Marathon Magic: How to Achieve Your Personal Goals

According to Leta Shy, Associate Editor for Fitness at PopSugar UK, ‘There are many things to love about the Nike Women’s Marathon — the female-positive message, the energy, and, of course, that Tiffany necklace — and the fact that it’s raised over $134 million for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society since its inception makes it that much better. I had a blast at last year’s race, my first half, so as soon as Nike invited me to run this year as part of their 10th annual celebration, I’d already slipped on my training shoes.’ Following on from her latest stint in her running shoes, Shy gave us her wellness tips for running a marathon.

 

1. Uphill battle: While hill running doesn’t seem like a good idea for anyone’s wellbeing, Shy reckons it’s an essential part of your training if you want to succeed come marathon day. ‘Make sure you incorporate hill running into your training,’ she instructs. ‘You’ll have a much better time if you do. If you live in a flat area, up the incline on your treadmill (try this hill repeats treadmill workout) or seek out the steps.’

 

2. Prepare to wait: You may be all geared up and ready to go, but if you’re in the later corrals, you may have to factor in at least 30 minutes to an hour wait time after the official start. Shy notes, ‘I still recommend being there by the official start time, but knowing just how much of a wait you’ll have can help relieve stress, especially if you are feeling rushed and nervous that you’ll be late.’

 

3. Stay on the Right track: Shy asserts, ‘If you’re going to walk, try to stay on the right side of the course as much as possible. It can be dangerous for you and your fellow racers if you stop and walk on the left, especially if you’ve got ear buds in and can’t hear runners calling behind you that they are passing.’

 

4. Hydrate: Every marathon will provide hydration stations at various intervals throughout the race. However, when Shy ran her marathon, she ‘heard from runners in later corrals that some stations ran out.’ If you’re worried about this, Shy recommends that you bring your own water bottle or fuel belt for your run. Not only does this ensure you’ll be properly fuelled for the race, but you can do this according to your own schedule and pace. Shy adds, ‘Don’t panic if you come up to [a hydration station] that’s all the way on the left and you’re on the other side of the course; there will be another one on your right side.

 

5. Get your energy boost: ‘If you need an electrolyte boost, hold out for the sports drink tables at the end of each station,’ Shy notes. ‘Similarly, if you know you’ll be on the course for a long time or think you’ll need an extra burst of energy along the course, bring your own energy gels.’

 

6. Go to the toilet beforehand: You may not think you need to go, but nothing ruins your personal best like having to stop for a loo-break. Shy comments, ‘Take a bathroom break as you wait at the starting line — you have the time, and once you run past the long lines at the Mile One Porta-Potties, you’ll be glad you did.’

 

7. Choose the right group: Runners are organised by their potential finishing time, with faster people at the front, and slower runners at the end. A lot of people walk parts of the marathon but if you’re planning on running the whole way, Shy advises that you ‘sign up for one of the faster corrals — for example, the eight- or nine-minute miles — so you won’t get stuck in a walkers’ bottleneck.’

Categories: hill running, marathon, nbsp, Running, shy notes, time, Tips, wait

The Big Race: Five Tips for Preparing for a Marathon

If you are like most serious runners, you have dreamed of running a Marathon. You have done all of the preparations for the big race, getting fitted for proper running shoes, learning how to stay hydrated through long runs and varying your workouts will help you build the endurance to trek all 26.1 miles to the finish line on race day. But if you’re unfamiliar with new running locations or have just started branching out into the nationwide marathon circuit, you may not know about some time- and money-saving tips that will keep you going as you prepare for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

 

Learn about the Trail

After you register for your out-of-town marathon, look up the trail information and try to mimic the training in your own area. You may encounter entirely new terrain and obstacles so plan a route and a routine that reflects the race you’ll be running. This will help you to prevent injury on race day, and enable you to reach your time goals.

 

Prepare for the Weather

Even if the race you are running is located in your home town, you need to be prepared for a wide variety of weather. If you are running a summer race, be sure you take ample amounts of sunscreen with you, and reapply frequently throughout the race. If the weather could be cooler, be sure to layer up and protect your body. If your body core temperature drops too much as you race you could be setting yourself up for immediate and delayed illness. Don’t let the excitement of the race keep you from preparing adequately.

 

Book a Good Hotel

Finding good accommodations for an out-of-town race can be costly and difficult the closer it gets to race day. If you’re planning on running the Oklahoma City Marathon, for example, consider booking downtown Oklahoma City hotels early to save on cost. Look for hotels near the race trail that offer special amenities to marathon participants. The better you sleep in the week leading up to the race, the better you will perform. Taking pains to find a good hotel will ease your stress and help you be more focused on the experience you have been preparing for.

 

Find Quality Companionship

Training for a marathon isn’t easy, but the fitness rewards are worth it. Make sure you you get the support you need to make your dreams a reality. Look for local running clubs, or a friend with a similar goal that you could run with. Make sure that you and your companion/s get the workouts you need without overdoing it. It can be too easy to try and keep up with a more athletic friend and injure yourself. Finding a companion to train and race with is worth the effort, as you will be able to share this amazing accomplishment with someone else.

 

Take What You Need

In an unfamiliar setting, you may not be able to count on local stores stocking the right equipment for your run. When you pack, make sure you take everything you need. If you’re flying, try to fit everything for race day into a carry-on case to avoid the chance of losing your luggage and all your running gear before the race.

 

Planning a marathon takes energy and determination on and off the trail. Get ahead of the game by organizing your trip early and familiarizing yourself with the new location. You’ll be much better prepared to finish the race if you have a strong grasp on where you’re staying and how to get around afterward. Whether you’re participating in small-town races or large metropolitan events, these five tips for planning your next marathon will help you avoid the stress of unfamiliar territory.

Categories: fitness and diet, healthy habits, hydration, marathon, nbsp, oklahoma city, Rest, Running, sports injury, sports training, town, trail

How to Get the Most out of Last-Minute Marathon Training

Nothing quite tests your fitness like a marathon. You can spend months, and even a year of your life running mile after mile, searching wellness tip after wellness tip, all for 26.2 miles of glory. But what happens when you’ve not done the training you were supposed to, and you’ve only got a few weeks or days to make the marathon a great achievement instead of a terrible nightmare?

If it gets to four weeks before the big event, and you cannot run for 16 miles without stopping, it would be dangerous to take part. However, if you can manage this, there may still be time to save your training, which should involve many different strength and fitness building activities, and not just running. On each Monday, do either a 30 minute hard swim or interval running. The first and third Tuesday should be used for hill running, and the others for rest and recovery. Use Wednesdays to build strength with weight or circuit training, and rest on Thursdays apart from the second in your four weeks, which should involve an eight to 10 mile stint of steady speed running.

On the first Friday, run 20 miles, then 22 on the second, six on the third and rest on the last before the big day. Saturday should be for rest and recovery, which you need 24 hours of after a long run. Finally, on each Sunday, go for a gentle swim or jog, or go to a yoga or pilates class to strengthen your core. If you follow this plan, assuming you have the basic fitness level to run 16 miles and conditions are good on the day, everything should be fine. Be wary of over-training to force readiness, because it won’t work and could put your wellbeing at risk of temporary or long-term injury.

Finally, remember that rest and recovery does not mean sitting around in front of the TV or going to the pub. During this time, you need to soothe aching or recovering muscles by taking ice-baths, having massages or going for a nice, relaxing walk in the sea. However, if you are in doubt about an ache or pain or your ability to compete in the marathon, consult your doctor immediately.

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How to Get the Most out of Last-Minute Marathon Training

Categories: late training, marathon, recovery