Peak Marathon Training Gets Harder
How is it already September? It feels like fall race season is creeping up REALLY fast. I’m just 5.5 weeks away from Chicago and I have athletes running Berlin, Wineglass, Twin Cities, Chicago, New York, Philly, and more. And one runner just ran the Sydney marathon and set a 40+ minute PR and ran a perfect negative split!
And guess what else is creeping up if you’re running a fall marathon or half marathon?
The mileage, the fatigue, the doubts.
The training software I use to create athlete schedules, V.02 , just recently came out with a “group chat” function. And since I have several fall marathoners who are racing within a short 8ish week window, I asked them who would like to be included in a group chat. I have Boston qualifiers in the chat, along with 5 hour and first time marathoners. Several of my athletes are trying to break 4 hours. But what this group all has in common is the shared experience of being deep in marathon training.
And while the early weeks of marathon training are filled with hope, excitement and quicker progress, this is the time that obstacles start to pop up. After having several individual conversations, I took to the group chat to give 3 reminders:
3 Reminders for Peak Marathon Training
- Check Your Shoes – most trainers only last 300-500 miles. Running in shoes that are past their prime can quickly lead to niggles and even injuries. If you aren’t sure how many miles you’ve put in on a pair, you can look back at the purchase date and do some quick math based on. your weekly mileage. Or, simply look at the shoes – does the tread look flat on the bottom? Are the outsoles heavily worn? Are you starting to feel heavier on your feet? In my opinion its better safe than sorry! On a related note – if you plan to race in carbon plated shoes, now is the time to get them and do at least a few speed workouts and long runs (with pace) in them.
- Daily Fueling Is More Important Than Ever – All meals should be made of at least 50% carbs. If you’re hungry before bed, have a carb and protein based snack (whole grain cereal with dairy or soy milk), energy balls, greek yogurt with granola and fruit, etc. Your body doesn’t need more protein right now – it needs carbs to fuel all those long runs and miles. And not just before and during your run , but all day.
- Don’t Blindly Follow the Plan – if you are feeling run down, more tired than usual, sore,or sick, please communicate with your coach or if needed, shorten the run or take an extra rest day. If a run is feeling very terrible, it’s ok to cut it short or modify the workout. If it’s hot, paces can and should be 10-15 sec/mile or more slower, or use effort as a guide over pace. The total effort of all the training combine is more important than one workout.
Getting to Race Day Healthy and Fueled
The runners I coach tend to be ambitious, hard working and sometimes a little tough on themselves. These reminders were much needed for them, and maybe you need them too.
Getting to the start line healthy, energized and motivated is not just about the miles you put it in and the workouts you crush, it’s also about how you well you recovered and fueled.
Happy running,
Nicole Dobransky