21 advice to those who want to run my first marathon

Runners know what a novice might face when preparing for his first marathon in life. After a marathon - this is a serious distance, which requires a good physical and mental preparation.

1. Build a strong foundation

Thad Maclaurin (Thad McLaurin) advises to start running for 32-40 kilometers, about a month before the main event. If you begin to increase the distance too early, the risk of injury or burn is increased by several times.

You can also reach the peak too early. After that, your strength will decline, which may come just at the time of the marathon.

2. Strengthen muscles bark and whole body

Marathon, a certified trainer and author books Running for Health & Happiness Jason Fitzgerald (Jason Fitzgerald) advises to work on strengthening the muscles of the body, especially the cortex, using the power and functional training.

The physical condition of the muscles cortex plays an important role in stabilizing the body during running (keeping the pelvis in a neutral position), and the maintenance of shape when fatigue takes its. In addition, you will not only reduce the risk of injury, but also improves the efficiency of its run.

3. Use massage roller

Certified Specialist of the US National Academy of Sports Medicine and the author of special training programs Eric Taylor (Erik Taylor) suggests not to forget about this wonderful invention, as the massage roller.

If all runners have paid as little as 10 minutes a day just a massage (for example, myofascial massage) Those parts of the body, which accounts for the bulk load, their capacity would be significantly increased, and the risk of injury reduced. In addition, massage reduces inflammation in muscles and speeds up recovery after workouts.

4. Do dynamic warm-up

sports Writer and photographer Lobby Mackenzie (Mackenzie Lobby) offers to take advantage of the latest research in the field of sports and medicine Does pre-exercise static stretching inhibit maximal muscular performance? A meta-analytical review. and replace standard static warm-up before training on dynamic stretching and plyometric exercises.

5. Determine your current level of fitness

Editor running headings on the site Active Grotvold Sabrina (Sabrina Grotewold) advises to start a new training cycle to determine their level of fitness. This will allow to build a proper training plan, which will strengthen the weaknesses and perfectly prepare for the race.

6. Choose an appropriate training plan

After determining the strengths and weaknesses on the basis of the results, you can select training plan. Ultramarafonets and author books Limitless: A Man's 300 Mile Run to Prove Anything is Possible Justin Levine (Justin Levine) advises correctly calculate their efforts. Flawed as badly as overworked. These extremes significantly inhibit the process.

It is important to record all of their physical activity and monitor your condition. For example, a sports application Polar lead tracking all the activities and displays load charts showing when it's time to slow down and recover.

7. Define your goals, but make them flexible

Coach Matt Fitzgerald (Matt Fitzgerald) advises not to go too far and setting goals for the next marathon to make a small gap. Well, if you decide for yourself to run 10 kilometers in 45 minutes. Bad if you go for this on and earn super-trauma and neurosis. Always leave room for retreat, because the result depends on too many factors.

8. Find the balance between training and personal life

Runner and author books Running Ahead of the Sun Strosaker Greg (Greg Strosaker) on personal experience convinced of how important it is to maintain a balance. No matter how well you may be prepared physically, there is always something that can interfere with: bad weather, illness, injury, problems at work. These events are sure to have a negative impact not only on your sports results, but also in his personal life that will cause even greater stress.

The ideal option for anyone who is preparing for a serious competition, will be a balancing act between these spheres of life. Equilibrium will relieve you of scandals, causes nervous disappear, stress levels will fall. Then you will be able to efficiently prepare for the marathon.

9. Be sure to allow time to recover

Each runner must follow the principle of progression. Ignoring the rules can lead to the disappearance of motivation, overtraining and injury.

If you feel tired, decreased exercise performance at the same volumes of loads, it is time to pause and allow time for rest and recovery. Week may be enough. During this time, more sleep is better to choose the right food and arrange day breaks for sleep.

10. Do not forget about the cross-training

Elite coach and head of ZAP Fitness Team USA Ria Pete (Pete Rea) team advises to learn to listen to yourself and do not forget that in addition to cross-country training there are other options.

There are three key factors that help increase endurance and improve running characteristics: volume, frequency and intensity of your workouts. All runners have their own limit, which they are unable to exceed without unpleasant side effects. Other types of exercises and workouts (yoga, power, functionality) will add stamina, make you stronger and more flexible. All this can be used to improve the cross-country results.

11. Learn how to make the proper adjustments to your training plan

Sometimes it happens that coaching is not. Hard to do the exercises and it is difficult to follow the instructions of the coach. Usually in this case, it says it is a bad day for training. The ability to understand that this is clearly not your day, is another key aspect of the successful completion of the marathon.

Coach Jeff Gaudet (Jeff Gaudette) in such cases advise to slow down. And if very difficult, then stop the workout and continue to follow the plan. You should not try to repeat it the next day. Just forget it and move on! Small deviations from the plan are not fatal.

12. Add special marathon training

Another tip from Jason Fitzgerald - Do not forget about training, designed specifically for the marathon, as runners often takes only a few kinds of workout routines (tempo or run long distance). Undoubtedly, they will provide you with a good foundation, but for the development of cross-country qualities needed a more comprehensive approach.

13. Decide whether to take part in the races before the marathon

In this case, it all depends on your goals. If you want to improve your previous result, then participate in the half marathon can be a good idea. So you can find out what you are physically fit, as well as more accurately determine the time for which you will be able to run the full distance.

If you are new, such thoughts are better left and continue to engage in cross-country under the developed plan.

14. Keep an eye on your running shoes

The result depends not only on your running technique and fitness. Running equipment is no less important.

If you wear bad shoes, you still run through poorly. Therefore, check your shoes.

To determine when it's time to replace the shoes, you can use the testing of hardness materials. To do this, take one sneakers in his hands and press your thumb on the shock-absorbing part (mid-foot) towards the heel. If the material is amenable to pressure too easy, therefore, time to change shoes.

Running is also not recommended for new sneakers.

15. Learn to cope with pain during running time

Physiotherapist Calvin Mays (Calvin Mayes) says that the best way to deal with the pain - to prevent its occurrence. You need to learn to listen to your body and slow down the pace at the first alarm bells. Perhaps you are a little slower, but still complete the race.

If you run, ignoring the pain symptoms, things can end in tears - injuries or premature termination of the marathon, long before the finish line.

16. Train snacking on the run

Marathon - a distance that will not run without additional charge. According to studies, the best way to maintain a sufficient level of energy during the race - drink plenty of fluids and eat 60 grams carbohydrates every hour.

There are several ways to accomplish this task. You have to choose the most efficient and convenient to the marathon.

17. Reduce the load for a few weeks before the start of

Before the start of the load must be reduced. The main thing - do it right. Your feet need to remember what it is - to run fast, so to reduce the mileage marathon training long before - a bad idea. Better make it two weeks before the competition, and reduce the total distance by 10-20%.

18. Eliminate all the problems that may arise, prior to the start of the race

Shit happens, even the best of us. You can never be 100% sure that nothing will happen. Ignoring problems - bad strategy. You have to learn how to solve the problem immediately after its occurrence, or it may draw a trail, and you risk to get hit by an avalanche. At least that's what the coach advises MakKrenn Patrick (Patrick McCrann)

19. Learn how to monitor their rate of

Any marathoner with experience will tell you that the pace during the competition is not similar to the one with which they normally exercise. It all depends on the terrain, the weather, you and your condition.

MakKrenn Patrick advises to learn to monitor their pace and try to stick to indicators prescription coach, adjusting them according to the situation (strong headwind, hills, injury).

20. Arrange a proper rest just after marathon

Immediately after the race arrange douche for the feet. Hold them for one minute in cold water and one - in hot. Then replenish their stocks a nice dinner with a lot of protein and a good otospitsya.

But in any case, do not spend the day in bed. You take a day off, and not the output from the run. Arrange a reduction jog and be active, not allowing blood to stagnate in the legs - it will facilitate the restoration process of the inflamed muscles.

21. Start preparing for the next race no sooner than three weeks

After completing a marathon, you need to give yourself two to three weeks for a full recovery. This means that you should not perform any special exercise and intensive training. One has only to deal with a slight recovery to run.

Many beginners believe that if you reduce the recovery time, will be able to prepare for another race after 6-10 weeks. It may well work once or twice, but the third time will have to pay for such a dismissive attitude to your body.