Arun Gupta, Miles to go ...

Week 23 - Improved PR on Rancho by > 2 minutes

Mon: Rest
Tue: 3.5 miles
Wed: Rest
Thu: 7 miles
Fri: Rest
Sat: Rest
Sun: 9 miles

Here are good reads of this time:

• Peanut Butter - A Great Runners Food - Packed with vitamin E, niacin, folic acid, protein, fiber and monounsaturated ("good") fats, peanut butter just might be the best runner's food on the planet.
• Eat Smart on the Road - Whether you're driving cross-country or just to a nearby state for a race weekend, these five tips will help you eat right along the way.
• Try a 'Three-Lap' Workout - Running 1200's (three times around the track) is a great, often-overlooked way to boost your aerobic capacity. Start with these five workouts.
• Strength Train in Sun (with video) - Outdoor circuit workouts, or sessions that alternate running and resistance exercises, are a perfect way to build strength.

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Week 22 Mileage - 2 more weeks and taper down

Mon: Rest
Tue: 8.5 miles
Wed: 7 miles
Thu: 7 miles
Fri: Rest
Sat: Rest
Sun: 20 miles

Here are good reads of this time:

• Rules to Eat By - Key principles for overhauling your diet
• Runners Need More Fruits and Vegetables - Fruits and Vegetables are vital for health. Here's how to eat more!
• Roll Over the Competition - Adding bike workouts to your training mix can make you a stronger, faster runner. Here's how to do it right.

Taper down now starts. From an Earlier Post, here are some good articles on why and how to taper:

• Tapering for Marathon
• Why should you taper for a marathon ?
• What is Tapering ?

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Week 21 Mileage - 3 more weeks

Mon: 7 miles
Tue: Rest
Wed: 7 miles
Thu: Rest
Fri: Rest
Sat: 12 miles
Sun: Rest

Here are good reads of this time:

• The Best Grocery List of All Time - From almonds to yogurt, here are 15 items that should be in every runner's shopping cart - and why.
• Fat Chat - Is fat good for you - or bad ? Answer: Both. And neither.
• Should your sports drink contain protein ? - Carbs + protein = Great post-run meal. But what happens when you ingest some protein during exercise? Well, then the formula gets trickier. Amby Burfoot explains why.
• The Famous Comrades Marathon - Fifty-five brutal miles. Five torturous climbs. A ruthless clock. The Comrades Marathon may be the world's greatest race.

I'll have my last long run next week and then taper down.

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Week 20 Mileage - 4 more weeks

Mon: 3.5 miles
Tue: Rest
Wed: 7 miles
Thu: Rest
Fri: Rest
Sat: 23.3 miles
Sun: Rest

Here is a great statement that I'd like to highlight from Coach Jenny:

Marathon training is 90% physical and 10% mental. Race day is 90% mental and 10% physical.

This is such a great statement and so valid. Here are good reads of this time:

• Your Postrun Hour of Power - The instant you end a workout, the clock starts ticking: You have 60 minutes to properly refuel. Here's how to do it right.
• Get Your Carbs Here - There are more ways than ever to fuel up on the run. Time for a user's guide to drinks, gels, bars, and nature's own sports food. Summarizes the pros and cons of each one of them at the last page of article.
• Why 20 miles ? - Coach Jenny explains why the longest run in Marathon training should be no longer than 20-21 miles.

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Week 19 Mileage - 5 more weeks

Mon: Rest
Tue: 7 miles
Wed: 3.5 miles
Thu: 7 miles
Fri: Rest
Sat: Rest
Sun: 12 miles

Here are the good reads of this time:

• Your 'Fast-Twitch' Switch - Learn about how Slow-twitch and IIa and IIb Fast-twitch fibers workouts in your training mix will make you stronger in everything from 5-K to the marathon.
• Take Your Running on Vacation - Tips and Tricks to make sure you get your run during your next vacation.
• Design Your Running Diet - Foods that leave one runner strong may leave another one depleted. Here's how to find what works best for you.
• Fast Food Fixes - Knowing what to eat - and when - can take your training to the next level. Here are common mistakes and easy solutions.

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Week 18 Mileage - 6 more weeks

Mon: Rest
Tue: 7 miles
Wed: 8.5 miles
Thu: 7 miles
Fri: Rest
Sat: Rest
Sun: 23.3 miles

With Summer just around the corner, here are good reads on hydration:

• Hydration 101 - What every runner should know about Hydration.
• Dehydration 101 - As little as 2% dehydration will have negative effect on your race performance.
• Overhydration in Marathon Training - USA Track & Field says get "guided by your thirst" instead of "stay ahead of your thirst".
• Hydration Pack Reviews - Best way to stay hydrated on the run. I use the Ultimate Direction Access and have found it be really helpful for long runs.

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Week 17 Mileage

Mon: 3.5 mile
Tue: 3.5 miles
Wed: Rest
Thu: 7 miles
Fri: 5 miles
Sat: Rest
Sun: 18.8 miles

Here are good reads of this time ...

• Burn Baby Burn - Watching your diet is just a start. If you want to be a really big loser, you also need to boost your daily calorie burn.
• He Eats, She Eats - From carbs to iron, nutrition needs vary by gender. Here's what you need to know.
• Summer Shoe Guide - With roomier toe boxes, lighter midsoles, and breathable uppers, this season's best new footwear is perfect for running in the heat.

And a special video to honor Roger Bannister who ran the first four minute mile.

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18.8 miles this morning

6 more weekends before the race and I've completed three big runs so far - 17, 18.5 and 18.8 this morning. Extending my run beyond Quito on Highway 9, all the way until N Santa Cruz Ave, gave me that extra hill (check elevation between mile 10 & 11, turn it on in the left-side control panel) I was looking last weekend. I plan to do 3 more long runs (at least one closer to 22) over next 5 weeks and then taper down. Here are some reasons I posted earlier on the importance of tapering.

In between, I'll continue tempo runs and hills at Rancho.

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Week 15 Mileage

Mon: Rest
Tue: 7 miles
Wed: 20 min rowing
Thu: Rest
Fri: 18.5 miles
Sat: Camping
Sun: Camping

Here are good reads of this time ...

• Women: Pump up your Iron - Iron-deficient women can boost their aerobic capacity by simply increasing their iron intake.
• The Right Stuff - Strip down your running - both physically and mentally - and rediscover the fun.
• Find your perfect pace - From speedwork to hills, it all starts with your "VDOT number". Here is how to find it and where to go from there.
• Cross-train your way to a PR - Sub-4:00 miler Alan Webb reckons he spends a full 50 percent of his training time NOT running. Surprised? Read on.

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Week 14 Mileage

Mon: Rest
Tue: 3.5 miles
Wed: 3.5 miles
Thu: 3.5 miles
Fri: 10 miles Bike
Sat: 7 miles
Sun: Rest

Traveling spoiled my long run this weekend but I plan to do a good one coming weekend.

Couple of good reads this time ...

• Eat like Lance - Learn to fine-tune your diet from the man who coached Lance Armstrong to 7 consecutive Tour-de-France wins.
• Runner's Pantry - 10 canned foods that should be in every runner's pantry.

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Marthon - Good and Bad for Heart

Even though you can train injury-free but Marathon running is not risk-free. Read how marathon running damages your heart.

I participated in a study conducted by Dr Suzanne Miller of Stanford University School of Medicine Hospital on "The Effect of Endurance Exercise on the Cardiac Function of Recreational versus Professional Athletes". She is quoted in the article "If I saw them in the emergency department, I would tell them they had a heart attack". It's scary, so read on!

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Week 13 Mileage

Mon: 5 miles
Tue: JavaOne
Wed: JavaOne
Thu: JavaOne
Fri: JavaOne
Sat: 17 miles
Sun: Rest

With 10 more weeks remaining, finally started getting into long runs. And it was a perfect weekend to start because I could not run pretty much the entire week because of JavaOne. And I think it was not a bad start, but the runs are going to get longer.

Here are the good reads of this time ...

• Fluids 101 - As the weather heats, proper hydration is the key.
• What's your mantra ? - A word of encourage can add snap to your stride, even if it comes from within.
• 101 reasons to run - Have you lost your motivation ? 101 reasons to help you out the door.

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Week 12 Mileage - JavaOne Adrenaline

Mon: Rest
Tue: 8.5 miles
Wed: 7 miles
Thu: Rest
Fri: 5 miles
Sat: 9 miles
Sun: Rest

It must be JavaOne Adrenaline. I improved my PR on Rancho yesterday, going up 47:24 (10 secs better) and a total timing of 1:17:05 (2 min 5 secs better).

Here are the good reads of this time ...

• Trail Racing 101 - Good read to get familiar with trail running. South Bay trails are tempting and I'll try them after JavaOne gets over.
• The 20 Best Weight-Loss Foods - How runners can loose pounds by altering their diet ?
• Desktop Dining - The keys to eating right when you are eating on the job
• Pikes Peak Marathon - Average grade of 11% and even then the race was sold out in 23 hours. Read more here.
• Spring Trail Shoe Guide - I've put almost 500 miles on my Nike Pegasus and finally bought a new pair over the weekend. Highly recommended.

See you all @ JavaOne next week. And because I'm going to be there the whole week, I'll be not be running and hopefully that will charge me up for a 15 miler next weekend

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Week 11 Mileage

Mon: 3.5 miles
Tue: 7 miles
Wed: Rest
Thu: 7 miles
Fri: Strength Training
Sat: 13.5 miles
Sun: Rest

Couple of interesting reads ...

• 8 commandments of Fluid Replacement
• Know Thy Sweat Rate

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Week 10 Mileage - Improved PR on Rancho

Mon: Rest
Tue: 7 miles
Wed: 5 miles
Thu: Rest
Fri: Rain
Sat: 9 miles
Sun: 10 miles

Improved my last week's PR on Rancho to 47:35 going up and a total timing of 1:19:10.

Here are the interesting reads of this time ...

• Plateau Busing Plan - Jump start your weight loss.
• The Diary Diet - Does it work ?
• Get Healthy Calves and Shins - Explains calf pulls, shinsplints, stress fractures, and compartment syndrome
• Get Speedy - Tips from top runners

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