One negative of marathon training is that it takes me out of my normal routine. I am a creature of habit. I like discipline. I enjoy starting my day the same way Monday-Friday: in the gym. For me, marathon training is too taxing on the body to maintain this level of activity. I have experimented a bit with the workouts I can include, but I usually reduce my weight training to 2-3 times a week. The nice thing about my gym is that we workout in group classes, which facilitates keeping a schedule/routine. There is no sleeping in 15 more minutes unless you want to be 15 minutes late. Running gives me some undesirable flexibility. Regarding diet, marathoning requires a significant increase in carb intake. Not only do I need carbs to fuel all of the running, I develop what is at times an insatiable hunger and eat just about everything in sight. Needless to say I am completely out of routine right now.
So today, I begin the journey back to my old habits. A friend of mine had a really good week last week with his diet and exercise and this week I hope to join him in his success. Last week I got an email with some guidelines for healthy eating. It was good timing for a reminder of simple health "rules" to live by. The two that are most important for me are staying hydrated and eliminating white sugar (and white salt and white flour). To me the transition is the hardest part so I'm starting small working one these two things alone.
I actually have decided that my marathon season is not over :o) so I hope to incorporate a healthier diet into my training for the next couple of months.
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