Practical Tips for Marathon Training

A good training program is an essential part of preparing for a marathon, and fortunately there are a plethora of sound and effective programs available to runners of all ability levels. But preparing for a successful 26.2-mile run takes more than a schedule of workouts, and the coaches at CTS got together to provide three tips to help you have a great experience at your next marathon:

1) Constantly rotate through two pairs of shoes.

A lot of people know that running shoes wear out and need to be replaced every few months (4-6, depending on your weight and how much you run), but many make the mistake of wearing one pair thin before suddenly switching to a brand new pair. To make the transition easier on your feet, start alternating between your old pair and a new pair when the old pair is halfway through its lifespan. Then as the old pair wears out, you’ll be halfway through the new pair’s lifespan and you can keep the cycle going. Remember to mark the shoes with the date you started wearing them, however, because it’s easy to get them mixed up. And mark them in several places because some marks will inevitably rub off.

2) Start Training Earlier to stay healthier

From what we’ve seen, most aspiring marathoners get injured because they do too much too soon (either volume or intensity). If your training program is four months long or longer, you can take more time between your really long runs, which in turn gives you more time to recover from those long days and reduces your chance for injury.

3) Practice something related to your race every week

Whether you’re a marathon newbie or a veteran runner, fitness is only part of having a fun and successful race day. Perfecting your techniques around eating, drinking, stretching, and pacing is important for avoiding race-day mistakes that can keep you from reaching your goals. Practice grabbing a water bottle off a fence post while running at race pace so you can do it without thinking during the event. If you’re traveling to your event, look up restaurant chains near your hotel and eat at the same restaurant near your home the night before or morning of a long training run; see how the food affects your run so you know where to eat before your race. And if you’re planning on using the aid stations during your race for food and hydration, then space your eating and drinking during training at similar time or distance intervals. In other words, if you’re going to grab water every two miles during your marathon, drink every two miles during training runs to make sure that strategy allows you to maintain the pace you want to hold.