I guess it's really time

My wife and I went out of town over the weekend to celebrate her  birthday in Nashville.  In honor of her birthday, I am posting this picture of her running along the river in Nashville's Centennial Park.   It was a nice place to run and she enjoyed it as much as I did.  The trip, however, meant I had to fit my long run before we left, on Friday morning.  She encourages my running, but not necessarily a two hour run on a short vacation to celebrate her birthday.  You get the idea.  So I went long on Friday, about 14 miles.  Anyway, the point I am getting to is that this was the first time this summer that I felt like I was starting marathon training. 

I know most everyone else has already jumped in, and many are on longer runs than 14 at this point.  Many are doing much higher mileage than my 35 or so a week right now.  But I had to take a bit of a break from the training and racing in the spring.  So I did.  But that's over now.  It's the last week of July, and it's really time to get going!

Fortunately, my training partner, Tom, is on the same page.  For the first time in several years, we are training for the same marathon at the same time.  And the bonus is that we have the same mindset about it this time around.  We figure we have about 6 weeks left before we have to get in a 20 miler.  That means there is still plenty of time to work up to that distance, and still get a couple of them in before October 7th, the date of the Chicago Marathon. 

The second 20 miler should be the one CARA is planning along the lake front three weeks out from the race.  I'll write more about that when it gets closer, but it should be a great event, starting on the north end of the path and heading to the south end with plenty of support along the way.

So, in keeping with my newly regained focus on marathon training, I want to share the content of an e-mail I got from the folks at Power Bar.  I don't remember how I got on their e-mail list, but the advice is good, and relatively original.  So take it for what it's worth, and enjoy the great running weather we've been having for the last stretch!

Practical Tips for Marathon Training

A good training program is an essential part of preparing for a marathon, and fortunately there are a plethora of sound and effective programs available to runners of all ability levels. But preparing for a successful 26.2-mile run takes more than a schedule of workouts, and the coaches at CTS got together to provide three tips to help you have a great experience at your next marathon:

1. Constantly rotate through two pairs of shoes. A lot of people know that running shoes wear out and need to be replaced every few months (4-6, depending on your weight and how much you run), but many make the mistake of wearing one pair thin before suddenly switching to a brand new pair. To make the transition easier on your feet, start alternating between your old pair and a new pair when the old pair is halfway through its lifespan. Then as the old pair wears out, you’ll be halfway through the new pair’s lifespan and you can keep the cycle going. Remember to mark the shoes with the date you started wearing them, however, because it’s easy to get them mixed up. And mark them in several places because some marks will inevitably rub off.
2. Start training earlier to stay healthier. From what we’ve seen, most aspiring marathoners get injured because they do too much too soon (either volume or intensity). If your training program is four months long or longer, you can take more time between your really long runs, which in turn gives you more time to recover from those long days and reduces your chance for injury.
3. Practice something related to your race every week. Whether you’re a marathon newbie or a veteran runner, fitness is only part of having a fun and successful race day. Perfecting your techniques around eating, drinking, stretching, and pacing is important for avoiding race-day mistakes that can keep you from reaching your goals. Practice grabbing a water bottle off a fence post while running at race pace so you can do it without thinking during the event. If you’re traveling to your event, look up restaurant chains near your hotel and eat at the same restaurant near your home the night before or morning of a long training run; see how the food affects your run so you know where to eat before your race. And if you’re planning on using the aid stations during your race for food and hydration, then space your eating and drinking during training at similar time or distance intervals. In other words, if you’re going to grab water every two miles during your marathon, drink every two miles during training runs to make sure that strategy allows you to maintain the pace you want to hold.

Hope the advice is useful.  I'll see  you on the roads....

Comments

[Anthony Trendl]

John,

I'm hopefully looking soon at a half marathon, and if my knees don't mind, a marathon later.

Marking shoes - a great idea. I have a spreadsheet which, as my miles add up, it calculates what date I should buy a new pair.

If you are out ever in the western burbs, join us for a track workout on the Wheaton College track (Thursday, 5:30p)

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