course for the first time this year, I asked finishers of varying years past: What’s the one thing you wish you knew before running the Boston Marathon?

Before the Race: What You Need To Know

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Write Your Name On Your T-Shirt
“I’ll never forget how badly I was feeling during the 2016 marathon when I heard a random guy yell my name, and then meet my gaze to tell me that I was looking great. The realization that he had picked me out from the crowd of runners propelled me forward. Hearing any spectator shout your name because you have it on your shirt — or maybe even written vertically in Sharpie on your biceps — will at the very least make you smile, and at most give you a much-needed energy boost!” —Michele Gorman

The Expo Will Be Crowded
“The day before the marathon is the worst day to go to the expo. Everyone assumes it’s like other races where you can get in no problem. The line to get into the expo snakes around the building and then snakes all around the inside as well. Go on Friday!” —Brad Castillo Continue reading “20 Boston Marathon Finishers Share The One Thing They Wish They Knew Before The Race” →

Race Review: Sleepy Hollow Half Marathon

On By idratherbestrongthanskinnyIn cold weather running, fitness trends, marathon training, race recap, The Boston MarathonLeave a comment

As most of you know, I’ve been training for the Boston Marathon coming up on April 16. It’s the first time I’ve taken my marathon training seriously in a long time, and it’s been quite a haul. Luckily, I have been working with a great coach, Christopher Baker. Even though I’m a run coach and hold many others accountable, I find it really hard to hold myself accountable when I’m planning for so many other people, so it’s helpful to have someone taking the guesswork out of my training. While the workouts have been quite grueling — and balancing them with everything else I have going on in life (work, school, coaching, attempting to have a social life) has been even more demanding — I’m happy to have a schedule and some kind of consistency in my life.

As a tune up, I ran the Sleepy Hollow Half Marathon on Saturday. It was a wonderful opportunity to see some real-time results of this training plan in action. A friend had suggested the race after the drawing results for the New York City Half came out, and while I didn’t have any desire to run another NYRR race, I liked the idea of a small town race in a new and different place. While the hills of the course were intimidating, I liked that there was no pressure to PR, and the idea of getting a race in before the marathon.

A few friends from The Most Informal Running Club, Ever (NYC), and I headed up to Sleepy Hollow via the MetroNorth train, and were able to walk to the race start from the train. The weather was chilly, but sunny, so it was nice to not freeze our butts off before the race like the runners in the NYC Half had done the weekend before. We even had time for our tradition of taking a photo in the Port-A-Potty (don’t ask why).

29512705_10216019860388257_44471192411846527_n Continue reading “Race Review: Sleepy Hollow Half Marathon” →

The Runner Diaries — Allie Kieffer

On By idratherbestrongthanskinnyIn food, Inspiration, marathon training, running, The New York City Marathon, The Runner Diaries, travel2 Comments

Welcome to The Runner Diaries, where we’re sharing a behind-the-scenes look into a week of training with runners of varying ages, paces and GPS coordinates. Get The Runner Diaries delivered to your inbox, here

This week, we have 30-year-old Allie Kieffer, a professional runner for Oiselle who placed fifth in the 2017 New York City Marathon. Kieffer is currently training in Iten, Kenya to prepare for the United NYC Half and the London Marathon. Follow along as she logs roughly 115 miles while living like a local.

The Run Down

Name: Allie Kieffer
Location: Iten, Kenya
Age: 30
Training for: NYC Half Marathon, London Marathon
Team or Club Affiliation? Oiselle & New York Athletic Club
How long you’ve been a “runner:” Forever! I joined my first running club when I was in kindergarten 🙂
Weekly mileage: 115

Runner’s Statement

I’ve been training in Iten, Kenya for the past 6 weeks to prepare for the NYC Half Marathon and London Marathon. In the past I’ve done altitude stints in Boulder, Colorado and Flagstaff, Arizona. I’ve always really enjoyed the mountains lifestyle and have responded well to the heightened elevation, so when the opportunity arose in January to train at altitude in a distance running mecca with a warm climate, I couldn’t pass it up!

After racing the Ooredoo Half Marathon in Doha, Qatar January 12th I got on a plane for my first trip to Africa! Since landing in Kenya, Betsy Saina and I have become fast friends- she has helped me set up an apartment, find a pacer (someone who does all of my runs with me), and figure out life in another country. Each week has gotten better than the last and I am excited to share with you my final week in Iten before returning to the US!

Saturday Feb 24th | Day One

5:40AM – woke up before the alarm! I make some shroom coffee and took advantage that it was only 9:40PM home in NY to call some loved ones!

6:10AM – head out the door with Chelsea (a friend from college that came to visit me in Kenya!) to meet Julia (a Canadian I recently met and have become friends with) and Dickson (my pacer). Usually we travel down to a lower altitude and flatter road for a fast, supported long run. As the sun comes up, matatus (vans for hire) follow groups of gazelle-like striders, handing out bottles of water and whatever super nutrition is packed inside. I have been sick for the past few days, though, and didn’t know how far I’d make it, so this week we ran from my apartment at 7,800ft to Kipsang Rd (named after Wilson Kipsang because he owns a nightclub on it).

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There’s no matatu today, and how far we’ll all go is a mystery; it’s only Chelsea’s second day in Kenya! I immediately feel awful and we shuffle for a few warm up miles. After 3K we meet the gang, plus a new friend, Edward, who is Dickson’s neighbor. After a mile he lets it slip that he won the Marugame Half Marathon in 60 minutes earlier this month.

Then, he zips off, putting distance between us like we’re standing still. I start to warm up and we click off 7:10-7:20’s for the next few miles. The rolling hills remind me of Magnolia Rd in Boulder, Colorado.

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At 10 miles we turn around, and I pick up the pace a bit and distance myself from the group. Just as I was starting to feel really strong I ran into Edward again. To my surprise, he turned and ran with me. We immediately drop the pace. There’s like an inherent thought with Kenyan men that they should pace and push the women. For the next 8 miles I hung on as best I could as he kept looking back to make sure he wasn’t dropping me.

After 20 miles I was back at the paved road and 3K from home. I decided to catch a motor bike back home with Chelsea and be happy making it through 20 miles!

Watch data: 20 miles in 2:24:20. Elevation gain: 1,128ft

9AM – arrive home to a buffet of omelette, pancakes, and tea!

11:30AM – Chelsea and I walk through the local market. Every Saturday locals set up shops and sell their goods in a field by the center of town.

1:30PM – head home for green grams and rice! We are so spoiled!

3:30PM – second run! I don’t usually double after a long run, but I missed a couple of doubles during the week because I was sick. I take Chelsea through my favorite route in the Singore forest.

Watch data: 4.83miles in 41:23 (avg page: 8:34). Elevation gain: 341ft

5:30PM – Julia comes over to hangout with Chelsea and I!

6:30PM – YouTube interview with Greg White (watch it here).

7:30PM – dinner – chapati (a slightly sweet, thick and airy tortilla-like African staple. it’s typically dipped in stew, but it tastes great plain too), kale, lentil, butternut squash soup, and my favorite fruit salad of banana, mango, pineapple, and avocado.

It’s not typical in Kenya to have dessert, but fruit salad is a great, healthy alternative. I believe in eating a diet rich in whole foods and a minimal amount of processed foods. In the US, I don’t usually eat very many simple carbs like bread and opt for something like a sweet potato instead, but in Kenya I eat like a local.

10:30PM – full belly and lights out!

Total daily mileage: 25 miles! Continue reading “The Runner Diaries — Allie Kieffer” →

A Look Back At 2017

On By idratherbestrongthanskinnyIn fitness trends, headlines, Inspiration, marathon training, race recap, runningLeave a comment

They say you shouldn’t look back — that what’s in the past should stay in the past; it’s there for a reason. Yet while it can be counterproductive to revisit the past in many contexts, it can also be a helpful exercise in growing and moving forward.

2017 was an interesting year, to say the least. Despite feeling stuck in a lot of ways, time progressed anyway. Things happened, deadlines came and went, and relationships grew and grew apart.  And now, the year is nearly over.

What I have to show for it all isn’t anything spectacular. It’s mostly etched in internet postings and race times. But I wanted to sit down and think about it all.

Below, you’ll find a significant story I wrote, blog post I published, or race/running-related result from 2017. Continue reading “A Look Back At 2017” →

The Runner Diaries — Neely Gracey

On By idratherbestrongthanskinnyIn fitness trends, food, Inspiration, marathon training, running, The Runner Diaries2 Comments

Welcome to The Runner Diaries, where we’re sharing a behind-the-scenes look into a week of training with runners of varying ages, paces and GPS coordinates. Get The Runner Diaries delivered to your inbox, here.

This week, we’re profiling Neely Gracey — a professional runner and coach with a longterm goal of competing in the 2020 Olympics. Her week explores her days in Boulder, Colorado as she balances her own training and recovery from an injury with her coaching business and spending time with her husband and their dog, Strider.

The Run Down

Name: Neely Gracey
Age: 27
Location: Boulder, CO (from Shippensburg, PA originally)
Occupation: Pro distance runner for Adidas, Coach and founder of Get Running, LLC
Training for: A strong year in 2018 and beyond! Gaining more experience at the marathon distance in hopes of being a contender for the 2020 Olympic team
Goal race: None on the calendar yet, as I️ I’m rebuilding from injury this fall
Coach: Steve Magness and my husband Dillon
How long have I been running? 14 Years! Since 8th grade
Goal mileage: Currently, 50. In peak training, 100 or so.
PRs: Mile 4:36; 5k 15:25; 10k 32:16; HM 1:09; Marathon 2:34

I was born while my dad was running the Boston Marathon. It wasn’t until 8th grade that I decided to become a runner and that switch flipped. I found joy in seeing effort produce success, and looking back, it is amazing how that one choice completely changed my life for the better! I was a four-time State Champ in high school, an eight-time NCAA Champ at Shippensburg University, and I turned pro right out of college. That brings me to the here and now: I’m a puppy mom of our vizsla, Strider. My husband Dillon and I love our life in Colorado soaking in the sun while running, biking, hiking and being outside! I started my coaching business Get Running in 2013, and it has grown steadily each year. I’ve become a better athlete since I started coaching because as I help my clients I remind myself of what my strengths and weaknesses are. I’m excited to have the opportunity to share my week with you!

Sunday 10/29 — Day 1

7:30am – Wake up, drink water. This is sleeping in for me, but it was a late night and I needed the extra hour plus!

8am – 30min spin to wake the body up. I make banana coffee cake to post on my blog (recipe link here) and clean the house.

11am – Head to the gym for core and aqua jog with the ladies. Every weekend I am home, a group of us runner girls meet for a pool session and social hour. It’s a fun way to flush out the legs for a new week of training.

1pm – Coaching meeting with a local client to recap on last season and set up the next goal. I usually meet at Precision Pours Craft Coffee shop, a local spot owned by a fellow DII runner. Gotta love the running community — and of course excellent coffee!

2pm – Stop at the grocery store to get produce for dinner.

3pm – Check emails while watching a movie with the hubs. We are in the process of re-watching all the Harry Potter movies in sequence.

5pm – I bike with Dillon for his run (I always prefer to run in the morning, but he doesn’t mind waiting until later in the day). I don’t necessarily count these bike rides as cross training since biking with someone who it running is relatively easy. But I do like the opportunity to get outside and spend time with my husband. Dillon and I ran in college together at Shippensburg University, and he was the first in the family to complete a marathon!

6pm – Make dinner. Final taste of summer with watermelon, carrots, pita, hummus, cheese platter, and Upstart Kombucha (a local Boulder brand) to wash it down.

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7pm – I work on coaching plans while Dillon watches football (he’s watching the Steelers so I have a teeny interest, despite my consistent lack of following any sport other than running).

8pm – I decide I’m bored with football so I go upstairs to bed and catch up on the show This Is Us while recording my training in my Believe I Am training log. I have a log for every year since 8th grade! I’m on Strava, and I sync my GPS watch to my training platform on the Final Surge, but I still like to have my written log too.

9pm – Bedtime

Daily Mileage: 0 running, 30min spin, 60min aqua jog, core

Monday 10/30 — Day 2

Motivation Monday! “The past is where we learn, the future is where we apply those lessons. Don’t give up in the middle.”

6:10am – My hub’s alarm goes off. Ugh. I’m still wanting to sleep. I lay there dozing until 6:30

6:45am – Coffee time with homemade banana coffee cake from yesterday while packing Dillon’s lunch.

7am – Dillon leaves and I unload the dishwasher, water all my plants (I only have succulents because I am not a green thumb at all and everything else dies. It is perfect because they only need a light watering once a week!), and start my pre-run exercises as I figure out what motivation Monday quote to post on social media (see quote at top… I loved this one and so did my followers on Instagram!)

8:30am – Go for my run with my super awesome runner mom friend Sara Vaughn. We ran on a new trail by her house I’ve never been on before, which was fun. I didn’t even mind that it was snow-raining. The time flew by because we were chatting. My shoes did get a little muddy, though (I train in the Adidas Energy Boost). I’m running 5ish miles per day at this point. Just easy. Sara ran with me, and then added on at the end.

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10am – Mobility class for stretching, rolling, and recovery followed by a plant protein PowerBar. I’m really bad at taking the time to stretch. I recently started going to this class once a week. It’s 50 minutes of foam rolling, stretching, and trigger point work. The time flies by and I am learning new techniques that I can use at home. My coach Steve Magness, is a big proponent of protein. Having 15grams 4-5 times throughout the day can aid in recovery.

11am – Go to Walmart on the way home to get candy for trick or treaters, (mostly chocolate so if there is any left over, it’s the kind I like!) and craft supplies to complete our costumes.

12pm – Core work with the Physio ball while watching This Is Us.

1pm – I get lunch with a friend/coaching client who just had a baby. Held the little guy and got my baby fix for the day! (I have baby fever, but I also have running goals. And they don’t exactly align at this point). It is a difficult situation, but I am still young and there isn’t a rush. Plus I do really love traveling and sleeping… two things that become greatly more challenging with children.

3pm – Chiro appt at Apex Chiropractic. Dr. Shane is awesome and really loves working with and supporting athletes. I find that seeing a Chiro consistently is very proactive work in keeping my body happy. Dr. Shane uses a technique called Torque Release that is a more gentle approach to Chiropractic and focused on increasing health within the nervous system.

3:30pm – Coaching client calls to discuss NYC marathon race strategy!

4pm – 30min XT (cross train) on the ElliptiGO in my home gym. I like working out on the trainer because of the consistent turnover and ability to control my effort better.

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4:30pm – Call with my new doc at SteadyMD to get set up for primary care via online. Since I travel so often, this is really helpful for me, and Dr. Josh specializes in runners, which is even better!

5pm – Dillon gets home. Time to bundle up so I can bike along with him for his run. He usually goes as soon as he gets home from work and it’s a nice time for us to spend together and chat about the day.

6pm – Shower,

6:30pm – Make dinner. We have salad — going healthy after the weekend! Dinner is usually our bigger meal of the day. Usually it consists of a combination of plants, proteins, and carbs. We don’t follow any set dietary protocol, but I grew up with an emphasis on healthy eating, and I like to incorporate lots of good “real” food into our meals.

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7pm – Watch HP 2 with friends while I make our Halloween costumes.

10pm – Bedtime! (If I can sleep since I might have crazy nightmares about those spiders in the forbidden forest… I hate spiders!)

Daily Mileage: 5 miles running, 90min elliptiGO, core, physical therapy

Tuesday 10/31 — Day 3 

5:45am – Wake up! And don’t want to get out of bed, but I have a busy day and planned to meet a friend early for a run.

5:55am – Let Strider out to eat and pee. As usual she is so thrilled to see us, every morning she acts like she hasn’t seen us in years instead of hours. (Anyone else relate with their pups?)

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6:05am – Start my pre run exercises. My routine changes based on what my strength coach thinks I need to work on. Usually it consists of foam rolling, glute work with the theraband, ankle and thorasic mobility, and hip opening exercises.

6:15am – Pack Dillon’s lunch and say goodbye as he cooks himself breakfast in his work Halloween costume of Adam Levine.

6:27am – Head out the door in the dark and 28-degree weather for my run. Jog towards my friend and we get in our mileage. I am not a fan of running in the dark, but with a friend, it’s way better.

7:30am – Finish run and right into 30 minutes on the ElliptiGO ride for extra aerobic work. I wouldn’t typically do this if I was in full training. I would utilize the ElliptiGO for second training sessions replacing a run in the afternoon instead. I really like running, and I don’t love cross training. But the ElliptiGO is my GO-to (see what I did there?) for cross training. It most similarly mimics running, just without the impact. Recovering from injuries is always a slow and frustrating process and is challenging mentally. I find if I can do an hour a day of exercise then that helps keep my spirits up! I keep the same routine and cross train the same time I would run so I have a sense of normalcy to my day.

8:10am – Make a coaching call since a client needed a workout switched around.

8:30am – Rinse off and put on makeup to look awake

9am – Breakfast and coffee while watching TV.

10-12am – Back-to-back coaching calls with former, current, and new clients. I am capped at 75. This is a good number for me work with because I like to be available to my athletes and able to individualize training. Being my own boss is great because I’m completely in charge of my schedule. I do like having a few hours each day that I sit down and work so that my mind isn’t focused solely on my own training.

12:45pm – Hot yoga at Core Power. This is only my second hot yoga class but I loved them both.

2pm – Revo PT gait analysis to look at biomechanics and go over all sorts of imbalances and exercises to correct them. The tendonitis injury I am recovering from resulted from a form issue. I have a protocol for strengthening and loosening specific areas  for me to get my stride  more efficient.

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4pm – Head home and stop at the grocery store and liquor store to prep for Halloween festivities.

5pm – Get home and start making dinner, carving pumpkin for wine dispenser, getting candy out, and changing the fambam into costumes (we were a pumpkin patch!). Since I am in the off season from racing, a few drinks is nothing I worry over — though I choose to not drink often during the racing season.

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6pm – Hang with friends on the porch singing along to the Taylor Swift station, handing out candy and glow sticks to kids, and pouring wine for parents. We just moved into a new neighborhood, so this holiday was a fun way to meet our neighbors!

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8pm – It gets cold so we go inside. I check emails while we chat with friends.

9:30pm – Off to bed!

Daily Recap: 5.25 miles running, lifting, TRX, physical therapy

Wednesday 11/1 — Day 4

5:45am – Hubby alarm goes off. Anddddddd I sleep until he’s done getting ready for work.

6:30am – Start coffee.

7am – Answer emails.

7:30am – Get some chores out of the way — put out the trash, compost the pumpkins, run the dishwasher.

8am – Do pre run exercises.

8:15am – Start my run outside. Despite it being super windy, I opted to get out vs log miles on the treadmill because the temps were warmish and I know treadmill runs are on the horizon. Good thing I have a brand new Proform 9000 treadmill to rock out some winter mileage on. I ran solo and focused on form and breathing rhythm.

9:30am – Quick turn around and leave for lifting.

10am – Stop at Panera because I have a free bagel every day this month and needed a coffee 🙂

10:30am – Lifting at Rally Sport in Boulder with my new strength coach, fellow PA/DII guy, Joe.

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11:30am – Spin bike aerobic XT while posting on social media about my gait analysis at Revo Lab yesterday.

12:30pm – Shower.

1pm – Lunch in the car

1:15pm – Altitude PT in Boulder to see Dr. Cranny for ultrasound and tissue work on my foot and calf. I see him every week to help with recovery.

2pm – Check Petsmart and Michael’s for post Halloween sales on costumes for Strider for next year. No luck, such a bummer!

3pm – Home to grab a snack and prep for coaching meeting.

3:30pm – Call client and discuss next block of training!

4pm – TRX routine. One of my favorite strength workouts! My standard routine is core with the physio ball on Monday, TRX on Tuesday, lifting on Wednesday, bosu ball/kettle bell core on Thursday, lifting on Friday, nothing other than a run on Saturday, and core at the rec center with their various machines on Sunday. My routines are typically 15-30 minutes long.

4:30pm – Chat with Dillon while he drives home to keep me entertained while stretching. I need to get more consistent with this recovery aspect of training. The little details make a big difference!

5pm – Dillon gets home and I bike with him for his run as usual. Even though it’s a little on the cold side!

6pm – Dinner of roasted sweet potato, the last of the watermelon, grilled chicken, and salad

7-9pm – Watch our shows (Modern Family, The Goldbergs) while working on coaching plans and responding to emails.

9:30pm — Bedtime! Except then I realize the 3 loads of laundry I did earlier need to be folded since I just dumped them on the bed. Soooooooo bedtime gets postponed for a few minutes more to get that done.

Daily Recap: 1.5mi run, 60min elliptiGO, barre class

Thursday 11/2 — Day 5

5:45am- Alarm goes off. Hubby decides to sleep until 6:15a yay!

6:30am – Make coffee and start the day

7-8am – ElliptiGO workout on trainer including 15-minutes tempo, 10-minutes tempo, 7.5-minutes tempo, 5-minutes tempo

8:30am– Pure Barre class that kicked my butt (literally, super sore glute/hammies) and also solid core work!

10am – Panera for free bagel and coffee while conducting a coaching call with a new client! I love sharing my ideas of how to help someone work towards their goals.

11am – Pick up a friend’s dog who we are watching for the next four days. Then they’ll take Strider for the week while we are in Europe.

11:30am – Get home and let the dogs play while I shower and prep for my afternoon of filming a promo video.

1pm – Video shoot begins, we start with the interview for voice over. Talking about running, injuries, goals, and what gets me out the door! A local producer named Brandon who owns Steelrock Films wants to transition to athletic filming promos for brands and athletes. He needed to build his portfolio and put a request out on our local Facebook group page. A few people in the area recommended me, and he reached out! You can see the teaser on my Instagram @neelysgracey.

3pm- Grab a snack between shoots.

6pm – Done! It’s freezing cold so I head home for a hot shower, soup, and tea. It was a fun day, and I can’t wait to see the photos and videos in my new Adidas gear and Adios racing flats.

7pm – Wanted to get some coaching work done tonight but I’m too tired, so I opt for some stretching while we watch the 3rd HP movie. Just the night I needed; cuddles with the hubs and Strider.

9:30pm – Finished logging my diary since I haven’t updated all day. Time for bed once I document my training in my log.

Daily Recap: 5.75 miles running, lift, 30-min spin

Friday 11/3 — Day 6

5:45am – Alarm

6:10am – Get up

6:30am – I make avocado toast for myself and Dillon before kissing him goodbye and starting to answer emails.

7:30am – Do pre run exercises.

7:55am – Leave the house to meet my friend Kristen Zaitz for a run. She had a baby last spring, and is such a fun person to run with. I love hearing about her transition from pro running to bring a rock star mom.

9:15am – Head to Boulder post run to get in some XT and stretching before lifting at Rally Sport

10:30am – Lifting sesh with coach Joe. I love just showing up not knowing what to expect! He keeps it fast-paced and exciting so I don’t get bored of repetition. We worked hard today, a few of the lifts were pretty maxed out. Helps me feel Accomplished!

12pm – Shower and run errands.

1pm – Head home and make a coaching call on the way to discuss racing strategy for the NYC marathon.

2pm – Work on training plans and start packing for trip to Europe next week. Dillon and I plan 1-2 trips a year during a down period of training/racing so we can have cool experiences traveling the world together. This fall we are going to Sweden, Denmark, and Norway.

4pm – Phone consultation with a new client (I’m filling up quickly! Only a few more spots left for spring training).

4:45pm – Bike with Dillon on his run. Perfect fall evening weather and we saw the little family of great horned owls that live in our neighborhood! I love animals, and one of my favorite things about running is seeing wildlife.

5:45pm – Make dinner. Salad with grilled chicken for me and steamed cauliflower and chicken for dillon. We are running low on fresh groceries because we will be gone for a week and I didn’t want things going bad.

6pm – Watch The Good Doctor while eating.

7pm – Turn on HP 4, and relax. I’m feeling a little under the weather and need to chill

9:45pm – Bedtime!

Daily Recap: 5 miles running, 60min aquajog, physical therapy

Saturday 11/4 — Day 7

6:45am – No alarm day! I wake up on my own anyway at 6:45. I always try to sleep in on Saturdays in case I need the extra rest

8am – Lace up the shoes, attach new lacelockers to keep them tied, and run with a friend and Dillon. I felt tired and under the weather. This may have been one of those runs that I didn’t appreciate each step and would have loved to just stop. But having friends and Dillon to run with kept me going and I am thankful I got it in.

9am – Stop at the house and grab the bike to ride the rest of the way with our friend so he could get in his long run.

10am – Finish at Precision Pours coffee shop for breakfast and caffeine.

10:45am – Aqua jog with two of my coaching clients/friends for girl talk and cross training. We meet on Saturday instead of Sunday this weekend because the NYC marathon is tomorrow and we will have a long morning watching that!

12pm – I go home and take strider for a walk, get mail, run the dishwasher, and finish packing for our trip. We are going to Europe for a week! Sweden, Denmark, and Norway. It was initially my post NYC Marathon vacation, but since I wasn’t able to race, it’s just a fun fall trip to explore a part of the world we haven’t been to before. Dillon went to the office to get work done before we leave so I had the afternoon to myself to be productive too.

1pm – Coaching call with client to discuss plan for Houston marathon prep.

1:30p – Work on emails, prep for Monday’s guest blog entry on my website, answer texts

3pm – Do errands.

5pm – Make dinner, Dillon gets home

6pm – Watch HP 4 while doing my PT exercises and stretches

9pm – Go to bed! (Super exciting Saturday night)

Daily Recap: 6 miles running, core, physical therapy, massage, dry needling

Total weekly mileage: 28.5 miles running

A Look Backs — Thoughts On The Week

In reflection, this was a typical week with the layout of morning training/ lifting twice a week, and routine core and XT to supplement. Right now, I am recovering from some post tibialis tendonitis that prevented me from racing this fall. I feel good, just being very patient and slow with the build up back to training and fitness. This week, I ran around 30 miles, but in a normal week of training, I am usually between 80-100. Thank you for reading, and please reach out with questions! I can be reached at neelyruns@gmail.com or on social media channels @NeelySGracey

About Neely Gracey

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Neely is a professional runner and run coach living in Boulder, CO. She made her marathon debut at the Boston Marathon in 2016, finishing in 2:35 — securing her spot as the top American, and placing ninth overall. Learn more about Neely on The Mighty Goods.

Inspiring Words From MEB Before The Marathon

On By idratherbestrongthanskinnyIn Inspiration, marathon training, running, The New York City MarathonLeave a comment

The New York City Marathon is this Sunday, which means New York City is buzzing with excitement (and I’m sure, a LOT of pre-race jitters). What’s even better is that a lot of elite runners are in town to celebrate the days leading up to the big race, including Meb Keflezighi, who will be running his 26th (and final) marathon this Sunday. I’ve had the honor of meeting with the American athlete, Olympian and 2014 Boston Marathon winner in the past, but took special pride in listening to what he had to say in front of a packed room at Custom Performance Physical Therapy Wednesday evening, and at his retirement party at Jack Studios in partnership with Epson on Thursday night.

On Wednesday, Meb had a Q&A-style interview with Gary Muhrcke, the winner of New York City’s first marathon in 1970 (he ran a 2:31:39), Keflezighi. At Epson, a similar format with a different host ensued. He answered questions about his own training as well as dished out advice to fellow runners in attendance. As always, I was awed by Meb’s fun-loving attitude and humble demeanor — especially right before such a big race!

Here are the biggest takeaways from the event.

The Swag IS Worth It

Perhaps my favorite story that Meb told us was that he came to learn he had a self-described God-given talent because he was bribed with a t-shirt. His seventh grade physical education teacher promised anyone in the class who ran a 6:15-minute or less mile would get a free t-shirt, and an A in the class. I smiled at this story, and think that a LOT of runners can relate. We all do some pretty questionable things for swag.

Preparation Is The Key To Success

“It’s not what you do in two hours of practice, but what you do to care for yourself in the next 22 hours,” Meb explained, emphasizing the importance of recovery. “Do things diligently, day in and day out.”

Meb Didn’t Begin Running Marathons Until He Was 27

As a recent 28-year-old, this gives me hope that my running journey is just beginning.

Encourage More People To Join The Sport

Meb encouraged everyone in attendance to invite others to join the sport of running.  “We always remember who brought us to the sport,” he explained. “Encourage others to join you.

Take Comfort In The Crowd

Meb draws inspiration from other runners as he races. “My mantra? I know I’m hurting. That person next to me must be hurting as well. I want it it to hurt more.”

The Ideal Pre-Race Dinner? Spaghetti & Meatballs

At least, that’s what Meb’s mom used to make him before big races when he was growing up.

It’s OK (and Normal) To Fail Before You Succeed

“So many people I know or have read about failed many times on the road to becoming the best they could be. It’s not how many times you fall, it’s how many times you get back up.”

POST-RACE UPDATE

Meb finished 11th at Sunday’s Race in 2 hours, 15 minutes, 29 seconds. He may not have made his goal to be in the top 10, but he certainly gave New Yorkers an inspiring victory lap.