My Road to the 2019 Berlin Marathon
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- Most featured running blog, past 6 years
- USATF certified running coach
- Experienced endurance athlete
- 7 marathons
The 2019 Berlin Marathon is this week, and the months of training are about to pay off! I didn’t finish Berlin like I wanted to last year, but after some adjustments in my training, and some really great nutritional products to keep me going, I am confident and feeling as strong as I’ve ever felt.
I am so excited to share my story about just how intense the last three months have been, as well as some of the things that have helped me along the way.
My June Training Log: Establishing Frequency, Intensity, and Exceptional Nutrition
First things first: finishing a marathon is no easy feat. Sounds like the understatement of the year, to be honest, but it needs to be emphasized because the training that goes into running a marathon requires not only discipline but also a delicate balance between running frequency, intensity, exceptional nutrition and recovery. To truly accomplish effective marathon training, I made sure to approach my training intelligently (and differently than last year). The last thing I wanted to do was waste precious time on the buildup to a marathon. Usually, this means I work on endurance first, and then I gradually up the speed and intensity from there to make sure that I don’t get injured. And because I wanted to guarantee my training was excellent, here are three important concepts that drove the bulk of my marathon training:- Frequency - June was my time to establish a rhythm and to start getting consistent mileage in. After that, I upped the mileage and increased the workload accordingly.
- Intensity - I balanced strength and endurance training to guarantee I’d have the necessary sturdiness to not wear down before Berlin
- Exceptional Nutrition - I took the right nutritional supplements, maintained a great diet, and have been blessed with excellent products by an all-natural, superfood-based company called Your Super.
- Recovery - We tend to forget that rest and recovery is just as important as the training itself. I made sure
Training Challenges That I Overcame in June
I started off slow to get in the groove, but I’ll stress that some days were a real grind. That’s to be expected though because endurance training is a mental game after all. But because I think strength training is such an overlooked aspect of marathon training, I like to stay consistent when lifting weights. The problem with juggling strength and endurance training though is that it can quickly lead to exhaustion. Exhaustion = bad workouts and possibly injury. How did I balance energy between the two? Easy! I drank smoothies in the morning with the Muscle Power Protein Mix by Your Super and made sure that I got enough rest. Game. Changer. Seriously, I am a big smoothie drinker. And in the morning I’d add the mix before a training session. Pretty consistently I’d feel like I was getting more efficient and powerful workouts in. Especially on the earliest days when I was trying to get used to the increased workload. After all, when time is so precious in the months before a marathon and energy can become so scarce, efficient workouts are your bread-and-butter for success. And more muscle power by just drinking a smoothie was a no-brainer. It was also a big reason why my training has been so efficient from June until now.
July Training Log and Challenges: One...Mile...At a Time...
It’s true that marathon training doesn’t get any easier. In fact, the point of training for any marathon is to gradually run longer distances to condition yourself to a marathon-length race. My longest distance was 20 miles leading up to the Berlin Marathon. This takes consistency, and I had to remind myself over and over again to stay focused and keep my eyes on the prize in the early months leading up to Berlin. Last year, I did a pretty good job at keeping focused on my training, but I noticed that around July my attention started to wane. I definitely don’t have that problem this year. I have been seriously dialed-in with my training and have been keeping my eyes on the prize. Completing the Berlin Marathon in September with a better time seems so attainable.
What have I done differently this year to stay more focused?
In addition to including Your Super’s Muscle Power Protein Mix in my morning smoothie, I have also consistently taken their Power Matcha Mix for focus. I knew the true test during my training journey wouldn’t be in June, but would start in July, August, and September once I was smack dab in the middle of my road to Berlin. And I have noticed a huge difference compared to last year. I would drink the Power Matcha Mix first thing in the morning and I would get a much-needed jolt to keep me focused. Because I have been so impressed with Your Super this training cycle, I made sure to keep myself focused when it came to cheat meals and the always-tempting dessert tray. It’d be the easiest thing in the world to tell myself that I deserve to take a day off and eat pizza, donuts, or some other junk. The struggle is real! Fortunately, though, Your Super has a Chocolate Lover Mix that worked great for suppressing those urges, and it also satisfied my sweet tooth cravings.August - Now: Berlin, Here I Come
August and September continued in the same way as the earlier months, I just have increased the mileage and have had to stay as focused as ever. My energy levels are admittedly sapped on some days, but the adrenaline and excitement of the upcoming marathon continue to energize me. Here I am not being injured and stronger than ever. I have continued to take Your Super’s Protein, Chocolate Lover, and Power Match Mixes, and even added their Energy Bomb Mix to my stack for this cycle because of just how versatile the mixes are. Really, in addition to training harder this time around for Berlin, I can wholeheartedly thank Your Super and their awesome products for helping me obtain one of the best training cycles I’ve had in my career. I’m even taking all of the mixes on the plane with me to Berlin on Tuesday and will continue taking them up until the marathon for an extra edge.
A Little Info About Your Super Products: Your Superfoods Review
I’m a big believer in the power of sharing inspiring stories. And there’s definitely an amazing one behind the work that went into Your Super’s products: After both co-founders, Michael and Kristel, met each other playing professional tennis, their lives changed drastically when Michael was diagnosed with cancer. Michael soon learned the power of superfoods. He and Kristel then took action and teamed up to create Your Super to change people’s lives with all-natural, organic whole foods that energize, strengthen, and increase immune system resiliency.Which Superfood powder is best?
I can personally recommend their products as well as their ability to help fuel me towards my most productive training cycle yet. Reach out to them and try out their products. These were the ones that helped me on my journey to the 2019 Berlin Marathon:
I’d recommend them all, seeing that they have helped me immensely during this training cycle. Wish me luck on the Berlin Marathon! It’s finally here. If you're interested in Your Super yourself, check out my discount code: RUNNINGBRINA.
