Pacing Workout and Nutrition

I think today because my legs still aren't fully under me again I will run an out and back six miler, with the back being about a minute faster. I like those sort of workouts to work on my pacing. To me it is very important to be able to know about what mile time you are running at any given time. It will help you immensely in races, know your body, it is essential especially in races over 5k.
In regards to nutrition, the main thing I try to focus on is self control and not putting too much crap in my stomach. Yes, allow yourself desert or some junk food every now and then, but make it a treat. If you never eat the stuff, then someday you might give into a craving and the train may fall of the tracks because you've denied yourself for so long. I don't eat amazingly healthy, like all organic stuff or by making myself intricate meals, I just make sure I get a generally well balanced meal as often as possible. In general just avoid the stuff you know is bad, don't calorie count, just stop eating when you are full, not stuffed.

Workout

Today there will be a splended 8 mile run that will begin my training towards my next race. I think my recovery is over after this year's Chicago Marathon. I took a full week off, then eased back into running with several easy four miles the next, and this week I am builing up mileage slowly again. Always do weithlifting to help avoid injuries, I also found swimming to be an excellent way to take care of my back especially.

Motivation That Has Worked For You

In my brief story I made the point of showing that I needed motivation, a challenge to set forth for myself that I could not back down from. I did that by registering for a marathon and as a result I have given myself something that I can truly be proud of. Small accomplishments kept me going through the training period. I would set goals for myself such as being able to run a 6:00 minute mile or be able to run over ten miles in a day by a certain date. I am not a great runner I just really enjoy doing it, its simple and I use it as a way to meditate and relax. Let me know some of your stories out there and your thoughts and ideas on running?

The Why

This page is for all running types from beginner to elite. You can use this to tell stories of races and workouts or to share diet and motivation plans. It is to help runners connect with others for sharing tips and ideas on anything involving getting in shape and running.

Running and Motivation

I am from Glen Ellyn, IL which is one of the west suburbs of Chicago. I went to the University of Missouri - Columbia and my running career has since been full of 5Ks, 10Ks, and four marathons. Running has been a part of my life since my big sister took me to a park district race in the third grade. It was only a three-quarter of a mile race, but I fell in love with the challenge of overcoming my brain telling me to, "stop you fool it hurts!". I would continue to run in high school and discover the team aspect of the sport and the relationships that develop between runners despite the very individualistic nature of the sport. I would go to college and play a lot of baseball during my four years, putting running on the sidelines. It wasn't until the end of my junior year in college that I realized I needed to bring running back into my life. I had gained over 20 pounds since high school and could barely huff and puff out a 7:30 mile. I first tried running just to get in shape, a few mile here, some slow-fast halves there; I was lacking motivation. I needed something to drive me, to give me no choice but to run, so I decided to give myself the painful goal of finishing the 2006 Chicago Marathon. By just signing myself up and paying the fee, I knew I had just found a way to recommit myself to a sport that had long since left my life. I knew I couldn't drop out of the race, everyday I would look at the calender and have a little panic come over me, and everyday that panic would grow. That panic got my butt outside to run no matter what the weather. By signing up for something so significant to me I totally altered my life. Running got my life on a schedule, it helped me drink less, it helped me lose weight, it motivated me to eat better, and it made me happier. I was finally paying closer attention to what I was doing to my body. I am not saying that I became a health nut, but I did begin paying a lot better attention. All this change and knowledge about myself has stuck with me since then and after finishing the 2006 Chicago Marathon in 3 hours 38 minute I went on to complete 3 more marathons; St Louis 2007, Chicago 2007, and Chicago 2008. What once was used as a weight loss/get in shape tool, has once again become a passion of mine. Although, I still can find it hard on certain days to give myself motivation to get out there and run; it is a very highly mental sport that can be difficult to overcome. I guess the trick for everyone is finding their own motivating factor and looking themselves in the mirror or at the calender to remind themselves of it daily.