Marathon Running
The marathon is the ultimate goal – 26.2 miles of sheer guts and glory. More runners take up the sport after watching a marathon than through any other cause, but less than 10% of them will ever complete a marathon themselves, let alone take up marathon running as a way of life.
To run a marathon you need to have been running regularly for at least a year and you need to be able to run 16 – 18 miles at a stretch comfortably. Remember that you also need to be training on the kind of surface that you will be running your marathon on. The cobbles at Cutty Sark are the downfall of hundreds of participants in the London Marathon every year – unless you’re used to them, they can feel crippling.
A marathon also requires a running plan – there are probably a hundred books on the market for the beginning runner, the fast runner, the woman runner, the lazy runner … pick one that suits your style and stick to the plan devotedly. Make sure you increase your distances slowly and that you’ve allowed enough time during your training for a two week period when you don’t run: because you can bet you’ll get some illness or injury that requires you to take a training break and if you haven’t factored that in, you’ll fail to meet your target. Don’t ignore the nutrition and sleep guidance that will be included – you need to build your strength to a peak for marathon day.
Tapering is part of the art of marathon running. It means easing off your training in the weeks before the race so you are full of energy reserves on the day – don’t overtrain and don’t ignore the taper that will be built into the programme you’ve chosen. It’s the secret to a safe, successful and enjoyable marathon.
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