Training Tips

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Tell People

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This makes you accountable. Tell everyone who will listen.  It will become a topic of conversation and support among family, friends and co-workers, which will help stick to your training.  The first person to tell is your doctor -- you want to make sure you’re OK to run long distances.

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Set a Specific Goal

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It's not as simple as saying your goal is to finish 13.1 miles (a half-marathon) or 26.2 (a full marathon). Ask yourself why you’re running the race.  Do you have a time goal? Are you trying to qualify for a specific marathon?  or are you doing it in memory of someone?  Figuring that out, she says, will guide your training plan. 

 

Make a Plan

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You need a nuts-and-bolts training plan.  If you're easily running 3 or 4 miles at a time now, plan to train for about 3 months before a half-marathon and about 5 months before a full marathon.  Your plan should be realistic.  You don't need to run every single day.

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Don't Overdo It

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Don't add miles too quickly. The established rule is not to boost your miles by more than 10% per week.  Speed work can make you faster, but it also ups the risk of injury. 

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Go With the Flow

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Late nights at work, sick kids -- it’s inevitable that you’ll have some off days. No one sticks to the training plan perfectly.  Accept bad runs during training.  As the average-to-good runs become more frequent, the bad runs become easier to tolerate.  Injuries can happen, too. But if you have a reasonable plan for running, nutrition, and rest, you're more likely to stay injury-free.

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Monitor Your Heart Rate

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Check your resting heart rate every morning.  If you see a big jump, you’re probably overtraining.

 

Mimic Race Day

 

During training, replicate the race experience. That is, get used to the conditions you'll face on race day. Check out the racecourse ahead of time. Is it hilly? Will the race team be serving a sports drink or water?  Never wear new shoes, socks, or shorts on race day. Wear something you know is comfortable because you've trained in it.

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Run With Attitude

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Positive thinking from the start is crucial. Tune out any negative talk you're likely to hear on the course. Replace all of that with positive visualization. Suppose you’ve checked out the course ahead of time, and you know that mile 5 begins to get hilly. When you begin the race, visualize yourself building energy from the start and not struggling at all once the hill arrives.