Around 17% of runners who sign up for a marathon do not finish – whether it’s because they don’t show up or don’t make it to the finish line. Falling short can devastate your pride when you set a goal as big as a marathon.
So, how do you train for a marathon to ensure you make it to the finish line?
First, you must prepare and ensure you’re in an excellent position to run a marathon. Keep reading to learn about the top considerations for marathon runners before planning their training regimen.
Evaluating Your Schedule
A marathon is a serious undertaking; it takes a lot of time and effort to get your body into shape and ready for the big day. Before you commit to running a marathon, you must take a realistic look at your schedule. Do you have time to train for the marathon?
If you have existing hobbies and interests that usually fill up your free time, you can consider placing them on pause to allocate time for your training schedule. Or, you can split your time between your training regimen and your current hobbies. Either way, it’s essential to create time for training – you won’t reach the finish line if you haven’t trained rigorously for the event.
Getting Familiar With Your Body And Health
A marathon requires discipline, but you must ensure your body is healthy enough to participate. Before signing up for the marathon, you must understand your body’s limitations. If you do not exercise regularly and have a poor diet, reaching the fitness level required to run a marathon in the set time frame could be difficult. Take a realistic look at your fitness level and whether you’re in an excellent position to train for a marathon.
Certain health conditions, such as a heart condition, could be contraindications that make you unfit to run a marathon. You should consult your doctor before signing up for a marathon and have a physical exam performed to determine whether you have any underlying conditions that could affect your ability to run a marathon. You should also ask your doctor about the best diet regimen to help you get leaner muscle, which is ideal for running.
Avoiding Large Gatherings
As your marathon race approaches, you must ensure you don’t get set back by any illness or injury. In light of the recent pandemic, it’s best to avoid large gatherings, which could be a hub for the spread of coronavirus.
If you contract coronavirus, you could be sick for up to a week, which will seriously affect your ability to train and would be detrimental to your performance on the big day. Not to mention, if you test positive for coronavirus around the marathon date, you may not even be able to participate – which would mean all your training has been for nothing.
Selecting A Gym That Suits Your Needs
Let’s get down to training. You should run outdoors to gather endurance and practice pacing. Cold weather and pavement can damage your joints. So, it’s best to train for your marathon indoors during the colder months, and you should select a gym to perform your training.
Plus, at a gym, you gain access to rollers for stretching, and you can measure your progress more accurately using the built-in features on the machines. Below are some of the best features to look for in a gym for your marathon training.
24/7 Access
You need a gym that fits your schedule. If you work late shifts, you may wish to train in the late evening after you finish work. If your gym is only open from 9-9, that may not be possible. Selecting a gym with 24/7 access will give you more opportunities to train frequently.
Gyms that provide 24/7 access can do so using hygiene-based technology. If you need to enter a code to get inside, you will be touching buttons and keys that are hubs for germs – and, as we mentioned earlier, you can’t afford to get sick and skip your training.
So, look for a gym with hygienic contactless access control that allows you to enter touchless. With a keyless building entry system, you can simply wave your hand over the reader, which will trigger communication with your mobile device to confirm your mobile credentials and gain entry. You don’t need to remember a fob or keycard – you can simply download access credentials to your mobile phone.
Amenities
You’ll need a few amenities in your gym to get your performance up to scratch. A sauna can increase your exhaustion rate by 30% and improve your run performance. Of course, you’ll also need a gym with plenty of treadmills to ensure you always have access to running equipment.
You need to run around 50 miles weekly to ensure your fitness level is up to scratch, and you must leave yourself at least 12 weeks to train. Though training is essential for a marathon, you must also ensure you’re resting and rehabilitating your body with stretching. Look for a gym with plenty of stretching equipment. You may also consider looking for a gym with yoga classes and spa facilities. You can improve your balance, flexibility, and core strength on rest days and soak your muscles in a jacuzzi to stimulate recovery.
Summary
Suppose you’re thinking of participating in a marathon – good for you! It’s a great way to reach peak fitness levels and keep your body young. However, you’ll need to take your training seriously to ensure you perform well on the big day. So, sign up for a gym, consult your doctor, make room in your schedule, and get training!