Marathon Training Week 5: Glimmer Gear

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I’m still plodding along, and in some cases plodding along quite a bit. I ran 10 miles last night! That run is tied for the third-longest distance I have ever run. This was week 5 of my marathon training plan for beginners, and things are getting real!

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At these longer distances, the rest days become more important. My legs are definitely sore today. It’s crazy how when I’m running, my body keeps going, but once I get home and stop, soon my legs cramp up and I’m walking around like a wooden soldier! I stretched, but probably not enough. My kids had fun helping me, though! They pulled my arms and pushed on my back and giggled like evil little gremlins when I said, “Ouch!”

I have been following the plan set forth in the book The Non-Runner’s Marathon Trainer, and each week I have been sharing the tips that are given for each week of training. Here are the tips given for week 5:

Marathon Training Tips: Week 5

Mental preparation:

Construct mental videos that you can stream in your head while running. Make one of the best run you’ve ever had, and make another of yourself finishing the marathon. Spend some time really visualizing the sights, smells, and feelings of both situations, and call on those videos when struggling during your runs, or when having any negative thoughts about running the marathon.

In Week One, we talked about how our brains have trouble distinguishing between reality and our daydreams, so if we picture ourselves running strong and enjoying, we will soon feel that way as well!

Physical preparation:

It is vital to drink a lot of water throughout the day. Fluid replacement drinks, such as Gatorade, are beneficial to drink before, during, and after your runs. These sports drinks contain simple carbohydrates that are absorbed into the blood easily and are quickly made available to the body. While running, try to drink about 6-8oz every two miles.

Normally this is where I end my marathon training posts, but today I have an extra special surprise in the form of a giveaway!

I’ve mentioned before how I usually train in the late evenings, after the sun has gone down. I used to wear a pair of reflective bracelets or flash my phone screen when cars came near, but now I’ve found Glimmer Gear, essentials for a nighttime runner! They were kind enough to send me some products to review, and a few more to give away!

Glimmer Gear offers LED Sports Apparel such as LED Slap-On Bands and Solar LED Body Belts, which glow brightly and allow runners to be noticed in the dark.

I tried out one of the LED Slap-On Bands on my short run this week, and it was perfect! I went out late, around 8pm, and I felt safe knowing that the bright light around my wrist would help cars see me. I always stop at traffic lights and wait for the “walk” signal, but I cross a lot of streets on my route that don’t have a light. I felt much safer wearing my Glimmer Gear.

The Slap-On Band has three different light settings: steady, blinking fast, and blinking slowly. I kept it on steady for my run. The band’s nylon outer layer is comfortable and water-resistant, and all of the Glimmer Gear products include the flexible LED ribbon which is water-proof and heat-resistant.

I also got to try out the Solar LED Body Belt, which fits super comfortably around my waist and comes with a cord for recharging.

I’ll write more about the Body Belt after I’ve used it on a run, but it seems like great alternative if you don’t like wearing something on your arm or wrist.

I highly recommend Glimmer Gear to any runner (or walker, biker, etc) who likes to run late at night or early in the morning and needs a little extra visibility. Their products are high quality and comfortable, and I will be using them for all of my dark runs from now on!

Now for the giveaway! I’m giving one lucky reader a Glimmer Gear Solar LED Arm Band AND an LED Slap-On Band!

***GIVEAWAY CLOSED***

If you must have Glimmer Gear now (or in the future), you can use my coupon code SHAPEUP for 10% off!

Previous Posts:
Training Schedule for Marathon Beginners
Marathon Training: Week One
Marathon Training: Week Two
Marathon Training: Week Three
Marathon Training: Week Four