It seems like everyone on the internet is trying to sell you some kind of supplement.

This supplement makes you faster!

This one grows your hair and nails!

And this one makes you better looking and more emotionally available!

At the same time, the whole-food purists out there claim that you need nothing other than what nature can give you in food.

The truth is, many if not most, runners should be supplementing with the basics for performance, health, and longevity.

This could be as simple as a balanced multi-vitamin.

Or it can include daily doses of iron, B12, algae-based omega-3s, and Vitamin D.

Especially if you are a female plant-based runner.

Trouble is, there's no single supplement stack that will work universally for all. And supplementing with iron should never be done without a blood test since it can be toxic.

This is why I encourage every runner to get an annual blood test with their doctor, specifically requesting a full anemia panel with ferritin.

Why am I so passionate about this? Well, it's not because I'm trying to sell you supplements.

It's because I've been there.

my story (5 minutes)

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ask me anything

Q:

I'm 57 and I just ran a mile time trial of 6:47 (4:13/km). I think I should be able to break 4 hours in the marathon, but my last one was closer to 5 hours. What's going on?

A:

The marathon is a special beast, isn't it?

It's not just about running for 26.2 miles. It's about fueling, hydration, the weather, your pacing strategy, and much more.

You could have a near-perfect training block and you are still rolling the dice with uncontrollables on race day.

Accounting for all of those, the two things that matter most in the marathon are training and experience. If you are trained to the best of your ability and you have the experience to know what to expect to race well, yes, it's realistic that you should be able to break 4 hours considering your speed in the mile.

But, it might not happen right away.

What's most likely going on is that you have the raw speed, but you haven't spent enough time building up your stamina (speed + endurance). This is mainly done with lots of slow, aerobic running, but also with the right balance of speedwork.

This takes time. Years, for most people.

It could also have a lot to do with your strategy and pacing, which are far more important in longer races. (I can help with that here!)

While slow progress can be frustrating in our everything-right-now culture, the great news about progress being slow is that we can continue to improve for years.

I recommend working on stretching out that mile speed with some 5k training before you aim to train for your next marathon.

If you are already training for a fall marathon, you'll get more experience at the distance, which always helps.

But don't aim to chop an hour off your time all at once.

With smart training, patience, and some good luck on race day, I'm confident you can crush your 4-hour goal in the future!

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podcast

The PR Training Lab is back!

Go behind the scenes with me as I create a custom training plan for one lucky runner.

In this episode of the Planted Runner Podcast, we feature Judy:

🏃🏽‍♀️63 years old

🏃🏿training for NYC Marathon, sub 3:49 goal

🏃🏼‍♀️going for her 7th star

Learn how I create a custom marathon training plan for Judy.

I also go into more about the iconic course, so if you're running NYC this year (or hope to one day!), you don't want to miss this one.

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inspo

“I’m all about breaking mental boundaries, and training for a marathon falls right into the Jedi mind-training I need.”

— Alicia Keys

Have a great run today, Coach Claire

P.S. Are you ready for a breakthrough in your running this fall? Join the PR Team for coaching, community, and so much more. You don't have to do this alone!

Thank you for being a part of the Planted Runner community!

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My mission is to help runners just like you reach goals they never dreamed possible through science-backed training and plant-based nutrition.

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Since 2016, I've helped thousands of every day runners become fitter, faster, and stronger with truly customized training and coaching.

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I also love to share what I have learned from my own journey starting as a non-runner to a 2:58 marathoner at age 42, as well what I have learned coaching runners, completely FREE. I do that every week in this newsletter and on the Planted Runner Podcast.

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Being a part of this email community ensures that you first access to everything we have coming up – from free running and nutrition guides, to events like workshops and retreats, and so much more to help you get results.

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I'm so glad you're here and my inbox is always open. Feel free to reply with questions or feedback!

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113 Cherry St #92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2205

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