Marathon training is daunting no matter if you’re a rookie or a veteran runner. There are so many training plans out there, some with minimal running mixed with cross-training, other that are rely on multiple workouts and several days of running.
Now that I am over halfway done with my second marathon training plan, I have been reflecting back on the similarities and differences I have experienced. I have noticed there are several ‘marathon truths’ even though I still consider myself a freshman marathoner.
The biggest difference I have noticed is that it is much harder to juggle training with teaching.(Duh.) For my first marathon, I intentionally chose a race that would not conflict with work and allow me to train throughout the summer when I was not teaching. I wanted to be able to still have time to be mom to my young son and commit the time to my training. Now, with teaching, graduate work, family, and Boston training, I find life much fuller and schedules far tighter than last summer.
My biggest piece of advice to anyone contemplating marathon training: schedule your runs and keep the appointments.
- Training plans - trust them
I was skeptical of running easy runs so much slower than what I felt was a steady pace for me. It took only a few weeks of training 40+ miles a week to get me to appreciate the easy runs. My legs, my body...even my head...needed those slower miles to recover. Easy runs are not about the pace. Easy runs are about time on feet.
- Rest is crucial...so are naps
My training plan calls for one day of rest, which was usually Tuesdays. I looked forward to Tuesdays for the relief that came with them. I was by no means a couch potato, but the knowledge that I didn’t have training miles for that day was always welcome. Rest days are almost always active rest days: Pilates or yoga, stretching, walks, bike rides, etc.
Naps...are precious indeed. I now find myself missing my naps terribly. Never a napper before marathon training, I often needed to nap at least 15 minutes most days last summer. How did I function before without naps??? Now naps are a cherished bonus when I can squeeze one in after school or on the weekends.
New route: North Country Trail
along Lake Superior!Make it fun when you can
Long runs can become very long and tedious. Favorite routes and trails can become mind-numbing after a few weeks of constant travel. I tried to find ways to change up the scenery or the company. Summer is full of travel and new places, and I was able to easily fit my marathon training into multiple trips. New places meant new routes. Granted, it also meant doing some leg work and scouting out the surrounding area before hand but often I winged my route.
For one of my longest runs, I posted a shout-out to my run group and invited people to join me for any short distance along my planned route. It truly was a blast and it chunked up the sixteen miles nicely. I also spent another long run on part of my marathon course to help me get a good feel for what I was in for on race day.
- Be prepared to wear out gear/shoes
I ran through two pairs of Brooks Pure Connect 3's and one pair of Brooks Pure Flow 3's between my training and recovery. Luckily, these were older models and I paid less than $100 for each pair, but still...I hadn't figured on that my first go-round. Preparing for my second marathon training cycle, I stocked up on my favorite (and now extinct!) shoes.
Something to ponder: I went through a ton of laundry each week. This winter seemed worse than the summer, which makes sense...I was wearing more layers than I was in the summer. This isn’t really wasn’t much of an issue as long as I stayed on top of my laundry and did a load every few days. But it really sucked when I realized there were no clean sport bras to be found!
- Yes...you will become ‘that runner’
Yup. Happens to the best of us. Marathon training will permeate every corner of your life, especially if you are training for your first or have a very specific goal. When running and training as much as I do for my cycles, I spend a lot of social time with other runners. This leads to conversations about fueling, foam rolling, stretching, gear, hydration packs, etc. You will discuss and seek out solutions for unusual toe blisters, gastrointestinal issues. and chaffing problems. You will proudly compare your runner’s feet with other around you. You might even get to the point where you will throw caution to the wind and run with your shirt off…<gasp>...in only your sports bra. Okay...I did become that runner. And it will be a-okay when/if you do, too.
- Get ready to be by yourself - A lot
Running between 40 and 60 miles over a week translated into at least three or four solo runs a week But even when I showed up for my group runs, I was often by myself since I was the only one training for my race distance and date. My training paces often didn’t match up to anyone else either. Overall, I didn’t mind being solo so often but I did feel like I fell of the face of my running world.
I did find ways to incorporate running to involve others. My biggest challenge was a lack of child care on Sundays, when I usually had a shorter recovery run. So I would suggest that my son race me on his bike while I ran. Mother-son time + run time = problem solved. I also tried to time my cool down miles with the beginning of group runs. Pace didn’t matter as much and the company made those last few miles fly.
- Take the time to recover well
Recovery...so much more than taking a day or two off. I found active recovery to be key. Leisurely walks, family bike rides, yoga classes, Pilates on the beach...anything that kept my body moving was fair game. Nutritional recovery was a new concept for me as well. I am careful about refueling after long runs, even if I’m not hungry. A few indulgences aside, I’m a fairly healthy eater normally. During marathon training, I listen to my body. If I am more sore than I think I should be or just not perking up during the week, I will re-evaluate my diet, adding quality protein sources. I also make a conscientious effort to hydrate all day long.
Second time around, marathon training is a bit different: the seasons, work, life. But there have been these truths that I have found comforting...very comforting through the trials and miles of marathon training.
