As the idea of the 26.2 mile race has evolved, it no longer looks like the impossible. More and more Americans are going for it. According to Marathonguide.com statistics, nearly 500,00 Americans completed the marathon in 2009. Compare this to less than 300,000 in 2001. People are attempting the feat and doing so every weekend in America. Once thought of as a grueling event for elite athletes, people of every body type, every age group, and every dynamic are training and succeeding (albeit at their own pace) all the time. So, does this idea intrigue you? How do you do it? Let’s build a safe base to start from.
What is a training base? Well, if that’s your first question, I will make it simple. It’s your foundation of your house. It is the beginning of your plan that will allow you to build up to the marathon distance safely and successfully. For this articles purposes, let’s look at the everyday man or woman, the beginner to racing and/or long distance running. Higher level and faster finishers check back in the next week or so and I will have just the plan for you too. For now, my newbies to blisters need to know how to prepare for the challenges associated with distance training.
Ideally, your base to marathon training will consist of two components. Nutrition and mileage are your two best friends. Nutrition? I would guess you would have figured that mileage or running or aerobic fitness; one or more of those would be needed. Did you forget about the importance of your fuel?
Nutrition is extremely important for your marathon base because it gets you body prepared to restore and replenish the vitamins, nutrients, and necessary proteins needed to build up such intense activity levels. A well-balanced menu that is protein rich and high in complex carbohydrates and vegetables will maintain energy levels, fight off bacteria and viruses, as well as build strength and stamina. As your body is depleted of its stores of vitamin and minerals, there needs to be replacement. A strong incorporation of vegetables of all colors, grains and lean proteins like fish and chicken will allow your body to restore these levels and keep you energized. Depleted levels of one or more vitamin or a lack of protein can significantly affect your training and limit your ability to not only run, but also your ability to rest and recover properly. Thus the downward spiral begins with one bad day after another. Consult a nutritionist for a personal plan or better yet, get a book from your library about well-balanced eating. Notice, the word diet did not come up. It shouldn’t. You aren’t here to diet. It’s a negative word that implies you are fat. It has nothing to do with weight. If your weight is an issue, change your eating habits to a more balance approach and reap the benefits of eating better and exercising.
The second part of your base is the mileage you are putting in running each week. Depending upon your goal, this will vary greatly from between 15-25 miles a week up to 40-60 miles per week. I am going to assume your goal is to not die during your marathon attempt and to also have a bit of energy left in your body at the finish line so you might even want to try it again sometime. That is once your nipples (an article for another day) and toes recover. Consequently, I recommend having a base from 20-30 miles per week in your bank for at least 3-4 months prior to your training program. This should be accomplished in 3 or 4 runs of different distances and at least two different paces. Why the different paces? When the body gets used to a certain effort, it gains less aerobically from that effort. By working at different paces, or speeds, you are taxing your body differently and causing to need to adapt and get stronger to handle these events. With a good base of 4 months building up to around 30 miles per week, you would be in great shape to begin a 4-month training program for a marathon. The training program will incorporate more varying speeds, different workouts, and some additional fitness events to get your body ready to handle 26.2 miles. Look for future articles regarding marathon training programs for all levels and focused articles on speedwork, road racing, and bucket list races. Thanks for listening.