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The Planted Runner

racing before your race?

Published 30 days ago • 3 min read

If you've gearing up for a spring race, you might also have your eye on a tune up or two.

A tune up race is, by definition, a race in service or training for another race. It doesn't mean that you are not trying to PR, but it isn't your main goal race.

It serves to give you insights on your fitness and whether or not your time goals are realistic.

But done too often or at the wrong time, races before races can actually hurt your chances of doing well at the main event.

Here's how to tell if you are racing too much.

ask me anything

Q:

I have a 10 mile long run this weekend and it’s supposed to snow.​
​
I'll do it on the treadmill, I guess, but I'm not looking forward to that. Does it do anything negative to split up your long run into 2 shorter runs in the same day? 5 in the morning, 5 in the evening. After an hour on the treadmill I am pretty bored.

A:

I used to feel the same way about the treadmill. I would run on one, but the minutes would crawl by.

I'd constantly stare at the screen and wonder why time was standing still.

But training for marathons in the winter changed all that.

I went from a treadmill hater to someone who believes the treadmill is the greatest tool for a runner other than shoes.

If boredom is the real issue, don't let yourself get bored. Cover the screen with a towel and turn on Netflix.

Or if you want to be truly elite-level, train yourself to embrace the boredom to build mental strength.

Here are some quotes on boredom to help inspire you:
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​"Boredom, anger, sadness, or fear are not 'yours,' not personal. They are conditions of the human mind. They come and go. Nothing that comes and goes is you." Eckhart Tolle
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​"Boredom is the feeling that everything is a waste of time; serenity, that nothing is." Thomas Szasz
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​"When you pay attention to boredom it gets unbelievably interesting." Jon Kabat-Zinn
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If you are looking to get a pass from running long due to boredom from me, you're not going to get it. Cutting your long run in half and doing it twice isn't a long run.
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Conquering boredom is a superpower. Practice it!

podcast

Is your fueling plan stuck in 2016?

A lot has changed in the last decade or so when it comes to endurance fueling guidance.

Elite runners are fueling with a mind-boggling amount of carbohydrate these days. And they are smashing records.

Should you follow the elites? More importantly, can you trust your gut to follow along?

Let’s find out on this week's Planted Runner Podcast.​

You’ll learn:

  • What has changed about fueling guidelines and why
  • How training your gut is essential for this to actually work, and
  • How you can make the perfect fuel at home

Note to self: after researching this (again!), I need to update my free fueling guide! On the to do list...

inspo

“Every moment of one’s existence one is growing into more or retreating into less.”

— Norman Mailer

Have a great run today,

Coach Claire

P.S. Racing this spring? Get the accountability and support you need to crush your goals with the PR Team. You'll get a custom training plan, coaching from me, and all of my digital programs and products (like Find Your Flow State) for free. And oh yeah, it's also a lot of fun!

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

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

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

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.

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.

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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600 1st Ave, Ste 330 PMB 92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2246

The Planted Runner

Claire Bartholic

Coach Claire has helped hundreds of real runners chase their dreams and conquer what they never thought possible. Her coaching philosophy combines science-based training, plant-based running nutrition, and proven mindset techniques to unlock every runner's true potential. She's a certified vegan running coach, sports nutrition specialist, mom, and borderline obsessive plant lover. As an athlete herself, she went from a 4:02 first marathon all the way to a 2:58 finishing time at the age of 42, entirely plant-based. She coaches vegan, plant-based, and plant-curious runners to achieve the same dramatic success, from those on a walk-run program, general fitness, up to high-level athletes

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