The Four Building Blocks of Marathon Training
1Base mileage
Build your weekly mileage over time, running three-to-five times per week.
2The long run
Do a long run every 7–10 days so your body can adjust gradually to long distances.
3Speed work
Practice intervals and tempo runs to increase your cardio capacity.
4Rest and recovery
Adequate rest helps prevent injuries and mental burnout.
1Intervals
Intervals: Intervals are a series of short, defined distances that are ran at a
significantly quicker speed than usual, with recovery jogs in between.
2Tempo runs
Tempo runs: Depending on where you are in your training, tempo runs are longer than intervals and typically range from 4 to 6 miles in length. They are run at a hard but manageable pace. This type of exercise helps your body and mind to persevere through difficult activities for an extended period of time. Always start and end any speed session with a few easy miles to give your body a chance to warm up and cool down.
3Tapering
Tapering Scale back slightly on your overall mileage and the difficulty of your
runs in the two to three weeks prior to your marathon so that your body has
time to recover before the big day.
Hydrating and Fueling on the Run
1Hydration
Of course, you will run a lot of lengthy distances without the convenience of aid stations while you are training.
♦ Here are a few tried-and-true methods to think about: Bringing your own water with you by wearing a hydration belt or pack or using portable bottles.
♦ Run lengthy distances on a course with a few short loops so you can store water in one location along the way.
♦ Plan your long run route to pass water fountains (but check that they are turned on during the winter).
♦ Here are a few tried-and-true methods to think about: Bringing your own water with you by wearing a hydration belt or pack or using portable bottles.
♦ Run lengthy distances on a course with a few short loops so you can store water in one location along the way.
♦ Plan your long run route to pass water fountains (but check that they are turned on during the winter).
2Fueling
You've certainly heard of the phenomena known as "hitting the wall" or "bonking," which many marathon runners encounter at the 20-mile mark.
♦ Glycogen, your body's main energy source during the marathon, has a limited amount of storage space.
♦ Over the course of your marathon, this amount will be drained, and as it does, your muscles will start to feel heavy and fatigued.
♦ Consuming tiny amounts of carbohydrates will help keep you from reaching the dreaded wall even though no amount of nutrition consumed throughout the race can completely replenish your depleted glycogen.
♦ The simplest to bring and frequently the easiest to digest are energy gels or chews, although a few pieces of fruit or an energy bar will also work.
♦ Aim for roughly 60 grams of carbohydrates every hour for any run lasting more than two hours.
♦ Glycogen, your body's main energy source during the marathon, has a limited amount of storage space.
♦ Over the course of your marathon, this amount will be drained, and as it does, your muscles will start to feel heavy and fatigued.
♦ Consuming tiny amounts of carbohydrates will help keep you from reaching the dreaded wall even though no amount of nutrition consumed throughout the race can completely replenish your depleted glycogen.
♦ The simplest to bring and frequently the easiest to digest are energy gels or chews, although a few pieces of fruit or an energy bar will also work.
♦ Aim for roughly 60 grams of carbohydrates every hour for any run lasting more than two hours.
