Runner Insight

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Never having run 26.2 miles before, I started reading a lot of articles online about running a marathon. I picked up a bunch of great ideas on how to train for long runs and what to eat and stuff like that.

After I’d been studying and planning and preparing for a few weeks, I found out that our local running store and running club was putting on Marathon Training classes every 1st Tuesday of the month. I made it a point to attend as many as possible. They brought in guest speakers to speak on topics ranging from diet and nutrition, to injury prevention and goal setting. I learned a lot, and the questions from other first time marathoners were very interesting. In some ways, it made me feel I was ahead of the game and gave me much needed confidence since I felt like I already knew the answers to some of the questions they were asking from having spent so much time online researching, studying and preparing.

The last class we attended for the marathon training was on race strategy. The Runner’s Edge (our local running store) brought in a guest speaker. His name eludes me, but he was a veteran at running marathons. He described some of his best races . . . and worst.

I’m not sure if that was such a good idea, as I was getting a little freaked out about all the things that could go wrong…maybe I was getting in over my head? I had to remind myself that, by this point in time, I had done the work and training required to run the full marathon. I couldn’t let fear take over. Besides it was too late now. I was committed to it and I was not willing to back out.

In spite of the horror stories he told of becoming a hallucinating, slobbering, babbling idiot from lack of proper fuel, he was informative and entertaining as well. He did say that he viewed the marathon as two separate races in one. The first was 20 miles, and then the last 6.2 miles. I found this to be an interesting concept at the time, but I was more interested in just finishing the whole race. I think if I had really considered what he said more carefully, I wouldn’t have tried to start out as fast as I had the day of the race. And I’m not sure how much his talk played in my mind, but as I ran my marathon, it wasn’t until the 20 mile mark that I started to run into problems…But more about that later.

I would suggest to a first time marathon runner, that when studying all the multitudes of theories and opinions and programs on training for and running a marathon, it’s important not to over think it too much. In this instance, too much information can hinder your ability to choose a program. You don’t want to get in the bind of analysis paralysis. Once you find a training program that feels comfortable to you, in general you should stick with it. If you change it up too often, you will lose ground in your training and get off track for your goals.

If you’ll find out who is putting on the marathon, you can look online to see if they have a dedicated website for the marathon. If they do, check the website often. They will usually update it with good information on the race and marathon training, and a lot of them have a blog or chat room where you can interact with other runners. Once you’re in the forum or chat room, it’s easy to ask questions of more experienced runners, share ideas and make friends. As it gets closer to the start date of your marathon, visiting the website is a terrific way to get yourself pumped up for the big day.

If there is no website dedicated to the marathon you plan to run in, there are plenty of other websites and newsgroups that revolve around the topic of running. You’ll want to find one that you feel comfortable with, as they all seem to have a different personality and feel to them.

There are plenty of great books available and blogs and information sites online dedicated to educating and answering questions about running. Which ever ones you choose, it’s all good. Just beginning the research is moving you in the right direction of training smart and giving you the best chance of finishing a full marathon in your goal time.

Ready to Run?

How ’bout it?

-Vision Runner

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After making the commitment to do what it takes to train for and run a marathon, the next thing I had to do was to find a good training program.

As I searched the internet, I found lots of different marathon training programs, but what I was looking for was a straight-forward approach.  I was not interested in building speed; my goal for my first marathon was simply to finish it. That would be an exhilarating accomplishment in and of itself, and one that very few people, sighted or blind, could claim to have done.

After looking at several different programs, I picked the one that I could modify to my work schedule. Most training regimens are set up for the average person who works a 9 to 5 job Monday through Friday, with weekends off.  And because a marathon is usually run on a Sunday, the long training runs are usually scheduled for Sundays.

However, this wouldn’t work for me, as I worked not only the graveyard shift, but I also worked weekends. So a bit of modifying was needed. Here is an example of the marathon training schedule after I modified it to my own work/running schedule.

It took some concentrated effort and juggling to modify the schedule to ensure that I got in all the miles I needed, plus the right amount of time off between long runs.

With that issue resolved, the next thing I needed to do was to find a new pair of running shoes. While attending a local Marathon Training Class, they suggested that runners should buy two pairs of the same running shoes.  Was this some kind of ingenious marketing ploy and sales trick?  No it turned out to be a very smart trick for me. 

Anders, the owner of my local running store, (I would link to it if their website was up, Anders…hint, hint) explained that buying two pairs of the running shoes that I wear, would ensure that I would have them when I needed them. I would train in one pair for the first few months, but then about 6 to 8 weeks before the marathon, I would want to put on the new pair and start to break them in. Then I could put them away about two weeks before the race.  When race day came, I would use that pair that only had four to six weeks of road miles on them. That way I had a relatively fresh pair of shoes for my 26 mile marathon. They would be broke in just enough so as not to cause foot pain, but still have all the support and bounce I need to be able to run a long race. It was excellent advice, and I have used it since for half-marathons I’ve run, as well.

This worked out even better than I could have expected for the marathon, as I found out later from Anders that they were having a hard time getting in the running shoes I liked, plus everyone was buying their running shoes for the race at the last minute. I already had mine, ready and waiting. So on race day I put on what looked like a brand new pair of running shoes, but without the worry of getting sore feet or blisters…

Well, I did get sore feet, but I’m pretty sure it was from running 26.2 miles. 

How ‘bout it?

 -Vision Runner

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