Ok, if you're just beginning to train for your first half or full marathon, you will learn a ton of stuff in a very short period of time. However, you will learn much more from your experience (mistakes) than you will ever learn from magazines, books, or your coaches. Here are a few I've learned from doing these long things for over 3 decades...and I'm still learning.
1) DRINK – Dehydration is probably the #1 cause of not finishing the marathon or completing a long run. You must drink consistently, but the latest theory is to drink to your thirst needs, rather than a set amount. I usually carry a handheld water bottle so I sip the whole way, but I also drink at every aid station in a race.
2) GO OUT EASY – you will ease into a comfortable pace this way. If you go out too fast or try to make up lost early minutes too quickly, you will use up your carbohydrates too early and when you switch to fats for energy, you will be forced to slow down. "Don't run the first half like an idiot". Of course, the 2nd half of that quote is "Don't run the 2nd half like a wimp".
3) Don’t charge up the hills and don’t break too much coming down the hills. You expend a lot of energy on the uphills, so take it easy with a steady rhythm. Despite hundreds of miles of training, the quads are still usually undertrained and unfortunately they are the muscles that slow you on the downhills. Let gravity take you for a ride, lengthen your stride, and hit the pavement as smoothly as you can.
4) Don’t stuff yourself at the pre-race pasta dinner, especially if there is an early AM start. A post-race pasta dinner or pizza and a beer is a much better idea. Worry about your carbohydrate loading during your training, not the night before the race. You will have been essentially carbo loading for the past 4 months by the time February rolls around, so the night before is not going to make a giant difference.
5) Energy Gels work – I used to be a skeptic, but too many times in marathons, ultras, or long training runs, I have noticed a lack of fatigue and maintenance of pace 10-15 minutes after ingestion. Generally, during a race, you'll want to take one every 45 minutes or so. Of course, these days, there are a lot of alternatives to gels...jelly beans, bars, liquids, etc. The point is get some calories in regularly.
6) Training programs need to be flexible, not rigid. If you feel rotten, ease off on the training for that day. If you have an injury, run or walk relative to what the injury will allow. The most important rule of marathon training is arrival at the starting line strong and healthy.
7) Wear comfortable clothing and shoes. Any clothes or shoes that are a bit uncomfortable at home are going to be the devil out on a long run or during a race. NEVER race in something new! NEVER run in something tight.
8) Don’t complain about the weather. Adapt to it by training in it. My rule is to never run in lightning or ice. Rain is not dangerous. Cold is not dangerous. Running in heat can be dangerous and in most cases is stupid. “There is no inappropriate weather…only inappropriate clothing”.
9) Tapering for 2 weeks before a marathon is just as important as training for 20 weeks. Those 20 weeks of smart training can go right down the tubes because of the fear you’ll get out of shape if you back off the last 2-3 weeks. The opposite is true. You will heal, rebuild, and increase carbohydrate storage. Studies show the muscles will actually increase their strength during the taper period.
10) Walking won’t kill you (or slow you down that much). Keep moving forward. A set ratio of run/walk FROM THE BEGINNING will conserve strength, spare carbohydrate usage, and keep you from hitting the mythical wall. If you are trying to run the entire marathon and feel yourself slipping into deepening fatigue, it’s best to begin a walk/run ratio for a couple of cycles and see if you regroup. Don’t wait till you’re forced to walk. If you walk for a minute every mile, you'll only lose about 20 seconds per mile on your pace. That converts to less than 10 minutes total for the whole 26.2 miles.
11) Racing once a month (like a 5k) will help you gauge your fitness and boost your coincidence. You learn about the jitters before the race, how to drink during the race, how to “race” with a crowd, and how good it feels to hit a finish line and earn that shirt.
12) Don’t overdress – Regardless of the temperature, you will warm up in less than 10 minutes. Trust me! If you feel comfortable standing around in the parking lot before a winter run, prepare to be quickly uncomfortable because you over-heated. Dress like it’s 10-20 degrees warmer. On real cold days, wear gloves and a hat. And "HotHands" are a special gift from God to runners like me that hate the cold.
13) If you finish a marathon, never, ever, be disappointed with your accomplishment. Finishing a marathon is something only one-tenth of 1% of the population has done. Regardless of your time, you are fit, you've shown tremendous commitment, and most of all, you deserve to feel good about yourself.
I'll see you all on the roads - AL
1) DRINK – Dehydration is probably the #1 cause of not finishing the marathon or completing a long run. You must drink consistently, but the latest theory is to drink to your thirst needs, rather than a set amount. I usually carry a handheld water bottle so I sip the whole way, but I also drink at every aid station in a race.
2) GO OUT EASY – you will ease into a comfortable pace this way. If you go out too fast or try to make up lost early minutes too quickly, you will use up your carbohydrates too early and when you switch to fats for energy, you will be forced to slow down. "Don't run the first half like an idiot". Of course, the 2nd half of that quote is "Don't run the 2nd half like a wimp".
3) Don’t charge up the hills and don’t break too much coming down the hills. You expend a lot of energy on the uphills, so take it easy with a steady rhythm. Despite hundreds of miles of training, the quads are still usually undertrained and unfortunately they are the muscles that slow you on the downhills. Let gravity take you for a ride, lengthen your stride, and hit the pavement as smoothly as you can.
4) Don’t stuff yourself at the pre-race pasta dinner, especially if there is an early AM start. A post-race pasta dinner or pizza and a beer is a much better idea. Worry about your carbohydrate loading during your training, not the night before the race. You will have been essentially carbo loading for the past 4 months by the time February rolls around, so the night before is not going to make a giant difference.
5) Energy Gels work – I used to be a skeptic, but too many times in marathons, ultras, or long training runs, I have noticed a lack of fatigue and maintenance of pace 10-15 minutes after ingestion. Generally, during a race, you'll want to take one every 45 minutes or so. Of course, these days, there are a lot of alternatives to gels...jelly beans, bars, liquids, etc. The point is get some calories in regularly.
6) Training programs need to be flexible, not rigid. If you feel rotten, ease off on the training for that day. If you have an injury, run or walk relative to what the injury will allow. The most important rule of marathon training is arrival at the starting line strong and healthy.
7) Wear comfortable clothing and shoes. Any clothes or shoes that are a bit uncomfortable at home are going to be the devil out on a long run or during a race. NEVER race in something new! NEVER run in something tight.
8) Don’t complain about the weather. Adapt to it by training in it. My rule is to never run in lightning or ice. Rain is not dangerous. Cold is not dangerous. Running in heat can be dangerous and in most cases is stupid. “There is no inappropriate weather…only inappropriate clothing”.
9) Tapering for 2 weeks before a marathon is just as important as training for 20 weeks. Those 20 weeks of smart training can go right down the tubes because of the fear you’ll get out of shape if you back off the last 2-3 weeks. The opposite is true. You will heal, rebuild, and increase carbohydrate storage. Studies show the muscles will actually increase their strength during the taper period.
10) Walking won’t kill you (or slow you down that much). Keep moving forward. A set ratio of run/walk FROM THE BEGINNING will conserve strength, spare carbohydrate usage, and keep you from hitting the mythical wall. If you are trying to run the entire marathon and feel yourself slipping into deepening fatigue, it’s best to begin a walk/run ratio for a couple of cycles and see if you regroup. Don’t wait till you’re forced to walk. If you walk for a minute every mile, you'll only lose about 20 seconds per mile on your pace. That converts to less than 10 minutes total for the whole 26.2 miles.
11) Racing once a month (like a 5k) will help you gauge your fitness and boost your coincidence. You learn about the jitters before the race, how to drink during the race, how to “race” with a crowd, and how good it feels to hit a finish line and earn that shirt.
12) Don’t overdress – Regardless of the temperature, you will warm up in less than 10 minutes. Trust me! If you feel comfortable standing around in the parking lot before a winter run, prepare to be quickly uncomfortable because you over-heated. Dress like it’s 10-20 degrees warmer. On real cold days, wear gloves and a hat. And "HotHands" are a special gift from God to runners like me that hate the cold.
13) If you finish a marathon, never, ever, be disappointed with your accomplishment. Finishing a marathon is something only one-tenth of 1% of the population has done. Regardless of your time, you are fit, you've shown tremendous commitment, and most of all, you deserve to feel good about yourself.
I'll see you all on the roads - AL
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