"Life's Too Short To Even Care At All"

T- Minus 12 days till my second full marathon in Savannah! This time around, training has been tough for me. I have been following a harder training regimen with a spontaneous schedule. I have a hard time coping with the idea of detouring off the original training plan to suit my schedule. I see a guide to follow, and I tell myself I must follow the guide to a T. However, through all my studies of exercise and adaption, I know not everyone is the same and extra rest is absolutely acceptable. Remember a training guide is simply a guide. It's the base to your training. It's not your life and don't captivate yourself in the technicalities. The closer a race gets, the more fatigued and exhausted you become. That's a sign you may be close to over-training and it's time to start your tapering. The last 4, or so, months you have worked your butt off training for the race, and there is no need to risk injury at this point. Tapering is the time all runners look forward to during training. It's the break in training that feels like it couldn't have come at a better time! Your weekly mileage decreases steadily but drastically. It may be difficult at first to take the must needed rest. You go from being always active to moderately active. Some runners feel like they are doing something wrong and a little "bum like". Enjoy the rest because your body needs it. The idea is to let your body rest before the race. When race day comes around you will feel fresh, rejuvenated, and ready to run those 26.2 miles! During this time, focus on moderate exercise, good nutrition, and hydration! You won't be eating a much as you were when running 40 miles a week, so don't over eat! Staying hydrated is key to running your best race! Always have water with you throughout the day. Remember to relax and get excited to showcase all your hard work in the next couple weeks! Happy Tapering!

Battle womb of a 20 miler

Battle womb #2 from a 20 miler

                               

Training Exercise: Foam Rolling. Foam rolling is a great way to increase blood flow to all your muscles. It may feel a little uncomfortable the first time rolling because tightness that hasn't been worked out in your muscles. The breaking of the muscle fascia (the connective tissue that is on top of the muscles) mimics the feeling of a deep tissue massage. Breaking the fascia helps increase blood flow to the muscles, reduces soreness/tightness, and may increase flexibility. Try foam rolling before and after a workout and/or hard run. You will feel better and will have a new addiction. 

Basic Foam Rolling:

• Pick a muscle you want to roll. You can roll your upper back, shoulders, hamstrings, quadriceps, IT band, and even your calves. 
• We will use your hamstrings as the example: While sitting on the floor, place the foam roller under on of your legs while your hamstrings are rested on the roller. 
• Lift your hips off the ground, using your hands to support you. One leg will be on the roller. 
• Now walk your leg up and down the roller with your hands behind you. As you roll you will feel the tissue breaking up in your hamstrings. 
• Roll until you feel it is acceptable. Then switch legs and then muscles. 

Hamstring Foal Rolling Position

*You can also use a tennis ball or golf ball to break up the muscle fascia as well. Instead of rolling on the ball you will apply pressure on the ball in your hand and move it up and down, as you would with foam rolling. 

Training Tip: Rest is just as important to training as the actual running. It allows your body to recover from the constant pounding and stress you have applied on your muscles and bones weekly. The impact of running (or working out) breaks down muscles fibers in order to build the muscles up and make stronger. The rest period is when the muscle fibers build back up in strength. If rest is never taken, then the muscles remain in a stage of fatigue and more harm can be caused than good. Depending on your training regimen your tapering period may be longer or shorter than others. It's all based on an individual basis. You know your body best, so if you feel like you need an extra day of rest, take it. If you feel like you need an extra week of tapering before the race, take it. 

Training Songs: Many people ask me what gets me through 20 miles and all those long runs?! My answer: Good tunes within numerous genres! You need the ups and downs!  Enjoy!

1. Cough Syrup- Young The Giant 

2. Dedication of My Ex- Lloyd ft. Andre 3000

3. Slow Down Baby- Christina Aguilera 

4. Sound of Freedom- Bob Sinclair

5. Sexy and I Know It- LMFAO 

RR (Runner's Roux) Lagniappe: Healthy eating is just as important as exercise! On that note, I competed in the Southeastern regional Aetna Healthy Food Fight competition at Taste of Atlanta. I cooked my delicious and healthy Pumpkin Butternut Squash Chili with Turkey. It's a very hearty, healthy, and Fall comfort dish! It was my first time in a cooking competition, and I had a blast cooking for the judges, head chef, and festival-goers! Remember a healthy person makes a happy person! :-) 

Ready to be judged!

Happy Running, 

Jayme Bergeron, BS

ACSM Health Fitness Specialist 

4:13:19

I ran a marathon? 26.2 miles? Me, really? I sure did, and it was the hardest thing I have ever done in my 23 years of life. Call me crazy, but I'm ready for the next one. People always ask "why" I want to run a marathon. Responding with "I love to run" seems to add to my insanity. I find pleasure out of pushing my body beyond what I know it is capable of doing. Completing a marathon, or even a half marathon, provides a sense of accomplishment that is indescribable. If you train properly, have an overwhelming sense of dedication, and a high threshold for pain I recommend training for a marathon. You won't be disappointed. Just remember it does require A LOT of time and effort.

A Few Memories from ING Marathon- March 21, 2010

Marathon-ing Tips

• Dedicate enough time to complete 20-40 miles a week of running.
• Trim your toenails to help minimize bruising or breaking of your nails.
• Remember the first 3 miles are always tough due to your body adapting to the increase in heart rate, blood pressure, stroke volume, and more dorky physiological things. Just take my word.
• Don't over dress. 26.2 miles is a long way. You're going to warm up. Wear enough clothes so that when you are at rest you feel a little chilly, but not too warm. If it's summer time, I recommend wearing the least amount of clothing possible to help your body heat escape and aid in cooling.
• Hydrate yourself. After about 45 minutes of running, water shouldn't be your first choice. Drink a sports drink to help refuel your muscles. It is good to drink water, but remember to incorporate a sports drink. This will help avoid/delay muscle cramps. When running a marathon, I recommended after mile 10 to get you a sip of some sort of sports drink at each hydration station. Remember, to not over do it. Don't consume too much of a drink so that you feel the liquid bouncing as you run.
• Hills are everyone's worst enemy. That's all I have to say on that.
• The last 6 miles really are the hardest. You just ran 20 miles, now finish strong with one last 10k. At this point in the race it is a mental thing. Stay positive and keep truckin' on.
• For a marathon there will be spots of little to no cheering support. Don't let it get to you. You need the support at those moments, but try focusing on something different. Admire the scenery, sing to your music, or find something to count and make a game out of it. Just keep your mind active.
• Have fun! Enjoy the run and stay positive. You're running a marathon for god's sake! :)
• Refuel once you cross the finish line. After you receive your medal and show it off, of course. All your energy sources will be depleted at the end of the race so start consuming carbohydrates and proteins to re-energize your muscles. Consumption should take place no longer than 30-40 minutes after you stop running.
• As much as you don't want to keep walking. Walking will help keep your blood from pooling and aid in redistributing the blood back to normal. Just walk it out, even if you do look crippled.

Marathon-ing Tip/ Exercise of the Week: Rest, roll, and stretch. Let your muscles rest after running 26.2 miles. This may be for a week, two, or even three. It all depends on how hard and long you ran. Your muscles just went through a lot of wear and tear, let them rest and rebuild. Roll your muscles on a foam roller or get a massage. This will help keep blood from pooling and work out an knots. You want to keep your muscles loose to help blood flow through out your sore muscles. WARNING: It's going to hurt, but it's worth it. Stretch after the marathon. Your muscles are going to be tight, maybe tighter than they ever have been. Start slow and work your way down creating a more intense stretch. You want to keep your muscles loose not only to help with blood flow, but always to aid in every day tasks. These three techniques will aid in a speedy recovery so you won't miss out on too much exercise. However, don't push yourself to start running too soon. Let your muscles rest. It's for the best. :)

Marathon-ing Songs of the Week: My marathon playlist consisted of a wide variety of music. I think it's important to incorporate different genres for long runs to avoid getting bored. Enjoy!

1. 1901- Phoenix

2. Skinny Little Bitch- Hole

3. Lay Me Down- Dirty Heads ft. Rome

4. Welcome To The World- Kevin Rudolf

5. My Drink n' My 2 Step- Cassidy

6. Strange- Reba McEntire

7. Give Me The Meltdown- Rob Thomas

8. Can You Tell- Ra Ra Riot

9. Lose Control- Missy Elliot ft. Ciara and Fatman Scoop

10. Dancing Nancies- DMB

Upcoming Events:

Countdown to the Atlanta Live DOW Run For Water:

20 Days (April 18, 2010)

Countdown to the AJC Peachtree Road Race:

July 4, 2010

Happy Running,
Jayme

Live.Run.Turkey... I mean PIE.

Live: It's the holiday season which means it's marathon mania, lots of food is to be consumed, and surroundings consist of family and friends. Being surrounded by family and friends brings a sense of comfort to people. Enjoy your time with your loved ones, all the great food, and go for a run.

Run: The Atlanta Half Marathon, which was on Thanksgiving, was a great start to a wonderful day! Ross and I not only accomplished a personal best of 1:49, but also made plenty of room for all the scrumptious food! I'm so proud to say we had such an awesome race. He's got the speed, and I got the distance. We make a great team. If you love to run, I recommend finding a race for next year's Thanksgiving. The atmosphere is different than any other half, and it beats watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade on TV. Just remember to keep running and exercise during the holiday season to help keep off those unwanted pounds. Below is a picture of Ross and I after the half.

Turkey PIE: Forget the turkey, pass the pie! After running 13.1 miles on Thanksgiving the pie and dessert eating was on! I've stated in previous blogs that motivation is key to being successful during training for a race. My motivation consisted of eating guilt free after completing the half, and I did just that! I made oatmeal raisin cookies, pumpkin cheesecake, and a pumpkin cake roll for the festivities. That's where we will leave my list of sweets that were consumed.

Thanksgiving is over and now it's time to start training for Atlanta ING Full Marathon. Only 112 days to go till our first marathon! It's important to let your legs rest after completing a half or full. The rule of thumb for rest depends on the runner. I recommend if you are new to running to rest for a couple of days after the race. Then gradually build back up your mileage. However, if you are an experienced runner, or been running longer distance than the training guide for a half then rest will be less. You know your body best so pay attention to any signs of fatigue or weakness.

Training Exercise of the Week: Stretch. Remember to stretch your legs more than normal for a few days after a race. Your legs are more likely to feel sore or tight.

• Stretch your legs in 2-3 different positions. I recommend standing, sitting, and lying down.
• Stretch your quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles.
• Hold your stretch for 30-60 seconds.
• Repeat each stretch 2-3 times per muscle group.

Training Tip of the Week: Don't take too much time off for rest. It's important to take time off to let your muscles heal and rest. However, I don't recommended more than a week off of running. If you take too much time off your body will start to lose the adaptation you had built during all your hard months of training. If you still feel sore after a week slowly build your mileage back up. Remember the more time you take off the longer it will take to build your endurance back to baseline.

Training Songs of the Week: Two songs that will help add a bounce in your step. Enjoy!

1. Slumdog Millionaire- Wyclef Jean ft. Cyndi Lauper

2. Super Duper Love- Joss Stone

Happy Running,

Jayme