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Marathon Training Week 7: Chica Bands

by Megan

It’s December now, and I can officially say, “I’m running a marathon next month!” My race of choice is the Desert Classic Marathon right here in Surprise, which will be held on January 31st, 2015. What a way to start the new year!

Marathon Training Week 7

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Week 7 of my Marathon Training Plan for Beginners had me running 4 miles, 6 miles, 4 miles, and 12 miles! I have been regularly running at night, but the 6 miler I did on the morning of Black Friday, and it felt so good all day to know that I had already completed my run!

Now that the mileage has increased to the point where I’m running for hours at a time, having the proper gear is essential. I’m definitely a minimalist (don’t need anything slowing me down even further!), but it’s been fun exploring the marathon gear that is out there and finding out what I like.

One of the things I like is Chica Bands.

chicabands

They were nice enough to send me two headbands to review (and two to giveaway to a lucky reader!), and I can officially recommend them!

I didn’t think it was possible to have headbands that didn’t slip. I’ve been a headband/headwrap wearer for a long time, and I just considered it normal that I’d have to readjust them every hour or so. Not so with Chica Bands. Check it out:

chica-before-and-after

I look a little rough after 4 miles, but the Chica Band stuck it out! They seriously do not slip. How can I ever go back to regular headbands after this?

Luckily I won’t have to. Chica Bands come in all colors and patterns, so I can be comfortable and coordinated with every outfit! Go and see all the adorable designs for yourself, I’ll wait… Which is your favorite? (For realz, go look- it’s an entry for the giveaway!)

My hair is in that awkward stage where it’s too short to put it in a ponytail, but it’s long enough to get in my way while running, so I found out about Chica Bands at just the right time!

Okay it’s time to talk about the marathon tips for this week of training, but stick with me, because there is a giveaway at the end that you won’t want to miss!

I’ve mentioned before that I’m following the plan set forth in the book The Non-Runner’s Marathon Trainer. Here are the training tips given for week 7:

Marathon Training Tips: Week 7

Mental preparation:

Mental stamina is as important as physical stamina. When we are focused and concentrating on running strong with good form, we will be more confident and perform better. This will be important during the end of long runs, when fatigue is setting in.

Doing non-running concentration exercises can help you better maintain focus during your runs. One such activity would be taking a newspaper article and crossing out all of the Ts, and then the Os, etc. Another idea is to practice tightening the muscles in different parts of your body while everything else stays relaxed; try just your toes, then just your forearms, etc.

Have you ever been fatigued near the end of a run, and then you see someone coming the other way and so you straighten up and push a little harder? Relying on your mental strength can help you go a little harder and get a little further.

Physical preparation:

Fluid intake is more important than ever as your mileage increases. Make sure you are drinking enough water throughout the day.

Recovery periods are essential to your training. It is the combination of imposed stress (mileage) and recovery time that will allow your body to adapt to the training and continue to improve in performance.

Just one more week until the halfway point!  And week 8 has me running 14 miles- longer than I’ve ever run before. Wish me lots of luck!

***GIVEAWAY CLOSED***

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

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8 comments

April Ockerman December 3, 2014 - 3:29pm

Happy hot pink or anything with polka dots

Reply
Kate December 3, 2014 - 3:59pm

These are great. My headbands always move and I have to stop and fix them!

Reply
Emily December 3, 2014 - 8:55pm

I love the pink polkadot one you have!

Reply
Kristen December 4, 2014 - 7:12pm

Oooh I like the Drive Me Dotty one! Or the Aztec Rugged Wrap! I’m always looking for new headbands that don’t slip so thanks for sharing!

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Wendy R. December 6, 2014 - 3:04am

I like the Bandito Swirls pattern.

Reply
Sylvia White December 6, 2014 - 9:50am

I like the A Kick in the Grass!

Reply
Emily December 6, 2014 - 8:45pm

I like the glittery skinny mocha one!

Reply
liz l December 14, 2014 - 2:57pm

Pink polkadot is for me!

Reply