Ever since I was awarded a gold bond place for The London Marathon, I’ve consumed running magazines/books/web articles with an insatiable appetite. I don’t think any of the information I have processed has made me a better runner, in fact, I am probably more confused than when I first started, but reading this material at least gives me the opportunity to sound like I know what I’m talking about when friends and family ask me how the training is going.
Some of that information has sunk in though and I thought that rather than suggesting you all do as I did and become a complete running bore, I would sort the wheat from the proverbial chaff and give you some of the tips that I have incorporated into my training regime which I think are useful. If you still want to become an anorak (in running parlance, become a hi-viz waterproof jacket) then I would certainly recommend reading Runner’s World ( the magazine and website) There is also a Marathon Training Guide available which is a collection of some of the best tips from the magazine. It’s actually quite hard to find a hard copy of this book anywhere, but you can download it via the Runner’s World app in the app store. It is also worth checking out publications such as Men’s and Women’s Running magazine as well. The following books have also been good resources and I would thoroughly recommend reading them.
- The Marathon and Half Marathon: A Training Guide by Graeme Hilditch
- The Art of Running Faster by Julian Goater and Don Melvin
- From Last to First by Charlie Spedding
- Keep on Running: The Highs and the Lows of a Marathon Addict by Phil Hewitt
The first two are very well written running manuals with lots of practical advice for varying levels of runners. The Marathon and Half Marathon training guide is a very well-rounded book which includes information on nutrition as well as running techniques. The Art of Running Faster, does what it says on the cover and focuses on technique, the author, Julian Goater, is a former world class athlete, so it is well worth heeding his advice. The other two books are certainly a lighter read. Charlie Spedding is also a former long distance runner and won the London Marathon in 1984 and represented Great Britain in the 1984 and 1988 Olympic games. So if you have any aspirations of winning the race, then I would certainly recommend reading Spedding’s autobiography! The last book by Phil Hewitt is very enjoyable, funny at times and easy to relate too as he is not a professional athlete.
The staple of marathon training I’m told is the long run. I’ve scoured my running library recently and talked to fellow runners to formulate my long run plan and have come across some great tips which I hope to implement into my training. I thought I would share some of these with you –
- It is important to know what pace your long runs should be run at for two reasons. Firstly it is important to have time on your feet and getting used to 3+ hours of running. Most long runs should be run at a pace equivalent to a minute – a minute and half slower than the pace you intend to run at on the day. Secondly, identifying a comfortable race pace will allow you to practice running for a sustained period at that level during training.
- To help identify your race pace, you’ll need to think about a time that you wish to finish the marathon in. I’ve spoken to a few people about setting time goals, especially if it is your first attempt at this distance, which it is for me. The advice I was given was that I shouldn’t get too hung up on a specific time, but aim for a time window. For instance, I hope to finish between 4 hours and 4 hours 30 minutes. I’m hoping that this will take some pressure off me on the day and avoid being disappointed if I don’t reach my initial goal of 4 hours. Although, deep down, I know that just finishing the race and raising a load of cash for The Lullaby Trust will be satisfying enough.
- Once you’ve decided on that race pace, practicing this during your long runs will make you more confident come race day. When you start to feel comfortable running for long distances introduce a few miles towards the end of the run at this pace. This will increase your stamina and start to condition you for those grueling last miles.
- Practice refueling during these long runs and don’t stray from your routine on the day. If you have used certain gels or sports drinks, make sure you have a supply of them on the day. Using different supplements during the marathon is a recipe for disaster as there is no guarantee that your body will accept them as well as the ones you’ve conditioned your body to take.
- On long training runs consume a sports gel every 40-45 minutes or take a sip of sports drink every 15-20 minutes. This will insure that you don’t crash and burn. Leaving it too late to refuel could mean that it’s difficult to recover. Following these guidelines, I’ve managed to keep myself topped up and avoid the dip in performance. Another handy little tip that I have used comes courtesy of The Lullaby Trust email forum, unfortunately I can’t acknowledge the team member who imparted this pearl of wisdom as the email forum has grown to such as size I can’t find the original email. Rewarding yourself during training is a great motivator, this is a simple reward but I’ve found this extremely helpful. After every completed mile on a long run I now take a swig of water/sports drink, it’s amazing how I look forward now to completing miles, just so that I can take a refreshment on board. Very simple, but extremely motivating.
Until next time….keep on running.
