As summer rolls around, many athletic-minded folks take part in a marathon for a challenging workout that can really pay off. If you've never run a marathon, it's never too late to start! Dozens of half marathons are sponsored by various vendors and competitions around the country, and you don't need to be in incredible shape to complete one. Running a marathon can be a very rewarding experience; it can test your physical and mental stamina, and help you work towards a new goal. If you're looking for a new activity and goal to set your sights on, a marathon can give you a fresh perspective! There are numerous benefits of running in marathon or training for one. These include:
- It strengthens the heart and opens the capillaries, both sending energy to working muscles and flushing waste products from fatigued muscles.
- It strengthens the leg muscles and ligaments, thus improving your endurance.
- It increases your overall speed, even for shorter races.
- It teaches the body to burn fat as fuel.
- It develops your mental toughness and coping skills, thus increasing or enhancing your confidence level.
- It helps you socialize and meet new people.
- It helps you test your body to the limit and break free from your monotonous schedule.
While completing marathon can be sometimes difficult, preparing properly for these training sessions will make this important workout much easier to accomplish. Listed below are areas of concern that require your careful preparation prior to your marathon.
-
Select an event: Doing a marathon begins with identifying the event. Select an event that you feel you can achieve. Don't overestimate yourself!
-
Purchase the right Gear: Make sure that you are training in proper sports shoes to maximize absorption of shock. The clothing should be light, proper fitting and should be sweat absorbing. Avoid cotton T-shirts for long runs as they tend to absorb and retain sweat, making the cloth heavy, causing body rashes when the T-shirt rubs against your body. Try one of the lightweight synthetics designed to wick moisture away from your skin and allow it to evaporate quickly like Nike's DriFit and CoolMax by DuPont. Use Body Glide, Vaseline, or similar products on feet, under arms, between thighs to eliminate or reduce chafing and/or blisters. Wear sunscreen every time you are training in the morning.
-
Set goals: It won't do you any good to simply run until you're tired during your training period. You will need to set some specific goals. Set yourself goals of running an extra mile or two each week to build up; you should be on average running around 30-40 miles a week.
-
Join a running club: Consider joining an organized running group. It's a good way to get social support, make new friends, and avoid the monotony that can happen when you run alone. You will see that it makes a World of difference to run with others! You can also ask the experienced members of the group to provide you additional information about the marathon.
-
Focus on Nutrition: Throughout training ensure you have a balanced diet, increasing your carbohydrates slightly before a long run. The week before the marathon focus on topping up your glycogen stores by increasing your carbs; the bigger the glycogen stores in your muscles the longer you can perform. Bread, rice, pasta, cereals, potatoes, fruit and vegetables are all good foods to eat.
-
Don't ignore hydration: Hydration is another key aspect of running a marathon. It is important that throughout your training you keep yourself hydrated, try to drink as much water as possible, diluted fruit juices are okay to drink prior to running and sports drinks or isotonic drinks (most commercially available sports drinks are isotonic, examples being Gatorade, Powerade etc.) can be a brilliant aid to give you energy and keep you going for longer.
-
Plan you training: Throughout training, stick to a training schedule, which will provide goals to keep you motivated. The marathon is the furthest goal, but also come up with some targets to work for in the meantime. Running a marathon requires a lot of advance training. You'll need to find a schedule to follow; there are many great schedules for marathon training on the internet as well as in fitness or running magazines. There are schedules for new runners as well as for seasoned athletes. Pick one that is tailored to your own situation. Once you set up a schedule, don't give yourself any excuses to skip training days. Keep a training journal to help you track your progress. It may also help to note your injuries. Plan your next steps ahead and make sure to stick with your training program.
-
Mix it up: To prevent wear and tear of your muscles, it is wise to alternate your training; incorporate cycling, swimming or deep water running. The key is to make sure you do this activity for the same length of time as it would take you to do your goal distance running.
-
Stretching, warm ups & cool downs: Stretch daily as it will help strengthen your back and hamstrings. It is important also for your stomach muscles to be firm and strong. A 15 mins warm up session and a 10 mins cool down session is extremely important. Marathon running requires a strong body, so don't forget the basics of running.
-
Rest: Get lots of rest one day a week, aiming for 8 hours sleep. Make either Friday or Saturday a complete rest day for the legs. If you do train on Saturday, make it a very light workout on the legs.
-
Pay Attention to Injury: If you're hurt beyond a day or two, figure out what's wrong. Talk to seasoned runners and/or see your doctor. Don't push yourself until you cause irreparable damage. Remember, your goal is to finish the race, and you have to take care of yourself to do so!
-
Mental Training: Whether it is getting up early, or beginning a fitness program your motivation and commitment needs to last over the long term to have an affect. Running a marathon requires commitment and motivation, and a belief that the accumulation of all those training miles will help you to reach your goal.
The first marathon is usually the toughest, but it's also the most rewarding. As you become more comfortable with the process, you can start to set some new goals for each season. Your self confidence will naturally increase after each one, and you'll be training your mind and body in the process.
Good luck!
