Running: How I Started Running II

Did another long run Saturday morning.  You ever find yourself staring longingly at the roads while you’re driving and imagine yourself running them instead?  Embarrassingly enough, I do.  More often than I’d like to admit, too.
Saturday I finally ran the roads I’d been dreaming about and they kicked my tail.  The first 4 miles were so tough, my legs felt tired and I dropped from an 8:30 pace down to a 10:10 pace.  Those durn hills!

My mind started playing tricks on me and I felt like I needed to use the restroom.  stupid, stupid.  I talked myself out of the mental bathroom I had created and just pushed on, to mile 5, mile 6 and by that time I was feeling, like, completely amazing.  My legs loosened up and the roads got a bit easier.  How did I get to 7 miles so quickly??  I literally ran like a banshee through that last mile and was kickin’ happy to reach my destination.  Got a few bugs in my teeth for the smile on my face.  It was no matter though.  Oh, did I mention that I had no idea how long my route was to be?  I picked a spot on the map and just ran…try it.

But on to more tips and tricks.
Before my runs, my really long ones, I make sure I’m hydrated.  A couple days before I’m set to run I drink and drink and drink.  Water.  I make sure my diet includes very little meat and a lot of carbs.  Pasta or breads )   Salads are good too.  Too much meat does a number on the intestines.  No joke.  From all those carbs I get what I need for my brain and body to function.  The sugars in those carbs keep me fueled and away from feeling physically and mentally fatigued.
If you’re planning to run more than 75 minutes, make sure you bring along some water, to sip, and maybe some shot bloks, or a protein bar to nibble.  Otherwise, it’s safe to just rely on the glycogen our body has stored up to get you through your run.  No need, really to eat before your 3 mile, 5 mile or even 6 mile run (depending on the pace you keep).

The key to keeping your body healthy, and I’m just learning about all this myself, is proper foods, stretching, hydration, proper running form and rest.  My knees KILL me after a longer run if I haven’t a maintained proper running form.  My shoulders are low and loose, back is comfortably straight, no leaning forward or hunching.  Knees don’t lie.   I can immediately tell if I was slacking on my form as soon as I stop running.
As far as which vitamins to take, I’m not sure there is a set rule on this.  I do know, however, that a healthy diet of whole foods can give what is needed to help maintain your body.  Find foods rich in calcium, for your bones, iron, for fatigue, and sodium and other electrolytes.  I do take fish oil, as a standard, however.

Hope this helps!  If you’re looking for support from other mother runners, please consider hooking up with the ladies over at “Run Like a Mother: The Book” on FB.  What a wonderful group of fellow mother runners.