February 18, 2020

Running

By Fix Events

Congratulations on signing up for a marathon. Now comes the hard part – TRAINING for it. Here are a few pointers to aid you in your quest and get you up to speed for race day.

Vary Your Route

No matter who you are, running the same 20-odd mile route week in week out is definitely going to get boring. Yes, it is good doing the same route occasionally so you can compare how your training is going, but most of the time it is better to have a few different variations to keep things interesting. Maybe run alongside some water, visit a park or else go somewhere new. All of this will make those extra miles that little bit easier.

Test Out Kit

Make sure you have a good pair of trainers a number of weeks before the day, as you don’t want to break in new ones last minute. Also, what are conditions likely to be - is it hot, windy, or undulating? Use your training runs to test out thermals, vests, sunglasses and any other kit you may need to use, in fact anything that may distract you on the day

Mix Up Your Sets

Just because you are training for a marathon, doesn’t mean you need to just stick to long average-paced runs. Try some hill sets or interval training to boost your overall speed. These will also help you use your time wisely on those days when you only have a couple of hours to spare.

Nutrition

One of the biggest battles on race day will be keeping your energy and hydration levels at good levels throughout those 26 miles. Take water, energy gels or even a bank card so you can stop at a shop with you and see what works well. Also it is good to know at what distances the aid stations are on the actual day so you know hoe often you’ll be able to refuel. The last thing you want to do is 'hit the wall' on the big day.

Run With Others

Find a friend to run with or join your local club. This will keep you motivated and also distracted when going on those long runs. It is also a good opportunity to share plans, routes and nutrition strategies ahead of the big day.

Increase the Distance Slowly

Patience is one the keys in marathon-training. Don’t jump straight from 10 to 20 miles after just a week of training, but aim to increase distance by about 10% each week. This way, your longer runs will become easier and you will also lessen the risk of injuries.

Every training run you do is practice for the race day which is why you need to try out all clothing, nutrition (prior and during the race), hydration, sleeping and race speed options before the race. Once you get to the start line the only thing on your mind is ‘how amazing am I’, ‘this is what I have practiced for’ and ‘this is how I’m going to do it’