Random Running Thought #202: Am I the Only Fool Who Gained Weight on Marathon Day?

When you train for a marathon you have lots of time to think. Six months of training and almost six hours running the damn thing my first marathon gave me ample time to ponder several random nuggets of knowledge that I figured I would sporadically share with you.

I’m still trying to recover from this first one.

Random Running Thought #202

“Am I the only fool who managed to gain weight on the day of her marathon?”

Fortunately, since having this thought I’ve found out that I am not alone and that tapering can be your friend or foe. Don’t get me wrong, overall I have slimmed down since I started training for a marathon and the health benefits are outstanding – per my doctor my blood pressure and circulation are "stellar." Got to love that. My weight loss peaked about one month before the big race when I was logging long runs (18 milers +) and I was careful about what I was eating to fuel those runs.

Then came the taper (*insert dark, daunting music here*). I cut back on my running but not on my eating hence some of those lost pounds found their way home. For most of us weight loss is pretty transparent. If you eat more calories than you burn you gain weight – even if you are training for a marathon.

The outcome of this lovely thought – running is an excellent way to get healthy and to lose weight but you still have to be conscious of what you eat … and drink. Ahem. Oh, and if you want to fit into your running pants the day of your marathon don’t consume everything in sight during your taper.

Winks & Smiles,