Marathon Training – Where Should I Be Right Now?

Part 4

2 weeks to go.

BodyTrain:

This is the start of your taper. Your long runs should be well behind you now and you should only run between 10-15 miles in your longest run 2 weeks out. This week you should aim to run 60% of your highest volume week, therefore reduce the volume but maintain some intensity. Still do sessions if you are used to doing these, but reduce the number of reps and reduce the length of your runs.  You should start to feel more refreshed and energized in your running towards the end of the week.

With the extra time that you may find you have from reduced running time, try and do some jobs that you want to finish off leaving the week before the marathon free for you to put your feet up and be really ready to rock and run!

Food Focus:

As this week you will be reducing your training so try and not over eat this week. All the hard effort and running training you have done will have probably have lead to you being a healthy, optimal weight to achieve your marathon goal. Focus on eating a balanced diet, with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables to stave off illness and keep you focusedand fit. You don’t need to carbo load yet!

Brain Train:

Bring out the best in yourself rather than pointing out and reinforcing the worst!  Before you next make a negative or pessimistic comment about your running, stop, pause and have rethink.  Can you say it in a different way?  Try looking at your running through a positive ‘lens’. When we anticipate positive experiences and outcomes in the future, everything tilts in that direction.

Always pay attention to the positives in your running.  Attend to the positive dimensions of the present moment and really focus in on what went well in your runs. Identify, appreciate and amplify your strengths to make bold shifts forwards.  Prioritise positives and possibilities rather than focus on negatives and obstacles.  If you focus on problems – you get more problems – focus on possibilities and you become motivated, inspired and more aware of these.  In your training diary try listing 2 ‘positives’. What was your best running success this week?  What really worked well for you in your training this week?