'26.2' - The Marathon Training Website:
Marathon Training - Critical Weeks
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There
is a four to five week period in
your training that is really crucial to your success when you
actually run the marathon. This is the peak phase of your
training when you have reached the 18 mile distance in your long
runs and you are looking at a couple of 20 milers over the next
four weeks or so, after which you enter the tapering phase of
your training. Why are these training weeks so important and
what should you do about it?
High Mileage
You are at the peak of your training. Both the weekly
mileage and your long run distance are reaching their highest
level.
Limited Rest Days
Your training program may have started off with two or even
three rest days per week, but by now you will down to one day
off per week (in most programs anyway). This means your body has
less time to recover, especially from the long runs.
Stick With The Program!
You must try to stick with the program at this point because
there isn’t much room to re-schedule long runs or catch up if
you miss some runs. The intensity of each run is also important
– if the training calls for a Tempo run make sure that’s what
you do!
Avoid Injuries
Avoiding injuries during
this time is very important. You can’t afford to take time off!
Since prevention is better than cure, it’s best to be cautious. Here
are a few hints:
- If you enter
a race, don’t go all out – run well within your limits
- Don’t force
the pace on hills
- Ice any
tender areas after each run
- Stretch
after your run
- Try a brief
walk before and after each run
- If you are
struggling on a hard run, go back to an easier pace and/or take
a walk break
Re-schedule
If you do have an injury or you miss several days training for any
reason don’t make the mistake many people do. They simply carry on
with the training from the point where they would have been
and not from where they are. What you should do is look at all of the
remaining weeks right up to the marathon to see if you can
re-organize the schedule to accommodate the missing days. This
usually means less rest in the tapering period, so you have to be
careful here!
Watch Your Diet
You are running lots of miles right now. Make sure your carbohydrate
stores are replenished frequently and carbo’ load before the weekly
long run. Don’t forget protein though, you body needs this nutrient
to re-build muscle tissue.
Conclusion
How you complete these critical training weeks has a definitive
impact on your marathon run. It’s up to you to ‘listen to your body’
and not over-train to the point of hurting yourself. On the other
hand, you need to do quality runs to really benefit from this period
of your training.
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