Recovery + Injury Prevention

My running has been going really well for the past year and a half, and I have a ton of things to attribute my health to. I've really been focusing on recovery. I've started tracking my recovery in my training log, as a reminder of how important of a component it is to my training.

My favorite recovery practices are:

• Epsom baths: At least 2 times a week, I am taking an epsom bath for 20-30 minutes. Sometimes this is after a run, sometimes it's a true rest day, or other times it's when work has been crazy and I need just some quiet moments to chill. I'm obsessed with the Dr Teals Lavender Epsom Salt . Lately I've been adding the Dr. Teal's Lavender Bubble Bath which takes it to an awesome level. I do need to drink a ton of water after doing it, as epsom bath's can be dehydrating.
• Hydration: Speaking of drinking all of the water, I've really been upping my water intake this summer. When it's hot out, I sweat like crazy, so I know I need to drink a ton of water to replace everything I've lost. It's been helping to flush out some of the soreness in my legs.
• Compression socks: I've been a firm believer in compression socks for years, so I've been wearing them a lot in the evenings and after runs. I've even contemplated wearing them to work with knee-length dresses, but I think I might get weird looks. Kyle just loves when we go out to lunch and I refuse to take them off. 
• Massages: I started doing monthly massages this past spring, and I think it's really helping! I look forward to massage day so much! I would really like to do 2 massages a month but that's just not in the cards money wise. It's moments like this that I wish I was a sponsored runner. :P

In addition to recovery work, I've been focusing on injury prevention as well!

Injury prevention practices:

• Glute activation drills: I'm doing these before EVERY run. Whether it's a see-saw lift, or clam shells, or a standing banded leg lift, I'm doing *something* to get my booty woke up and ready to run. And it's truly making all the difference. Sometimes when my legs feel super heavy on a run, I will stop and do some quick leg lifts to invite the booty to the party. I got a pair of resistance bands for Christmas that were just okay, but I recently ordered this set, which is what we use at POWER and they're amazing.
• Sanford POWER: This is one of the #1 things that has kept me injury free, and I know I've bragged about it a million times, but I'm going to keep doing it. I LOVE POWER. It's functional strength-training specifically for runners. My runs after POWER are always rockin' because my form is so spot on after a 60 minute session. 
• Foam rolling/stick: This is probably my least favorite practice. I know I need it, but I don't love it. And my runs the day after doing it usually feel junky, but I still do it. 
• Core work: Somewhere during the time of doing all the yoga during teacher training, I stopped doing core work. I thought I was getting plenty during yoga, right? Wrong. But now I'm getting back to it. I know that my posture is the first thing to go when I'm tired on a long long run or a race, so I'm hoping that more core work will lead to better form when races and runs get really tough and tiring. Not quite Operation: Alba Abs of days past, but I also wouldn't mind being able to shed the shirt on some really toasty runs without fear of being judged.

**I've included a couple of affiliate links to Amazon for specific products that I have been buying, using, and loving. If you purchase from the links, I get a few pennies back!

HALP. Advice please.

It's not my first time around the marathon block.  Madison will be marathon #6 for me.  However, that doesn't mean I have everything figured out.  In fact, I would say the opposite is true.  The marathon is so interesting to me because I can't seem to perform to my potential for 26.2 miles.  Insert the cheesy, "if it was easy, everyone would do it" quote here please.  But seriously.  There are so many stinking variables that go in to a successful marathon to performance, and not all are under your control.

With that being said, I have questions regarding two marathon related things.  First, how many of you do your long runs and marathons wearing compression socks?

I've been a devoted compression sock wearing runner for recovery almost since I started running marathons.  I think that they help significantly with recovery.  When I initially started wearing them, I had read articles proving their effectiveness during recovery, but not WHILE running.  Not that they weren't good, just that there wasn't statistical evidence that they provided any assistance while actually running.

Since switching my running form, I have some tight calves.  I foam roll them and wear my compression socks pretty religiously, but am contemplating wearing my compression socks for race day.  For one, the race is in November so while I'm normally all "WEAR NONE OF THE CLOTHES, IT'S TOO HOT FOR E'ERYTHING!" it might actually be ok to have some extra cloth covering me on race day. Especially because I'm planning to wear shorts and a tank even if it's 32*.  Mama likes it cold.

If I go this route, I'll definitely spend at least half of my long runs running in the compression socks, but I probably need to start that, um... this weekend.  Also, I would need green compression socks STAT for race day.  (Dear Pro compression, please make green and yellow argyle socks immediately.  My race day depends on it.  Thanks, Jerbear)

Next up:  salt.  When I first started training for marathons, an experienced runner, Glenn recommended that I take salt tablets on my run given the amount that I sweat, and the amount of salt I sweat out when I run (see:  every race photo ever).  This information was relayed to me 3+ years ago, so clearly I can't find it, nor do I remember his sage advice.  Le sigh.

For those that take salt, or salt supplements of any kind, what do you use?  What's your strategy for when you take them/how often/etc?  Clearly these are things I need to be figuring out ASAP as well so I can be practicing them on long runs.  Yikes.

Any other suggestions?  I'm super stubborn so I may not take them.  But they may just fester in the back of my brain for the next three years until I finally give in, so that would be helpful eventually then, right?  ;)