The Boston Marathon Running Analysis
Each part of a marathon has its own challenges. Many people think that they are not “fit” as the athletes in the race, or that their past health has shut the door on this opportunity. But, they are wrong. While a physically ready body is important, the ability to stay positive and keep your mind on track of the objective at hand is crucial. The runners of Team NOVA were not ready to run 26 miles on the first day of training, and some even had problematic pasts, such as troubles with their heart. But with nine months’ worth of training, they were able to run The Boston Marathon. This wasn’t all their coaches that got them there, a lot of it was within their mindset. Each member set their own goals and pushed themselves to fulfill them. Just
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like the runners in Team NOVA, I, too, have my own goals for my cardiovascular fitness and steps on how I can achieve them. Goals are one of the most important things for people to have when wanting to be ready for an activity as consuming as a marathon. An individual must be prepared, both psychologically and physically, if they want to run 26 miles successfully; a good amount of oxygen, a healthy heart, and a tough and optimistic mindset will give them the tools necessary to completing their goal.
You must be a “born” athlete to be able to run a marathon; “normal” people can’t take on that kind of challenge.
This is what everyone thinks, but they are not necessarily correct. The most important thing that your body needs during running any amount is oxygen, that’s where VO2max comes into play. VO2max is “the volume of oxygen a person can consume in one minute as he or she exercises at maximum exertion” (paragraph 4). With Team NOVA, their VO2max levels were measured before and after their nine months of training; and they were dramatically better after. It’s not the VO2max levels that help with receiving enough oxygen when running, it is merely an indicator. The amount of red blood cells present in your body help with your oxygen intake, as their primary job is to transport oxygen to the tissues of your body. The more red blood cells, the more effective your body is at transporting oxygen. Lastly, the main thing that helps your body with oxygen flow that, in turn, makes you physically ready for a marathon, is your heart. “Elite endurance athletes have extraordinarily powerful, and often unusually large, hearts…with sweat and perseverance, all of us can strengthen our hearts” (paragraphs 16, 17). A healthy heart means more oxygen flow, and eased breathing when running. In the instance of Team NOVA, after only nine weeks into their training, their hearts became more efficient, pumping more blood with less beats. Their arteries and veins became more elastic, easing blood flow, and they had more tiny capillaries and mitochondria, and they were
bigger.
Running a marathon requires mental strength as much as it does physical fitness. A runner can be as fit as possible, but if they do not have to mentality to succeed, then succeed, they will not. There are many aspects of your mentality that a potential marathoner must have tuned. First off, they must want it. As evident with Team NOVA, wanting to achieve their goal is most of succeeding it. When first starting, the runner must remember they are running their own race, and, therefore, must remain at the pace that best suits them. They must also keep in mind throughout the race to keep the mind occupied outside of the body. The best way to do this is to sing songs in their head, or anything else that keeps the mind off the subject of running. If they do not do this, then all the brain’s focus will be on the body and how tired and achy it really is. Another important thing to do during the race is to break up what lies ahead into smaller parts. For example, having ten miles left after already running 16 miles can seem hopeless. In order to combat this, the ten miles can be thought of as two 5-miles, three and a third 3-miles, etc. The most important thing a mind can be during a marathon is tough and optimistic. You didn’t train for nothing; the time it takes to finish doesn’t matter, just as long as you do.
Similar to the people of Team NOVA and their goals, I have my own personal fitness goals for my cardiovascular health. My first goal is to increase my heart rate, and to give my lungs a work out. My next goal is to increase my oxygen intake. And my last goal is to run a 5k race by the time 2017 ends. I will achieve these goals by getting out and moving more. For example, I could walk briskly for 20 minutes four days of the week, running sometimes as well. When I can’t get out of my house, I can jump rope in my backyard for 15 minutes four days of the week. I could also do the jump rope even when I can get out of my house. I can do my own training, and even get a fitness partner to go running/walking with. This partner could push me to the limits, and vice versa. We could be ensured that we are reaching our maximum potential and reach our goals. Running a marathon for the first time can be one of the most difficult challenges someone could ever face. It takes almost everything you have, both physically and psychologically. While running the race, an optimistic yet tough mindset is necessary. A runner must want to succeed, most importantly. As far as physical preparedness, a marathoner must have a semi-healthy heart, a good amount of red blood cells flowing through the body, and also enough carbohydrates before running, as they are what your body uses along with other things to produce the energy needed to finish. Runners must have small goals for them to be able to flourish. However, not only runners can set goals. In fact, anyone can set goals for themselves, as I did with my cardiovascular fitness, and hopes of completing a 5k. In conclusion, with all the evidence given, it can be inferred that almost anyone can be able to run 26 miles and complete a marathon, if they prepare and train in all aspects involved.
like the runners in Team NOVA, I, too, have my own goals for my cardiovascular fitness and steps on how I can achieve them. Goals are one of the most important things for people to have when wanting to be ready for an activity as consuming as a marathon. An individual must be prepared, both psychologically and physically, if they want to run 26 miles successfully; a good amount of oxygen, a healthy heart, and a tough and optimistic mindset will give them the tools necessary to completing their goal.
You must be a “born” athlete to be able to run a marathon; “normal” people can’t take on that kind of challenge.
This is what everyone thinks, but they are not necessarily correct. The most important thing that your body needs during running any amount is oxygen, that’s where VO2max comes into play. VO2max is “the volume of oxygen a person can consume in one minute as he or she exercises at maximum exertion” (paragraph 4). With Team NOVA, their VO2max levels were measured before and after their nine months of training; and they were dramatically better after. It’s not the VO2max levels that help with receiving enough oxygen when running, it is merely an indicator. The amount of red blood cells present in your body help with your oxygen intake, as their primary job is to transport oxygen to the tissues of your body. The more red blood cells, the more effective your body is at transporting oxygen. Lastly, the main thing that helps your body with oxygen flow that, in turn, makes you physically ready for a marathon, is your heart. “Elite endurance athletes have extraordinarily powerful, and often unusually large, hearts…with sweat and perseverance, all of us can strengthen our hearts” (paragraphs 16, 17). A healthy heart means more oxygen flow, and eased breathing when running. In the instance of Team NOVA, after only nine weeks into their training, their hearts became more efficient, pumping more blood with less beats. Their arteries and veins became more elastic, easing blood flow, and they had more tiny capillaries and mitochondria, and they were
bigger.
Running a marathon requires mental strength as much as it does physical fitness. A runner can be as fit as possible, but if they do not have to mentality to succeed, then succeed, they will not. There are many aspects of your mentality that a potential marathoner must have tuned. First off, they must want it. As evident with Team NOVA, wanting to achieve their goal is most of succeeding it. When first starting, the runner must remember they are running their own race, and, therefore, must remain at the pace that best suits them. They must also keep in mind throughout the race to keep the mind occupied outside of the body. The best way to do this is to sing songs in their head, or anything else that keeps the mind off the subject of running. If they do not do this, then all the brain’s focus will be on the body and how tired and achy it really is. Another important thing to do during the race is to break up what lies ahead into smaller parts. For example, having ten miles left after already running 16 miles can seem hopeless. In order to combat this, the ten miles can be thought of as two 5-miles, three and a third 3-miles, etc. The most important thing a mind can be during a marathon is tough and optimistic. You didn’t train for nothing; the time it takes to finish doesn’t matter, just as long as you do.
Similar to the people of Team NOVA and their goals, I have my own personal fitness goals for my cardiovascular health. My first goal is to increase my heart rate, and to give my lungs a work out. My next goal is to increase my oxygen intake. And my last goal is to run a 5k race by the time 2017 ends. I will achieve these goals by getting out and moving more. For example, I could walk briskly for 20 minutes four days of the week, running sometimes as well. When I can’t get out of my house, I can jump rope in my backyard for 15 minutes four days of the week. I could also do the jump rope even when I can get out of my house. I can do my own training, and even get a fitness partner to go running/walking with. This partner could push me to the limits, and vice versa. We could be ensured that we are reaching our maximum potential and reach our goals. Running a marathon for the first time can be one of the most difficult challenges someone could ever face. It takes almost everything you have, both physically and psychologically. While running the race, an optimistic yet tough mindset is necessary. A runner must want to succeed, most importantly. As far as physical preparedness, a marathoner must have a semi-healthy heart, a good amount of red blood cells flowing through the body, and also enough carbohydrates before running, as they are what your body uses along with other things to produce the energy needed to finish. Runners must have small goals for them to be able to flourish. However, not only runners can set goals. In fact, anyone can set goals for themselves, as I did with my cardiovascular fitness, and hopes of completing a 5k. In conclusion, with all the evidence given, it can be inferred that almost anyone can be able to run 26 miles and complete a marathon, if they prepare and train in all aspects involved.