4 Essential Marathon Tips for First-Timers
How Do You Start Training for a Marathon?
There are a lot of people who want to run a marathon, for many reasons. To prove they have ‘still got it’ or to raise funds for a compelling cause – perhaps in memory of a loved one – are two of the most popular.
Whatever your reason for marathon running, one thing is certain. If you don’t train right, you won’t achieve your goal. 26.2 miles require mental and physical toughness. To prepare for the ultimate endurance challenge, there are four crucial things to do.
Tip #1: Make sure to evaluate your fitness baseline
Whatever you’re aiming for, you’ve got to understand where you are starting from. It’s going to shape your whole approach:
Have you ever run a long-distance race?
What is your current fitness level?
Are you currently working out?
Do you have any injury or pain, current or recurrent?
Your training program is dependent on your baseline fitness. It may be that you have never run a marathon. You may have run several marathons previously.
How much time do you need to prepare? What level of intensity can you train at?
You’ll need to give yourself as much time as possible – and that’s going to be around 12 to 20 weeks.
Tip #2: Make sure your program focuses on load management
Do you know why crash diets don’t work? Because they don’t allow time for your body to adjust properly. As soon as you reach your goal, you tailspin into reverse.
When we help someone to train and get fit, we focus on load management. We make sure that we take that person toward their goal by starting slow and ramping up. Preparing the body (and mind) for every subsequent step from day one.
Especially for a beginner, the secret is to manage the load over an extended period. You’ll want to monitor metrics that include:
The number of miles you’re running per week
The pace that you’re running those miles
The different types of runs you’re doing (each will have a different target)
It’s crucial to give yourself an objective measurement for each type of workout you do.
“Let’s say, for a two-hour run, I’m running at a pretty slow pace,” says Marc Jacobchick, PT here at Reload. “I multiply this by my rate of perceived exertion (RPE). Let’s say this is a 6 on a scale of 0 to 10. That equals 12 – a rough metric that I’m coming up with.
“When I do this for each of my workouts, I produce an objective measurement for how much stress I’m putting my body through in that week. That’s how we understand how much load we are putting on our bodies – by looking at the duration of the exercise and perceived intensity.”
If you’re starting from zero, you’ll want a much longer lead-in time to prepare for your first marathon. You’ll want as much early exposure as possible. Therefore, some programs last 16 or even 20 weeks. And all the while you should be measuring and monitoring progress, and adapting your training as and when needed.
Tip #3: Get into the right mindset
Don’t underestimate the mental stress of training for and running a marathon. It’s a real test of your mental mettle. You’re pounding the streets for two, three, four hours, or more. And that’s only on race day. Before the big day, you’ll have put in hundreds of hours of step-by-step legwork.
The only way to develop the mental toughness you need is to progress in small steps. Give yourself milestones that increase each week. Trying to do too much too soon is likely to break you physically and mentally.
Another tip here is to do something to reduce the monotony of running – especially when you are training solo. Listen to your favorite tracks, or a podcast or two. Marc also listens to audiobooks. Who said multitasking is impossible?
Tip #4: Work with an expert
Like the rest of your life, if you want to achieve something great, it’s best to listen to and learn from someone who has taken the journey on which you’re about to embark.
Make sure you hook up with a trainer who has the experience of collaborating with people like you, and who has created marathon training programs that have been successful for others.
Working with someone who makes themselves available and open to answering your questions is also important. There will be times when you need to bend an ear. There will be times when your confidence deserts you. Your trainer should be a resource you can turn to for the advice you need about the best ways to progress toward your goal.
How do we get runners on the right path at Reload?
“Our approach is structured to identify what is missing from someone’s training program, or what is missing from someone’s body. What is getting in the way of them making progress?” says Marc. “Why are they feeling discomfort or pain?”
To break down a person’s different biomotor qualities, we ask detailed questions about their programming. We also need to understand how their running is impacting any symptoms they have. We also conduct a physical assessment, during which we gather a lot of information about what the person is physically capable of, both subjectively and objectively. We take time to evaluate their form. We make decisions based on all the data that we obtain.
Sometimes we will be working with a client who has run marathons previously but is experiencing pain or injury problems. Other times, we work with clients who have never run a marathon, and never had any pain problems. In the first case, we’re challenged to relieve the pain and improve performance. In the second case, we’re challenged to get ahead of potential issues and develop performance from scratch.
Whoever the client, we always begin our journey together in the same way. Evaluating the baseline.
You can start your journey to your full marathon potential today. All you need to do is sign up for a complimentary fitness assessment with Reload today.
