Preparing for a marathon is one of the most challenging, yet rewarding experiences there is. While you may think you cannot properly train for a marathon while on campus, there are several indoor and outdoor resources available.
Find out how you can prepare for and run a marathon (or half marathon) following these basic guidelines, and through my interview with seniors Izzy Mackell and Anna Whalen who have both taken part in numerous marathons themselves.
1. Find an event near you
Once you have found an event in your vicinity that allows you enough time to adequately prepare, also take into consideration the route you will be running. For those of us that live in New England, Burlington will host the Vermont City Marathon on Sunday May 29th. It’s a 26.2 mile race that you can run solo or with a team, that offers scenic views of beautiful Lake Champlain and the stunning Adirondack Mountains.
If you are looking for an event in the fall to participate in while on campus, the “Adirondack Marathon Distance Festival” is held on September 25th in Schroon Lake, NY.
2. Create a training schedule
There are thousands of websites specifically geared towards marathon training and based on your personal ability and prior running experience. Most training plans suggest that you run 10-15 miles each week. When training for a marathon, it is all about steady pacing and increasing endurance. You will gradually run further distances as your marathon date approaches. Another common recommendation is that you incorporate cross training days. This allows you to give your body a needed break, while maintaining your endurance. Biking, swimming, and using the elliptical are all great options for cross-training. Take advantage of the weekly fitness classes offered in the multipurpose room! Classes range from spinning, yoga, zumba, pilates and many more. These are all great alternatives to running when your legs are in need of a day of rest. Need some guidance to get you started? Check out these links for reliable tips and training programs.
Half Marathon:
10 Week Training Program
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/half-marathon-training
12 Week Training Program
http://www.halfmarathons.net/half-marathon-training-schedule-for-beginning-runners/
Marathon:
20 week training program
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_4/130.shtml
3. Lifestyle adjustments for preparation
Because no two people are the same, make sure you have a supportive pair of sneakers that are right for your feet. You may want to splurge on a new pair before you begin training, because a lot of miles will be covered in these shoes! Stay hydrated at all times!!! Training for a marathon occurs before, during, and after your runs, so it is important to take care of your body every day throughout the entire process. When steadily increasing your fitness level, make sure you are properly fueling your body. High intensity runs can be very taxing on your muscles. In order to fully recover from these workouts and repair your muscles, you need to replenish your body with the proper nutrients. Throughout the week leading up to your race, you should aim to consume more complex carbohydrates to fuel yourself through the entirety of your race. You will be thankful for your carb overload when you hit a wall around mile 10! Practicing your nutrition and hydration strategy is just as important as getting in the miles.
For more nutrition information and meal tips, check out this link:
Half Marathon Meal Plan:
http://womensrunning.competitor.com/2015/07/nutrition/the-half-marathoners-meal-plan_44435
Lastly, be sure you are getting at least 7.5 hours of sleep each night. You should think of sleep as an integral part of your training regimen. Physical training breaks you down, while rest and nutrition are necessary to build you back up. All of the training in the world is useless without proper rest and nutrition.
4. DON’T QUIT!
We all know that running is hard. It’s a mental game for runners of every ability. Some days will be harder than others, but it is important to never give up. If you really commit to your training and push yourself you will get there. On those tough days when all you want to do is stop, take a minute to take a deep a breath and remember that it’s all about progress, and progress takes patience and strength. While it may be mentally and physically challenging to get through those 26.2 or 13.1 miles, remember why you committed to such a challenge in the first place and get excited! Look around you, appreciate the support from the cheering crowd, admire the view, and most importantly, enjoy your run! Before you know it you will be crossing the finish line and all your hard work will have paid off.
Izzy Mackell ‘16 most recently ran in the “Adirondack Marathon Distance Festival” in Schroon Lake, NY this past fall. Here is more information on the marathon if you are interested in participating:
http://www.adirondackmarathon.org
Which part of your training was the most beneficial?
“For my training it wasn’t incredibly important to run specific distances on specific days, I would just make sure that I was doing something everyday. About three days a week I would go for longer runs, one 8 miles, one 12 miles, and one more anywhere in between. I think the consistency of that was the most beneficial because my body became so used to it and I began to run longer distances in the same allotted time.”
Is there something you wish you had done more of?
“Looking back on it I wish I had carved out time for more than a handful of long runs. I think the longest distance I ran before the race was 20 miles, and I just did that once. I would have liked to also run 18 miles and maybe a few 15 or 16 just to get my body used to feeling depleted.”
How did you adjust your training while you were on campus?
“Geographically, Canton is extremely conducive to training and it is really pretty to run on the trails down by the river and roads over towards Potsdam. Traditionally, it’s best to have a really regimented training schedule and stick to it to make sure your progress is coming along, but I found that a generalized schedule worked best for me being back at school. I benefitted from having early classes every day because I was up and able to take advantage of the day. Overall, I never felt terribly overwhelmed. The weeks leading up to race day ended up being my most productive in terms of academics because I had no time to procrastinate.”
What suggestions do you have in terms of nutrition and refueling your body?
“I am a huge breakfast food fan and found myself eating a lot of omelettes. Omelettes are perfect with a little ham and whatever veggies are around. During the race it was so important for me to have some sort of energy source other than Gatorade or power drinks at the water station. My favorite energizer to get some sugar intake is the Clif Shot Bloks that come in packs of six or so.”
Anna Whalen ‘16 most recently ran the “Surf City Marathon” in Huntington Beach, California this past winter. Here is more information on the marathon if you are interested in participating:
What was the most challenging part of training?
“I battle a lot of challenges when I’m training for a marathon, especially in the north country! One aspect other than the frigid weather, is staying hydrated during the long runs (the 12-20 milers). So I try to find a good loop, like the cross country trails by the river, and leave a bottle and drink a little bit every time I finish a loop. Honestly, the whole experience, training and the race, is about overcoming your own challenges, which feels great when you actually do! It’s all a part of the process.”
What changes to your diet did you make during training?
“On campus, I mostly just tried to eat healthy (but a lot!) of good food, take it easy (not a ton of booze) the night before long runs, and be super careful of the cold weather. I never ran inside but would only run outside it it was above 10 degrees. Do not go for longer runs (anything above 10mi) without “fuel” aka GUs or sport jelly beans. You will burn out and will do more harm than good in training. Other than that you don’t really have to do anything drastic with diet. I wouldn’t eat chicken fingers and fries everyday, but whatever makes you happy will make your body happy. Refueling after long runs is more important than anything. I feel sick if I don’t eat enough after longer runs.”
What was the most rewarding part of training?
“The most rewarding part is successfully finishing the longest training run and knowing all you have to do is relax until the big day.”