102 MEN’S FITNESS JUNE 2017
Dean’s nutrition timeline Get marathon motivation
The day before...Regardless of what you’ve heard, don’t carbo load...unless you
want to show up at the starting line bloated. I prefer a balanced
meal of 40-30-30 (40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat). Go for
blander foods instead of really strong spices. And definitely cut
back on fibre the day before — for obvious reasons.The morning of...Go light. I personally like a plain, full-fat Greek yoghurt, a
choppedbanana or berries and some almonds. That’s enough
to get me through. That’s in addition to some gel packs I carry
with me and the on-course food.After...A mixture of whey and soy protein seems to work best for
recovery. And you’ll hate this, but an ice bath will pay dividends.
Stay off the ibuprofens and any anti-inflammatories. These will
prolong your recovery time rather than accelerate it.The day after...This sounds counterintuitive, but go for a run. It’ll be more like
a hobble, but it’ll get your heartrate up and your legs moving.DO A
BODY MOT■“When you
don’tfancy a
session, run
a quick body
audit,” says
athletics coach
Kim Ingleby.
“How is your
energy out of
ten? Did you
sleep well? Have
you eaten well?
Do you have
time? If all the
answers are yes,
then just get it
done. If no, then
swap your rest
days around and
focus on fixing
your recovery
strategy.”DON’T
PANIC■“If you
are behind
your training
schedule, don’t
cram sessions in
to catch up, but
do put your key
sessions into
your diary and
stick to them,”
says Ingleby.
“Prioritise
longer runs and
some speed
and strength
sessions. They
get you fitter,
reduce your
risk of injury
and boost your
confidence.”DIG
DEEPER■During a hard
runwhen the
voice in your
head says stop
you have two
options. “You
can slow down
or walk for a
minute to get
your focus and
breath back,”
says Ingleby.
“Or you can
breathe in a
positive word
like ‘strength’
and then breathe
out thoughts
of stopping for
six breaths. It
works.”CHANNEL
NERVES■Everyone
getsnervous
on race day. “At
the start, think
of all the people
who inspire and
motivate you and
your reasons
for taking part in
the event,” says
Ingleby. “Then,
as the gun goes,
pace yourself,
relax and adapt
as you need to.
Listen to your
body. Breathe
in strength,
breathe out
fatigue.”Get in the mood for your training sessions with this five-point positivity plan.Dean Karnazes is the big daddy of endurance running — he’s
even smashed a marathon to the South Pole without snow
shoes, he’s that hardcore. When he talks long-distance running,
you listen. Time to lace up and take on board his expert tips.
Why do a marathon?
To me, complete fitness is critical.
You see a lot of runners who look
emaciated and anemic, but then
you see a lot of lifters who have huge
upper bodies and no leg strength.
Most of you are pretty intense
individuals. You love a challenge and
thrive on anything that pushs you
to the limit...and I think a marathon
does that. There’s no way to fake your
way through a marathon. You’ve
gotta pay your dues. It’s gonna hurt —
big time — and you have to overcome.
But the people who read Mens
Fitness are made of that stuff.
How do you get started?
Start from the group up. That means
investing in a good pair of shoes from
a specialty running store. If you have
a good base of fitness, seven to nine
month is a reasonable amount of
time to train for marathon.OK, now what?
You need to build up a good base
milege, which is, at minimum,
60 kilometres per week. Hydration
is critical; some guys like using
electrolyte replacement fluids;
others prefer water. How much
you drink depends on how much
you sweat and what part of the
country you’re training in.
But if you notice a dry mouth
or caked-in salt taste, you’re
definitely dehydrated. Build
core and shoulder strength
with exercises like lat pulldowns
and shoulder presses that
involve the natural arm swing.
Accentuating the arm swing
during a race will take a load
off your legs, and powerfularms can help you propel you past
the finish line.How do you stay motivated?
Recruit a mate to join you; you’ll
be able to learn a lot from each other.
Download audiobooks. You’ll find
that you’ll look forward to your runs
just to get to the next chapter.How do you deal with the pain?
Struggling and suffering are the
essence of a life worth living. If
you’re not pushing yourself beyond
the comfort zone, if you’re not
demanding more from yourself
— expanding and learning as you
go — you’re choosing a numb
existence. You’re denying yourself
an extraordinary trip.
People think I’m crazy to put
myself through such torture,
though I would argue otherwise.
Somewhere along the line we seem
to have confused comfort with
happiness. Never are my senses
more engaged than when the pain
sets in. There is a magic in misery.
Just ask any runner. If you can’t run,
then walk. And if you can’t walk, then
crawl. Do what you have to do.TAKE
NOTE■It’s normal not
tobe satisfied
with every run.
“Write down the
reasons why you
run and how a
great run makes
you feel,” says
Ingleby. “Find
your motivation,
observe people
who inspire you
and remember
all the positives
of running. If that
doesn’t work,
some rest with
good healthy
food can balance
things out.”12 3 4 5