Email Bag 2
As many Oklahomans prepare to take part in the 4th annual Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon, both first-timers and “veterans” of the distance are thirsty for that little “edge” that will make their long-anticipated effort one to remember. Following are a few questions I received from runners of various experience levels. All three have the April 25th marathon on their calendar.
Q: What should be my longest run before the marathon, so I’m sure I can complete it? I’ve seen training programs that have you run the whole distance? Do you recommend I do that?
A: This aspect of your training should be approached with one thing in mind: What will get me to the starting line brimming with confidence? That answer is open-ended, but one that you can reach over your strength-building (final 8-12 weeks) training phase that culminates your preparation for the marathon. I strongly suggest however that you don’t run the full distance as a training run, for a few reasons.
When you run 16 miles or more, your body is gaining a lot more than strength-it’s learning how to work for two, three, four hours plus; something you must get comfortable with to have a successful marathon. The full distance need not be accomplished prior to raceday though;18-22 miles, done 3-4 times is sufficient to run a quality 26.2 mile race (not world class, but a finish in the top 10% of the field if the rest of your training is in order.) Remember, you’ll have forces on your side on marathon day that will infuse you with adrenalin made to order for a stellar performance. Intangibles like the crowd, volunteer support, and excitement over reaching that long-awaited day will make the early miles rush by with much less effort than an average trading day, if you’re prepared. I urge the first-timers I coach to savor every moment of that day, as we only get one first marathon, and running the full distance beforehand I liken to extracting some of the glamour from reaching your goal on raceday.
If you get a 16, 2-18’s, and a 20 under your belt in a controlled fashion-if you struggle a bit, it’s to be expected) you’ll be fine. That 13-miler you barely completed, which leaves you wondering how you’ll run twice as far is inevitable, so don’t sweat it. If you’ve done the work, it’ll show when you toe the line. On the other hand, applaud yourself after a long effort easily accomplished. In other words, maximize the positve, and minimize the negative!
Q: I’ve run a 3:52 marathon, and will run in Oklahoma City in April. In comparing my shorter race times on a “Runner’s World” chart, it shows that I may be capable of about a 3:40 marathon. What do you suggest I focus on to knock a half minute a mile off my time? Scott, Edmond, 33
A: One word: TEMPO! Ed Eyestone, storied NCAA 10K champion and member of two U.S. Olympic marathon teams, calls this the one aspect of training you can’t leave out if you’re to reach your potential. This can be done anywhere, and in a non-formal manner. Tempo running involves stepping up your pace to 75-85% “all-out”, a speed you’ll learn with repetition, for 3-5 minutes, within a normal training run (6-10 miles). Run in a controlled fashion-no sprinting-and start with 4 repeats, adding one a week (if you play with this strategy twice a week, keep number of reps the same for a week.) You accomplish a few things with this strategy:
1) Leg turnover: Number of steps/minute, an important gauge of quality running. Think of it as more RPM, and if the legs accomplish this with less effort, the results go straight to the bottom line.
2) Fast-twitch muscle enhancement: The miles needed to accomplish the marathon can cause us to get in a “rut”-physically and mentally-if we don’t change pacing often. It not only builds strength cardiovascularly and leg-wise, but adds a great degree of efficiency to your form when you inject “pick-ups” into a workout.
3) When tempo running is embraced, the confidence you have in latter stages of a long effort is transformed dramatically. In effect, you’re getting ‘comfortable’ with being out of your comfort zone, and that is what racing is all about.
Finally, if you add some traditional speedwork to your game, try this: if you do quarter-miles (one lap on a track) recover with one-half lap instead of a whole lap. If doing half-mile repeats, recover with one lap, and no more, and run the recovery; no stopping. I feel the cardiovascular power built with short recovery (even if the clock suffers a bit on your speedier laps) is noteworthy, and the confidence of knocking out a “bam-bam” workout with no down time will serve you down the road.
MARATHON UPDATE:
We’re 7 weeks out, and it’s time to think “fine-tuning” your marathon or half-marathon efforts. Depending upon your experience level, you may not want to approach a speedwork regimen, but the “tempo” strategy mentioned above is a great approach for latter-stage marathon training. A quickened effort a couple of times a week (no sprinting, just intermittently-heightened intensity) induces fresh enthusiasm, at a time when the build-up in miles sometimes finds your step needing an added spring. As the priority now is above all to stay uninjured, tempo running fits in well, as it’s less taxing than regimented interval training, and can be done as informally as you wish.
Have you begun deciding upon raceday nourishment? Whether it’s bits of a candy bar, GU-like substance (a popular carbohydrate replenishment) or a less orthodox aid like honey, try what you plan to use a few times, to make sure there are no suprises. Powerade is the electrolyte drink of the OKC Memorial Marathon, so try some on longer training runs before raceday, as to know you can tolerate it.
Enjoy this final phase of your training; your confidence is hopefully rounding into form, and minimize those days that it wavers, as it only takes the next training run to have you back on top of your game.
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