GOING FOR GOLD: How to Best Prepare for a Marathon

GOING FOR GOLD:

How to Best Prepare for a Marathon

By Ian Scarrott, TriClub Run Coach and Personal Trainer at PureGym Loughborough

Marathon season is around the corner, and even after months of training, it’s natural for runners to question if they’re really ready for race day.

To help ease any pre-race nerves, Ian Scarrott, TriClub Run Coach and Personal Trainer at PureGym Loughborough, has put together some last minute tips to ensure your training pays off on the day. He’s also answered some of the most commonly asked questions from first time marathon runners.

“Taking on something like a marathon can seem like a mountain to climb, but know this, all things are definitely possible. Be prepared to take responsibility for your own training, and put in the consistent work required.

Outside of this it’s quite manageable to achieve your dream of running your first marathon (or hitting a PB) while getting enough sleep, eating healthily, and maintaining hydration levels. Be kind to yourself, and above all remember it is simply ‘just a race’ - so relax and enjoy the process!” EAT RIGHT

Race day is not the day to try anything new in your diet. Stick to the foods and gels you’ve eaten during training and know will keep you going without causing gastric distress. Try to avoid mass eating carbs the night before the race, and instead increase your carbohydrate intake by around 10% over three to four days prior to the race to make sure you have optimal glycogen stores. And don’t forget to eat something on the day – even if you’re feeling nauseous from nerves. STEP BACK YOUR VOLUME

Although it sounds counter productive, reducing the volume you’re running in the weeks before the race helps to fuel recovery ahead of race day. As long as you maintain the intensity, you won’t lose the endurance you’ve built through training. Make sure you’re sticking to routes you know well so you www.lancmag.com

avoid injuries, and focus on gently stretching out your muscles to keep them race ready. PREPARE FOR ALL POSSIBILITIES

The likelihood is that race day will go exactly as you planned but preparing for all possibilities will help to ease nerves and prevent panic in case something unexpected comes along. Plan everything from how you’re getting to the race to what playlist you’ll be listening to and get everything you need to take with you ready the day before. PACE YOURSELF

The atmosphere at a marathon is electric, which is great for turning nervous energy into excitement. However, all that adrenaline can make it easy to forget to most important thing on race day – pacing yourself! It really is a race, not a sprint, so when the gun goes off take a deep breath and treat it like any other long run by building up to your pace and staying focused throughout. Try not to be overwhelmed by the finish line – simply tackle the day one mile at a time and enjoy every minute! IAN’S MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON MARATHON TRAINING I am so tired, and/or everything aches! Should I keep going?

Marathon training is intense, and sometimes a rest day, or two, or three is calling you! More is not always more, so if you feel like you’re not recovering between sessions take time off if required. You may want to consider adjusting your training plan going forward, and reflect on your overall set of individual circumstances to think about the additional load that comes from things like work, family life, enjoying friendships, and hobbies. Why does my pace change sometimes for the same types of runs? Sometimes I feel good in a speed-work or tempo session and hit the required RPE (rate of perceived exertion), but sometimes I just can’t get going - and the pace is never exactly correct?

This is really common, and it boils down to the fact that you are human! Pace and feeling in a session may not always add up and be consistent because of things like hydration levels, hormonal cycles, recovery levels, sleep, variations in nutrition in and outside of training, weather, temperature - the list goes on… This is where RPE, in my opinion, is superior to things like keeping an eagle eye on heart rate and pace; although these are good to keep an eye on to monitor general trends, especially if you are a more advanced athlete. If you are new to running, my advice is don’t worry and do the best you can with what you’ve got, in the moment you are in! That is good enough. I’ve missed a week due to (insert reason here), should I just go onto the next week?

This isn’t really a yes or no answer, as it depends on your individual capabilities. You’ll have to be the judge as to whether you think you can do this without over-exerting yourself – if you’re unsure, err on the side of caution. I’ve missed a session, should I make sure to do this before the week is over?

Again, this is personal to your situation. You don’t want to overload your muscles or do multiple sessions back-to-back, so if the choice is between fitting the session in and having adequate recovery, always go for recovery. You are better off missing a session and moving onto the next, meaning you’re able to run another day, than you are overdoing it and getting injured. Otherwise, you might potentially be out for longer, and even miss the race. I have a niggle in my (insert muscle, tendon or joint here), should I carry on training?

From my non-medically trained running and coaching experience, my first response to any athlete is, is it a sharp pain or a pain that comes on slowly? If it is a sharp pain, stop immediately and see a qualified physiotherapist. The NHS now allows self-referral, which means you can access free support. If it is a gradual pain that comes on slowly, it’s likely to be either a muscle imbalance, a sign of overtraining, or the start of a more serious injury. See a physiotherapist for a qualified medical assessment and use your own judgement here. I yo-yo with motivation, is there anything you can advise to help me stay on track?

There are so many ways to stay on track with training – local running clubs, online running communities on channels like Facebook and Strava, asking friends and family to keep you accountable, can all help to keep your motivation and determination in check. You can also consider hiring a run coach like myself to help keep you motivated, as well as adjust your training plan to fit your individual set of circumstances.

Training for a marathon is challenging, but make sure you take a step back to enjoy the journey and appreciate your progress. The race itself is incredible, but it’s one day versus months of hard work preparing! Really listen to your body , consult experts if needed, and remember that marathon training is more than just running – strength and conditioning helps to aid recovery, improve speed and endurance, and prevent injuries.

Hopefully with these tips, all those months of hard work will pay off and you’ll be prepared in every way for the upcoming race. Good luck, and have fun!