Training for a fall half-marathon or marathon? You'll have some long runs ahead of you and we want you to look forward to them (instead of dreading them!) Here are our top tips for getting through it with a smile and injury free.
1. Get up early and run. It's hot out and heat will affect your run and how you feel. Take advantage of empty streets (in NYC) and enjoy a long run. To know how heat affects your pace, see this nifty calculator from Runners Connect.
2. Water. Drink lots of it throughout your day. Bring water with you on your runs over 1 hour or know where water fountains are along your route.
3. Find a buddy. Run with a friend or meet up with a group. Those long runs are well, long and having someone to talk to or to help push you through to the end is awesome. Jessica and I became such good friends because of running!
4. Bring Money. Just in case! You might need extra water, a coconut water, food or a subway ride home.
5. New Routes. Pick new routes and/or place to run. A change of scenery might be just what you need to put some pep back into your runs. Need some help with routes? Check out MapMyFitness for routes.
6. Ice. Buy ice packs (bags of frozen peas work great)! They will become your best friend during training. Your muscles swell and might be inflammed after long or strenous workouts. Ice helps reduce the swelling by constricting the blood vessels and the cold from an ice pack provides pain relief. For those who want the real deal, we love our Nortech Labs Reusable Hot/Cold Pack (size 8'x10')
7. Train Smart. Marathon training is a challenging, long term, phsyically demanding commitment. Enter into it wisely and listen to what your body tells you throughout your training. Remember, you are training not just for the finish line, but also to arrive at the start injury free on race day. Treat your body to an extra rest day or a sports massage every once and a while. If you are in NYC, schedule a massage with the best massage therapist in town, Jennifer Mayer.
8. All runners are not created equal. Follow your own training plan adjusted to your phsyical needs, abilities and schedule. Just because the other people you in marathon training are running 40 miles a week or not doing any speedwork, doesn't mean that's right for you. Personalize your training and understand what workouts YOU should do and how much is appropriate for YOUR body. If you would like to learn how to implement tempo runs, interval workouts, hill training properly contact us to schedule a private coaching session. We are offering a Fall Marathon program. Start anytime. Click here to read more about the program.
There are so many great races this fall: NYC Marathon, Chicago Marathon, the Marine Corp Marathon, and the Portland Marathon to name a few. Comment below and tell us which race you are running.