FITNESS LIFESTYLE

TRAIN FOR A MARATHON

By: Alissa Carpio

Want to take your fitness goals to the next level? Why not train for and compete in your first marathon?

Mario Lopez, Oprah and Governor Mike Huckabee have all done it. These are just a few examples of ordinary people who’ve taken the ultimate fitness challenge and succeeded. If you’re sick of a mediocre routine yielding mediocre results, step up your game by training for and completing your first full marathon.

For one thing, it’s a great way to kick-start your fitness routine. Setting a challenging goal with tangible benchmarks is a great way to keep yourself motivated and on track. It’s also inexpensive. All you need is a good pair of running shoes and a road. An iPod is optional, but recommended! What better way to actually complete your New Year’s fitness resolution than by accepting this challenge? MS&F is here to help you out with a training program, performance nutrition and all the support you need.

Training and Preparation
The key to successfully completing and enjoying your marathon experience revolves around how prepared you are. This requires a slow buildup of your running base with adequate rest to allow for injury prevention. Therefore, a beginner who simply runs at the gym several times a week should take anywhere from 6-12 months to build their running base.

To build your base, begin by scheduling a run four times a week. Run 3-5 miles per session aiming to increase distance by 10 percent each week until you’ve built a base of 25 miles per week. By only increasing your mileage by ten percent each week, you greatly reduce your risk of injury. And with a huge goal and long training program, injury prevention is the key to success and enjoyment. The running schedule to build your base to 25 miles per week by a ten percent increase would take nine weeks.

Week Distance Frequency Total
1 3 miles 4 times per week 12 miles
2 3.3 miles 4 times per week 13.2 miles
3 3.6 miles 4 times per week 14.5 miles
4 4 miles 4 times per week 16 miles
5 4.4 miles 4 times per week 17.6 miles
6 4.85 miles 4 times per week 19.4 miles
7 5.3 miles 4 times per week 21.3 miles
8 5.85 miles 4 times per week 23.4 miles
9 6.4 miles 4 times per week 25.7 miles

Although this base stage only takes nine weeks to complete, staying here for three to six months will solidify your base and make it easier to transition into the next stage of the program, which will focus on building mileage. This next phase will take another nine weeks. Rest intervals are scheduled as both shorter runs and shorter total mileage for the week. You’ll notice these rest weeks are approximately every third or fourth week of the program.

Week Tue Wed Thu Sat Sun Total
10 6 4 4 4 8 26 miles
11 3 Rest 4 4 4 15 miles
12 6 5 5 4 8 28 miles
13 6 5 6 4 9 30 miles
14 7 5 6 5 9 32 miles
15 4 Rest 4 4 5 17 miles
16 8 6 6 4 10 34 miles
17 8 6 7 4 10 35 miles
18 4 Rest 5 4 6 19 miles

Once you’ve built your mileage up to the conclusion of stage two, you can continue your training by rotating through the final five weeks of this program (weeks 14 – 18) until you are four months away from your marathon. This stage of training is for the actual marathon. It works on increasing your long runs while including scheduled rest intervals to prevent injuries. The length of this training phase is fourteen weeks.

Week Tue Wed Thu Sat Sun Total
1 3 - Hills 4 3 3 12 25 miles
2 5 6 5 5 6 27 miles
3 4 - Intervals 6 4 3 15 32 miles
4 7 5 4 5 7 28 miles
5 4 – Hills 7 4 3 18 36 miles
6 6 4 5 6 8 29 miles
7 4 – Intervals 8 4 3 20 39 miles
8 5 8 5 3 10 31 miles
9 4 – Hills 4 4 5 22 39 miles
10 5 5 6 3 10 29 miles
11 5 – Intervals 6 4 3 24 42 miles
12 5 5 8 6 12 36 miles
13 6 – Hills 4 7 3 12 32 miles
14 4 4 Rest 2 Race

Performance Nutrition
Running is one of the most strenuous physical activities available, so it’s important to make sure you are getting adequate calories to fuel both your training and your recovery. Balanced meals, nutrient timing, proper hydration and supplementation all become very important while training for a marathon.

Make sure you’re preparing 6-8 small meals per day that consist of lean protein, complex carbohydrates, fibrous vegetables and healthy fats. Time your carbohydrates to maximize your training depending on what time of day you’ll be running. If morning runs are your preference, it’s important to get adequate carbohydrates for dinner the night before so your glycogen is topped out and you won’t risk a blood sugar crash mid-run. Eat a healthy breakfast with plenty of complex carbohydrates, such as a 1/2 cup of oatmeal with 1 cup low fat cottage cheese, or a protein shake made with 1 scoop of protein powder, 1/3 cups oats, 8 oz. low fat milk and ½ banana. Follow your run with another meal containing protein and carbohydrates. Eat every 3-4 hours to give your body the nutrients it needs to help you recover, which will in turn maximize your next run.

Supplements can help maintain healthy joints, connective tissues and your heart while in training. Try a daily dose of 100mg omega-3’s, such as fish or flax oil. Glucosamine is also a great supplement for joint and cartilage health. Dosage is 1200-1500mg daily. The amino acid l-glutamine can assist with recovery and repair after training. Try 5g after training and 5g before bed. In addition, be sure to take your staple multi-vitamin/mineral.

Performance Apparel
When choosing running attire, a lot comes down to personal preference. But there are some precautions that should be taken when running outside. If you’re out early in the morning or late at night while it’s dark or dim, be sure to wear reflective clothing so vehicles can see you. Most running pants and jackets have reflective strips built in. Dressing for the season is also important. In extremely hot weather, wear moisture-wicking fabrics that help pull sweat away from the body and cool it faster. A light cap can help shield the sun and keep your head cool. In cold weather, layer clothing with a tight base and loose top layers. You may wish to wear running gloves. There are running shirts available that have elongated sleeves and thumb holes to cover part of your hand and keep cold air from blowing up your sleeves.

Your running shoes are the most important piece of clothing you’ll don. It’s a great idea to go to a running store where you’ll receive a complimentary biomechanics assessment and suggested shoes based on the size and shape of your foot, as well as your running stride. It’s suggested to replace shoes every 500 miles.

Motivation
Sometimes staying motivated is the hardest part of your program. Because of this, be sure that committing to and completing a marathon is a goal you wish to set. Don’t underestimate the level of commitment necessary. Plan accordingly and choose a race that fits your schedule. Tell friends and family members about your goals so they understand what you’re doing and can offer encouragement along the way. Be sure to log your training program in a journal, but also include your mood and feelings in the journal. Sometimes, the physical and emotional benefits are more than enough to keep you on course. Finally, you can opt to run the race with a friend or hire a coach/personal trainer to keep you accountable.

Make 2009 the year you rise to the challenge and see what your body and mind are capable of. Join Will Ferrell, P. Diddy and George W. Bush among the list of proud and accomplished people who’ve set out and fulfilled this amazing achievement. MS&F