Monday, October 1, 2012

Shhhh...lean closer, I want to tell you a secret

No, not really, but there's something interesting I heard about a year ago but forgot (of course) to blog about it. For awhile, I was running with someone from work who runs a ton of marathons and also happens to do the Iron Man too. She volunteers at the Boston Marathon, and somehow she scored the mega awesome volunteer status of working in the elite tent. She gets the elite runners whatever they want after they finish the race.

Any guesses as to what all the elite runners want after they finish a marathon? Water? Soda? A nap? Apparently, it's hot coffee, which sounded absolutely awful to me when she said it. Seriously? It's not like Boston is a winter marathon. Also, I generally feel nauseous after finishing a marathon, and coffee sounds really icky to me when my stomach is churning.

During my last marathon training cycle (Providence this past May), I decided to give coffee after long runs a try. It was sort of hard because my stomach is generally unhappy after a 20 miler, but I figured these elite runners must know something that I don't. Well, it turns out I really liked it, and I don't know if coffee has anything to do with it, but I have a lot less nausea now too. Could just be a coincidence too, I do run more long runs now.

Now I'm wondering if everyone out there knew about coffee after long runs? What do you drink or eat after a marathon of long run?

In other news, I'm now officially entering the three weeks of taper before the big race day! Though I don't think the first week will feel much like a taper, but still, I'm almost there! Last week I finished my peak week with 76 miles and my last long run was 23 miles at 7:47 pace. I did two marathon pace runs last week that were both 11 miles. Overall, it was a solid week of running, and I'm still in one piece too! Yay! Now I just need to hold it together for three weeks. ;)


7 comments:

Ana-Maria RunTriLive said...

You had an amazing training cycle! Loved following along! Missed doing it with you:)
Coffee after long runs - hm, not for me, unless it is really cold out. I do love soda with caffeine after (as you may remember after our hot sufferfests last year). If I take a few gels during the long run, I am not hungry after, so will eat something like rice cakes with almond butter. Sometimes I get really hungry for me, and have been known to grab a chicken breast and eat it cold. So it really depends on what my body tells me.
Happy taper!!! And now I have to google "coffee after long runs", ha!

Karen said...

Coffee sounds good if it is iced. I usually add an electrolyte tab to my water while running, so I don't feel hungry at all. The weird flavors they put in there make me a little queasy. Maybe I'll try it sometime :)

Pam said...

I like a smoothies with whey protien or eggs and toast... I never have coffee before a run, so it's a treat after a run. Though I have never craved it after a run specifically, it's just something I enjoy every morning, period. Sounds like you are SOOO ready for your marathon. I'm very excited for you!

Raina said...

Ha! FINALLY I am doing something right!!
I drink coffee with milk after most of my long runs. Actually- most runs period. I do try to do a glass of milk first, but then it's off to the coffee. (I think it's because I am cold and sweaty and someone else beats me to the shower.) :)

You have really had a fantastic CYCLE. I am really looking forward to see how well you do in your race.

Cute pic, BTW :)

Katie said...

@AM: I would completely gross you out with what I've been eating after my long runs lately. I get back and immediately drink like 16 oz of water, then coffee, and I eat some sort of meat (left over steak or sausage). I don't feel hungry, but it seems to fend off later nausea. I do remember the soda, and during that training cycle I craved soda all the time! Not so much now. I can't wait to hear about whatever adventures you're planning with running!

@Karen: I was using electrolyte tabs too, but I think it might be too much salt for me. By the end of my runs I was so thirsty for plain water I felt miserable, and I was actually gaining weight on long run days...

@Pam: Ahhh, the perfect the recovery meal! With the two kids, I feel like there isn't enough time for proper meal making. I wind up with whatever is left over and high in protein.

@Raina: Seems to me you do most of your training right. Like with graphs and stuff even. Me, I'm just fumbling around. :)

kristen said...

This is great news to me - my friends and I often end our runs at a coffee shop. Maybe thats why we recover well :)

Lindsay said...

i think i'd go for it as long as it wasn't hot out. on a personal level i doubt i'll be brewing it after a long run but maybe this is an excuse to stop at starbucks... ;)