How to Train for a Marathon
Many people go the distance to test the limits of heart, mind, body, and soul. Every year, people all over the world participate in competitive running events to go faster, step higher, and become stronger. Whether it’s a professional athlete on track or just an ordinary person out to prove something, a marathon is more than just a run across miles; it is the test of the body’s fitness and a testament to a person’s competitive spirit.
What Is A Marathon?
The marathon takes its name from a heroic part of Greek history. In the Battle of Marathon of 490 BC, the Greek herald Philippides ran 26 miles from the town of Marathon to Athens bearing the message that the Greek soldiers had won the battle against the Persian army. As soon as Philippides announced victory, he collapsed and died on the spot. Long-distance races were then named after the legendary deed. The first official competitive marathons were held as far back as the first modern Olympics in 1896.
A modern-day marathon is a foot race that involves a combination of brisk walking, jogging, sprinting, and running across a long distance. The official distance for a marathon is 26 miles and 385 yards, or 42.195 kilometers. Marathons may take place on roads, but some marathons are held in open areas like country roads, fields, and rough terrain.
The marathon is a medal event in the Olympic Games, although there are many other notable marathons held regularly. There are over 800 marathons held every year all over the world, including:
The London Marathon
The New York City Marathon
The Boston Marathon
The Prefontaine Classic
The Berlin Marathon
Maintaining Peak Physical Conditioning
While many marathons accommodate people of varying degrees of strength, speed, and physical conditioning, it is very important for you to keep fit at all times when you prepare for a marathon. The distance of a marathon can take its toll on every bone and muscle of your body. You need to maintain strength and endurance for your body so that you can go the distance in marathons.
A proper exercise regimen to prepare for a marathon should involve two things:
Endurance training. Remember that you’re not out to build muscle and bone mass when you train for a marathon, but develop the conditioning of your body mass to withstand the physical stress of a marathon.
Cardiovascular training. Your legs and arms are not the only things that need to be conditioned for a marathon. You also need to train to breathe properly, and to make your heart keep pace with the strenuous toll that comes with a marathon. Cardiovascular exercises like aerobics and even dance can help your lungs and heart supply more oxygen to your body during a long distance run.
Dieting and Proper Nutrition
Marathon runners require a special diet to supply the body with the proper nutrients it needs in the right amounts. A serious runner typically eats food rich in protein, which can be found in eggs, meat, and protein shakes. Loading up on carbohydrates also enables the body to store more amounts of glycogen, which is a sugar that is converted into a short-term energy source needed in marathons.
When preparing for a marathon, it’s important to watch what you eat; stay away from junk food and other food that doesn’t supply you with the right amount of nutrients you need. Before the marathon, some people don’t eat solid food at all to prevent vomiting and indigestion during the run.
Keep Running
Marathons require a specially-designed training regimen that keeps the body conditioned for the run. Some people believe that one should train hard for a marathon, but overexertion may lead to serious injuries because the muscles are too tense. It’s still best to follow a smart workout system that considers your body’s needs during the long-distance run:
Twenty-mile weekly runs should be done months before the marathon, to condition the muscles for the long runs ahead. Marathon runners try to reach a maximum of 20 miles every week, increasing the distance every two weeks.
Forty-mile training runs are performed weeks before the marathon to condition the body for the distance of the race. Some marathon runners may opt to go the full distance of the marathon during the two or three weeks it takes for a series of training runs.
Tapering is needed to prevent overexertion and the risk of serious injury. During the tapering period, usually one to two weeks before the marathon, runners reduce their mileage by as much as 75% to help their muscles relax and strengthen for the long race ahead.
The marathon is considered by many the ultimate test of both body and spirit. Crossing the finish line is one of the greatest triumphs of a runner, and making it through every mile and inch is a testament to glory and perseverance. With these tips, you can run in just about any marathon and prove yourself to be faster, higher, and stronger than ever before.