Archive for the 'Training advice' Category

We all run for different reasons. Some of us do it to feel alive and good about ourselves, others for friendship, and others to get fit or stay fit. And in just the same way, your reason for taking on the challenge of a race, be it a 10k, a half or a full marathon will be different to the next person. Though running a marathon may be a personal challenge, reading the thoughts and feelings of others can be extremely motivating. One way of recording your running experiences is to write a blog. For those new to blogging, but would like to try, then setting one up is easy and free. Take a look at these websites:

WordPress
Blogger
Realbuzz

If you are raising money for chariry then linking your blog to a fundraising webpage is also a great way to keep donors and potential donors up to date with how you are doing.

If blogging is not your thing then keeping a detailed training log might be. A log is something every committed runner should keep, especially if you have taken on the task of training for a marathon. You can record not only your times and distances you run, but also weather conditions, details of the terrain, and most importantly, how you feel about your training – all of which can help you learn and develop. I still look back over mine every few weeks just to see how far I have come.

Download a truly excellent running log from the website of fellow runner David Hays.

For those of you who prefer traditional pen and paper take a look at this log produced by Nathan (it’s what I use!):

The taper is an important part of any marathon training programme. Most training schedules specify a three week taper, though a few recommended only two weeks. The consensus is that three weeks is the best amount of time to give your body to rest and recover after the longest long run, and I would add that this is especially important for those doing it for the first time.

Tapering down your training has some clear physiological benefits. Improvements in your level of aerobic ability take around three weeks to develop, therefore anything done in this period over and above what you have done before – e.g. running 22 miles the week before the marathon – will be wasted.

Your body needs the time to rest and recovery. And most importantly, you want to feel fresh and ready to go come race day.

However, despite the fact that your overall mileage comes down, the quality of your training should remain the same. So if speed work is part of your programme, continue to do this at the same intensity as you have done up to now.

You may find the following couple of links useful:

BBC News Sports Academy

London Marathon magazine

During your taper watch your food intake and ensure that you get plenty of carbohydrates, fruit and vegetables, as well as adequate levels of protein. Putting on a few pounds during this period is normal and you will need the extra energy stores. You burn anything between 2500 and 3500 calories during a marathon!

Take a look here for more advice on pre-race nutrition.

Just as important as eating the right food is getting enough water.
Ensuring you are hydrated is vital for a good race, so make sure you sip water throughout the day. Whether or not you avoid alcohol is down to personal preference (I try and avoid it for the last 2-3 weeks before a marathon).

But if you do fancy a pre-race tipple, here are some thoughts and experiences of fellow runners.

Also, try and get plenty of sleep, with as much of this before midnight if at all possible. It is during this time that the body repairs itself. And avoid people with colds and flu – this is not the time to pick up a virus.

1. Do you look forward to or dread your long runs at the weekend?

If you answer is yes, then great news, you are probably running them at the right pace and getting the most from spending all that time on your feet. If the answer is no, then it might then you need to think about why that might be the case. Are you suffering from overtraining by increasing your weekly mileage too quickly? Are you running at too fast a pace and find yourself hanging on at the end? Are you running the same route every week and getting bored with the same scenery and feel you are just ticking off the miles? Some of these issues might be true for you, or you might have other reasons. The long run is THE most important session of the week and so it is important that you get to love it and it is not too late if you don’t already. To liven things up, try running on a brand new route, or try the same route but run it the other way – it’s amazing how such a simple change can reinvigorate things. Alternatively, get someone to drive you the distance from home you need to run. That way, every single step you take is one closer to home!

2. Do you feel tired all the time?

OK, given most people’s hectic work and family life the answer to this is likely to be yes! But it is important to try and understand which of life’s activities – including your running – is the real culprit for feeling tired and lethargic. How is your diet? Are you eating enough before and after your training? Carbohydrates are the runner’s friend and you may need to consume more of them. Between meal snacks such as oatcakes, plain yoghurt, dried fruit and unsalted nuts should always be at hand (or bottom drawer at work). Water is very important too, on your rest days as well as training days. And how are you sleeping? It is only when you rest that the body repairs itself and when you sleep the hours before midnight are crucial, as this is when growth hormones are released. Don’t feel that any of these issues are a problem for you, but still feel tired? Then take an extra day’s rest!

Continue reading ‘Getting the most from your running’

Your imagination is extremely powerful and we have all heard the saying about ‘mind over matter’. There are plenty of famous stories about superhuman feats of strength when mind certainly overrides the body and allows you to do something people never dreamed was physically possible. During races your mind will think a million and one different thoughts, some positive and some not so positive!

One way of coping with a race is to harness these positive thoughts and you can create these during your training, and then harvest them on race day. It’s not as crazy as it sounds. The important thing is to ‘Just Imagine’. Here is an example. When you are on a long run and you enter into a nice relaxed state and feel good about your run, Just Imagine finishing a race feeling this good. If its the London Marathon you are training for, Just Imagine turning the final corner, passing Buckingham Palace and heading up the Mall with the crowd screaming in your ears, and think to yourself, ‘I want to feel this good at the end’ and say it to yourself over and over again. Whilst you are doing this, think of a piece favourite music and associate it with this feeling. Then recall a happy memory – maybe from your childhood and do the same; associate it with this good feeling. Then whenever the going gets tough either in your training or in the race you can reach for this bag of happy thoughts and sounds.

Whenever I am going through a bit of a tough patch in a long run or doing some interval training, I often think of my Mom who died 4 years ago. She would come and watch me play football when I was younger and followed me and my brother everywhere, driving miles and miles. And whenever I need that extra surge of speed or effort I think of her on the touchline, shouting my name and giving me encouragement. It never fails.

Believe me, after running 20 miles her voice that is in my head really does feel like it is coming from the roadside. Find your own positive associations to draw on and they will prove invaluable come race day.