Marathon Training: But I Thought Running Helped Me Lose Weight

At the end of my last blog, I was about to attempt the Park West 5k, pretty nervous about how far my fitness had fallen.

So, to take the pressure away on race day, I ignored the watch and ran on feel (a David McCarthy tip from a previous episode - and that man is winning these types of races!). The idea was nerve wrecking in itself as a 5k race usually consists of me running off too fast before burning out and wanting to find a ditch with 2k to go. 

I’d prefer racing any other distance.

Even warming up for this race, with a 3km run, it was hard to slow down under a 5 min/km. I felt like I was cruising. I could put that down to the race day atmosphere… was more likely down to the carbon runners as I propelled along the road. 

It was great to see a lot of friendly faces from my CSF Womens Fitness Class, to previous podcast guests and runners who joined us on our AGR marathon trip earlier in the year in Barcelona.

But, with 5 mins under race time, it was time to edge up the field and see how I’d get on.

I never really thought the sub 20 was on. But after 4km, while it was tough, I felt strong. I was passing people out. That never happens at this stage of a 5km. I hadn’t looked at the watch and wasn’t sure how fast I was going. Maybe, just maybe, this was the day.

With a little over 500m left, I was starting to tire. I needed motivation. If I was near 18:00, I might be able to pull it out. Even 18:30 might help me push on. I was tiring, I had to look

20:13…

20:14…

Ah, dammit!

I instantly slowed further.

But I was happy overall to get under the sub 22 min 5k and thought about the possibilities of getting even closer to that sub 20 in Celbridge at the end of August.

With the Naas 5k following that, at the end of September, maybe this is finally the year.

And, on top of all that, no pain in the Achilles. I’m used to limping around after these paces. Yes, the legs were a little stiff. But nothing more.

Even though the race is over, my mind was still racing over the next few weeks that followed. I went faster than I thought I could qin Park West but, my interval times seem stagnant.

I was definitely feeling fitter, but not faster. 

Running near 90kg was messing with my mind, I had never felt this heavy before.

Ego wise, the InBody was heading in the right direction. Muscle mass was surprisingly going up (although I’ve never been as consistent with lower body training than these last few weeks) and the body fat dropped. 

Ideal scenario in most cases. 

But weight wasn’t budging too much.

I was reminded on one of our special Thursday episodes of the podcast in the lead up to Dublin about a cold hard fact. Cliodhna had reminded us all:

”You shouldn’t be losing weight in marathon training”

And she’s 100% right. You need fuel for the sessions as they progressively get longer each week. 

Yet, when it comes to losing weight, and I’m guilty of it too, we all say we need to do more cardio, more running.

And what do we eat on our runs?

Sugar, jellies, gels

Cereal beforehand for quick releasing energy.

Stuff we would limit if we were trying to lose weight do to a potential over consumption of calories (let’s not go down the weight loss rabbit hole here - bear with me).

And yet, when we run, we eat this food to fuel and sometimes think we need to do this exercise to lose weight?

Something is not adding up here.

To compensate, we sometimes tend to eat less after the run. Less fuel, more fatigue, fewer quality sessions, and it can soon lead to a vicious cycle of missed sessions due to being too tired or potential injury. 

There’s a phrase I heard years ago on the podcast that I can’t eloquently put right now but it was something to do with not feeding a show pony the same as a race horse?

And yet, the mileage still needs to go up. The initial buzz of marathon training is gone. If this were a New Year’s Resolution, we’re into February. There’s no motivation in February!

And I am starting to feel more tired. 

The training and trying to balance everything else is taking its toll. Like all of us on this marathon journey, it’s hard to squeeze it all in. 

There are positives.

The gym sessions are going great. I’m actually feeling stronger more so than just maintaining strength. 

I had been stuck on roughly 43km for three weeks in a row, and I knew I needed to do more. At the end of this past week, I got an extra run in on the Saturday, along with my longest run to date of 25km to get back up to 57km for the weekly mileage.

Mileage is coming back. 

But I NEED to get faster. It’s in my head and affecting my training. 

I know what I’d say to the person I’m coaching but it’s so much different when it’s yourself.

I can feel the 1% differences slipping from the routine. 

The mobility drills are getting shorter, sometimes skipped entirely for a short workout, so I can get the workout done quicker and move on to other things. 

There’s not much focus on calf work right now, sure they feel good… for the most part.

My water intake has dropped… and coffee increased. Food choices aren’t great. Even forgetting to take protein shakes, fuelling could be a lot better. I’m not using the Ultrapure stuff as much for intervals and recovery for long runs like I was earlier. Do I even have charge in my massage gun?

But, while I’m not feeling faster, I am feeling fitter than when I started this marathon journey. I’m leaner, if not lighter. Good for the ego. 

I’m not quite myself from back in March, but I can’t be far off, right?

Just have to stay the course, be patient and not get ahead of myself.

The marathon PB is still on as I head into race week for a 21k Spartan, my first Spartan event… but I’d really love that sub 20 5k! 

It’s been over 5 years of talking about it on the podcast. I even had people mention it to me in Park West. 

I need to push hard to get that sub 20

The marathon is not till October, I’m going to get that sub 20, even if it breaks me 

I’m sure this mindset is not going to backfire at all…

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I wanted to have this blog out at the start of this race week, but appropriately enough, everything got in the way. 

I finish typing this on a flight to Bristol (with no travel bands!) for race day… I couldn’t even keep pace with Niamh going through the terminal, so the race is off…

After a late recording of the podcast on Tuesday night, I forced myself out for one last interval session. Despite the calf feeling tight, I thought I could push through…

Not the smartest decision I’ve ever made. Walking is difficult right now, let alone running!

So I’ll be out of running for at least the next 3-4 weeks, and that does not look good for October…