Successful Marathon Running – Part 1 (Preparation)
Distance or marathon running is definitely an activity that has gained a lot of popularity over the past decade or so, and I was one of them that joined the phenomenon. I’m now addicted to running over and over again on a daily basis. The reasons people start running vary. Some are running purely for their fitness, others take it as a stress relief, or enjoy the sense of achievement.
In this blog post, I would like to share a few tips to a successful marathon run based on my past experiences as a distance runner. Let’s have a closer look at the training phase of it in which the majority of the result would be affected.
Some are running purely for their fitness, others take it as a stress relief, or enjoy the sense of achievement. #performbetter @pogophysio Click To TweetSet a realistic goal
Whether it’s to finish or to break a certain goal time over the marathon distance, the first step to achieve your own goal is to set a realistic goal. The goal should be reasonable based on your ability, experience and something which could be achieved by your effort. I mean they shouldn’t be like to get in top 100 or win a gold medal in his/her age group because that sort of goal setting relies on other people’s performance. The simpler goal is the better. Once you have set a goal, I strongly recommend to tell it to as many people as you can, to post something on your social channels is always a great idea to stick with your goal so you can’t make any excuses on your commitment!!
Plan ahead
Not only a few good training sessions would make an outstanding outcome on the race day but the consistency is the key to success. Set the race day on your calendar then look back on how many days/weeks you’ve got to train. There are so many training programs online to follow or if you are not sure which to pick, it is always a good idea to seek professional advice on how to train to help achieve your goal! In my experience, mixing things up would be a good idea both physically and mentally. Don’t just go out for a run but do short or long interval / hill sprints / long slow runs, which are the main elements then jogs / cross-training in between the main sessions. Also, getting training partners would be great to motivate you to keep going!
Take your recovery into account
Once you have made a commitment, all you’ll have to do is to stick to the plan but don’t underestimate the marathon training. Marathon training usually requires lots of more-than-usual K’s to cover in training. Listening to your body is sometimes more important than going out for a run to gain extra mileage. Don’t be afraid to swap over the sessions or even take a day off running. You can cross-train if you’d like to instead of running. Consider having a tissue maintenance work such as physiotherapy, massage therapy. Adding weekly or fortnightly maintenance session would be an ideal way to keep yourself in line.
Don’t be afraid to swap over the sessions or even take a day off running. #performbetter @pogophysio Click To TweetPay attention to what you eat
Without a doubt, nutrition is extremely important when it comes to training. I always believe that the most important thing to stay healthy would be the balance. Make sure to eat 3 meals a day and try to eat variety of foods and balancing all the nutritions. As long as you follow a balanced diet, to treat yourself sometimes wouldn’t be a big deal. Enjoy some occasional chocolates or ice cream. But always remember that moderation is the key!!
Enjoy the whole process
Lastly, enjoy the whole process of your marathon training! To run a marathon is a huge commitment and I totally respect that you have got to have courage to do it, so be proud of yourself and enjoy the whole experience including the preparation. It is going to be tough but I promise there is definitely something more than that when you cross the finish line on the race day!! Every effort you put in yourself for the period of marathon preparation wouldn’t lie!
To be continued to Successful Marathon Running – Part 2 (Race Day)
Sato Ashida
Accredited Remedial Massage Therapist
Featured in the Top 50 Physical Therapy Blog
