ASICS Elite Julie Culley Takes On Her First Marathon
Julie counts on a specific race day playlist to get her in the right frame of mind, ranging from U2 to Jay-Z. (Photo courtesy of ASICS)
In less than two weeks, spectators will line the Big Apple’s streets across all five boroughs to watch professional athletes and running enthusiasts, alike, pound the ING New York City Marathon pavement. Among this year’s ASICS elite lineup is U.S. Track & Field member Julie Culley, who placed first in the 2012 5,000m Olympic Trials. Julie has switched gears since returning from London, preparing to make her marathon debut by racking up around 95 miles a week. We discussed the upcoming race with the speedy 31-year-old, who shared running tips, her go-to grub and more. Here’s what Julie had to say:
What does your typical marathon training week look like?
A typical training week includes 90 to 95 miles in six days with either a rest day or a cross-training day on the seventh. I typically do two harder effort workouts either on grass, roads, track or dirt trail depending on the day’s assignment. I have a strength coach and hit the gym at least twice a week and also have a number of corrective exercises I do at least five days a week. I do a full dynamic warm-up of drills and openers at least two to three times a week and try to rest as much as possible between each session. Naps are a necessity, as well as weekly chiropractic treatment and massage!
Do you have any race day rituals to get you in the zone?
I usually start the morning with a shake-out run along with a hearty breakfast of oatmeal, cereal or a gluten-free bread of sorts along with some juice, lots of water and usually two cups of coffee. If I can get my hands on some espresso, that is a plus! I typically braid or twist my hair with a number of pins and always top it off with a headband to match my uniform. My race day playlist is pretty specific. There are a few songs that get me in the right frame of mind ranging from U2 to Jay-Z.
Do you carbo-load the night before a race?
I’m not normally fixated on carbo-loading as much as having a well-balanced meal including meat and lots of vegetables. I usually always have a glass of wine the night before a race to help me relax, unwind and sleep. My favorite pre-race meal is gluten-free pizza!
Do you have any tips for runners looking to increase their mileage?
Take it slow! I’ve only increased my mileage by 15 miles a week from the 5K to the marathon. More importantly is getting the quality workouts and quality long runs in the books. Doing too much too quickly can lead to injury. You have to get to the starting line healthy!
Favorite running apparel item?
Accessories! I love accessorizing my running outfits with headbands, hats, colorful socks, cute bags, etc. ASICS has some great accessory items out to match some of the beautiful fall and winter colored apparel items on the shelves!
For more information on the New York Road Runners’ premiere event, check out their website and be sure to check in and cheer on Julie as she crosses her first marathon off the bucket list!
Categories: Fitness, Motivation | Tags: ASICS, ING New York Marathon, Julie Culley, London
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Keep Your Olympics Fire Burning with a Gold-Medal Workout!
Compete with classmates to see who earns the gold medal. (Photo courtesy of New York Sports Clubs)
We know it’s hard to figure out what you did with your time before the Olympics started. Having the opportunity to watch all of the inspiring athletes on a regular basis taken away has left a serious medal-sized hole in our hearts. So if you’re looking for something to fill the void, we may have the perfect workout.
If you’re in New York City, Washington D.C., Boston or Philadelphia anytime in August, head over to select New York Sports Clubs, Washington Sports Clubs and Philadephia Sports Clubs locations to give the free UXF-London Calling Edition class a try (non-members are welcome!). When we heard that the workout promised a butt like Hope Solo and legs like Lolo Jones, and let our competitive streak come out to play, we sprinted right over!
The one-hour class features five timed stations where you’ll box, row, hurdle, lift and jump to a seriously fit bod. Race yourself against the clock to increase the number of reps you hit each time (participants rotate through each station five times) or bring a friend and see who can clock more with each round. After you’ve sweat through the stations, team up with a buddy to conquer a plank and sit-up combo—one performs standard sit-ups; the other holds their partner’s feet while up in a plank—along with other core-blasting exercises. To wrap things up, the instructor hands out a gold, silver and bronze medal to whoever completes the most reps collectively.
After muscling through the workout ourselves, we can assure you that this class is no joke! Find a class near you at the NYSC website, then come back here and let us know how many reps you completed, and if you stood on top of a podium at the end of class. We nabbed the silver medal!
Now you tell us: What will you miss most about the Olympics?
Categories: Fitness, The Fit Stop, Workouts | Tags: circuit workouts, London, New York Sports Clubs, Olympics
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