The running bug has definitely hit the country and everywhere you look, we’re running. ParkRun and similar events have done a great job of motivating the running community. But whether it’s your first or your twentieth and whether you’re walking over the line or sprinting, the marathon is still seen as the ultimate challenge for most of us. If you Google “Marathon”, there will be thousands of experts telling you exactly how to run, when to run, how fast to run and much more. It can get a bit confusing so here is a simple breakdown of the most important factors.
Facts
Running related injuries are some of the most common issues that I treat. The stats say most of us will experience up to 38 injuries per 1000 hours of running! Staggering! Most of these will be small issues that in the short term won’t impact a runner too much. However, I’ve treated many injuries throughout marathon journeys which started small but ended up ruining their experience. How do we combat this?
Goal Setting
Establishing your goal is the first step of marathon training. Every run that you do will be determined by the goal you set at the start. The intensity, the frequency, the location, the climate will all be chosen and driven from those initial goals. Goals can differ from aiming to complete the marathon by walk/run, setting a new PB or aiming for a specific time.
Correct Training Schedule
There are hundreds of running schedules that you can copy and paste from the internet. The issue with these is that they aren’t specific to you. You may choose one that pushes you too hard too soon, one that doesn’t take into consideration your current fitness level or one that you are not able to stick to because of the timescales they have set. Getting it wrong may increase your risk of injury and the chance of you being ill-prepared for the marathon challenge ahead. Many running injuries occur not because of the distance that has been run, but more so because of the journey that has got someone to that distance. Programmes that progressively load the body and give adequate rest and recovery times are the ones to look out for. Speaking to a coach is always beneficial.
Prepare to Train
Many runners will start a running programme with no base level of fitness. The months of running are tough on your body, your heart, your muscles, your ligaments and your flexibility. The runners who end their programmes fit and strong, tend to be runners who have put in a bit of background work to prepare themselves from the beginning. Strength & conditioning is becoming more and more important to runners and research suggests it can reduce injuries by up to 50%. That’ll mean less missed runs, less appointments to fix issues, less time getting frustrated and more time actually running! In the off season 2-3 strength sessions per week is advised but during a programme 1-2 is sufficient. These can be at home, uncomplicated, use little or no equipment, but they do need to be done!
Manage Current Injuries
As long distance running is typically high impact and high frequency, there are a very small number of runners who do not have a little reoccurring niggle. Stepping up your training and increasing to the big distances necessary, can be the trigger for turning niggles into bigger problems. Speak to your therapist about your future running plans and work together to address the issues to give you the best chance of completing the training ahead of your event.
Manage Time
One of the reasons many people do not take on marathon distances is the time commitment. Most of us do our long runs on a Sunday – family day – and it takes us away from family, socialising, work and it can be hard to manage. You do need to make time to run, however try to plan your runs as part of your ongoing life. For example, can part of your commute contribute to your run? Can you run in the morning before the family activities start or after the kids are in bed? Maybe run as part of a group and get your friends and family involved? Ensuring you’re managing your time better from the start will help you keep to your schedule and not rely on cramming in extra runs at some point which may contribute to developing overuse injuries.
Plan Races
Races are a dress rehearsal. Get them in to your schedule early. They should be used to prepare yourself for what is coming ahead. You can test your running clothes, your equipment, your trainers, your pre and post-race meals, warmup routine, hydration levels, racing gels - everything you’ll be doing on race day. It allows you to step on to the start line of the marathon with nothing extra to worry about.
Pick Your Team
Successful athletes have never and will never do it by themselves. You’re no different. You may not be able to start the marathon with an entourage however you can have a team behind you through the training. Grow a network of therapists, coaches, friends and family who you can turn to during the months of running and they’ll be there to cheer you on on race day!
Prepare For Everything
Similar to the training races, preparation is the key. Think of the differences that can happen on the event day. Run in the cold, run the hot and run in the rain. You won’t want to run on a rainy race day if you’ve decided to skip the rainy training runs.
Recovery
In my experience, the most common thing that is neglected and leads to injury is the lack of rest and recovery. It is an extremely fine line between stressing the body to improve and allowing it to recover enough to maximise performance but minimise injury risk. There are many tools out there which can help such as, foam rolling, trigger point devices, compression clothes, ice baths, massage, taping, stretching and many more. The effectiveness for each of these differs from one person to another but once you know what works for you, use it to get you to that start line.
I regularly see athletes that are in training programmes for a regular check-up of their muscles to help them recover, relax and manage their niggling injuries. Seek the advice of a professional regarding your choice of recovery. Train Hard – Recover Harder!
Fun
Whatever the goal, whatever your starting point and whatever number marathon this is for you… Have FUN!