Coaching runners in the last 10 years has taught me that a productive marathon experience isnt about a magical pill or plan. I have given the same exact training plan to ten runners and found 10 totally different outcomes. Its not so much about what you need to do to practice as the way you manage the impact of training in your life, body, and mind. Rather than talking of mileage weekly, its more important to discuss the key points of marathon training – what I will refer to here as the Key Six Phases of the marathon lifecyle.
Phase One: Commit
Its the first thing to set a race on the bucket list, its another to truly decide on a contest and drop the money on an entry fee. Registering gives you something to show to your relatives and buddies; its a gathering that one could mark as a milestone in your personal calendar. You never know, perhaps you can even convince some of your crazy pals to register together with you!
Phase Two: Connect
Now you are technically in for the race, its time for you to begin to build a little community that will support and keep you motivated on the way to your finish line. While you might have your pre-existing group ready, here are some things to do if you decide to start from the start. Look for a local running shop where you can have a seat and chat (even if briefly) with a fellow runner with regards to the right footwear for yourself. This shop will probably provide the right information for the local run.
Phase Three: Conspire
Together with your event stuck in together with a team to run with at least part of the time, you can now turn your focus on your marathon training program. Selecting the best plan has less to do with the routine itself, and much more to do with youso always place yourself first when you make your selection.
Phase Four: Consistency
Whatever plan you do end up selecting, your number one goal is get follow it as closely as possible. The perfect training plans are Easy To Do, for the reason that there are no super-hard sessions or tough to comprehend guidance. The greatest goal of any marathon plan is to help you get ready to handle the rigors of 26.2 miles – and the easiest way to do that is to get you running as often as possible for as long as you can handle during that time.
Phase Five: Doubt
No one is ever definitely all set for race day. Speak with any individual at the starting line on race weekend and youll hear a lot of awesome experiences of defeating obstacles like injuries, scheduling, health, etc. Its just a part of what we do as runners; do the best to be focused and dont be afraid to ask for support from the networks you’ve built in the early levels of your training.
Phase Six: Conserve
When you’re in the running groove, youll find that running is actually effortless. You enjoy it, its strengthening and its transforming yourself. So if 40 miles a week is goodthen 60 or 80 should be better, right? If the 20-miler is good, a 24-miler must be better, right? Wrong!
Keep in mind our mantra of Consistency above; getting aggressive with all or part of your training is actually a really serious roll of the dice. The gamble might improve some, but they are frequently from the minority, and its not worth it this early in your running career.