How To Run A Marathon
How to Run a Road Marathon
A seven-point insight into how to train for a marathon
Gear is NOT everything!
A Positive mental attitude is!
Marathon can be trained.
You need to get used to the distance and have fun!
No one is born to run a Marathon, but almost everyone is born to run.
As a seasoned marathoner who has run 25 or so races, Brian shared tips on how to train and prepare for a marathon:
Not much about the Marathon, more about the Running part
1. Running
Two kinds of running:
* LSD: long slow distance: endurance.
* Intervals: speed agility, stamina (keep the same pace, even towards the end of training).
2. Strength:
* Running is not only about your legs, but your core muscles, glutes, quads, back muscles.
* Form: keep your head straight, keep your shoulders relaxed, naturally lean forward, try to land on your front part of feet, keep your body in a straight line
3. Mental
“Pain is inevitable, giving up is optional”
Muscle pain? Believe it or not, Muscle has memories! If you come to run every Monday, it will remember and cooperate with you to run on Monday! If you run more than once a week, it will remember that you want to do more and try to cooperate with you!
Remember to train your muscles. If you let muscles control you, you will have a hard time running more than you want and you could!
4. Preparation
* 3 months
* 1 month
* 2 weeks
* 1 week
5. Cross Training
* Yoga
* Biking
* Swim
* Cross fit
6. Nutrition guide
* Reasonable amount of carbs the day before.
* Check in advance where the refuel stations will be and what they offer.
* Eat things you are used to. Don’t try new food right before and during the race.
7. Prevention of Injuries
Three most common questions:
* Does long-distance running hurt your knee?
* Does long-distance running hurt your joints and come back to you when you age?
* Does too much running wear your body out faster than others?
Final Thoughts and Tips
1. Everyone is different but most of us can run. Always listen to your body but also train your muscles regularly. Don’t let your muscles control you.
2. Marathon requires a rigorous training. Preparation is a must.
3. Prepare three months to fit your goal (full- or half-marathon?), pacing: 6 or 5 or 4min per K? Remember that you will lose momentum in a marathon, so we encourage you all to train faster in a regular training session.
4. Keep the momentum to have a strong mental plan.
5. Nutrition and rest help you recover and train progressively towards your goals
6. Most importantly, have fun!
Written by Brian Yang – a fierce competitor and a veteran with over twenty-five marathon races to his name.