Marathon Training – Where Should I Be Right Now?

Part 2 of 5:

8 – 5 weeks to go

Body Training:

This is probably the time which is the hardest mentally and physically. It’s during this phase that you really are putting the miles in the bank to get through the event. Your long runs will be getting well over the 2 hour mark and building towards running for 3 hours.

Training should include some tempo running at marathon pace and faster, some hill work to strengthen your legs and some intervals to really boost your fitness. Think about having a massage to reward yourself for all the hard work you are putting in. If you can have a lazy day after your long runs!

Doing some racing at this time will be a good way to measure your fitness and give you a psychological boost.  Any races from 10k to a half marathon are great preparation.

Don’t do a marathon!  Save that performance! It is always good to race instilling confidence in your ability and to practice how to prepare and how to deal with those nerves.

Food Focus:

In long runs you should be practicing your drinking every 2-3 miles or 25-40 minutes. Try getting someone to come with you on a bike, hide drinks in the hedge before you run, carry a drink with you, or doing a 3 mile loop collecting a drink each lap.  Practice your pre race eating before your long runs too. Get your body used to all the pressures you are going to ask of it on race day!

Re-fueling after training is important for recovery – you can expect to feel very tried and sleepy after a long run as you will have depleted most of your energy stores. The sooner you can eat and drink the quicker you will recover. Eating foods with protein and carbohydrates are great for recovery, foods like beans, eggs, whole grain carbohydrates (quinoa, brown rice, and wholemeal bread), fish, and lean meats.

Brain Train:

In your long runs practice your mental strategies, repeat positive sentences to yourself, break your run into sections and just focus on one section at a time. Maybe counting or singing to yourself will help?  Remember on race day, you will have lots to keep you going, so if you can get through a 3 hour training run on your own, race day will be no problem!

Focus on using positive statements in your everyday language and especially in your training diary.  Don’t record what you did wrong –but what you did right, well and with brilliance (even if it seems like only a tiny thing!).  The use of positive statements and affirmations is not about eliminating failure but harnessing what you do well.  Develop some positive affirmations.

“I flow with energy and passion”

“This is the best I have ever felt”

“I’m so relaxed, smooth and strong”

“I’m feeling great”

“I’m fast, fine tuned and ready”

“I run with grace,style and strength”

Write these affirmations down and put somewhere you can read them (e.g., on your bathroom mirror). Make up your own personally significant affirmations.  Keep them sharp and snappy, make them positive, always affirm what you want, not what you don’t want.