How to Run a Marathon
How to Run a Marathon
Introduction
Marathons were introduced into the athletic world in the ancient Greek Olympic games. The idea of running 26 miles came from the story of Phidippides, a messenger who ran 26 miles to inform Greek forces of their victory in the city of Marathon.
Marathons can be very rewarding, but if you train improperly, it can impede your ability to race the rest of your life.
Pre-training
The first step is to select the right equipment.
Before running, you need to stretch properly to avoid injury.
In order to avoid cramps or loss of energy, you must have the right nutrition
You need to be able to run for at least 30 minutes without stopping, and have been running for 6-10 weeks before starting to train for a marathon.
Mental preparation plays a big role in a successful marathon.
It is a good idea to select a marathon before training for one
Training
Walk/Run combinations are good because they ease your body into exercise and lower the chance of injury
Your mileage should gradually increase each week with your longest run being 18-20 miles. You should then taper off in the final weeks leading up to the marathon to allow your body to recover from training and so you will be strong on marathon day. Having a 20-mile run under your belt will give you a major psychological advantage on marathon day.
In succeeding days you should increase your mileage by 5-10 percent, and up to 40 miles a week.
Race Day-Before and After
You should run stretches, especially the last ½ mile, of the course in order to familiarize yourself with the track conditions, as well as parking spots
Do not run the day before the race. No conditioning will be lost if you do not run a day or two before race day. You may need to pick up your number and other race materials either the day before or the day of.
Do not load up on carbs the night before; it is counterproductive.
The day of the race make sure to be properly hydrated and have proper nutrition,
Introduction
Marathons were introduced into the athletic world in the ancient Greek Olympic games. The idea of running 26 miles came from the story of Phidippides, a messenger who ran 26 miles to inform Greek forces of their victory in the city of Marathon.
Marathons can be very rewarding, but if you train improperly, it can impede your ability to race the rest of your life.
Pre-training
The first step is to select the right equipment.
Before running, you need to stretch properly to avoid injury.
In order to avoid cramps or loss of energy, you must have the right nutrition
You need to be able to run for at least 30 minutes without stopping, and have been running for 6-10 weeks before starting to train for a marathon.
Mental preparation plays a big role in a successful marathon.
It is a good idea to select a marathon before training for one
Training
Walk/Run combinations are good because they ease your body into exercise and lower the chance of injury
Your mileage should gradually increase each week with your longest run being 18-20 miles. You should then taper off in the final weeks leading up to the marathon to allow your body to recover from training and so you will be strong on marathon day. Having a 20-mile run under your belt will give you a major psychological advantage on marathon day.
In succeeding days you should increase your mileage by 5-10 percent, and up to 40 miles a week.
Race Day-Before and After
You should run stretches, especially the last ½ mile, of the course in order to familiarize yourself with the track conditions, as well as parking spots
Do not run the day before the race. No conditioning will be lost if you do not run a day or two before race day. You may need to pick up your number and other race materials either the day before or the day of.
Do not load up on carbs the night before; it is counterproductive.
The day of the race make sure to be properly hydrated and have proper nutrition,