Training for a successful marathon takes at least 4 months, and elite runners can have 6 or 7 months of intensive training for their record attempts. However my favourite time and one of the most important aspects of marathon training is the Taper - resting and locking in your fitness level.
New Runners to Marathons usually make Two Basic Errors;
(1) They don't train hard enough.
(2) They don't rest enough!
The Marathon is a long way to run, (probably too far) as the human body is only designed to run up to 20 miles, when it runs out of fuel. The only way to deal with this excessive distance is to train your body to cope with the stresses incurred. This means running miles week in week out, gradually extending the length of your longest run until you can go 20 miles without stopping. Elite runners will have training runs of up to 23/24 miles in preparation for the Marathon.
For Marathon first timers I recommend 3 or 4 long runs of 20 miles in training, this will ensure you don't hit the wall and start walking during the race. Bear in mind that you shouldn't extend the length of your longest run by more than 10% a week. So if you are only running 7/8 miles now, it will take a long time to build up to 20. Get a diary and work backwards from your Marathon date, you will find you need at least 4 months for preparation. Many people only train for 3 months but cannot fit enough long training runs into their schedule.
It's simple, the harder you train, the faster your marathon time. When I was 28 years old I ran the Coventry Marathon in 4 hours 52 minutes, my longest training run being 13 miles. When I was 40 years old I completed the London Marathon over two hours quicker in 2 hours 41 minutes, having completed 12 x 20/23 mile runs in a 7 month training program. Training gets results.
The minimum 4 months training will get you to a fitness peak. It takes 3 weeks for the effect of a training session to get into your legs. In other words you are as fit as you will ever be exactly 3 weeks before the marathon. From this point you should start to taper, reducing mileage, intensity and frequency of runs, until the final week before the marathon when you are hardly running at all.
The point of the Taper is to lock-in the fitness level you have achieved during the hard build-up training. Now with 3 weeks to go the emphasis is on rest and recovery. Studies have shown that complete rest, (not running at all), is good preparation for the marathon.
However many runners cannot cope psychologically with this, so reducing mileage is the best option. The only other danger during this period is putting on weight! Marathon runners eat a lot, but during the taper care should be taken over calorie intake. You don't want to carry unnecessary extra pounds for 26 miles and 385 yards!
Running advice and training with John McNally
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Running advice and training with John McNally - [http://www.personaltraining.me.uk]
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