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Follow simple rules for marathon training

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  • Originally published September 4, 2010 at 7:21 p.m., updated September 4, 2010 at 7:21 p.m.

  • UPCOMING EVENTSSweat Equity Challenge, October 9th (www.sweatequitychallenge.org) benefits Habitat for Humanity.

    K9-5K , October 23rd (www.k9-5k.com) benefits that Dorothy O'Connor pet adoption center.

    Living in the Light 5K and 10K, November 6th (www.livinginthelightrun.org) benefits Hospice of South Texas.

    ...
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    • UPCOMING EVENTSSweat Equity Challenge, October 9th (www.sweatequitychallenge.org) benefits Habitat for Humanity.

    K9-5K , October 23rd (www.k9-5k.com) benefits that Dorothy O'Connor pet adoption center.

    Living in the Light 5K and 10K, November 6th (www.livinginthelightrun.org) benefits Hospice of South Texas.

By Missy Janzow

Editor's Note: Part one of a two-part series on how to avoid running injuries, stay in good health.

Many area runners are ramping up their training in preparation for marathons coming up later this fall. Most runners should be into training mode with the base training phase completed and working their way into the strengthening and speed phase with just about ten weeks to go. The training that is involved in running a marathon can be taxing on the body and immune system. However if you follow a few simple rules, you can complete the distance without injury and can look forward to covering the distance in good physical condition.

Don't overtrain

It's easy to get caught up in training and many times runners will overtrain with more running than is needed. The mentality of a runner is often "the more, the better," when in fact, the opposite can be true.

What good are all those extra miles going to be if you find yourself sick or sidelined with an injury in the last few weeks leading up to the race?

Listening to your body, by cutting back on mileage or intensity, when you start to feel fatigued or when muscles and joints are hurting, can be one of the best rules to adhere to. You don't have to run everyday to train appropriately in order to run a marathon or half-marathon.

Incorporating cross-training days and allowing for one to two rest or recovery days per week are both beneficial in allowing your body to recuperate from the pounding of daily running. Your muscles need time to recover, so that on long run days or high intensity days, they are ready to handle the intensity from quality training.

Run just enough so that you are sufficiently trained (or maybe slightly undertrained), but that you haven't trained so much that you wind up with an injury or an illness you can't shake.

Increase mileage slowly

The standard rule of thumb for increasing weekly mileage is by increasing it by only 10 percent each week.

Your weekly long run should only be increased by one mile per week until you reach a 10-mile run, then you can increase the long run by two miles each week. This type of gradual increase will allow your muscles to slowly build strength and endurance without leaving you feeling too sore to do subsequent workouts, or even worse, leave you with an injury.

Recovery weeks and days are key

If there is one thing I learned from having a coach in college and more recently in training for the Ironman, it's that recovery days and recovery weeks are essential to proper training and good performance come race day. When left to our own devices, we tend to overtrain and do more harm to our bodies than good.

A study done in 1994 by the University of Northern Iowa found that you don't have to train hard seven days per week, you just have to train smart three or four days per week. The study was done on two groups of runners. One group ran four days per week and the other group ran six days per week and ran 20 percent more miles. The group that ran less mileage performed just as well in the marathon as the group who had trained more.

So make sure to work "days off" into your training, as well as easier, recovery weeks.

Long training runs are essential component

Don't hit the panic button if you have missed a few of your long runs. However, make sure to plan your training program so that you have built in a sufficient amount of long run days and that you have time to gradually build into your longer run training program.

If you are a novice when it comes to running marathons, the longer runs are even more important. Your body and your mind have to become accustomed to running for over three or four hours, and your feet have to get use to this idea as well.

There is no magic number, but many plans recommend that you run for 2 to 3 hours or get a 21 or 22-mile run in prior to running a marathon, preferably completing your longest run two to three weeks prior to your race. If you are doing a half-marathon, your longest run should be in the 10 to 11 mile range or a run of approximately two hours.

Missy Janzow owns Fit4U, a personalized coaching and nutrition service. You can reach her with your questions at janzowml@yahoo.com or visit her on the web at www.fit4uvictoria.com.


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