Mid-March marathon mementos

The running gear is in the wash and I have guzzled a cold bottle of chocolate milk after the run home. It has been a full day. Eight hours at the desk working with a quick scramble to the gym for a treadmill workout, a run to work in the morning and a tired run home where I keep a decent pace over wet and snowy sidewalks caps off a 29K day.

I am pushing myself as hard as I can for a marathon PB at the 2014 Ottawa marathon in May by tapping into experts and trying to train properly.

So, I am in a pair of compression tights and relaxing while waiting to get some food into me. I am writing today about some marathon training mementos I can pass on.

With the Ottawa Marathon creeping up quickly, here are some things you should take note of.

Some of the stuff I’ve learned so far:

1) The importance of building up to high mileage. Your body will break otherwise.

2) Sleep, and lots of it. A minimum of eight hours a night. It’s too hard to get up or recover if you don’t get a full night of rest.

3) Stretching is a necessity. You have to keep things stretched out. Your body really takes a pounding.

4) You need to be organized and disciplined to get workouts and mileage in.

5) Being hydrated and eating properly is essential. I’m burning calories at an outrageous rate.

6) Have confidence in a good training plan.

7) Don’t hesitate to ask questions. I’ve been asking all the experts I can.

8) Be flexible and listen to your body. A plan or coach cannot hear what your body is saying.

9) Stay motivated – watch movies, youtube or do whatever works for you.

10) Keep having fun. Remember, you like running.

I have tried some great cereals for fueling me in the morning and am now looking to see if I can find the best option for after a workout or run, perhaps instead of my chocolate milk.

If you want to see me grunting and wheezing during a race this spring, I will be at the Toronto Yonge Street 10K and the Montreal half-marathon in April. Wave hello if you see me.

150K weeks may sound crazy but you do adapt and I’m feeling strong. It is, I think, about being ready for big miles, training properly, building up to it and having a plan that gives you easier weeks, too.

It’s been fun so far but there have been a few Sunday mornings where I cursed the thought of my long run and would have preferred to just laze around in bed. I have also been eating well but will admit to eating a few oreo cookies, pizza slices and maybe a few other goodies here and there.

When not writing about my marathon madness, I am always in search of new and interesting stories from other Canadian runners.

See you on the roads or in the blogosphere. Run with feeling – we are creatures of passion.

Do you have a story to tell?

Runningwriter@hotmail.com

You can also follow me on Twitter (@NoelPaine) or on my personal blog where I have more information, training information from my quest for a marathon PB.

Also giving away a New Balance jacket to one lucky Twitter follower in March. My way of giving back.