Training Tips Thursdays!

The Marathon: Kinda Scary, But You Can Do It!

Hi Everyone! 

Liz here with the first of many installments of Liz’s Marathon Training Tips, also known as lessons I’ve learned along the way.  Thanks for reading! Please let me know if there are any other topics you’re interested in learning about this summer.

So you’ve decided to train for a marathon.  Yay!  When properly approached - training for, and completing a marathon can be exciting, fun, and greatly rewarding.  I’ve been busy compiling a general list of things I want to pass along regarding training for a marathon.  

And without further ado:

Liz’s Marathon Training Tips (and disclaimers)!

1.     Marathon training is 18 practice weeks for the big show. Now is the time to experiment, not the day of the marathon!  Figure out what shoes, socks and shirts you like.  Do you like running with a hat?  With a fuel belt?  What is your favorite source of carbs for the run?  You get the idea.  I will share a lot of things that have worked for me (and a lot of things that haven’t worked for me).  Full disclosure: these are things that work for me, which may or may not be things that work for you.  I share these things so that you can know what is out there – to give everyone ideas for what may or may not also work for you. 

2.     Consider setting a goal.  It’s OK if your goal is finish the marathon.  It’s definitely OK if your goal is to have fun!  I would advise against setting a major time goal if this is your first marathon.  Focus on using what you’ve learned during training and having fun out there.  The crowd support at Chicago is incredible.  Soak it all in!

3.     Don’t sweat a missed run.  I’m one of those people who already has my marathon training plan printed out.  And nothing pleases me more than to cross off day after day as I complete training runs.  But life happens!  Sometimes work gets in the way, sometimes a best friend gets married or sometimes it’s a hundred billion degrees outside.  Don’t run just because there is a run on your calendar.  Especially if you’re feeling injured or generally worn down and tired.  It’s better to miss a run and rest if your body is telling you to rest than to make things worse.

4.     Don’t run through “bad” pain.  If something feels off, don’t risk it.  I broke my arm in week 6 of marathon training 2009, got better, and still made it to the start line of the marathon.  It’s better to fix any “bad” pain and come back versus not making it to the starting line.

5.     Talk to someone new each week.  We’re a marathon training family now.  We’ll be spending a lot of time together.  Get to know the people you’re running with!

6.     Ditch the music if you can (see number 5).  Also see the suggested rules for most major races.  The crowd support on marathon day is so much more fun without headphones on.

7.     Listen to your body.  There will be future articles on hydration and eating on the run, but for now, listen to your body.  It’s summer!  In Chicago!  It may get hot.  Tell someone if you’re not feeling well.  We’ll slow our long run pace for heat and humdity, but listen to your body when running in hot weather.

8.     If it isn’t broken… Don’t fix it!!  If you haven’t gone yet, go get fitted for running shoes.  There are several running stores in Chicago that will assess your gait and fit you for free (you have to pay for the shoes!!).  I generally rotate between two pairs of shoes during marathon training.  One pair I wear for weekday runs, and one pair I wear for long runs.  This helps me keep better track of mileage per shoe.  It also helps if they’re the same model, different color. I’m planning on wearing the weekday runs pair for the marathon.  I would work off the general assumption that you can get 400-500 miles out of each pair of shoes.     

That’s all the craziness I have for now.  

Next Week: running in the heat and surviving!