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Archive for the ‘Marathon Training’ Category

Marathon training plans are simply the tools that runners use in order to reach their goals. If our goal is to finish a first marathon then we choose a conservative and relaxed plan that will get us to the start line in good shape and then onto the finish line without an injury. If our goal is to finish a marathon in under 2 and a half hours then the training plan will have to be more rigorous, perhaps more risky, and definitely more involved.

No matter what our marathon goals are, every good marathon training plan will include at least some of each of the 5 essential ingredients:

1)Quantity. It is ridiculous to assume that you can succeed at your marathon goals if you don?t expect to put in the appropriate quantity of training. This is usually looked at simply in terms of miles or kilometers, but it can also be defined by hours, heart rate beats, VDOT points or even number of strides. This quantity will vary drastically with regard to your goals, but if your training plan doesn?t refer to the specific quantity of training then it isn?t a valid training plan.

2)Quality. This is a little more controversial, but it is true to say that every good training plan will refer in some way to the quality of the training involved. This can be very specific such as ?7 times 200m sprints at 86% Max heart rate with 1000m slow run at 5minute per kilometer pace?. It can also be very general like ?half hour slow jog?. Either way, a good marathon training plan will always make it clear how fast or how intense any workout should be.

3)Purpose. A good marathon training plan will be clear about the purpose of each of its elements. Each workout (or even each recovery session) should have a specific and valuable purpose. You should be able to explain exactly why you are doing what you are doing and you should be able to reasonably expect that you will achieve those benefits from doing that particular session.

4)Timing. The best marathon training plans include timing for various sessions as well as various phases of the program. They will refer to specific training phases through out a season, variations from week to week, the location of hard and easy days within a week and sometimes even the best time of day to do various workouts in relation to rest or other key sessions. Those programs that don?t specify timing, leave it open for a runner to be doing the optimum training with sub-optimal timing, leading to less than satisfying results or even injury. The timing must be optimized to make the most of the work that is being done while giving the greatest opportunity for recovery to do its job.

5)Recovery. Some call it, recovery, others call it rest, repair, growth, adaption, or even non-running-training. The most important element of training that many marathon training plans ignore is structured rest to make the most of the structured work. Every plan must include the correct balance of work and rest. It is in this rest time that our bodies respond to the loads we have placed on them. If there is no recovery then there is no improvement. A good training program recognizes this and does not leave recovery up to chance. The quantity, quality, purpose and timing of each of the training sessions are optimized to ensure that there is just the right amount of recovery to rebuild the body before the next load is introduced.

These are the basic 5 points that I use in evaluating any marathon training plans or any running training program for that matter. Of course there is a lot more to it as well, but this should help you to start evaluating any of the millions of ready made marathon training plans.

One of my “before I die” goals was to run a marathon. At the age of 38, I decided to go for it. Never having run much before, I began with just one mile and added a mile each weekend. The first time I ran three miles I was exhausted, but exhilarated. Before I knew it I was up to 10 miles for my long run and doing three “baby” runs during the week.

I was doing great on my training schedule until the fall. Work and parenting commitments demanded more of my time, and I fell far behind. I felt sure I would never be ready in time. Discouraged and overwhelmed, I was tempted to give up. My children and their friends wouldn’t let me. Each weekend they would gather around me and ask me how many miles I was up to now. They were invested in my success and offered to keep me company and carry my water for me on my training runs. I had become a powerful role model and the choice was mine whether I wanted to model perseverance or failure. I decided to start fresh. I backed down and did an easy eight-mile run, just to build up my confidence. Then I added two miles each weekend, instead of the usual one mile, and before I knew it I was ready for an 18-mile pre-marathon training race. The morning of the race arrived and we had the worst rain and windstorm we had seen in years. My husband turned off the alarm and said, “Surely, no one will be running in this weather.”

He couldn’t have been more wrong. The race was packed. After all, anyone who has worked for ten months to get up to 18 miles is not going to let a little wind and rain stop them. I completed the race in last place; but it felt like first place. I now knew I had the confidence to go the distance and that I was going to finish the marathon, even if I had to crawl over the finish line.

The day of the marathon it was, 26.2 miles, do or die. One of the smartest things I did was to have friends running with me the entire way. One friend would run for 6 miles and another would run for the next three miles. We had such a fabulous time. Crossing that finish line, with my friends and family cheering me on, was one of the highlights of my life. The joy and power I felt was indescribable. I realized that training for a marathon is a metaphor for life. The best way to reach a big goal is to be surrounded by support and bite it off a little at a time. If you fall behind, don’t quit. Just start in again, build up your confidence, and then keep moving forward step by step.

When I finished the marathon, I was a different person than when I began. The marathon not only improve my fitness level, it improved my confidence. I dream bigger now. I know that if I just take it a step at a time, I can complete anything I set my mind to.

Running for marathons has become quite a rage and you have professionals and amateurs who start the marathon together. Professional marathon runners need to train effectively and must have well thought out training plan to gradually being up their fitness levels to competitive levels. Training is vital for marathons and if you are serious you will sit down and devise a training plan.

Professional runners normally break their training into different phases. What each entails and the duration of each phase depends on the runner?s fitness levels. It also depends on how much time the runner has to prepare for the event.

Immaterial how you break up your training, your aim should be to bring up your running ability so that you cover the entire length of the marathon. Normally amateur and novice runners face a problem with this. But a point to remember is that most beginners can not run a mile so they feel completely frustrated thinking about how they will cover twenty six miles of the marathon.

Some runners like to break their training into twenty six weeks. They go for long runs and gradually increase the distance, like adding a mile a week. This is not the only aspect of training but it one way of ensuring that you build up your stamina so that you have the energy to run the entire length.

Another important aspect of the training is to make sure you run every day. It is but natural that you should include rest days in your training. Many professional runners end up running five days a week and use the two days to do exercises in the gym to build up their upper bodies.

To become a serious marathon runner, it is important to have a training regimen and then sticking to it. If you do not take your training seriously, there is no way you would be able to compete with other professional marathon runners.