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Training for the LONG haul By Megan Claus, Jayplay writer
Photo illustration by Kit Leffler
How to prepare for those 26.2 miles
Weakness and fatigue suddenly strike your body. The bursting energy level you started with has now plummeted. You're feeling lightheaded and sore. Your legs, if you can even feel them, are burning and your muscles begin to tighten. You feel that continuing at your normal pace is near impossible. You've hit your wall, the common point in a marathon when runners simply run out of fuel. For Joe Fox, Kansas City, Mo. junior, the wall usually strikes around the 22nd mile. Unlike most runners, who usually have an extensive running background, Fox trained for only 20 weeks before running his first marathon, the Chicago Marathon. Since that first race, he has run the Lewis and Clark Marathon in St. Charles, Mo., and the Chicago Marathon again this year.
"You finish and feel totally drained. But after an hour, you're up talking to people about when you're running the next one," Fox says. It becomes such a part of your life that most people don't run just one." If you've ever thought about running a marathon, you're not alone. In 2003, The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon, one of the top U.S. marathons, experienced a steady increase in the number of participants. It recorded 32,364 finishers, compared to 24,604 in 1999, a 24 percent increase, according to the USA Track and Field Roach Running Information Center. This number reflects only those who finished. More than 38,000 people actually entered the race.
With enough training and preparation, almost anyone can run a marathon. Unless a doctor declares you unfit to run, it's up to you to do the rest. Many runners claim that 90 percent of it is mental. "You can prepare all you want, but if you don't
You can do it
think you can do it, you probably won't," says Rusty Collins general manager and training coach at Metro Walk and Run, 7449 Broadway, Kansas City, Mo.
Program your body
Collins recommends that beginners train for at least six months before attempting their first marathon. That is the equivalent of about a 24-week program. Most programs integrate one long run a week and shorter runs or light workouts in between. Choose a program that you can commit to. Check out marathontraining.com for free programs.
Don't hurt yourself
The number one way to avoid injury is to wear the right shoes for your feet. Metro Walk and Run will videotape your feet while running on a treadmill to determine the best shoe for you. Francis Sporting Goods, 721 Massachusetts St., can special order shoes for you if they don't have what you're looking for. It's common for a beginner to experience small injuries such as shin splints or plantar fasciitis. These muscle strains are caused by increased exercise and lack of proper arch support. Stretching before and after a run will decrease your chances of injury. Wearing a shoe with extra cushioning or added arch support can help too. Pay attention to your sore muscles. Icing and massaging are important. Before running, massage your legs with ice Hot or Biofreeze. These creams warm the muscles and stimulate blood flow so you aren't running on cold muscles.
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