Single-Session Workouts for Marathoners

Why training once a day can work to your advantage...

When 24-year-old Yuki Kawauchi became the first Japanese runner to cross the finish line at this year’s Tokyo Marathon (2:08:37, third overall), race officials were left scratching their heads.

Who was this guy? Did he, an amateur runner who had previously run 2:12 despite holding down a nine-hour-a-day job while training for the marathon, really just outrun an entire field of full-time, triple-digit-mileage-logging Japanese pros?

He did.

Now that Kawauchi’s story is well-known, one thing that sticks out about it is his training in the lead-up to Tokyo: He turned himself into a 2:08 marathoner by maximizing single-session runs. In Kawauchi’s case — an unsponsored office worker holding down a full-time job — following the traditional elite marathoner’s playbook of accumulating 120-plus weekly miles through multiple “doubles” spaced evenly throughout the week simply wasn’t possible.

Kawauchi didn’t have the time.

Comparing his training log to that of most other full-time marathoners, one thing stands out: mileage. Kawauchi only manages to run about 373 miles a month — about half the amount his professional counterparts log. His weekly schedule was incredibly simple: one long run (22–28 miles), one speed session, and one trail run in the mountains; the rest of his runs were timed at 70 to 100 minutes.

That’s it.

Was Kawauchi onto something here? Since most runners don’t have the luxury of sponsorship and are usually too busy to regularly fit doubles into their regimen, should they take the Kawauchi approach to marathon training? What are the benefits of maximizing singles for marathoners? What are the potential pitfalls?

Before answering those questions, it’s important to understand the changes that the body undergoes when it runs for a long period of time once a day. Marathon Performance Training Group’s elite coach Brad Hudson says the magic number to hit in a single run is 80 minutes. “A lot of the science shows that once you reach the 80-minute mark, there is a bigger benefit in endurance enzymes made.” Hudson notes that studies have shown that the differences of enzymatic production from 60 to 80 minutes are enormous.

Long singles also make you a stronger runner. The longer amount of time spent during one session increases the flow of blood to the muscles. Ligaments and tendons are strengthened; capillaries grow and more oxygen can be delivered to the working muscles. Additionally, completing training in singles allows the body more rest. “When you are doing singles, you are giving the body a full 24 hours of rest,” Hudson points out.

As a coach, Hudson typically has his marathoners doing just two of these single runs a week — the rest of the sessions are doubles. But he says that for most runners looking to complete 70 miles and below a week, all singles is the way to go. “As our runners try to increase their volume into the 90- and even 100-mile range, we have to start including doubles,” he says. “But we still take advantage of the 80-minute rule for our doubles, where we will have one of the runs at 10 miles or more.”

One of Hudson’s athletes who fits this bill is former Penn State All-American Tyler McCandless, who recently PR'd at Grandma’s Marathon (2:17:09). McCandless says that Hudson has him running 130 miles a week, of which 90–100 are singles. “In marathon training, the longer single runs are important. They build mental toughness to handle ‘grinding out’ the miles in the marathon,” he says.

Another benefit that takes place during the long single is that you burn more fat than you do with two shorter doubles. Run Mammoth coach Terrence Mahon has his athletes incorporating two singles a week for that very purpose. “We take advantages of singles to teach the body, metabolically, how to burn fat at more efficient rates,” he says. “That is typically much harder to do when runs are under one hour.” On these longer runs, Mahon urges caution in terms of pace. He wants his runners staying in a zone where they aren’t becoming glycogen-depleted. “We look at that,” he says. “Sometimes we’ll do glucose testing, lactate testing, and heart rate monitoring to make sure they aren’t running at a state where they are going to burn too much sugar.”

Along the lines of fat burning, one thing that runners seeking to maximize their training in singles should be cognizant of is the dietary changes they may have to make as they strive to run longer in one session. “You have to make sure you are getting your essential fatty acids in and also replenishing your glycogen,” notes Hudson. “You absolutely have to make sure you are eating and drinking immediately after your runs. You have to load up on your carbs. If you are constantly running glycogen-depleted it’s very easy to get overtrained and injured.”

So what does this all mean for a runner who wants to approach their training week differently by increasing the amount of single-session runs?

If you are a marathoner who currently doubles, it might be a good idea to increase your overall strength and efficiency by experimenting with singles. Consider taking a week “off” of doubles and make it a singles-only week where the goal for every run is longer than 80 minutes (gradually working up from 60 minutes). Pay attention to how your body responds to that new, singles-only week, and consider working in these types of weeks routinely during your marathon buildup in order to increase your overall strength.

If you find yourself in Kawauchi’s shoes, holding down a full-time job and are only able to run once a day, then pay close attention to three things you may not have looked at previously: your average pace during all your runs (ensuring you aren’t running too fast in every session so that you don’t become glycogen depleted and that you are maximizing fat burning), duration (aim for exceeding 60 minutes), and nutrition (proper fueling after your run).

Admittedly, singles-only training isn’t for every serious marathoner. But the next time your schedule and clean clothes hamper don’t allow for you to cram in that second run, consider the benefits of heading out just once in the day.

Duncan Larkin is a 2:32 marathoner and writer from West Chester, Pa.

Excerpt from Running Times..
http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=23257&PageNum=1

Start of 18 weeks countdown to PBIM... and my training plan too !

18 weeks to go for PBIM, my FMV ! and I have come out with my own training plan, I would say a hybrid of a few plans I have read (inclduing Runners World) and/or gotten from friends (including Brook's Hanson) to cater for my own schedule since it's gonna be a hectic next 4 months !

Starting off today with an LSD - mostly my Sundays in the next 18 weeks will be doing LSDs on Sunday since I have less pressure to wrap up the race and go home to send kids to tuition, like I do on Saturdays..

So, Jul 23 - I did a 16k LSD, route : Youth Park-Straits Quay-Tanjung Bungah Hotel-Gurney Drive-Youth Park..

Distance : 16.03km
Pace : 6:35mins/km (not exactly SLOW as I am still trying to control my pace)
Time : 1:45:24
Calories burned : 1303 calories

More on my training plan later..

Injured fellow runner friend...

Went to visit Chris N @ Gleanegles on Jul 19 (Tuesday) who hurt himself when cycling downhill @ Teluk Bahang on Sunday ! That freaks me out looking at the injury - hip and wrist, and a head wound.. Will be out of action for 6 months.. Like what his friend mentioned in Facebook, a runner should not cycle, and cyclist should not run ! LOL ! But on a hindsight, how apt is that.. Anyway, wish him speedy recovery and looking fwd to run with him when he's back - soon !

Marathon Advantage - 18 weeks to your best marathon

http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=4432

By Pete Pfitzinger & Scott Douglas
As featured in the July August 2001 issue of Running Times Magazine

The marathon demands respect.

The physiological and psychological demands are extreme; therefore, you

must plan your preparation intelligently and thoroughly.

Unfortunately, "intelligent" and "thorough" aren’t the two words that most readily come to mind when thinking about some marathon training programs. Search the Web under "marathon training" and you’ll find thousands of well-meaning but only intermittently helpful sites. The training advice on many of these sites is based more on personal anecdotes and handed-down folk wisdom than exercise science. You’d be hard-pressed to summarize why they’re prescribing the type of preparation they present.

That’s too bad, because while running a marathon isn’t easy, training for it should be relatively simple. Running a marathon requires specific physiological attributes. The task at hand is to run 26.2 miles as fast as possible. The requirements for this feat in terms of fuel use, oxygen consumption, biomechanical requirements, and even psychological attributes are highly predictable.

By understanding the marathon’s physiological demands, such as having a high lactate threshold and the ability to store large amounts of glycogen in your muscles and liver, we can research the types of training that are most effective for improving marathon performance and explain why. Then we can investigate how to structure a training program so that it progresses logically to the desired end point.

In our book, Advanced Marathoning, we explain in detail both the physiological demands of the marathon and the reasoning behind the types of training we advise. Here, we will simply present a training plan that stems from these principles with brief explanations of each type of training.

This particular plan is for mid- to high-mileage marathoners who train 50 to 70 miles per week. The same principles can be used to devise schedules for other mileage ranges, several of which are included in Advanced Marathoning. We recommend an 18-week schedule for most situations. Eighteen weeks allows plenty of time to stimulate the necessary adaptations to improve your marathon performance, while short enough that you can focus your efforts without becoming bored with the process.

It is useful to divide your overall training schedule into phases, called mesocycles. The training schedules consist of four mesocycles, which focus on endurance, lactate threshold and endurance, race preparation, and tapering.

Before Starting the Schedule

This schedule is challenging right from the start and gets harder as your marathon approaches. So that you can progress as the training increases in quantity and quality, and to minimize your chances of injury, you should be able to complete the first week of the schedule without too much effort. A base-training program can get you to this level before beginning the marathon training program.

Be realistic in assessing whether you’re ready for the first week of the schedule. For example, if you’ve been running 30 miles per week and your longest run in the last several weeks is eight miles, now isn’t the time to jump to a 53-mile week containing a 15-mile run, as the first week of this schedule calls for. The idea behind the schedule isn’t to make you as tired as possible as soon as possible but to apply repeated training stresses that you absorb and benefit from.

As a rule, you should be running at least 40 miles a week before starting this schedule, and in the last month you should have comfortably completed a run close in length to the long run called for in the first week of the schedule.

Adjusting the Schedule

The schedule is presented in a day-by-day format. The main limitation with this approach is that it’s impossible to guess the myriad of outside factors that may influence your day-to-day nonrunning life. Work schedules, family life, relationships, school commitments, and Mother Nature all play a part in determining when you get to do your long runs and other aspects of marathon preparation. You’ll no doubt require some flexibility in your training and will need to juggle days around from time to time. That’s expected, and as long as you don’t try to make up for lost time by doing several hard days in a row, you should be able to avoid injury and overtraining. By reading more about the principles of training, you’ll be able to safely fine-tune your schedule to suit your circumstances.

Following the Schedule

Each column of the schedule represents a week’s training, counting down week by week until race day.

We have included the specific workout for each day as well as the category of training for that day. For example, on the Tuesday of the 7-weeks-to-go column, the specific workouts are a 6-mile run and a 4-mile run, and the category of training for that day is recovery. This allows you to quickly see the balance of training during each week and the progression of workouts from week to week. Look again at the schedule—it’s easy to see that with seven weeks to go to the marathon, there are four recovery days that week, along with a lactate threshold session, a long run, and a medium-long run.

Looking at the row for Sunday, you can see how the long runs progress and then taper in the last few weeks.

The workouts are divided into the following eight categories: long runs, medium-long runs, general aerobic, lactate threshold, ÝVÝO2max, speed, recovery, and marathon-specific runs. We’ll explain each of these categories briefly.

Long Runs

A long run is any run of 17 miles or longer. Obviously, the intention of long runs is to improve your endurance in preparation for the marathon’s 26.2 miles. To gain the most from your long runs, you need to do them at the correct intensity. Long runs shouldn’t be slow jogs during which you just accumulate time on your feet. The most beneficial intensity range for long runs is to gradually increase from a slow early pace as you warm up, reaching 20% slower than your goal marathon race pace at five miles and accelerating to 10% below marathon pace during the last five miles of the run. At this intensity range, a 22-mile long run will take approximately the same amount of time as your marathon.

Medium-Long Runs

A medium-long run is any run of 11 to 16 miles. Medium-long runs reinforce the physiological benefits of your long runs. To gain the greatest physiological benefits, the pace for these runs should be similar to the pace for long runs.

General Aerobic Runs

General aerobic runs include any run of ten miles or less that’s done at a steady pace. Faster runs of this length fall into the lactate threshold category, whereas slower runs are specifically for recovery. In other words, these are your standard, moderate-effort, putting-in-the-miles runs. The intention of your general aerobic runs is to enhance your overall aerobic conditioning through boosting your training volume; these runs improve your marathon readiness because many of the beneficial adaptations that improve endurance are related to the total volume of training.

Lactate Threshold

Lactate threshold runs are tempo runs in which you run for at least 20 minutes at your lactate threshold pace. This coincides closely with your current 15K to half marathon race pace. Tempo runs provide a strong stimulus to improve your lactate threshold pace, which leads to similar improvements in your marathon race pace. The lactate threshold sessions are done after a 2- to 3-mile warm-up. The tempo runs in this schedule are from four to seven miles long. Slower runners should run closer to their 15K race pace on tempo runs, whereas faster runners should run closer to their half marathon race pace.

VO2 max

VO2 max runs are intervals of 600 meters to 2,000 meters duration, which are run at 95 to 100 percent of your current VO2 max pace. This coincides closely with your current 3K to 5K race pace. These sessions provide a strong stimulus to improve your VO2 max.

Careful readers will notice that none of the VO2 max sessions calls for repeats longer than 1600 meters. The optimal duration for VO2 max intervals is two to six minutes; only elite runners will cover more than 1600 meters in a 6-minute interval. The longer your repeats are in these workouts, the more days you’ll need after the workout for recovery. Though VO2 max work is an important part of your marathon preparation, it’s not as crucial in the marathon as it is in races such as 5K and 10K. The VO2 max sessions in this schedule, then, feature repeats that strike a balance between being long enough to provide a powerful training stimulus and short enough to leave you fresh for your other important workouts of the week.

The same reasoning applies for the prescribed pace in these VO2 max workouts: whereas runners focusing on shorter races need to do some of their intervals closer to 3K race pace, marathoners gain maximum benefit from sticking to 5K race pace.

Speed

Speed runs are repetitions of 50 to 150 meters that improve leg speed and running form. These sessions are done after a thorough warm-up and often toward the end of a general aerobic run or a recovery run. Allow yourself plenty of rest between repetitions so that you can run each one with good technique.

Recovery

Recovery runs are relatively short runs done at a relaxed pace to enhance recovery for your next hard workout. These runs aren’t necessarily jogs, but they should be noticeably slower than your other workouts of the week.

Marathon-Pace Runs

Marathon-pace runs are medium-long or long runs during which you run most of the miles at your goal marathon pace. These runs provide the precise physiological benefit of allowing you to practice the pace and form of race day. They’re also a great confidence booster. Start these runs comfortably, and then run the last portion at marathon race pace. For example, if the schedule calls for 16 miles with 12 miles at marathon race pace, gradually pick up the pace during the first four miles, and then run the last 12 miles at marathon goal pace.

Doing Doubles

Sometimes marathoners benefit from running twice a day. This is obviously the case for elites cranking out 130-mile weeks, but it isn’t necessary on a regular basis if you’re running 50 to 70 miles per week. In this schedule, doubles are called for only on the occasional recovery day, with a total of 10 miles for the day. On these days, your recovery will be enhanced by doing a 6-miler and a 4-miler rather than putting in one 10-mile run. Instead of making you more tired, splitting your mileage like this on easy days will speed your recovery because each run will increase blood flow to your muscles yet take very little out of you.

A Word About "Hard" Days

Looking at this schedule, you might be wondering, "Where are all the ‘speed’ workouts?" After all, it’s normal to think that anyone preparing for a marathon should be training as hard as possible, and what better way to be sure that you’re doing so than by hitting the track at least once a week for lung-searing intervals, right?

Briefly put, we designed the schedule to provide the optimal stimuli to the physiological systems that most determine marathoning success—endurance, lactate threshold and VÝO2max, in that order. In the long run, it’s the long runs and tempo runs that have the most relevance to your performance on marathon day, not how often you’ve churned out a sterling set of half-mile repeats.

During your long buildup, understanding the components of marathon success can provide confidence that you’re training properly. Understanding marathon physiology not only will help you explain to your training buddies why you won’t be joining them for quarters next week but will also remind you why you’re doing a 15-miler in the middle of the workweek. If your running friends continue to chide you for not training hard enough, invite them to follow the schedules with you for a few weeks, then report back. We suspect they’ll have gotten the message by then.

Schedule : look up here : http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=4432&PageNum=5

Oval Run

Started doing the oval runs at USM stadium the last 3 weeks.. Mostly after work.. So far so good, in terms of not being chased out by the officials.. LOL ! bad experience from the last time (a year ago) where I was advised not to run as the track is meant for USM staff and students.. Ouch ! I was an ex-student !! Hehe..

Jul 17 - Did a 6k run @ 5:54miNs/km, and then interval training around the loop.. 1 outer loop = 455m.. Weather is kind back to normal, no haze.. Hope this holds on for the coming months !

Even hazier run - Jul 16 !!

Went for a run today, starting off from Youth Park as usual.. Not many runners, actually, I only saw 2 other guys around. Decided to do an LSD to clock tower.. Not exactly a 'slow' run as I wanted.. Did a total of 16km, by looping the Esplanade 3 times. Brought back memories - that is my usual running track in the late 80's with my parents !

The haze got significantly worse otw back. Even from Esplanade, the Straits Quay light tower is hardly visible. Didn't feel well on my throat, a bit of choking. Must be the haze.. So in total, did 16.06km, around 6:20min/km (not slow per se)..

Will see how it goes tomorrow morning.. If the haze is as bad, I may give it a miss rather than choking myself..

and something to look forward to.. It's a Transformers 3 movie day tmrw @ 3pm with the kids @ First Avenue !!

Strength Training

Saw this great advice from Cathy Vasto, a personal trainer..

"Strength helps at the end of a race when your form starts deteriorating.. The faster you can move your arms at the end, the faster you can move your legs and the higher you can lift your knees, propelling yourself toward the finish line."

Hazy Runs (Jul 2011)....

Weather has not been kind lately.. The haze does not seem showing any signs of improving despite the slight drizzle and occasional rain.. Despite that, I decided to run..

Jul 12 - 5.06km, 27:10 mins. Venue : USM. 1 big loop is around 465m.. Did 10laps, best time : 2:06.61
Jul 13 - 5.06km, 29:10 mins. Venue : around my Taman.. 1 loop is around 1.3km.. Did 4 loops.. Pace : 5.46min/km, best time : 7:31mins..

Still feeling the strains on both my arms - triceps and pectorals area.. Left side is worse.. No thanks to an aggressive and overly-enthusiastic team building at Cinta Sayang !! Hope they can recover in time o my LSD on Sat....

4 consecutive days of NO RUN = NO FUN !

I have not been running since last Thursday’s 5k @ USM stadium !! That's 4 consecutive days of no run, the longest in months ! No thanks to a Friday’s recognition session (Karaoke + Durian feast).. Then Saturday’s Penang Hill + 12 Monkeys dance show, then Sunday was totally out with the drive down to KL and caught in the delayed flight (delayed by 2.5 hrs).. Monday’s full-day team building @ Cinta Sayang took away any opportunity for a good run !!
The only saving grace is that the Cinta Sayang team building was pretty energy-sapping and tough, so I got some ‘Strength Training” in a way. LOL ! The toughest part was the Carnival’s tele-matches, especially the tug-of-war and the run-with-the-float.. I have muscle aches at both my arms pits !! But the legs were the pretty much OK.. So I guess it’s gonna be a great run today… Hopefully no rain !!

Full Marathon Timing split training plan...

Did this training calculator on runnersworld.com...trying to hit my first marathon at PBIM.. Looks doable ? Too aggressive a target for a virgin marathon ? We shall see lah... Drafting out a 10-week workout plan now..

Based on a marathon race at 04:45:00, your projected finish times for the following distances should be:
1500m 8:18
the mile 8:57
3000m(3k) 17:18
3200m(about 2 miles) 18:32
5000m(5k) 29:44
8000m(8k) 48:57
5 miles 49:15
10,000m(10k) 1:02:00
ten miles 1:42:40
a half marathon 2:16:42
a marathon 4:45:00


These times are projected equivalents and are not a guarantee of performance or final race distance times.

The Distance Finish Times calculator calculates a predicted time at a distance for you based on a time you provided for another distance. It uses the formula T2 = T1 x (D2/D1)1.06 where T1 is the given time, D1 is the given distance, D2 is the distance to predict a time for, and T2 is the calculated time for D2.
The formula was developed by Pete Riegel and published first in a slightly different form in Runner's World, August 1977, in an article in that issue entitled "Time Predicting." The formula was refined for other sports (swimming, bicycling, walking,) in an article "Athletic Records and Human Endurance," also written by Pete Riegel, which appeared in American Scientist, May-June 1981.

No race for July and Aug !! :-(

The Penang Veteran 10k Run has been postponed from 17th Jul til 11th December, ie 1 wk after my SCMS ! That leaves me with no race from now til 4th Sep SAFRA Bay Run ! Need discipline to keep my training and stay on course for my PBIM marathon...

Paula Radcliff's notes..

Paula Radcliffe (Women's Marathon World Record Holder).. Runner's World magazine..

1) In long distance events. your state of mind can determine the outcome of race. More experienced runners try to stay at the moment, focusing on performing as effortlessly as possible. They do everything they can to conserve energy and maintain efficiency, running lightly on their feet rather than pounding the ground hard, constant;ly riffling through a checklist of how their body is coping, eg unclenching hands and fingers; monitoring foot-strike and stride pattern, firing the glutes properly, ensuring the arms are swining forward and not side to side, maintaining awareness of hydration levels, observing breathing patterns, working out split times, watching competitors..

==> Breaking each miles down works for me. For a half to full-rmarathon pace, counting 3 times to 100 roughly equates to a mile. This technique allows me to focus on where I am within each miles of the race.

2) My race day breakfast is always the same : porridge, banana and honey. 5 hours before a race, I eat another bowl of porridge, some biscuits, a yoghurt and a little chocolate.

Best Food for Runners

A runner's diet is important not for only maintaining good health, but also to promote peak performance. Here are some of the best foods to help runners achieve a healthy diet.

1. Whole Grain Pasta and Bread
Why It's Good for Runners: Runners need plenty of carbohydrates to fuel workouts, and breads and pasta are obvious choices. But, let's face it, not all breads and pasta are created equal. Whole grain foods are less processed and therefore contain more of the natural nutrition found in the grain, including more fiber. So, as compared to white pasta and bread, you'll get more nutrients from whole grains and the increased fiber will help you feel fuller longer.

How to Add it to Your Diet: Stock-up on whole-grain breads, pasta, rolls, crackers, and cereal. Try to avoid white bread or any baked products made with white flour.

2. Eggs
Why They're Good for Runners: One egg satisfies about 10 percent of your daily protein needs, and the amino acids in eggs will help with muscle repair and recovery. You'll also get about 30 percent of your recommended amount of vitamin K, which is crucial for bone health.

How to Add Them to Your Diet: Whether you like them boiled, scrambled, poached, or fried, eggs can be eaten anytime of the day. Mix up your routine by having an omelet or frittata for dinner.

3. Beans
Why They're Good for Runners: Cooked dry beans like pinto, lentil, garbanzo, and split pea are high in protein and fiber, a plant source of iron and low in fat.

How to Add Them to Your Diet: Beans are a great accompaniment to soups and stews. Rice and beans makes an easy meal that contains both carbs and protein.

4. Salmon
Why It's Good for Runners: Salmon is an excellent protein source, but it's also one of the best food sources of omega-3 fats, essential for brain development and function. Omega-3s also assist in the prevention of heart disease and high blood pressure. Salmon also has protein, vitamins A, B and D as well as a range of minerals vital to a balanced and healthy diet.

How to Add it to Your Diet: Salmon is a very versatile fish -– just add some fresh herbs and bake, grill, or poach it. Even canned salmon is good for you and can be used in salads, sandwiches and chowder.

5. Sweet Potatoes
Why They're Good for Runners: Sweet potatoes contain the always-important carbs and are an excellent source vitamin A, a powerful antioxidant. They're also a good source of vitamin C, potassium, iron.

How to Add Them to Your Diet: As the name says, these potatoes are sweet, so you don't need to do much to make them taste good. Cook them in the microwave, add a pinch of margarine or butter, and you've got a great side for dinner. Or, slice them up into wedges and bake some tasty oven fries.

6. Low-Fat Yogurt
Why It's Good for Runners: Low-fat yogurt is a great source protein and carbs. It also contains calcium, which is important for runners, especially those at risk for stress fractures.

How to Add it to Your Diet: Eat a container of low-fat yogurt as a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack or make tasty smoothies with yogurt, ice, and your favorite fresh or frozen fruits.

7. Bananas
Why They're Good for Runners: A good source of carbs, bananas also contain potassium, which runners lose through sweating and help regulate muscle contraction and prevent cramping. Bananas are also considered a "safe" pre-run food because they're unlikely to cause gastrointestinal issues.

How to Add it to Your Diet: Bananas are convenient to eat as snacks or as part of a meal. Add them to your cereal or make a smoothie with frozen bananas and skim milk.

8. Peanut Butter
Why It's Good for Runners: Peanut butter is tasty and satisfying, which makes it a great food for runners who are trying to lose weight. The protein and fiber in peanut butter helps you feel full and it's not fattening, unless you overeat total calories that day. For example, eating a whole wheat bagel with peanut butter will make you feel fuller than if you ate a plain white bagel. Peanut butter is also a source of protein, needed to build and repair muscles damaged during training.

How to Add it to Your Diet: Get the natural kind with oil on the top and no added ingredients. Though high in fat, it's the good fat and there's no cholesterol. Peanut butter on whole grain or multi-grain bread makes a great breakfast.

9. Carrots
Why They're Good for Runners: Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A, which helps promote a strong immune system. They fill you up but are low in calories, making them a great snack for runners who are watching their weight.

How to Add it to Your Diet: Snack on baby carrots when you're hungry before dinner, so you can satisfy your hunger pangs and avoid overeating during dinner.

10. Quinoa
Why It's Good for Runners: For those runners who are bored with pasta, quinoa is a tasty alternative. Quinoa is not only packed with carbs, it's also very rich in protein. A 6-ounce serving of quinoa contains 132 calories, 23 grams of carbohydrate, 4 grams of protein, and 2 grams of unsaturated fat.

How to Add it to Your Diet: Cooking quinoa is very similar to boiling rice. It's an excellent side dish to have with fish or chicken. You can also eat it cold to go along with a salad.

http://running.about.com/od/nutritionforrunners/tp/bestfoodsforrunners.htm

Running in the rain - Jul 3'2011

Jul 2 (Sunday) – Had a real unusual run this morning from Youth Park to Clock Tower.. First, had a great run paced by Chris for the first 3.5km, averaging 5:15mins/km.. Then a numbness on my right shin and foot set in.. That’s the 2nd time it happened, first being the SCKLM.. Feels like a dead leg ! It was a walk-jog for a couple of km before it got better..

Then when running at City Bayview Hotel, a huge storm was formed, very strong swirling wind.. Could see the small twisters everywhere.. I took refuge at the 7-11 @ Penang Road where I got my 100 Plus.. Waited for about 8 mins before continuing my run.. Then the big one came.. It started to drizzle and poured when I was at Northam Hotel.. It was practically raining cats and dogs ! I had to hide at the hotel and wait out the rain.. Well, the rain did not seem like slowing down at all.. After around 10 mins, I saw a group of 3 runners running in the rain.. I decided to join in, at least I hv running partners versus running all along in the heavy rain.

We took the Jalan Kelawai route, nearest back to Youth Park of course.. By then, the pool of water has swelled on both sides of the road and we had to literally run into the pool and at times, avoid splashes of water from the passing cars ! Not only my body was soaked, my running shoes were too… Good thing I decided to run on my NB shoes this morning.. LOL !

Come to think of it.. Not a bad race. It was refreshing to run in the rain, this gives a new meaning to COOL RUNNING ! Although the wet-to-the-skin is a problem when trying to drive back as the car seat were soaking wet as well !! Timing wise.. I did 1:15 hrs for 13.01km with a 5:50 pace...

Key learning – 1) In future, during uncertain weather, wear poncho type rain coats ; 2) The right shin/foot problem – need some ice water treatment to relax the muscles.. According to Chris (a physio expert himself), this could be due to the new running technique and/or running shoes I was using.. Well, hope it gets better !

Up next – I need to draw up a marathon training plan as I am running way too few nowadays !! I need to hit at least 50km per week training vs now that looks like a 50km per month !!!

SCMS - Registered Half-Marathon !

Registered for SCMS (Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore) 2011, another new race for me ! If everything goes on well, this will be 2 weeks after first ever Full Marathon race @ PBIM.. So a HM is good enough :)

Registration ID: 34549095
Registration Date: 02/07/2011
Receipt Date: 02/07/2011
Issued By: Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2011
Event: Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2011 Half Marathon - 21.1km
Date/Time: Sunday, 04 December 2011

Half Marathon flag-off time : 6:30 am @ Sentosa

So they are expecting a new record turn-out - "70,000 Set to ‘Run for a Reason’ as Registration Opens for the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2011" ! Wow !!