Tend Core Principle: Nourish & Fuel

While we may live in a world where people are more aware of the prevalence of eating disorders in a sport like running, this does not mean we’ve solved this issue. Many runners and athletes continue to struggle with an unhealthy relationship to food, confusion about healthy eating, and the challenge of eating well in a busy life.

You yourself may have felt overwhelmed by the flood of conflicting diet information coming out every day. “Go keto!” “Go paleo!” “Go vegan!” “Go sugar free!” ... there is A LOT to take in out there.

Many people can agree that nutrition advice can never be a “one size fits all” approach, and yet in the face of unsolicited advice and magical cures pushed in our faces, we forget that this is the truth and jump down the rabbit hole of the latest fad diet, eager to prove to ourselves that it works.

I work with every Tend athlete to examine not only their eating habits, but also their mindset around food. We cannot do one without the other. The food we eat affects our mood, energy, strength, immune system, capabilities, and more. I help runners make sure their food is supporting their training and bringing joy to their lives.

If you find yourself afraid of the kitchen, or time starved, I can help you develop habits and skills to get the food you want, how you want it.

Let food be a source of celebration and nourishment in your life and training.

If you want to learn more about forming a new relationship with food and moving away from diet culture and negative body image, check out:

Intuitive Eating

Burnt Toast

Health at Every Size

Maintenance Phase

Tend Core Principle: Optimize Recovery

Recovery is no doubt a hot topic today. There’s a new recovery technique invented seemingly every day, and someone is “swearing by” all of them. So how do you know what really works?

The truth is, there are few large-scale, comprehensive studies done on most recovery techniques that are specific to runners. The next time you see an article saying, “A new study shows...,” try to find the details of that study, and then decide if you still believe “studies show!”

What this means for you is that you get to rely on your own experiences as the best studies around. If you like to take a warm epsom salt bath after your long runs, and this makes you feel better, do it! If you know yoga makes you feel refreshed the day after a hard run, do it! All you need to know is if a recovery tactic helps you.

The even more refreshing news is that the simplest things will have the greatest impact on your recovery: sleep, a balanced diet, taking care of your mental well being, and most of all ... a smart, progressive training plan! The best training plans will keep your recovery in mind every step of the way by properly building speed, strength, and endurance within your current capabilities, while also gradually increasing those capabilities.

Recovery is both physical and mental, and in life we only have one “pot” of energy that we can draw from. So when work becomes hyper-demanding, this pulls from the same pot that we want to draw energy from for the run later that day. This can make training a bit of a song and dance, but one you can learn to embrace and appreciate.

As individuals, it can be nearly impossible to recognize our limits and acknowledge when we have overdrawn from our energy stores. This is where a third party like a coach, training partner, or good friend, can step in and help you take a look at the big picture.

When you keep the big picture in mind, you truly can optimize recovery. Instead of getting wrapped up in the latest supplement or rolling tool, you can appreciate the progress you are making in your training, prioritize sleep and nutrition, and make time for the things in life that fill you up and keep your mental well being high.

To learn more about these topics, I recommend the books Good to Go by Christie Aschwanden and Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker.

Boom, recovered.

Tend Core Principle: Vary Movement

You don’t need to run six days a week to call yourself “a runner,” and in fact, you stand to make great gains in your running by running less. To be a strong, resilient, life-long runner, it is essential to be a well rounded athlete first.

What does it mean to be an athlete?

Athletes move well, plain and simple. An athlete’s smart movement and intuitive connection with their body can only come through varied movement practices.

Training as an athlete could include weight lifting, swimming, barre, Crossfit, pilates, ice hockey, yoga, cycling, rock climbing, soccer ... the list goes on! You can and you should do more than just run.

All Tend Athletics training plans incorporate varied movement - some clients like to go to group fitness classes to get their variety, while others like to have a personalized routine they can do on their own, such as through weight lifting or swimming.

How to Fuel During Your Half Marathon or Marathon Training

Runners often overlook the incredible opportunities they have to experiment with fueling during their training. The best way to create your fueling and hydration plan for your race is to practice during your training.

In addition to practicing what you will eat DURING your long run, practice what you will eat for dinner the night before a long run and for breakfast the morning of. This way, come race week, you won’t have to get nervous about these things - you will simply follow your typical plan!

Before your Long Run

Experiment with what feels good and how much time you need to digest before your run, so you can replicate that on race day. Your ideal pre-run snack will be high carb, some protein, and low fat/fiber. Some ideas to eat 1 to 2 hours before:

• Half bagel with nut butter

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup oatmeal with chopped dates and nuts

• Granola bar (not protein bar) - such as a Picky Bar or Lara Bar

During Your Long Run

Everyone will have a different need for fuel, but a good rule of thumb is to eat something every 40 - 70 min on your long runs that is mostly carbs, such as:

• CLIF Shot Bloks: Note some flavors have caffeine so if that upsets your stomach avoid those

• Half of a carb-rich bar like a Picky Bar

• 2-3 dates

• Handful of pretzels

• Applesauce squeeze packs

• Pieces of low-fiber muffins

Hydration

Sip water or light electrolyte drink throughout long run - for electrolytes I like nuun or ultima, or making my own with 1 t lemon juice, 1/2 t honey, and pinch of salt. If you use drinks like gatorade I recommend diluting it by 1/2 with water.

After Long Run

It is SUPER important to eat something right after your long run! Runs can sometimes make you feel queasy, so if that is the case for you it’s essential you find something palatable like a smoothie to consume post-run. Within 30-60 minutes, you want to eat something that is mostly carbs with some protein. This will help your body absorb the benefits of that run and recover faster. Some ideas:

• Bagel and nut butter

• Half sandwich

• Sports Bar with more carbs than protein

• Trail mix with dried fruits and nuts

• Banana and nuts or nut butter

• Small rice dish, maybe with a little beans/meat/tofu

• Chocolate milk (dairy or non-dairy milk)

• Smoothie such as: banana, oats, water, nut butter, cinnamon, spinach

5 Minute Yoga for Tight Hips

What runner hasn’t been told they have tight hips? Well, tight hips … be released! Use this short sequence any time of day to loosen up your tight runner hips.

How to Eat the Week of your Half Marathon or Marathon Race

In the week leading up to your race, try to keep things as normal as possible - including what you eat.

The advice to “carbo-load” has been largely refined into a suggestion to eat slightly fewer carbs than usual in the week leading up to your race. You don’t need to make a drastic change, just have a few extra carb-rich snacks! You will likely be working out less this week and possibly less hungry, but be sure to keep eating as if you were training, so you have fuel in your system come race day.

Be sure to stay hydrated all week with water and perhaps one electrolyte drink per day from a low-sugar brand like nuun or ultima.

Food ideas 1-2 days before your race:

Breakfast

• Bagel with nut butter and banana

• Bagel/toast/potatoes and eggs

• Breakfast tacos with corn tortillas, eggs and side of potatoes

• Oatmeal with banana or berries and some nuts or dried fruit

Lunch

• Sandwich of any kind

• Rice bowl with protein and small amount of cooked veggies

Dinner

• Pasta with protein and small amount of cooked veggies

• Rice or potatoes with protein and small amount of cooked veggies

Pre-Race Dinner

Eat food you would normally eat, but don’t eat a larger dinner than usual. Avoid raw veggies and multigrain carbs like whole wheat pasta.

You could try:

• White rice or sweet potato, a small portion of cooked vegetables, and chicken

Pre-Race Breakfast

Eat your usual pre-run breakfast 2-3 hours before your start time, as you have practiced during your long run training days!

Ideas include:

• 1/2 bagel with nut butter

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup oatmeal with chopped dates and nuts

• Granola bar (not high protein bar) - such as a Picky Bar or Lara Bar

are your running shoes the source of your injury?

The shoes you wear matter, yes, but perhaps not in the way you think …

There is no “best” running shoe or style or brand, no matter what the latest shoe review tells you. Unless somebody borrowed your feet, your body, and your running style for a day, their opinion on a pair of shoes doesn’t really matter to you. 

To reduce your risk of injury, you don’t just need shoes that you think are comfortable, you need TWO (or more) pairs of shoes that you think are comfortable. This is a concept called “rotating” your shoes.

how and Why should you rotate your running shoes?

To rotate training shoes, pick out two shoes meant for running training that ideally have slight differences in support, cushion, or structure. You don’t need a specific schedule of which shoes to wear when, just generally mix up the shoes you wear on your runs throughout each week.  

Just like it’s helpful to vary the terrain you run on (trails, roads, flat, hills), it’s helpful to vary the shoes you run in to limit your risk of overuse injuries and to train and strengthen a greater variety of muscles as you run. 

Don’t forget to break in your new shoes!

Always ease into a new pair of shoes gradually, with a structure like this:

• Week one: Walk around in shoes in daily life for one to a few hours/day.

• Week two: Begin short runs (30 min or less) in your new shoes. Perhaps you break your runs into parts so you can run home and switch shoes. This may seem tedious but is the possibility of a new injury worth it? 

• Week three: Run in the new shoes as you please, while rotating them with your other shoes (since you now know why rotating shoes is so helpful!).

will rotating shoes make you injury free?

Nothing will make you injury free, but every little bit counts. In addition to rotating your shoes, remember that smart training is your greatest protection against injury.

Smart training includes:

• Regular strength training (1-3x/week)

• Gradual build in mileage and intensity (ex. 4-6 months to train for a marathon, not the typical 12-week plans you find online)

• Regular days off (at least 1x/week)

• Cross training (non-running cardio)

• Proper warm ups before runs

• Running on a variety of terrain

• Regular stretching and rolling out

• Space to take time down or off when small pains come up

want to learn more about injury prevention?

consider a virtual running gait and movement analysis

you will walk away with a personalized strength and recovery plan so you can stay strong and healthy in the long run

Simple Strength for Runners

One of the most important things you can do as a runner is strength training. Strength training will help you become a life long runner and run faster, farther, and with better form. It’s better to do something small than to do nothing at all, so don’t think you need a gym membership and 3 hours/week to start strength training.

What to strengthen?

For most runners, the most important areas to strengthen are your posterior chain (the back of your body - hamstrings, glutes, and back), core, hips, and shoulders. Strengthening these muscles will improve your form and therefore make you a more durable runner.

How to start a simple strength routine

Try taking 10-15 minutes 2-3 days/week for “prehabilitation” - preventative strength training specific for runners. You can do these exercises before or after your runs, and you don’t need any equipment. 

As you do these exercises - try to practice proper core engagement, which does not involve “sucking it in” as most people would have you believe! 

Repeat for 10-15 minutes, or 2-3 sets of: 

• 10-15 each side: Step Dangles

• 10-15 each side: Drinking Birds

• 10-20 each side: Dead Bug 

• 1 minute of Crawling, multiple directions 

• 45-60 seconds: Forearm or Straight Arm Plank 

Want even more strength ideas? Check out our full video library or learn more about a custom strength training plan.

Mental Training for Runners

Most of us recognize that running is a mental sport, but how many of us actually have a mental training plan? Just as there are many ways to train for a marathon, there are many ways to train mentally. The most important part is having a clear goal and a plan to reach it. 

Here’s how you can focus on your mental training:

1. Pick one mental area you want to work on - such as finding motivation to run, sticking with it when the pace gets hard, being grateful for your body, or letting go of comparison habits.

2. Develop one or two strategies to practice during your runs. Write down these strategies in your training log, calendar, or planner so you will remember to not only practice them, but also reflect on how it went after. Stick to the same strategies for at least one month, if not two.

3. Record and reflect on how your mental training is going, in the same way you log your miles.

Example:

1. Goal: I want to go on a run even when I’m tired and don’t feel motivated.

2. Strategy: I will commit to running for at least ten minutes on the days that I’m tired. If that’s all I do, that’s fine! If I choose to go longer, great! (The trick here is that often once you’re out the door, you’ll be motivated to keep going).

3. Reflection: Each day that you planned to run, write down if you went or not. Whether you ran or not, reflect on how you were feeling at the time you were supposed to run, and how it felt to run or not run. Don’t beat yourself up or judge yourself here, simply take this information in to help you better understand what motivates you.

Here are a few strategies you can consider for your mental training plan: 

Goal: Finding Motivation to Run

Strategies to get you there:

• It’s often said that the hardest part of your run is getting past the mailbox - aka just getting out the door! Make at least starting to run non-negotiable and pre-planned: have your runs in your calendar, lay out clothing ahead of time, have snacks ready if needed for before or after, and tell yourself, “Just get out the door.” If you end up coming home after 10 minutes, that’s okay.

• Pick a favorite podcast or playlist that you only listen to when running

• End your run at a favorite cafe, restaurant, bookstore, thrift shop etc. 

• Make running an adventure - try a new trail or route! 

• Go with a friend or plan to meet a friend after your run

• Find an accountability partner who you can text before and/or after your runs 

Goal: Staying Engaged and Present while Running

Strategies to get you there:

• Notice your breathing, how your body feels, and the scenery around you - tune into all of your senses

• Re-frame what may feel like “pain” when you’re tired (not when you’re actually injured) as “a sensation” - it doesn’t need to be good or bad. It’s just a sensation. Let it be neutral.

• Try not to look at your watch too often - you could instead set a timer to go off when you should turn around, or plan a route in advance and leave your watch at home. 

• Think about what you’re grateful for when things get tough, and then smile. 

• Have an idea you’re trying to brainstorm or work through? Think about it on your run! 

• Celebrate small accomplishments throughout your run - like getting up a hill, saying positive thoughts, or waving hello to fellow runners 

• “Run the mile you’re in.” - All you can focus on is the step you’re taking now, without hesitation or anticipation of what’s ahead. Don’t start worrying that you can’t make it any longer, just take one step at a time.

Goal: Being Grateful for your Body

Strategies to get you there:

• Replace negative thoughts about yourself or your body with neutral thoughts such as, “I have a body.” “My body can walk/run.” “I may not see it, but my body is gaining strength each week.” The reason to choose a neutral statement and not a positive one is because your mind may struggle to make such a big leap in thinking. Start neutral, and overtime you’ll transition to positive thoughts such as, “My body is strong,” and “I am proud of what my body can do.”

• Write down one thing before and after each run that you are grateful for as relates to yourself or your body.

• When you start to doubt yourself mid-run, take 5 breaths as you keep moving, and think of one thing you are grateful for as relates to you or your body, such as, “I’m out here doing the work.”

General Life Mindset Tips

• You can also elevate your mental training by developing or strengthening an existing meditation practice. My biggest advice: Start small!

  • Start with just one minute/day and increase by one minute every week/month until you reach your desired amount. You don’t need to meditate for an hour or twenty minutes - five minutes might be plenty for you.

  • Find a time in your day when you’ll have a “cue” to remind you to meditate - such as a before you have your morning coffee/tea, right after you brush your teeth, before you eat a certain meal, etc.

  • You don’t need to “know how” to meditate. Simply sit in stillness, letting thoughts come and go, and focusing as best you can on your breathing. Some good beginner strategies are to count your breaths, repeat a word or phrase to yourself, try a strategy called square breathing, or picture a certain place/image.

  • You can simply set a timer and sit in stillness, or use an app like Insight Timer, which has a nice sounding chime timer and guided meditations.

Recover like an Athlete

You’ve maybe  said it yourself:

“I’m not flexible enough to do yoga”

“I don’t have time to do yoga”

“I’m not good at yoga”

There is no such thing as being GOOD at yoga, or stretching. You just do it, or you don’t. I believe an intentional “restorative movement” practice is essential to pursuing any athletic goal.

Not every yoga practice is beneficial for endurance athletes. Some classes are too physically challenging, so when people go to yoga as “a rest day,” they don’t end up resting. Some classes are too focused on intricate poses that won’t help you reach your goal of finishing your first 10k or setting a PR in your next marathon.

Anyone can work hard, but can you do what it takes to be truly ready for the next hard session? Most athletes are under-recovered and therefore under-performing. If you don’t let yourself fully reset, you can’t push it all the way on the hard days, and you end up training at a consistently mediocre level.

Try this weekly reset after a hard week of training in any endurance sport - especially running, biking, and/or swimming.