Thursday, July 28, 2011

Marathon Training Schedule For Beginners

By Brad Simmons


One question I commonly get from runners who are wanting to take their running to the next level is how do I undertake training for a marathon. For beginners training for a marathon is done the same way it is done for advanced runners. Below are some basics that cover marathon training for beginners.

Marathon running is great for the cardiovascular system and it can be a seriously awesome fitness hobby. At the same time it can be very taxing on your legs so it's important to progress slowly.

Perhaps most important, when selecting from a marathon training program, is to find a schedule that starts at a spot that is correct for you. There are hundreds of programs to choose from and they all begin at various starting points. Some may start at ten total weekly miles, others at 40. So determine how much time you have to work with and where your comfortable starting.

Nutritional concerns are next on the list. You will burn thousands of extra calories per week while training for a marathon and you need to replace and replenish these calories with good, wholesome food. It's important to consume around four hundred grams of carbs and at least one gram of protein for every pound in body weight.

Fluid loss is a major concern when training as well, especially when the weather is hot. A good rule is to aim for about 1 gallon of water per day with some supplementary electrolytes added in. Maintain a good eye on your blood pressure as a drop can signify hydration issues.

Keeping a slow pace on your long runs is very important. Too often runners head out too fast and end up spending too many days in recover. You need to run high mileage weeks and this is hard to do if you're sore from running too fast.

Tapering in the final weeks of your training is also vital. You only want to run about half of your normal weekly mileage in the final two weeks of training. This includes cutting your long run from 20 miles to no more than ten.

After your marathon you will most likely need at least three weeks to recover. Take the time you need. Running this distance is tough on your body so take ample time to recover from the race. It may take ups to three weeks for you to return to running as normal.

Below are few more sites you can check out for some additional running and marathon training resources. It's our hope these preceding tips will help you on your marathon journey.




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