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The Planted Runner

this exercise is underrated for runners

Published 6 days ago • 3 min read

Be honest.

Do you feel bad when you stop and walk?

And don't feel bad if you said yes! Most runners do.

Because we're runners.

We just want to run. For a long time. Without stopping, walking, or god forbid jogging.

Funny thing is though...stopping, walking and defininitely jogging all make us better runners.

And walking is not just for new runners just getting into the sport.

Even experienced runners can use walking to supercharge their fitness.

Here's how...

Every serious athlete understands this: when the effort rises, you fall to your conditioning.

Most people think conditioning is just physical.

It’s not.

Your real conditioning is how you respond when the pressure hits. When the plan falls apart. When someone disappoints you. When the outcome is uncertain.

Some people spiral.
Some people feels.
Yet others rise.

That is not personality.
That is cognitive conditioning.

If' you've read my last couple of emails, you know that I'm creating something special. A structured way to strengthen the part of you that shows up under stress.

Wave One will be intentionally small and invite-only. If you haven't already added your name to the list yet, here's your chance.

ask me anything

Q:

Late in the marathon, it feels like I'm only getting about 90% of a full inhale.

This has happened in my last few races. After mile 20, I had to pull over and take some deep breaths to reset (though I wonder if part of that is mental because I anticipate it happening).
​
Would it make sense to purchase one of the sport breathing devices to work on strengthening my lungs before Boston (my 27th marathon)?

A:

I'm not trying to minimize your experience, but I would bet that most people are starting to feel a little out of breath at mile 20 (32km) in the marathon, too!

But since this is a relatively new issue for such an experienced marathoner, it could be that something new is going on.

While a sensation of diminished lung capacity is not really a classic sign of "the bonk," it could be that you are starting off too fast for your fitness to maintain.

It could be medical; you could have undiagnosed asthma or an iron deficiency. When is the last time you've had an anemia panel with ferritin? Heads up, this is the topic of this week's podcast, so be sure to listen.

I do not think focusing on your breathing or trying to do breathing exercises will be of much help. In fact, might make the issue worse precisely because you are focusing on it. Your perception of effort will rise.

Here's some practical advice, assuming that there is no medical concern.

Let's assume that you are only at 90% lung capacity at the end of the race for whatever reason. You've been here before and you will be there again.

You can prepare for this mentally and even welcome the challenge. If you fear this happening again, you will get the same result. If you accept it and even look forward to it, mentally visualizing you powering through, you will.

There's not much more time to improve physically for Boston.

But there's plenty of time to improve mentally.

podcast

Millions of runners are unknowingly suffering from an iron deficiency and it is slowly causing a cascade of problems that is not just affecting their running, but their whole life.

Could you be one of them?

Today, I’m going to go into what you need to know about iron deficiencies in runners.

You’ll learn:

  • Why runners are at a higher risk for low iron
  • The signs and symptoms that you might not realize
  • And how to get more iron in your diet from plants.

I’ll also reveal a sneaky symptom of low iron that I just learned from my daughter, that happily is easily fixed.

And word of warning if you're the type to skip ahead: be sure to get a blood test before supplementing! Too much iron is highly toxic.

inspo

"You don’t have to control your thoughts. You just have to stop letting them control you."

—Dan Millman

Have a great run today,

Coach Claire

P.S. Find your tribe! Get the accountability and support you need to crush your spring goals with the PR Team. You'll get a custom training plan, coaching from me, and my best Planted Runner 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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