Training Tips

Fall is in the air and many women (and men) are looking forward to a fall or winter marathon. Whether this is your first, your 10th, or whatever number, there are many tricks to help you get to the finish line. I will try to share what I have learned either from my many endeavors at the distance or from coaching other ladies. There is no magic here, but somehow once we get enmeshed in our training, we may forget learned lessons or find that there are a few we do not know.

First you need a preparation period of three to six months. You many have a good base or need to build your base, but try to remember not to have more than a 10 percent increase in mileage per week. If you are currently doing 20 miles a week, it will take you longer to build a solid base of at least 40-50 miles per week. Living in the hot and humid south, it is usually easier to train for a late winter or early spring marathon. That way you can do most of your long runs in less stressing, cooler weather and be training through the holidays, thus reducing the possibility of putting on any extra holiday pounds.

My good friend, exercise physiologist Dr. David Martin, once stated a very simple principle to a group of women runners hoping to qualify for the Olympic marathon trials. His wisdom says that you are training for a marathon, so do everything in your power to train for the marathon. Starting this process involves choosing your target race. There are a plethora of races available all over the country that range from huge multi-media events to small local events. Try to choose one that fits with your goals. Obviously if you are looking for a fast time, you will look to races with flat courses and generally ideal weather (if such a race does truly exist!). If your goal is just to finish, you may want more entertainment/diversions along the way. Or you may decide to combine vacation with a marathon. Whatever you decide, remember to take into consideration course time limits. There must not be a worse feeling than to plan a race and not realize that the course is closed at five hours. You will need the support of traffic control and aid stations, so choose appropriately. Also most runners like to have others sharing their endeavor, so truly consider size. A small race may find you doing 26 miles by yourself! And the big mega races may be closed out well in advance.

Think about the time of day when your race will be run. While a midnight marathon may sound appealing, your body may not agree to go the distance while it is normally sleeping. You will need to do at least some of your runs at the time you will be competing. So choose appropriately.

The most important aspect of marathon training is making the commitment. You must commit to the necessary training and to consistency. One you have selected the marathon and entered, plan your months leading up to the race. Use a calendar and schedule your workouts. The most important element is the consistency of training over several months. It is okay to miss a few sessions if you have a plan and are consistent. I think it is important to get at least six to eight long runs in the mix. One of these a month or so prior should have you out on the roads approximately the length of time in which you plan to complete the marathon. If nothing else this will give you the confidence that you can be out there for the necessary amount of time. For the women I coach, I lay out a six-month plan with a suggestion run (or rest) for each day. Be flexible but stick with the calendar.

One more consideration you may want to take into account when you choose your marathon is when your monthly period is scheduled to arrive. This is the one thing many women forget to take into account. If cramps and/or heavy periods do not affect your running then this is not a worry. But for some women, certain days of the month make running difficult and a marathon can exacerbate the problem.

Now here are some of the hints for training. Practice for race day. Try different clothes and find what works best on those long runs. Run in tights and gloves and hats and various jog bras, singlets, shorts, and shirts. You may even want to practice with a plastic bag for heavy wind or rain. Experiment so you are ready for any conditions race day brings. Do the same for shoes and socks. Whatever works best for you put it aside for packing for race day. Also remember to train in sunglasses. Several hours or more in bright sunlight can tax anyone. I always have a problem deciding whether or not to wear sunglasses, as they are one item I do not want to throw away.

Train in whatever nature throws your way. That means you go out in rain and wind and heat and maybe even snow (just watch your footing so you do not slip). And you practice in various clothes and shoes so you will be ready for the weather on race day. After all these years I have learned that the weather on race day is rarely ideal for you. Train for every possible alternative and realize that the only way you can control the elements is to be ready for anything.

It is especially important to do some of your long runs in less than ideal conditions. That way you will know how heavy some shoes are in rain or what clothes rub raw spots when it is wet, or how badly you get blisters in certain spots with wet shoes, or what shoes slip on wet pavement. Try using vaseline or some other type of friction reducer to control any chafing or blistering problems encountered in training. The day of your marathon is not the time to discover these unpleasant problems or to try to find a solution.

Make it a project to discover what foods work best on your stomach before your long runs. Many a marathon has been derailed by stomach problems resulting from eating something that the stomach does not tolerate. There is not any one perfect food so find out what the ideal is for your best performance. At one marathon delicious homemade ice cream is served at the pre-race pasta dinner. I usually make out like a bandit as I can eat ice cream the night before a marathon but many cannot, and since I do not let my teammates try something different the night before, I gather up all the ice cream coupons.

Discovering what foods work best includes practicing not only the night before but also on long run mornings. I found this is true if you are not racing. The morning I paced one of my teammates in her first marathon I decided to try her peanut butter on my pre-race bagel. Believe me I tasted the remnants of peanut butter for more than four hours!

If you plan to use gels during the marathon use them on your long runs. This means you will have to practice carrying your gels of choice and learn how often you will need them. Do not depend on the race for this. Some marathons have a gel stop or two but I have found it is rarely what you use in practice but more than likely a new product. At a marathon last year I picked up a packet of gel to see what was being passed out. The flavor of green apple cinnamon made me nauseous just looking at it!

Also find out what fluid replacement the race is using and practice with it. Most races will tell you not only the exact product, but also the flavor. This is extremely important to know as you have little choice in this matter and some of the different fluids can wreak havoc on your system if you have not used them in training. My best advice, after going to a race where each fluid stop had a different flavor of fluid, is when in doubt, stick with water. This, too, you can practice as you want to cover all the bases!

One thing that I tell all the ladies I coach but do not do too well myself is to rest if you start feeling tired. Marathon training is stressful and a few days of rest may be critical to avoid feeling tired. During marathon training you may need more sleep, so try to get an extra hour or so a night. It could make all the difference in getting to the finish line.

Training for the marathon involves a lot more than putting in the miles. It involves practicing for all the elements that go into race day. Also plan to go to the race with plenty of time to spare. If you are flying or driving some distance, give yourself a break and plan to get in a day early. You have put many hours into training and it is nice to be able to relax the day before. Also this avoids worrying about delayed flights, car problems, and the like.