{"id":50732,"date":"2016-07-08T07:15:26","date_gmt":"2016-07-08T11:15:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=50732"},"modified":"2016-07-15T11:03:57","modified_gmt":"2016-07-15T15:03:57","slug":"shalane-flanagan-amy-cragg-rio-olympics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/shalane-flanagan-amy-cragg-rio-olympics\/","title":{"rendered":"Shalane Flanagan and Amy Cragg Run for Gold"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Shalane
Photo: @ShalaneFlanagan<\/a><\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It was inevitable for Amy Cragg and Shalane Flanagan to pair up as running<\/a> partners in the lead-up to the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. Flanagan is currently the country\u2019s fastest marathoner with a personal best record of 2:21:14, and Cragg is closely behind at 2:27:04. But for a sport that focuses on the individual, both runners knew that they needed each other to be pushed. And so last fall, Cragg and her husband moved to Portland, Oregon to train with Flanagan and the Bowerman Track Club.<\/p>\n

\u201cAmy and I are each other\u2019s best assets. It\u2019s great to have someone to run with who understands what you\u2019re going through,\u201d says Flanagan, who will be entering her third Olympics, and Cragg her second. (Both competed in the 2012 London Olympics, where Flanagan placed 10th<\/sup> and Cragg 11th<\/sup>.)<\/p>\n

As a pair, they\u2019re also banking on the accountability factor necessary to succeed at the 26.2 distance. \u201cRunning is a competitive sport, but our relationship is more of a friendship. Amy helps keep me in check. When she\u2019s ready to run, I need to be ready, too,\u201d Flanagan says.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>In the Gym With Sanya Richards-Ross<\/a><\/p>\n

The Road to Rio<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a mutual respect, and we\u2019re better with each other because of it.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And the intensity has already ramped up. \u201cRight now, we\u2019re running about 16 to 20 miles every day [with the Bowerman Track Club],\u201d Flanagan says. That means 11 to 12 miles together in the morning, then 5 to 8 miles in the evening. In between, they tackle strength and conditioning<\/a> workouts to help with injury prevention<\/a> and recovery.<\/p>\n

Because the months leading up to the Olympics are paved with long training days, it leaves little time for anything else. \u201cOur social lives are put on the back<\/a> burner right now, but we\u2019re so lucky to have each other and family and friends who are very understanding,\u201d Cragg says.<\/p>\n

Fortunately for both Cragg and Flanagan, pounding pavement for a living happens to run in the family. Flanagan\u2019s mother, Cheryl Bridges, is a former long-distance runner and world record holder of the marathon<\/a>. Cragg is married to Alistair Cragg, who is a former Olympic runner. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t be able to do what I do without my husband. He\u2019s not just there for emotional support; he also runs with us and paces us,\u201d Cragg says.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Olympic Diver David Boudia Paves the Road to Rio<\/a><\/p>\n

Shalane and Amy: Fast Friends<\/strong><\/h3>\n

At the U.S. Olympic women\u2019s marathon trials<\/a> in February, Flanagan and Cragg coaxed each other along the challenging race course. When Flanagan started to struggle at mile 23 from being overheated, Cragg didn\u2019t leave her teammate behind \u2014 as many competitors are taught to do. Instead, she handed her a water bottle and stuck right at her side.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a great friendship and working relationship. Our coach does a good job of making us succeed individually and as a team. There\u2019s a mutual respect, and we\u2019re better with each other because of it,\u201d Flanagan says.<\/p>\n

Sure enough, even record-shattering runners have bad days, too. \u201cI would say the big thing you have to realize is there\u2019s a chance things aren\u2019t going to be good. Running is kind of like tasting coffee<\/a> for the first time. It can be harsh at first, but you start liking it more and more. It becomes something you can tolerate to something you can enjoy. It\u2019s an important part of your day,\u201d Cragg explains.<\/p>\n

For Cragg, running also provides a release. \u201cYou can definitely sort your thoughts and let your mind wander during long runs,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

\"Shalane
Photo: @HastyHastings<\/a><\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cFor dinner, I have this amazing recipe for bison meatballs. It\u2019s important for runners to keep their iron levels high.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Marathon Body Maintenance<\/strong><\/h3>\n

As they prepare for the Rio Games, recovery is a key part of their routine. Mobility<\/a>, ice baths, stretching, foam rolling and sleep all become more important than ever to maintain Flanagan and Cragg’s\u00a0high volume of mileage.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn addition to stretching, Amy and I use HOTSHOT<\/a>, a sports beverage that helps prevent and treat muscle cramps by stopping them where they start \u2014 the nerves,\u201d Flanagan says. \u201cMany people don\u2019t realize that cramping starts at the nerve, not the muscle. When you treat cramps, you need to treat the nerves.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cragg says she\u2019s been lucky with injuries and hasn\u2019t experienced anything debilitating, but there\u2019s always a risk to every workout or race. \u201cHOTSHOT takes cramping out of the equation, so that\u2019s one major thing I don\u2019t have to worry about.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Got Foot Pain? The 5 Worst Foot Injuries for Runners<\/a><\/p>\n

Fit Foodies<\/strong><\/h3>\n

And then there’s the meal planning. For Flanagan, food isn\u2019t just fuel. She also happens to be a big-time foodie. She recently co-authored a new cookbook, Run Fast Eat Slow: Nourishing Recipes for Athletes<\/em><\/a>, with whole-foods chef Elyse Kopecky. The cookbook is set to release in August, just in time for Rio.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn race day, I like to eat oatmeal<\/a>, which is transportable when you\u2019re traveling. I also have a recipe called \u2018Super Hero Muffin<\/a>.\u2019 It has super hearty, nutrient-dense ingredients<\/a>, like oats, maple syrup and walnuts,\u201d Flanagan says. \u201cFor dinner, I have this amazing recipe for bison meatballs. It\u2019s important for runners to keep their iron levels high.\u201d Flanagan plans to\u00a0carbo load<\/a>\u00a0a day or two before the\u00a0big race. In addition to having\u00a0oatmeal or one of her Super Hero Muffins for breakfast, she\u2019ll snack on some pretzels and sip on a sports drink to make sure she\u2019s hydrated.<\/p>\n

But unlike Flanagan, Cragg is not a traditional carb loader. \u201cI\u2019m not a huge pasta person, so I prefer sweet potatoes<\/a> and rice with chicken. In the morning, I\u2019ll have eggs and some toast,\u201d Cragg says.<\/p>\n

The Road Ahead\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

As the Rio Games fast approach, both athletes must rein in their emotions as well. For Flanagan, the last few days before a race are what she calls \u201cthe taper tantrum<\/a>,\u201d when pent-up energy just needs to come out. \u201cI try to stay even-keeled. Relaxing, spending a little time with family and keeping your feet up are all things that help with your nerves.\u201d<\/p>\n

But once the finish line is crossed, it\u2019s not the gold medal or the best personal record that counts. Cragg says her prize will be spending time with family and recovering. \u201cWe don\u2019t get a lot of down time right now. I\u2019m lucky I get to spend time with my husband while doing my job, but I intend to go home to Kansas to visit my family after the Rio Olympics.”<\/p>\n

To track the duo\u2019s road to Rio, check out\u00a0<\/em>Flanagan<\/em><\/a> and <\/em>Cragg<\/em><\/a> on Facebook and follow them on Twitter and Instagram <\/em>@ShalaneFlanagan<\/em><\/a> and <\/em>@HastyHastings<\/em><\/a>. And for updates on all things Team USA, visit teamusa.org. The 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio begin on August 5. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Marathon runners Shalane Flanagan and Amy Cragg train together, fuel together and strategize together. Here\u2019s how they plan to take on Rio side-by-side.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":90,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,24,6],"tags":[209,295,181,108,141,341,357],"class_list":["post-50732","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-cardio","category-exercise","category-fitness","tag-athlete","tag-cross-training","tag-olympics","tag-running","tag-sports","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2running"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50732","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/90"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50732"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50732\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50732"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50732"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50732"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}