The other day my nephew asked me what it takes to train for a Marathon. I actually lit up like a Christmas tree thinking about him training and crossing that finish line. For me the first Boston Marathon I ran was life changing.
There are so many training guides and plans you can follow out there. My first Marathon I followed a plan to a T with all the training runs, diet and hydration. I think the main thing is to listen to your body. If your due for a long weekend run and your feeling sore than skip or go for a shorter run. I followed a plan where I ran 2-3 short runs during the week and a long run over the weekend. I never did a long run over 20 miles because you can peak too early and then Marathon day your in trouble. I was lucky enough the first Marathon I ran to have perfect weather. It was no warmer than 70 and it was dry heat with no humidity. Weather can definitely play a factor in how you feel race day.
I would recommend getting a comfortable fuel belt. I have 4 bottles on my fuel belt and I do 2 with water and 2 with gatorade. Or you can mix gatorade and water together whatever works best for you. When I am training I also use energy gels. If you have never used these they take time to get used too. They can be rough on your stomach but there are many flavors you can try to find one you like. I followed the same schedule and would take 1 energy gel every 50 minutes and drink a few sips of water or gatorade.
I can tell you the training can be grueling and some runs are better than others. But when you are running that .2 especially in Boston, the Citgo sign is in your view and your coming around the corner the feeling is pretty unforgettable. Not to mention the fans in Boston are cheering for you like your some Rock Star.
“Even when you have gone as far as you can, and everything hurts, and you are staring at the specter of self-doubt, you can find a bit more strength deep inside you, if you look closely enough.”
Sign up for one today and get training. Happy Running!
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