My Instagram Followers Wrote This Blog Post

I asked my Instagram followers to name one thing they've learned from me. The answers spanned a wide range of topics but mostly fell into the following themes:

• Consistency/dedication
• Running form
• Mindset
• Faster with age
• Fueling
• Wardrobe/dressing for runs

I've highlighted my favorite ones! 

1. Relax while running 

2. Gained some confidence 

3. Beets and beet juice as a performance enhancer

4. Fueling is important! Have a fueling plan and stick to it. Also not to try new fuels for a race.

5. Enjoy the process of making gradual progress

6. How to run!

7. Zebras are awesome!

8. How to fuel for runs an races

9. To listen to your body when there’s pain

10. No matter your experience level, you’re always learning with running.

11. Only one? Goals and mindset. Thought process. And a lot from post race recaps.

12. I need more than 1 pair of shoes each year (running over 1000km a year)

13. Running is running no matter age, speed, weight, form.

14. The body can recover.

15. So much is yet to come.

16. Tips for running form!

17. You’re a musician

18. Take chews with you just in case gels don’t go down. Genuis!

19. What to wear and how to fuel for marathon

20. Resilience and consistency always prevail in leading to accomplishing goals.

21. Consistency and hard work pays off!

22. Your post about mindset going into Richmond, having a great day, etc.

23. Women can be strong and sensitive at the same time.

24. Discipline. 

25. Dedication.

26. Smile at the finish line, stop your watch after.

27. Marathon nutrition

28. How important it is to FUEL during long runs and races!

29. How vital it is to run easy!

30. Smiling

31. Proper form!

32. Train easy to run fast on marathon day.

33. Have a strong mindset.

34. Slow down and find my pace that works for me.

35. Setting my Garmin watch. Very helpful. 

36. To listen to my body.

37. Socks as sleeves and sweater to donate at the beginning of your race!!!

38. Can still have marathon success if the cycle doesn’t go as planned.

39. You are a medical miracle and that your injuries never see to sideline you (outside of the bike accident)

40. How to dress for the weather!

41. You can be fitter in your 40s- you are amazing!

42. Hard work pays off!!

43. Helpful fueling tips!

44. Your face with happiness

45. Way more than one!! Watch setting, dressing for weather, being smart about injuries.

46. Fuel!

47. You can get fitter and faster in your 40s

48. Running pace

49. That the heel bump has an actual medical diagnosis/name

50. Endless motivation!

51. Smile when you run!

52. Consistency is key

53. Not everything goes as planned and that’s ok.

54. Managing race expectations keeping about the fun.

55. To run slower on my easy runs which I hope will translate to more speed down the road.

56. That I have hope of being fast like you one day.

57. No lazy upper body, I kept that in my mind all through my half on Nov. 5th.

58. Zebras are amazing!

59. How to dress as someone that gets overheated easily as well

60. First Place shorts have pockets in the front (have one since a year and never saw these)

61. To relax when I run!

62. That I can continue to get faster as I age

63. Smile to the camera at finish line before stopping the Garmin

64. Don’t let illness or injury stop you, take the break you need and always come back!

65. To listen to your body

66. Never give up on anything and marathons keep you looking 21

67. You can be very fast in your 40s!

68. That age is just a number

69. Don’t wear thongs while running

70. You gave me motivation for my next marathon: Paris 2024

71. Courage

72. Train at a slower pace to run a faster race

73. To fuel during runs

74. Be patient

75. Don’t get discouraged when injury sidelines you. Adjust the training and trust the process.

76. How to dress in different temperatures

77. Retired dancers can run marathons!

78. How to (hopefully) treat and solve the Achilles tendinitis!!

79. Fueling strategy

80. Patience

81. To listen to my body

82. Fast foot turnover

83. That it is possible! 45 to BQ!

84. Zebra Lover

85. Excellent music taste, and your ladder speed day. It’s a favorite of mine now.

86. A lot.

87. Not to give up on your dreams. Keep working, and you can achieve them!

88. That I’m not the only one that hates running in the heat

89. Speeding up the end of some long runs, game changer.

90. Socks as sleeves. That’s an inspired idea.

91. Wait until after the finish line to hit stop on my Garmin. LOL!

92. Slow down on easy runs

93. Strength training pays off

94. Some people really love zebras!

95. Running form!

96. Good running form can look different on different people

97. Variety 

98. Success is not linear and you can still run crazy fast as a master marathoner! 

99. Sooooo so much. One thing that stands out proper fueling. Bonus: smart training = results.

100. Perseverance

101. I have early signs of Haglunds syndrome

102. Slow runs are just as important as speed work

103. Persistence

104. How to dress for cold runs

105. How to smile and run even when you are suffering lol

106. It’s ok to run slowly in training

107. Taking easy runs easy. I love your videos, the way you listen to your body, your singing.

108. Age is just a number

109. Know your boundaries! I’ve learned to listen to my body and let it lead!

110. Preparation

111. Importance of strength training

112. How to use my arms properly

113. I’m not running out of time to be a runner!

114. It’s okay for you to have a running form that isn’t “perfect” according to sites

115. That I can get better as I get older !!

116. Excellent nutrition tips

117. Strength training exercises

118. Tenacity is sexy

119. How to be good at chess

120. That your 20s can be just the beginning of many years of running PRs!

121. It’s doable

122. Running underwear is the bomb

123. This smile more while running

124. How to stay motivated when you don’t want to run any longer!

125. How to keep my arms actively involved while I run.

126. That my Achilles can be fixed. Maybe.

127. Never give up!!

128. You can keep running even with Haglund’s deformity. I have it too!

129. Hip drop

130. Never quit

131. Age doesn’t matter!!! You become stronger because you work hard for it

132. That running form is not the same for everyone, everyone has their own unique style!

133. It’s okay to not hit your goal right away. And not the only one drastically affected by heat.

134. Consistency is key.

135. You can be a badass runner in your 40’s!

136. How to stay positive and not overthink bad workouts/races.

137. Your zebra passion

138. You’re amazing!

139. You have to relax to run fast

140. It’s ok to take a break

141. You keep going. . . after a injury or illness or vacation. You get back out there! Great job!

142. Consistency

143. Fueling strategy

144. Attitude is everything

145. There many things can get better with after, especially our bodies and their abilities

146. To visualize myself while running

147. Running form- time by time during my runs I just remind myself, are you running like Elizabeth? 148. You are amazing. “Everything”.

149. Running is not always easy but keep going!

150. You don’t have to be in your 20’s to improve your pace

151. That running underwear is a controversial topic

152. So many things!! How about fueling strategies

153. Your posture during running and adding strength training in my running schedule

154. Getting older means you have more time to practice to improve your running!! You get BETTER with time

155. Run relaxed! And thumbs up

156. To listen to my body and rest when it’s ill or hurting

157. To smile a lot more when I run! 

158. Your rabbit shorts! Got some and love them!

If this were a market research project, and I was re-branding myself it would be something along the lines of: "Runner who got faster in her 40s with a positive mindset who listens to her body, fuels and dresses appropriately, loves zebras, and works hard."  I agree with that. 

Feel free to add some more!

Richmond Marathon Training

Things have kicked into high gear since the half marathon two weeks ago. The mileage has increased, the workouts have gotten longer, and the weather has gotten warmer! After a divine 4 days at the end of September with crisp, cool weather, the first half of October has been unseasonably warm and humid, by about 10-15 degrees daily. The marathon is four weeks away and I am just now starting to feel like I might be ready by then!

I typically choose a later fall marathon so I don't have to do long runs and long workouts in these conditions. It's not that I can't tough it out- but my body has revolted in the past by getting sick. I've managed to stick with the training, however, by staying super hydrated and running my easy runs very slowly. I have been drinking a packet Liquid IV nearly every day and I have been running my easy runs in the 9:00-9:20 range (as opposed to my usual 8:30-8:45). 

I don't train in Carbon Fiber plated shoes unless I am doing my test run in them pre-race, but I have used them twice in the past two weeks to offset the humidity. The boost that I got from them meant that I didn't get completely discouraged with my paces. For example, I was able to run a 5.25-mile tempo run at an average pace of 6:59 in the humidity, which I don't think I would have been able to attain in normal shoes.

Because I've been extending myself to my limit in the humidity, I have avoided hills. This is probably not a smart approach because my marathon is somewhat hilly with about 650 feet of total gain. This isn't to say I only run on flat surfaces (impossible near me), but I always opt for the least amount of hills possible because it's already so much of a struggle to get the run done, let alone with hills. I plan to start running hillier routes over the next four weeks, now that it's supposed to be cooler and less humid.

Running Form
I mentioned at the end of my last blog post that I didn't think my new running form was working out for me. It wasn't making me more efficient and it didn't feel natural. So, after 4 months of spending every single run focused on my stride length and cadence, I threw in the towel. My coach was on board with this. You can't force "ideal form" - it has to come to you naturally. And my form will improve over time with drills, plyometrics, improved balance, and strength training.

On the day I decided I was going to run naturally, I listened to music for the first time since last March! I had been avoiding my headphones because I wanted to be totally dialed into my running and my stride. It was so liberating to zone out a little, enjoy the music and just go with the flow. 

And for the first time since coming back from my injury, I felt like my "old self" at my "old pace" - which was faster and more relaxed feeling. 

Fueling
I have experimented with multiple fueling strategies, and I honestly feel my best when I incorporate UCAN. I had been trying to switch to 100% Maurten products, but I think you need to take the gels every 30 minutes to avoid a crash. And using the Maurten drink mix doesn't seem to provide enough pep. This could have been part of why I didn't perform as well as I hoped at my marathon last March.

At the Harrisburg Marathon last fall, I had major digestive issues and I blamed the combination of UCAN + too much food pre-race. I think the solution could be a smaller breakfast (English muffin instead of bagel), and drinking a less concentrated UCAN mixture. And probably drinking the UCAN 45 minutes pre-race. UCAN does make a gel now, but I am allergic to one of the ingredients, which is not contained in the energy powder.

I should also keep in mind that I have successfully used UCAN at many marathons and half marathons over the past 5 years and the only time I had an issue was at Harrisburg. 

Overall Mindset
I don't know if it's because of the warm weather or because I've spent so much time focused on my stride, but I haven't felt great about my progress this training cycle. My runs have felt ok, for the most part, but have rarely felt really good. Every long run has been a struggle, and the two times I set out for 20 miles I ended up with 19.22 and 19.33. From a training standpoint, that's almost as good as a 20, but the fact that I just couldn't make it to the finish line doesn't bode well for my confidence.

I am not as fit as I was last spring, so I won't be going for a sub 3:10 in Richmond, but I think I could likely get a modest PR (sub 3:15:34). 

I also need to remind myself to STOP comparing myself to other runners. I often feel like I am the only one who struggles in the humidity. When I scroll through Instagram, it seems like everyone else is running their normal paces and I am the only one who has slowed down. I'll come back from a humid long run feeling totally exhausted and having run a mediocre pace, and then runners who are about my same level will have run father, faster, and felt amazing (in the same conditions). It's definitely NOT helpful to have these thoughts, but I can't help it - I have them and then I have to fight them off.

Maybe once the weather finally cools down I will feel like a whole new person. Four weeks is still a long time in the world of marathon training and I believe I can still gain a good amount of fitness between now and race day. In the past I have had amazing training cycles where I have PR'ed my workouts but then didn't reach my marathon goal. So maybe I'll outperform my expectations. I remain optimistic despite my feelings of "blah" over the past month.

Weekly mileage, last 8 weeks

I've come back!

I think I am at a point where I can say I am "back" as opposed to "coming back" from an injury. June was all about re-introducing running with run/walk intervals. July was about gradually ramping up the mileage without any speed work. I ran 40 miles last week, and I think that's a solid base to begin training for a marathon. My goal is still the Richmond Marathon in mid-November, so I have plenty of time.

I've gotten my long run up to 11.5 miles (yesterday) and I've started including some 20-second strides inmy runs to get my legs used to faster stuff. I want to make sure I peak at the right time. With the Two Rivers Marathon, I think I peaked about two weeks before the race. By the time race day came, I wasn't feeling fully recovered and peppy. My originally scheduled marathon was three weeks prior, but then was canceled- so much of this was out of my control. I think my coach did a great job with my program despite the change of race date, the training cycle was simply too long.

I mentioned in my previous post that I switched coaches within the McMillan family so that I am using the same person for both strength training and running. So there are a bunch of new variables now:

• New coach
• New and improved running form
• Increased emphasis on strength training and drills
• Running 6 days a week instead of 7 (although I might run seven later in the program)

As for my form, I've really made great "strides" there. My cadence for most runs used to be around 195-200. Now it's around 180-185. This morning I ran a recovery run at an average pace of 9:09, and my average cadence was 182. I compared it to a recovery run in January that was a similar pace, but my cadence was 199.  My cadence on long runs has also decreased.

I'm picking up my feet and using my glutes to power my stride. Previously I was shuffling a long and taking loads of steps, but the steps were super short and close to the ground. I was relying too much on my adductors which is partially how I got injured. Most runners strive to increase their cadence to get closer to 180. A faster turnover logically leads to faster running. But in my case, slowing down the cadence has allowed me to run with more power. This video shows the difference before and after the injury.

Thankfully this summer has not been as hot/humid as most summers here in the Washington DC area. I've been using my treadmill about once a week, but most days running outdoors has been manageable. It took me longer to acclimate this year because I began my comeback with very short run/walks which don't really work towards acclimation. I started running again in early June but it wasn't until mid July that I felt like I was acclimated. Usually I loathe summer running and I count down the days until the fall. But this summer I have embraced it because I generally enjoy warm weather for everything else. Just not running.

I feel ready to tackle August and the marathon training that lies ahead. I'm committed to doing my strength and stability exercises multiple times a week and focusing on my form on every single run.

Longer stride, forward lean, more stable

Focusing on Form

I've now been running for 3 weeks after taking 8 weeks off for my Osteitis Pubis and torn adductor. As I said in my last post, I am using the run-walk approach to gradually get back into my normal routine. So far my longest run has been 5 x (9 minutes running, 90 seconds walking). That adds up to 45 minutes of running total.

I'm probably at a point where I can start to get rid of the walk breaks but I like them because 1) it's crazy hot and humid and I need my heart rate to come down and 2) I'm 100% focused on my form and stride and I need a mental break from that. It's also good to check in to make sure everything is feeling good and nothing is hurting. I would hate to finish a run and realize I made the injury worse but didn't get that feedback immediately.

I went to the doctor last week and she was pleasantly surprised at how quickly I was recovering. She gave me and exam and tested my strength as was impressed that I had made such progress. It wasn't a guarantee that this adductor tendon would heal on its own, but thankfully it's most of the way there and I won't need surgery or any other kind of procedures. Just the dry needling which I stopped about a month ago.

A note to subscribers
Before I get into the meat of this blog, I have an update for my subscribers. After this post, Feedburner is going away and I am using a new email system called Feedblitz. You might get an email asking you to confirm your subscription. So if you do, please confirm it so you can continue receiving emails. If you are NOT a subscriber and want to subscribe via email, there is a form on the right column of the desktop version, or you can subscribe at this link. (I know it looks a little sketchy, as I designed it to fit on the sidebar of the blog desktop version. Just click subscribe, enter your email and click subscribe again.) If you already get emails, no need to fill out the form again.

Issues with my running form
Back to the topic of this blog. Fixing my stride will not only prevent this injury from coming back, but it will make me a stronger and more efficient runner. 

I have always been a "shuffle runner". I wouldn't pick my feet very high off the ground and drive forward with the knee. My stride was short, partially due to limited range of motion in my ankle. In order to offset

Drills before running

this and still run fast (like a 5:52 mile) I adapted by having a very high cadence. Most runs would average 200 steps per minute and speed work would sometimes average 210. My feet would stay super close to the ground and move very quickly. Like shuffling!

Another form issue was that when I landed on my left foot, my right hip would drop down, making the pelvis unstable and uneven. This is a common issue with runners and can lead to injuries. It indicates instability and lack of glute activation. I also had this issue on the other side, but it was not nearly as pronounced. It makes sense that I tore the left adductor because I wasn't activating the left glute when I landing -- the right hip was dropping.

I have known about this hip drop issue for over a year now and have been working on it with my strength training coach. I have strong glutes! The problem is that my body doesn't naturally tap into that strength when running. It prefers to use the adductors. If I were able to access that power, I would be a more efficient (faster) runner and be protected from re-injuring my pubic bone.

Changing movement patterns
Working with my Osteitis Pubis specialist in Australia, live video feedback or mirror feedback has been essential. The focus is on doing all the PT exercises 100% correctly. It's not about doing them to get strong (although some of them build strength). It's about teaching my body to have a stable pelvis when put under different types of stress. There are literally over 100 exercises. I am not exaggerating. When I say "literally" I don't mean it like a millennial. I mean literally over 100 exercises. It would be overwhelming to do them every day, so the point is to progress through them one step at a time adding more stress and complexity while keeping a stable center of gravity and a pelvis that is controlled.

There is a huge focus on deadlifts, bird dogs, downward dogs, and side planks. There are many variations of each that challenge pelvic stability in different ways. Being able to see myself on video or in the mirror has enabled me to ensure I am doing the movements correctly, which ultimately translate to running. 

Greg has been recording videos of my running so that I can analyze my stride afterwards. He records some of them in slow motion so I can really see where I need to pick the legs up higher or keep the pelvis more stable. Drills have also been important in reinforcing the correct movement patterns, provided that I am doing the drills correctly. 

Here is what my hip drop looked like last summer:

Here is what it looked like yesterday:

And here is a back view, which is much more noticeable, taken last summer:

This was taken on Saturday - notice the difference:

My knees still come together, but that's just my anatomy. When my feet are pointed straight ahead, my knees go in. When my knees are straight ahead, my feet turn outwards. My PT said that was fine and you can't fix your anatomy! The important thing here is that the line of the top of my shorts is straight across rather than slanted down, like in the green shorts from the previous photo.

What I think about
As I said earlier, I need the walk breaks because focusing so much on my form is mentally exhausting. There are only so many mental cues you can give yourself at a time. Here are a few of them:

• Feel the glutes working
• Engage the core to keep stable
• Keep the spine elongated
• Shoulder blades down
• Lean forward from the ankles
• Drive forward with the knee
• Use gravity to fall forward
• Most of the weight in the forefoot
• Stable foot "tripod" when landing
• Remember deadlift form

I hope this way of running becomes automatic. I honestly have trouble running slowly when I do this. It's easier to open up the stride when you are running fast. This normally wouldn't be a problem but I don't have the cardio fitness to support the faster paces, and it's crazy hot and humid! My heart rate has been averaging in the 170s for the run segments because I am out of shape and it's hot. My paces range from 8:10-8:30 once I get going. That used to be my easy pace but it's not my easy pace right now, and it's definitely not my easy pace in the heat. So hopefully I will get the hang of it and be able to run in the 9:00's so I won't be dying in the heat. 

I'm on track with my plan to build a base in July and start marathon training in August for Richmond!