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And What is a Fartlek?
This is a followup to a post which we did a few weeks ago on getting yourself out and running for the New Year. In the body of the post on exercising for the new year, we mentioned the Fartlek technique which enables those who are either looking for a more intense workout or those who have plateaued and need to shake themselves out of their normal routines which their bodies have acclimated themselves to. Below is a condensed explanation on Fartlek and we think, just like the HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training program) it can work for you in the same way.
Fartlek, which means "speed play" in Swedish, is a training method that blends continuous training with interval training. Fartlek runs are a very simple form of a long distance run. Fartlek training “is simply defined as periods of fast running intermixed with periods of slower running."
What's the Difference Between Fartlek, Tempo, and Interval Runs?
Fartlek Workouts, are not only fun to say out loud, but they're fun to run. Fartlek is Swedish for "speed play," and that is exactly what it’s all about. Unlike tempo and interval work, fartlek is unstructured and alternates moderate-to-hard efforts with easy, tempo based workouts along with your high intense moves. After a warm-up, you play with speed by running at faster efforts for short periods of time (to that tree, to the sign) followed by easy-effort running to recover, usually for about a 10-15 minute interval. It's fun in a group setting, as you can alternate the leader and mix up the pace and time. And in doing so, you reap the mental benefits of being pushed by your buddies through an unpredictable workout. The goal is to keep it free-flowing so you’re untethered to the watch or a plan and to run at harder efforts but not a specific pace.
Now, we still think using a fitness tracker, especially one that measures your heart rate is an important tool. Especially since you’re going to be subjecting yourself to some intense sprints during your run. You want to make sure your heart-rate is where it should be and in order to monitor this correctly, we recommend the Garmin Forerunner 235 GPS Running Watch
Benefits: the Stress-free workout that improves mind-body awareness, mental strength, and stamina.
Tempo Workouts are runs, that use some effort at or slightly above your anaerobic threshold (the place where your body shifts to using more glycogen for energy). Again that heart rate monitor is great for monitoring this, once you know that level, you can use it as a mark. This is the effort level just outside your comfort zone—you can hear your breathing, but you're not gasping for air. If you can talk easily, you’re not in the tempo zone, and if you can’t talk at all, you’re above the zone. It should be at an effort somewhere in the middle, so you can talk in broken words. Pace, is not an effective means for running a tempo workout, as there are many variables that can affect pace including heat, the wind, fatigue, and the terrain your running on.
Interval Workouts are short, intense efforts followed by equal or slightly longer recovery time. For example, after a warm-up, run two minutes at a hard effort, followed by two to three minutes of easy jogging or walking to catch your breath. Unlike tempo workouts, you’re running above your red line and at an effort where you are reaching hard for air and counting the seconds until you can stop—a controlled fast effort followed by a truly easy jog. The secret is in the recovery as patience and discipline while you’re running easy allows you to run the next interval strong and finish the entire workout fatigued but not completely spent. Just like rest, your body adapts and gets stronger in the recovery mode.
Benefits: Improved running form and economy, endurance, mind-body coordination, motivation, and fat-burning.
So now that you know just what “Fartlek” training is, start implementing it and spread the word along to your friends and see if they want to join you on a Fartlek excursion. Who knows, you may want to get some t-shirts or sweatshirts made promoting your Fartleking group. If nothing else, you’re gonna be making an awareness statement for a lot of those people that see you and your group pass by and have no idea what the word stands for.
Happy Fartleking!
Read more
This is a followup to a post which we did a few weeks ago on getting yourself out and running for the New Year. In the body of the post on exercising for the new year, we mentioned the Fartlek technique which enables those who are either looking for a more intense workout or those who have plateaued and need to shake themselves out of their normal routines which their bodies have acclimated themselves to. Below is a condensed explanation on Fartlek and we think, just like the HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training program) it can work for you in the same way.
Fartlek, which means "speed play" in Swedish, is a training method that blends continuous training with interval training. Fartlek runs are a very simple form of a long distance run. Fartlek training “is simply defined as periods of fast running intermixed with periods of slower running."
What's the Difference Between Fartlek, Tempo, and Interval Runs?
Fartlek Workouts, are not only fun to say out loud, but they're fun to run. Fartlek is Swedish for "speed play," and that is exactly what it’s all about. Unlike tempo and interval work, fartlek is unstructured and alternates moderate-to-hard efforts with easy, tempo based workouts along with your high intense moves. After a warm-up, you play with speed by running at faster efforts for short periods of time (to that tree, to the sign) followed by easy-effort running to recover, usually for about a 10-15 minute interval. It's fun in a group setting, as you can alternate the leader and mix up the pace and time. And in doing so, you reap the mental benefits of being pushed by your buddies through an unpredictable workout. The goal is to keep it free-flowing so you’re untethered to the watch or a plan and to run at harder efforts but not a specific pace.
Now, we still think using a fitness tracker, especially one that measures your heart rate is an important tool. Especially since you’re going to be subjecting yourself to some intense sprints during your run. You want to make sure your heart-rate is where it should be and in order to monitor this correctly, we recommend the Garmin Forerunner 235 GPS Running Watch
Benefits: the Stress-free workout that improves mind-body awareness, mental strength, and stamina.
Tempo Workouts are runs, that use some effort at or slightly above your anaerobic threshold (the place where your body shifts to using more glycogen for energy). Again that heart rate monitor is great for monitoring this, once you know that level, you can use it as a mark. This is the effort level just outside your comfort zone—you can hear your breathing, but you're not gasping for air. If you can talk easily, you’re not in the tempo zone, and if you can’t talk at all, you’re above the zone. It should be at an effort somewhere in the middle, so you can talk in broken words. Pace, is not an effective means for running a tempo workout, as there are many variables that can affect pace including heat, the wind, fatigue, and the terrain your running on.
Interval Workouts are short, intense efforts followed by equal or slightly longer recovery time. For example, after a warm-up, run two minutes at a hard effort, followed by two to three minutes of easy jogging or walking to catch your breath. Unlike tempo workouts, you’re running above your red line and at an effort where you are reaching hard for air and counting the seconds until you can stop—a controlled fast effort followed by a truly easy jog. The secret is in the recovery as patience and discipline while you’re running easy allows you to run the next interval strong and finish the entire workout fatigued but not completely spent. Just like rest, your body adapts and gets stronger in the recovery mode.
Benefits: Improved running form and economy, endurance, mind-body coordination, motivation, and fat-burning.
So now that you know just what “Fartlek” training is, start implementing it and spread the word along to your friends and see if they want to join you on a Fartlek excursion. Who knows, you may want to get some t-shirts or sweatshirts made promoting your Fartleking group. If nothing else, you’re gonna be making an awareness statement for a lot of those people that see you and your group pass by and have no idea what the word stands for.
Happy Fartleking!
Read more
It’s the Holiday Season, There’s a LOT Going On!
So, Will I Suffer From Scaling Back My Exercise and Running Routines at this time of year?
Runners DO need a break! It doesn't matter how old you are or how many miles a week you run, a period of reduced volume and intensity will do your body—and your brain—good. And for many runners, there's no better time to back off than during the holiday season, with its competing time demands and family obligations.
But taking some time off, or just scaling back does NOT open the door to over indulging in all of those holiday favorites. We believe we spoke enough about the do's and don ts of sampling all those holiday goodies, so we are not going over this here at this time.
"By the end of the year, most people, who are avid runners, are doing their max mileage, whether it's 20, 40, or 100 miles per week, and they've taken their bodies to their maximum level, too," says Jenny Spangler, coach of the Jenny Spangler Racing team in Chicago. "Waking up early day after day to run can eventually lead to burning out, no matter how tough you are."
How long you choose to back off is up to you—a newbie running 10 to 20 miles a week may feel rejuvenated after two to three weeks of scaling back, while a hard-charging marathoner may need up to two months of easy going. Don't quit exercising entirely, or coming back will be more difficult. Instead, try these ways to tone things down so you're rested, recovered, and ready for a fitter, faster 2017.
During your break, you need to inject some speed to keep your legs and lungs strong—this will also help ease the eventual return to your regular running routine. "Fartleks are a great way to maintain some leg speed without stressing your body or mind too much," says Spangler. "There are no time, distance, or pace goals involved; it's only about the effort."
Once or twice a week, in the middle of a run, do five fartlek pickups of up to three minutes each, at a pace that feels moderately hard. Jog between each for as long as it takes you to recover. If you're running with friends, take turns initiating the pickup and determining how long and how fast to make it.
Once or twice a week, in the middle of a run, do five fartlek pickups, of up to three minutes each at a pace that feels moderately hard. Jog between each for as long as it takes you to recover. If you're running with friends, take turns initiating the pickup and determining how long and how fast to make it.
And What is Fartlek training? Well, this is a topic for another blog.
LONG RUNS MAXIMIZE YOUR TIME
Putting long runs on the shelf for a while not only gives your running muscles more time to recover from a year of steady running but gives you more free time to spend with the family or to tackle long-neglected, demanding household tasks, such as your leaf-choked gutters. After you cross-train for a week or two, run no longer than 30 to 40 minutes at a time for two weeks. For the remaining three to four weeks of your scale-back period, your longest run should be one-third to one-half the distance of your pre-break long run.
TIME GOALS
It may seem strange to schedule an event when you're supposed to be taking it easy, but the opportunity to race with zero pressure can be liberating and fun too. Without the stress of “I must perform”, you'll be free to soak up the vibe happening around you at the event, pace will be slower, your friends or family members can be a part of it, you can cheer on fellow runners, and revel in the post-race party. Find a local Turkey Trot or Jingle-Bell Jog, encourage a buddy to join you, and leave the watch at home.
The main goal here is to scale back and enjoy this time off, you’re not pulling the switch on exercising completely, and you’re just dialing back on the intensity and the regimen of that early morning or after work training venues at the gym or taking to your regular trails.
So, the bottom line is, NO, you won’t hurt yourself by scaling back during the holidays this year. In fact, you’re going to be helping yourself by giving your body a rest. Enjoy the holidays, eat smart and stay loose with some small running/jogging, or walking periods just to remind your muscle groups that they are still needed for when you get back into your normal exercise/training routines.
A key point in this is to set yourself a “Startup” goal on when you're going to get back into your fitness mode. This depends on you and how intense your previous workout schedules were. It’s hard to scale back but it's also just as hard to re-commit to your old routines, that is why you need that ‘Startup” date set in stone.
You might want to give yourself an incentive, to get back to the grind by getting yourself a motivation gift. Maybe a new pair of running shoes, a new running outfit, one that’s made for the winter training climates in your locale or maybe, just maybe that new fitness monitor. For some ideas, you can always go to https:www.heartratemonitorsusa.com and select that perfect incentive gift you’ve been putting off.
Enjoy the Holidays from the gang here at HeartRateMonitorsUSA.com!
Read more
So, Will I Suffer From Scaling Back My Exercise and Running Routines at this time of year?
Runners DO need a break! It doesn't matter how old you are or how many miles a week you run, a period of reduced volume and intensity will do your body—and your brain—good. And for many runners, there's no better time to back off than during the holiday season, with its competing time demands and family obligations.
But taking some time off, or just scaling back does NOT open the door to over indulging in all of those holiday favorites. We believe we spoke enough about the do's and don ts of sampling all those holiday goodies, so we are not going over this here at this time.
"By the end of the year, most people, who are avid runners, are doing their max mileage, whether it's 20, 40, or 100 miles per week, and they've taken their bodies to their maximum level, too," says Jenny Spangler, coach of the Jenny Spangler Racing team in Chicago. "Waking up early day after day to run can eventually lead to burning out, no matter how tough you are."
How long you choose to back off is up to you—a newbie running 10 to 20 miles a week may feel rejuvenated after two to three weeks of scaling back, while a hard-charging marathoner may need up to two months of easy going. Don't quit exercising entirely, or coming back will be more difficult. Instead, try these ways to tone things down so you're rested, recovered, and ready for a fitter, faster 2017.
During your break, you need to inject some speed to keep your legs and lungs strong—this will also help ease the eventual return to your regular running routine. "Fartleks are a great way to maintain some leg speed without stressing your body or mind too much," says Spangler. "There are no time, distance, or pace goals involved; it's only about the effort."
Once or twice a week, in the middle of a run, do five fartlek pickups of up to three minutes each, at a pace that feels moderately hard. Jog between each for as long as it takes you to recover. If you're running with friends, take turns initiating the pickup and determining how long and how fast to make it.
Once or twice a week, in the middle of a run, do five fartlek pickups, of up to three minutes each at a pace that feels moderately hard. Jog between each for as long as it takes you to recover. If you're running with friends, take turns initiating the pickup and determining how long and how fast to make it.
And What is Fartlek training? Well, this is a topic for another blog.
LONG RUNS MAXIMIZE YOUR TIME
Putting long runs on the shelf for a while not only gives your running muscles more time to recover from a year of steady running but gives you more free time to spend with the family or to tackle long-neglected, demanding household tasks, such as your leaf-choked gutters. After you cross-train for a week or two, run no longer than 30 to 40 minutes at a time for two weeks. For the remaining three to four weeks of your scale-back period, your longest run should be one-third to one-half the distance of your pre-break long run.
TIME GOALS
It may seem strange to schedule an event when you're supposed to be taking it easy, but the opportunity to race with zero pressure can be liberating and fun too. Without the stress of “I must perform”, you'll be free to soak up the vibe happening around you at the event, pace will be slower, your friends or family members can be a part of it, you can cheer on fellow runners, and revel in the post-race party. Find a local Turkey Trot or Jingle-Bell Jog, encourage a buddy to join you, and leave the watch at home.
The main goal here is to scale back and enjoy this time off, you’re not pulling the switch on exercising completely, and you’re just dialing back on the intensity and the regimen of that early morning or after work training venues at the gym or taking to your regular trails.
So, the bottom line is, NO, you won’t hurt yourself by scaling back during the holidays this year. In fact, you’re going to be helping yourself by giving your body a rest. Enjoy the holidays, eat smart and stay loose with some small running/jogging, or walking periods just to remind your muscle groups that they are still needed for when you get back into your normal exercise/training routines.
A key point in this is to set yourself a “Startup” goal on when you're going to get back into your fitness mode. This depends on you and how intense your previous workout schedules were. It’s hard to scale back but it's also just as hard to re-commit to your old routines, that is why you need that ‘Startup” date set in stone.
You might want to give yourself an incentive, to get back to the grind by getting yourself a motivation gift. Maybe a new pair of running shoes, a new running outfit, one that’s made for the winter training climates in your locale or maybe, just maybe that new fitness monitor. For some ideas, you can always go to https:www.heartratemonitorsusa.com and select that perfect incentive gift you’ve been putting off.
Enjoy the Holidays from the gang here at HeartRateMonitorsUSA.com!
Read more
Don’t Fall Into the “Phantom Zone” Of Fitness This Holiday Season!
The leftover turkey isn’t even cold when we start cranking the Christmas music, scheduling holiday parties, and shopping for perfect gifts.
And the food -- Oh the food. All of our favorite holiday flavors are out on parade. From gingerbread-flavored everything and cookie assortments to cheesy appetizers and bacon-wrapped entrees.
The rest of the year, we say, “I’m watching what I Eat and Exercising,” but this month, we announce with confidence and a mouthful of sugar cookie, “It’s the holidays!” And we’re so right. It is the holidays and it’s okay to cheat a little. But, you don’t have to throw away 11 months of progress in the 25 days before Christmas.
Here, are few tips on how to fully enjoy the holiday season without starting the New Year off with pounds to lose.
1. Exercise in the morning to avoid scheduling conflicts: The holidays are an exceptionally busy time for most of us. Between the parties, out-of-town trips, and time spent at the mall, it can be difficult to fit in your regular exercise time. However, maintaining your routine is critical to avoiding holiday weight gain. If possible, opt to workout in the morning. Doing so will reduce the risk that your busy holiday schedule will keep you out of the gym. A morning workout will also set the tone for your day. You’re more likely to resist the random cookie or treat if you’ve started your day in a healthy way.2. Hydrate to curb your eating: Many times, dehydration can trigger hunger pangs. Drinking water not only reduces dehydration-related cravings, it can also curb overeating. Before you indulge in a holiday meal or dip into the appetizers, drink a glass or two of water. The water will help you feel fuller faster, meaning you eat fewer calories.
In a study conducted by researchers at the University of Birmingham in the U.K., obese participants were asked to drink 16 ounces of water 30 minutes before each meal. After 12 weeks, the volunteers lost nearly 10 pounds each, on average. While it may not be your goal to lose weight, but rather maintain through the holidays, drinking more water is likely to help.
3. Plan ahead to stay in control: You’ve heard the expression, “If you fail to plan, plan to fail.” This certainly holds true when it comes to maintaining your level of fitness during the holidays. It can be easy to take the “all-or-nothing” approach when it comes to diet and exercise. But, don’t binge and be lazy throughout the whole month of December, or you’ll be sorry in January. Take control of your workouts and cheat in moderation.
If you know you have extra commitments on the calendar or you’re traveling for the holidays, mark these dates and plan accordingly. Schedule every workout for the month of December and make it a point to stay on track. It might be helpful to give yourself a couple floating rest days so you don’t feel like a failure if you simply can’t make it to the gym. And remember, traveling, if planned out right, even though you're on the road, or on a plane, you can still make use of just walking around and taking in some of the sites before you need to arrive at your committed festivities. Using an Activity Monitor during all the busy rushing around is a great way to keep you motivated and tracking your movements, or lack there of, in order to remind you to get moving. One great Activity Monitor is the Fitbit Charge Everyone needs some reminders to keep themselves on track and with the Fitbit Charge, the only thing you need to remember is to keep it fastened to your wrist!
When it comes to your diet, set guidelines for yourself, you know you’ll be indulging. Plan your cheat meals around the days when you know you’ll be dipping into some extra indulgent apps or drinks. To help you stay in control, set some limits for yourself before filling your plate. For example, resolve to put just three of your favorite foods on your plate.This will keep your cheat meal from turning into an all-night binge.
4. Make a pact to stay motivated: During the holidays, it can feel like you’re the only one trying to stay on track. Watching everyone else pig-out or stay couch-bound will likely make it easier for you to follow suit. Be accountable to a fit friend or family member during the month of December. Encourage each other to enjoy your favorite treats, but in moderation and maintain your exercise routines, the best you can. When you’re visiting family or friends, try asking them to exercise with you!
5. Don’t avoid the scale: When you feel yourself slipping with diet or exercise, it can be all-to-easy, to dump your resolve until after you ring in the New Year. Instead of packing away your scale to avoid the guilt, continue to monitor your progress throughout December. If you see the numbers rising or see your muscle tone fading, don’t body shame, but do use it as a reality check to make some changes. Increase your water intake, be vigilant with your exercise, and eat a few more salads that week to help you get back on track.
6. Stock healthy snacks in the house and on the go: A house full of sweet treats and high-calorie foods will test anyone’s willpower, especially if your stomach is already growling. Make it a point to stock your fridge, car, and workspace with healthy options that you can grab easily when you’re craving some holiday snacks. Satisfy your hunger first, then if you want to cheat just a little, go for it!
7. Bring healthy treats to the party: When it's your turn to bring the goodies, don’t be afraid to bring some green. You can stick with an easy veggie tray or fruit plate, or get creative with healthy spring roll bites or cauliflower breadsticks. This way, you know you’ll have at least one healthy option to fill-up on at the party. Remember, for this the internet is your friend! There are hundred of tasty, healthy foods that will still give you that crunch, just not the calories that go along with a bowl of dips and chips!
8. Set a challenge: The turkey trots may be over, but you’re likely to find a candy cane run or Santa dash near you. Make a 5k or 10k a holiday tradition with family and friends! It will help you burn off extra calories and motivate you to keep up with your training. Not sure where to find a race? Did I not mention the internet is your friend??
9. Fill up on the good stuff: When you’re indulging in holiday meals, fill most of your plate with lean proteins and veggies (FYI: green bean casserole and fried onions don’t count as veggies). Cut the hunger pangs with the healthier options and then reach for your high-calorie favs. You’ll end up feeling more satisfied and less guilty at the end of the meal. Pairing the carb-laden goodies with healthier proteins will also help keep your blood sugar in check, which means you’ll reach for fewer leftovers later on.
10. Limit alcohol: It might be difficult to resist the big bowl of spiked eggnog and warm-you-to-the-core hot toddies, but make alcoholic drinks like these the treat, not the norm. These winter warmers can contain upwards of 500 calories each.
Even if you’re enjoying the low-cal drink options like vodka sodas, the alcohol can lower your inhibitions, which means you’re more likely to snack on higher calorie foods or reach for holiday leftovers a bit too soon.
11. Have a backup plan: It’s a good idea to plan your workout schedule for the entire month of December, always come prepared with a backup plan. If you didn’t anticipate skipping the gym, you can still get in a great workout just about anywhere -- even if you’re short on time. Be prepared for kinks in your workout schedule, but remember, things do happen and in the long run its worth the effort to think things through so you can have the time you need to get your workouts in.
The average person gains 1-2 pounds during the holidays and doesn’t ever lose it -- but you don’t have to be “average.” Maintain your weight or even shed a couple pounds this holiday season by tightening your routines and remaining accountable to your diet goals.
This way, you won't be making the same New Year's resolution again once that "Ball" drops! Happy Holidays
Read more
The leftover turkey isn’t even cold when we start cranking the Christmas music, scheduling holiday parties, and shopping for perfect gifts.
And the food -- Oh the food. All of our favorite holiday flavors are out on parade. From gingerbread-flavored everything and cookie assortments to cheesy appetizers and bacon-wrapped entrees.
The rest of the year, we say, “I’m watching what I Eat and Exercising,” but this month, we announce with confidence and a mouthful of sugar cookie, “It’s the holidays!” And we’re so right. It is the holidays and it’s okay to cheat a little. But, you don’t have to throw away 11 months of progress in the 25 days before Christmas.
Here, are few tips on how to fully enjoy the holiday season without starting the New Year off with pounds to lose.
1. Exercise in the morning to avoid scheduling conflicts: The holidays are an exceptionally busy time for most of us. Between the parties, out-of-town trips, and time spent at the mall, it can be difficult to fit in your regular exercise time. However, maintaining your routine is critical to avoiding holiday weight gain. If possible, opt to workout in the morning. Doing so will reduce the risk that your busy holiday schedule will keep you out of the gym. A morning workout will also set the tone for your day. You’re more likely to resist the random cookie or treat if you’ve started your day in a healthy way.2. Hydrate to curb your eating: Many times, dehydration can trigger hunger pangs. Drinking water not only reduces dehydration-related cravings, it can also curb overeating. Before you indulge in a holiday meal or dip into the appetizers, drink a glass or two of water. The water will help you feel fuller faster, meaning you eat fewer calories.
In a study conducted by researchers at the University of Birmingham in the U.K., obese participants were asked to drink 16 ounces of water 30 minutes before each meal. After 12 weeks, the volunteers lost nearly 10 pounds each, on average. While it may not be your goal to lose weight, but rather maintain through the holidays, drinking more water is likely to help.
3. Plan ahead to stay in control: You’ve heard the expression, “If you fail to plan, plan to fail.” This certainly holds true when it comes to maintaining your level of fitness during the holidays. It can be easy to take the “all-or-nothing” approach when it comes to diet and exercise. But, don’t binge and be lazy throughout the whole month of December, or you’ll be sorry in January. Take control of your workouts and cheat in moderation.
If you know you have extra commitments on the calendar or you’re traveling for the holidays, mark these dates and plan accordingly. Schedule every workout for the month of December and make it a point to stay on track. It might be helpful to give yourself a couple floating rest days so you don’t feel like a failure if you simply can’t make it to the gym. And remember, traveling, if planned out right, even though you're on the road, or on a plane, you can still make use of just walking around and taking in some of the sites before you need to arrive at your committed festivities. Using an Activity Monitor during all the busy rushing around is a great way to keep you motivated and tracking your movements, or lack there of, in order to remind you to get moving. One great Activity Monitor is the Fitbit Charge Everyone needs some reminders to keep themselves on track and with the Fitbit Charge, the only thing you need to remember is to keep it fastened to your wrist!
When it comes to your diet, set guidelines for yourself, you know you’ll be indulging. Plan your cheat meals around the days when you know you’ll be dipping into some extra indulgent apps or drinks. To help you stay in control, set some limits for yourself before filling your plate. For example, resolve to put just three of your favorite foods on your plate.This will keep your cheat meal from turning into an all-night binge.
4. Make a pact to stay motivated: During the holidays, it can feel like you’re the only one trying to stay on track. Watching everyone else pig-out or stay couch-bound will likely make it easier for you to follow suit. Be accountable to a fit friend or family member during the month of December. Encourage each other to enjoy your favorite treats, but in moderation and maintain your exercise routines, the best you can. When you’re visiting family or friends, try asking them to exercise with you!
5. Don’t avoid the scale: When you feel yourself slipping with diet or exercise, it can be all-to-easy, to dump your resolve until after you ring in the New Year. Instead of packing away your scale to avoid the guilt, continue to monitor your progress throughout December. If you see the numbers rising or see your muscle tone fading, don’t body shame, but do use it as a reality check to make some changes. Increase your water intake, be vigilant with your exercise, and eat a few more salads that week to help you get back on track.
6. Stock healthy snacks in the house and on the go: A house full of sweet treats and high-calorie foods will test anyone’s willpower, especially if your stomach is already growling. Make it a point to stock your fridge, car, and workspace with healthy options that you can grab easily when you’re craving some holiday snacks. Satisfy your hunger first, then if you want to cheat just a little, go for it!
7. Bring healthy treats to the party: When it's your turn to bring the goodies, don’t be afraid to bring some green. You can stick with an easy veggie tray or fruit plate, or get creative with healthy spring roll bites or cauliflower breadsticks. This way, you know you’ll have at least one healthy option to fill-up on at the party. Remember, for this the internet is your friend! There are hundred of tasty, healthy foods that will still give you that crunch, just not the calories that go along with a bowl of dips and chips!
8. Set a challenge: The turkey trots may be over, but you’re likely to find a candy cane run or Santa dash near you. Make a 5k or 10k a holiday tradition with family and friends! It will help you burn off extra calories and motivate you to keep up with your training. Not sure where to find a race? Did I not mention the internet is your friend??
9. Fill up on the good stuff: When you’re indulging in holiday meals, fill most of your plate with lean proteins and veggies (FYI: green bean casserole and fried onions don’t count as veggies). Cut the hunger pangs with the healthier options and then reach for your high-calorie favs. You’ll end up feeling more satisfied and less guilty at the end of the meal. Pairing the carb-laden goodies with healthier proteins will also help keep your blood sugar in check, which means you’ll reach for fewer leftovers later on.
10. Limit alcohol: It might be difficult to resist the big bowl of spiked eggnog and warm-you-to-the-core hot toddies, but make alcoholic drinks like these the treat, not the norm. These winter warmers can contain upwards of 500 calories each.
Even if you’re enjoying the low-cal drink options like vodka sodas, the alcohol can lower your inhibitions, which means you’re more likely to snack on higher calorie foods or reach for holiday leftovers a bit too soon.
11. Have a backup plan: It’s a good idea to plan your workout schedule for the entire month of December, always come prepared with a backup plan. If you didn’t anticipate skipping the gym, you can still get in a great workout just about anywhere -- even if you’re short on time. Be prepared for kinks in your workout schedule, but remember, things do happen and in the long run its worth the effort to think things through so you can have the time you need to get your workouts in.
The average person gains 1-2 pounds during the holidays and doesn’t ever lose it -- but you don’t have to be “average.” Maintain your weight or even shed a couple pounds this holiday season by tightening your routines and remaining accountable to your diet goals.
This way, you won't be making the same New Year's resolution again once that "Ball" drops! Happy Holidays
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Reasons to Take Up Swimming for the Fall & Winter Months
Now that the weather is changing and those hot summer days are beginning to fade, there is no reason why you need to pack up your bathing suite till the next summer season. In fact there is a great reason why NOT to!! You may or may not know that swimming is one of the best exercises you can do.
If you look, you will probably find that a lot of gyms, health clubs and don't forget the YMCA all have pools. This makes for year round access to the water, where studies have found, swimming is probably one of the best all-around means to aid in getting you fit. The water acts as a semi-resistant medium that puts some slight strain on your muscles to perform the way you want them to. Add in the benefits of the water making you a bit buoyant and someone who has trouble standing for long periods of time can actually perform better in the water!
Swimming not only aids in increasing your muscle strength, but since it a public part of the gym, or other facility, it also helps your social life as you can be amongst like-minded individuals. Also, swimming is a great way to help bring down your stress level. Swimming really can make a huge difference to your body mentally and physically.
Below are some reasons you should start taking up swimming today! Remember, just cause the sun-shade umbrellas are all put away, doesn’t mean you can't still take advantage of the benefits you’re going to reap from swimming on a regular basis.
How Swimming Up’s Your Exercise Game!!
If you don’t love working up a sweat but do love the benefits of a cardio workout, swimming may be your ideal match.
The water keeps you cool, even as your heart gets a great workout. You’ll probably be able to keep yourself going for a longer time than if you were running. That’s because it’s fun and gentle on your joints and muscles. The water can also feel relaxing. Remember, I said above that it can lower your stress levels??
To get the most out of this regimen, plan on doing 2 1/2 hours of swimming a week. Or mix in swimming with other cardio workouts. You can set your own pace, going as fast as you like.
If you don't already know how to swim, there are classes at indoor community pools, gyms, and YMCAs or YWCAs. It's good to know how to swim, for safety's sake, even if you aren't planning to make swimming your main workout.
Intensity Level: Medium
You’ll use your lower and upper body muscles for a steady workout. You can make your swim harder by going faster or longer.
Areas It Targets
Core: Yes. Swimming gives your entire body a great workout, including your core.
Arms: Yes. You’ll need your arms for most swim strokes, so expect them to get a workout.
Legs: Yes. You’ll use your legs to propel yourself through the water.
Glutes: Yes. Swimming uses your glutes. Like we said before, swimming offers a whole body workout
Back: Yes. Your back muscles will get a workout, whether you’re doing the backstroke or a water-based exercise class.
Flexibility: Yes. Swimming will make you more flexible. The more you work at it, the easier it will be to use your extremities and you will begin building up those muscle groups by repetition.
Aerobic: Yes. Your heart will keep pumping as you use your entire body to move through the water. Again, this is one of the big reasons most seniors take up swimming or water aerobics. Even though it’s easier on them because of the buoyancy of the water it still provides enough of a resistance to work that heart muscle and give you a good cardiovascular workout!
Strength: Yes. You’ll get stronger from the resistance of the water, which is about 12 times the level of air resistance. Try using hand-held paddles, foam noodles, or a kickboard for extra resistance.
Low-Impact: Yes. Swimming is an excellent low-impact workout. The water gives you buoyancy, so you’ll float through your exercise session without putting pressure on your joints.
Good for beginners? Yes. You may not be able to swim for a full workout (30 minutes or longer) right away, but you can work your way toward a longer workout. Start slowly, with 5-10 minutes of laps.
Equipment required? None, except for a swimsuit. Goggles and a swim cap are optional. To mix things up, you can add small accessories to your water workout, like kickboards or swim noodles. When you get proficient in your swimming workouts, it might be a good idea to purchase an activity monitor that is water resistant. As you progress your going to want to set new goals for yourself and the best way to do that is to monitor your progress. A good monitor to do this is the Garmin Vivoactive Smartwatch .The vívoactive features built-in sports apps that track your stats, even when away from your phone. Simply tap to choose among GPS-enabled running, golfing and cycling apps plus swimming and activity tracking.
If you are looking for a great aerobic and total body-strengthening workout, then look no further. Swimming can provide all that and more.
Swimming can be a solo or a group adventure. You may prefer to swim laps, if you like to work out by yourself. But if you like being in a group, many pools and Y’s have aquatic exercise classes for all levels. If you are older, pregnant, or disabled, there is likely a specialized class just for you.
Swimming is a great aerobic workout for people with most types of arthritis. It can take the load off your joints and help prevent injuries. It is also a good choice if you have low back pain. Warm water can be very soothing. Check with your doctor first if you are having joint pain, have had a recent injury, joint replacement, or are having an arthritis flare.
If you have diabetes, an aerobic activity like swimming can be a very important part of your diabetes treatment plan. It will help you burn calories, lose weight, and keep your blood sugars under control. If you have high cholesterol, you will also benefit from swimming. It will help you lower your ''bad'' LDL cholesterol and raise your ''good'' HDL cholesterol.
If you have been a couch potato, or you have heart disease or other medical problems, check with your doctor first to see what kind of swimming program is right for you. So don’t let that cooler weather keep you out of the water. Join a club or the Y and see just how much better you feel after a few weeks of getting yourself wet while the leaves are starting to fall and before that first flake drops!
If you look, you will probably find that a lot of gyms, health clubs and don't forget the YMCA all have pools. This makes for year round access to the water, where studies have found, swimming is probably one of the best all-around means to aid in getting you fit. The water acts as a semi-resistant medium that puts some slight strain on your muscles to perform the way you want them to. Add in the benefits of the water making you a bit buoyant and someone who has trouble standing for long periods of time can actually perform better in the water!
Swimming not only aids in increasing your muscle strength, but since it a public part of the gym, or other facility, it also helps your social life as you can be amongst like-minded individuals. Also, swimming is a great way to help bring down your stress level. Swimming really can make a huge difference to your body mentally and physically.
Below are some reasons you should start taking up swimming today! Remember, just cause the sun-shade umbrellas are all put away, doesn’t mean you can't still take advantage of the benefits you’re going to reap from swimming on a regular basis.
How Swimming Up’s Your Exercise Game!!
If you don’t love working up a sweat but do love the benefits of a cardio workout, swimming may be your ideal match.
The water keeps you cool, even as your heart gets a great workout. You’ll probably be able to keep yourself going for a longer time than if you were running. That’s because it’s fun and gentle on your joints and muscles. The water can also feel relaxing. Remember, I said above that it can lower your stress levels??
To get the most out of this regimen, plan on doing 2 1/2 hours of swimming a week. Or mix in swimming with other cardio workouts. You can set your own pace, going as fast as you like.
If you don't already know how to swim, there are classes at indoor community pools, gyms, and YMCAs or YWCAs. It's good to know how to swim, for safety's sake, even if you aren't planning to make swimming your main workout.
Intensity Level: Medium
You’ll use your lower and upper body muscles for a steady workout. You can make your swim harder by going faster or longer.
Areas It Targets
Core: Yes. Swimming gives your entire body a great workout, including your core.
Arms: Yes. You’ll need your arms for most swim strokes, so expect them to get a workout.
Legs: Yes. You’ll use your legs to propel yourself through the water.
Glutes: Yes. Swimming uses your glutes. Like we said before, swimming offers a whole body workout
Back: Yes. Your back muscles will get a workout, whether you’re doing the backstroke or a water-based exercise class.
Flexibility: Yes. Swimming will make you more flexible. The more you work at it, the easier it will be to use your extremities and you will begin building up those muscle groups by repetition.
Aerobic: Yes. Your heart will keep pumping as you use your entire body to move through the water. Again, this is one of the big reasons most seniors take up swimming or water aerobics. Even though it’s easier on them because of the buoyancy of the water it still provides enough of a resistance to work that heart muscle and give you a good cardiovascular workout!
Strength: Yes. You’ll get stronger from the resistance of the water, which is about 12 times the level of air resistance. Try using hand-held paddles, foam noodles, or a kickboard for extra resistance.
Low-Impact: Yes. Swimming is an excellent low-impact workout. The water gives you buoyancy, so you’ll float through your exercise session without putting pressure on your joints.
Good for beginners? Yes. You may not be able to swim for a full workout (30 minutes or longer) right away, but you can work your way toward a longer workout. Start slowly, with 5-10 minutes of laps.
Equipment required? None, except for a swimsuit. Goggles and a swim cap are optional. To mix things up, you can add small accessories to your water workout, like kickboards or swim noodles. When you get proficient in your swimming workouts, it might be a good idea to purchase an activity monitor that is water resistant. As you progress your going to want to set new goals for yourself and the best way to do that is to monitor your progress. A good monitor to do this is the Garmin Vivoactive Smartwatch .The vívoactive features built-in sports apps that track your stats, even when away from your phone. Simply tap to choose among GPS-enabled running, golfing and cycling apps plus swimming and activity tracking.
If you are looking for a great aerobic and total body-strengthening workout, then look no further. Swimming can provide all that and more.
Swimming can be a solo or a group adventure. You may prefer to swim laps, if you like to work out by yourself. But if you like being in a group, many pools and Y’s have aquatic exercise classes for all levels. If you are older, pregnant, or disabled, there is likely a specialized class just for you.
Swimming is a great aerobic workout for people with most types of arthritis. It can take the load off your joints and help prevent injuries. It is also a good choice if you have low back pain. Warm water can be very soothing. Check with your doctor first if you are having joint pain, have had a recent injury, joint replacement, or are having an arthritis flare.
If you have diabetes, an aerobic activity like swimming can be a very important part of your diabetes treatment plan. It will help you burn calories, lose weight, and keep your blood sugars under control. If you have high cholesterol, you will also benefit from swimming. It will help you lower your ''bad'' LDL cholesterol and raise your ''good'' HDL cholesterol.
If you have been a couch potato, or you have heart disease or other medical problems, check with your doctor first to see what kind of swimming program is right for you. So don’t let that cooler weather keep you out of the water. Join a club or the Y and see just how much better you feel after a few weeks of getting yourself wet while the leaves are starting to fall and before that first flake drops!
Read more
Now that the weather is changing and those hot summer days are beginning to fade, there is no reason why you need to pack up your bathing suite till the next summer season. In fact there is a great reason why NOT to!! You may or may not know that swimming is one of the best exercises you can do.
If you look, you will probably find that a lot of gyms, health clubs and don't forget the YMCA all have pools. This makes for year round access to the water, where studies have found, swimming is probably one of the best all-around means to aid in getting you fit. The water acts as a semi-resistant medium that puts some slight strain on your muscles to perform the way you want them to. Add in the benefits of the water making you a bit buoyant and someone who has trouble standing for long periods of time can actually perform better in the water!
Swimming not only aids in increasing your muscle strength, but since it a public part of the gym, or other facility, it also helps your social life as you can be amongst like-minded individuals. Also, swimming is a great way to help bring down your stress level. Swimming really can make a huge difference to your body mentally and physically.
Below are some reasons you should start taking up swimming today! Remember, just cause the sun-shade umbrellas are all put away, doesn’t mean you can't still take advantage of the benefits you’re going to reap from swimming on a regular basis.
How Swimming Up’s Your Exercise Game!!
If you don’t love working up a sweat but do love the benefits of a cardio workout, swimming may be your ideal match.
The water keeps you cool, even as your heart gets a great workout. You’ll probably be able to keep yourself going for a longer time than if you were running. That’s because it’s fun and gentle on your joints and muscles. The water can also feel relaxing. Remember, I said above that it can lower your stress levels??
To get the most out of this regimen, plan on doing 2 1/2 hours of swimming a week. Or mix in swimming with other cardio workouts. You can set your own pace, going as fast as you like.
If you don't already know how to swim, there are classes at indoor community pools, gyms, and YMCAs or YWCAs. It's good to know how to swim, for safety's sake, even if you aren't planning to make swimming your main workout.
Intensity Level: Medium
You’ll use your lower and upper body muscles for a steady workout. You can make your swim harder by going faster or longer.
Areas It Targets
Core: Yes. Swimming gives your entire body a great workout, including your core.
Arms: Yes. You’ll need your arms for most swim strokes, so expect them to get a workout.
Legs: Yes. You’ll use your legs to propel yourself through the water.
Glutes: Yes. Swimming uses your glutes. Like we said before, swimming offers a whole body workout
Back: Yes. Your back muscles will get a workout, whether you’re doing the backstroke or a water-based exercise class.
Flexibility: Yes. Swimming will make you more flexible. The more you work at it, the easier it will be to use your extremities and you will begin building up those muscle groups by repetition.
Aerobic: Yes. Your heart will keep pumping as you use your entire body to move through the water. Again, this is one of the big reasons most seniors take up swimming or water aerobics. Even though it’s easier on them because of the buoyancy of the water it still provides enough of a resistance to work that heart muscle and give you a good cardiovascular workout!
Strength: Yes. You’ll get stronger from the resistance of the water, which is about 12 times the level of air resistance. Try using hand-held paddles, foam noodles, or a kickboard for extra resistance.
Low-Impact: Yes. Swimming is an excellent low-impact workout. The water gives you buoyancy, so you’ll float through your exercise session without putting pressure on your joints.
Good for beginners? Yes. You may not be able to swim for a full workout (30 minutes or longer) right away, but you can work your way toward a longer workout. Start slowly, with 5-10 minutes of laps.
Equipment required? None, except for a swimsuit. Goggles and a swim cap are optional. To mix things up, you can add small accessories to your water workout, like kickboards or swim noodles. When you get proficient in your swimming workouts, it might be a good idea to purchase an activity monitor that is water resistant. As you progress your going to want to set new goals for yourself and the best way to do that is to monitor your progress. A good monitor to do this is the Garmin Vivoactive Smartwatch .The vívoactive features built-in sports apps that track your stats, even when away from your phone. Simply tap to choose among GPS-enabled running, golfing and cycling apps plus swimming and activity tracking.
If you are looking for a great aerobic and total body-strengthening workout, then look no further. Swimming can provide all that and more.
Swimming can be a solo or a group adventure. You may prefer to swim laps, if you like to work out by yourself. But if you like being in a group, many pools and Y’s have aquatic exercise classes for all levels. If you are older, pregnant, or disabled, there is likely a specialized class just for you.
Swimming is a great aerobic workout for people with most types of arthritis. It can take the load off your joints and help prevent injuries. It is also a good choice if you have low back pain. Warm water can be very soothing. Check with your doctor first if you are having joint pain, have had a recent injury, joint replacement, or are having an arthritis flare.
If you have diabetes, an aerobic activity like swimming can be a very important part of your diabetes treatment plan. It will help you burn calories, lose weight, and keep your blood sugars under control. If you have high cholesterol, you will also benefit from swimming. It will help you lower your ''bad'' LDL cholesterol and raise your ''good'' HDL cholesterol.
If you have been a couch potato, or you have heart disease or other medical problems, check with your doctor first to see what kind of swimming program is right for you. So don’t let that cooler weather keep you out of the water. Join a club or the Y and see just how much better you feel after a few weeks of getting yourself wet while the leaves are starting to fall and before that first flake drops!
If you look, you will probably find that a lot of gyms, health clubs and don't forget the YMCA all have pools. This makes for year round access to the water, where studies have found, swimming is probably one of the best all-around means to aid in getting you fit. The water acts as a semi-resistant medium that puts some slight strain on your muscles to perform the way you want them to. Add in the benefits of the water making you a bit buoyant and someone who has trouble standing for long periods of time can actually perform better in the water!
Swimming not only aids in increasing your muscle strength, but since it a public part of the gym, or other facility, it also helps your social life as you can be amongst like-minded individuals. Also, swimming is a great way to help bring down your stress level. Swimming really can make a huge difference to your body mentally and physically.
Below are some reasons you should start taking up swimming today! Remember, just cause the sun-shade umbrellas are all put away, doesn’t mean you can't still take advantage of the benefits you’re going to reap from swimming on a regular basis.
How Swimming Up’s Your Exercise Game!!
If you don’t love working up a sweat but do love the benefits of a cardio workout, swimming may be your ideal match.
The water keeps you cool, even as your heart gets a great workout. You’ll probably be able to keep yourself going for a longer time than if you were running. That’s because it’s fun and gentle on your joints and muscles. The water can also feel relaxing. Remember, I said above that it can lower your stress levels??
To get the most out of this regimen, plan on doing 2 1/2 hours of swimming a week. Or mix in swimming with other cardio workouts. You can set your own pace, going as fast as you like.
If you don't already know how to swim, there are classes at indoor community pools, gyms, and YMCAs or YWCAs. It's good to know how to swim, for safety's sake, even if you aren't planning to make swimming your main workout.
Intensity Level: Medium
You’ll use your lower and upper body muscles for a steady workout. You can make your swim harder by going faster or longer.
Areas It Targets
Core: Yes. Swimming gives your entire body a great workout, including your core.
Arms: Yes. You’ll need your arms for most swim strokes, so expect them to get a workout.
Legs: Yes. You’ll use your legs to propel yourself through the water.
Glutes: Yes. Swimming uses your glutes. Like we said before, swimming offers a whole body workout
Back: Yes. Your back muscles will get a workout, whether you’re doing the backstroke or a water-based exercise class.
Flexibility: Yes. Swimming will make you more flexible. The more you work at it, the easier it will be to use your extremities and you will begin building up those muscle groups by repetition.
Aerobic: Yes. Your heart will keep pumping as you use your entire body to move through the water. Again, this is one of the big reasons most seniors take up swimming or water aerobics. Even though it’s easier on them because of the buoyancy of the water it still provides enough of a resistance to work that heart muscle and give you a good cardiovascular workout!
Strength: Yes. You’ll get stronger from the resistance of the water, which is about 12 times the level of air resistance. Try using hand-held paddles, foam noodles, or a kickboard for extra resistance.
Low-Impact: Yes. Swimming is an excellent low-impact workout. The water gives you buoyancy, so you’ll float through your exercise session without putting pressure on your joints.
Good for beginners? Yes. You may not be able to swim for a full workout (30 minutes or longer) right away, but you can work your way toward a longer workout. Start slowly, with 5-10 minutes of laps.
Equipment required? None, except for a swimsuit. Goggles and a swim cap are optional. To mix things up, you can add small accessories to your water workout, like kickboards or swim noodles. When you get proficient in your swimming workouts, it might be a good idea to purchase an activity monitor that is water resistant. As you progress your going to want to set new goals for yourself and the best way to do that is to monitor your progress. A good monitor to do this is the Garmin Vivoactive Smartwatch .The vívoactive features built-in sports apps that track your stats, even when away from your phone. Simply tap to choose among GPS-enabled running, golfing and cycling apps plus swimming and activity tracking.
If you are looking for a great aerobic and total body-strengthening workout, then look no further. Swimming can provide all that and more.
Swimming can be a solo or a group adventure. You may prefer to swim laps, if you like to work out by yourself. But if you like being in a group, many pools and Y’s have aquatic exercise classes for all levels. If you are older, pregnant, or disabled, there is likely a specialized class just for you.
Swimming is a great aerobic workout for people with most types of arthritis. It can take the load off your joints and help prevent injuries. It is also a good choice if you have low back pain. Warm water can be very soothing. Check with your doctor first if you are having joint pain, have had a recent injury, joint replacement, or are having an arthritis flare.
If you have diabetes, an aerobic activity like swimming can be a very important part of your diabetes treatment plan. It will help you burn calories, lose weight, and keep your blood sugars under control. If you have high cholesterol, you will also benefit from swimming. It will help you lower your ''bad'' LDL cholesterol and raise your ''good'' HDL cholesterol.
If you have been a couch potato, or you have heart disease or other medical problems, check with your doctor first to see what kind of swimming program is right for you. So don’t let that cooler weather keep you out of the water. Join a club or the Y and see just how much better you feel after a few weeks of getting yourself wet while the leaves are starting to fall and before that first flake drops!
Read more
The New York Marathon November, 2016
Well, the New York Marathon is in the books, did you even think about participating this year? If not, why not make it the new goal for 2017. Think about it, a goal like that beats your usual New Year’s resolutions that you make each year while eating an appetizer and drinking your favorite brew at the New Year’s Eve party you go to each year, right?
There really is no reason why you can’t be one of the participants in next year’s race. After all, being a part of something so grand and big is a milestone event for anyone. Being a part of the over 50,000 finishers, it’s come a long way from the 55 original finishers who ran around Central Park in New York, 45 years ago!
If you commit, you’re going to need to prep and for any marathon, especially this one you need to build up your endurance to tackle that 26.2-mile course. We made a list of some key points you need to tackle to make sure your body and also your mind are in shape for this kind of trial.
Know why you want to run a marathon. Keep it personal and reminding yourself of the reason your training so hard each day, week and month will help keep you committed to reaching your goal of crossing that finish line.
Know what kind of shape You’re In! The 26.2 miles in a marathon put you at a significantly higher risk for injury than your daily neighborhood jogs. Consult with your physician before embarking on any training program. Make sure everything is in working order and your good to go.
Start early: We don’t mean start early in the morning!!! We mean that to train right, you need to train often and most aspiring marathoners run consistent base mileage for at least a year before embarking on a marathon training program. So you see, making that resolution at your New Year’s Eve party might just get you in under the wire, physically wise, but you need to commit!
One of the most common causes of injury is building weekly mileage too soon, too fast—so don't underestimate the importance of consistently running at least 20–30 miles a week regularly before committing to training for a marathon. This is important! You need to build your stamina so that your body has the conditioning it needs to tackle that distance. If you currently just jog occasionally, you need to ramp things up. Set yourself up with a schedule for each day in the week, but make sure after two days, you give yourself an easy pace day to help your body adjust.
Start small: Running a few shorter races—5Ks, 10Ks, or even a half marathon—is an excellent way to prepare physically and mentally for a first marathon.
There really is no reason why you can’t be one of the participants in next year’s race. After all, being a part of something so grand and big is a milestone event for anyone. Being a part of the over 50,000 finishers, it’s come a long way from the 55 original finishers who ran around Central Park in New York, 45 years ago!
If you commit, you’re going to need to prep and for any marathon, especially this one you need to build up your endurance to tackle that 26.2-mile course. We made a list of some key points you need to tackle to make sure your body and also your mind are in shape for this kind of trial.
Know why you want to run a marathon. Keep it personal and reminding yourself of the reason your training so hard each day, week and month will help keep you committed to reaching your goal of crossing that finish line.
Know what kind of shape You’re In! The 26.2 miles in a marathon put you at a significantly higher risk for injury than your daily neighborhood jogs. Consult with your physician before embarking on any training program. Make sure everything is in working order and your good to go.
Start early: We don’t mean start early in the morning!!! We mean that to train right, you need to train often and most aspiring marathoners run consistent base mileage for at least a year before embarking on a marathon training program. So you see, making that resolution at your New Year’s Eve party might just get you in under the wire, physically wise, but you need to commit!
One of the most common causes of injury is building weekly mileage too soon, too fast—so don't underestimate the importance of consistently running at least 20–30 miles a week regularly before committing to training for a marathon. This is important! You need to build your stamina so that your body has the conditioning it needs to tackle that distance. If you currently just jog occasionally, you need to ramp things up. Set yourself up with a schedule for each day in the week, but make sure after two days, you give yourself an easy pace day to help your body adjust.
Start small: Running a few shorter races—5Ks, 10Ks, or even a half marathon—is an excellent way to prepare physically and mentally for a first marathon.
Choosing a First Marathon
Marathons range from quiet, low-key races on backcountry roads to spectator-lined urban races with tens of thousands of runners. To help you get used to the race vibe and identify your preference, run a few shorter races, cheer on a friend or volunteer at marathons.
Choosing a marathon close to home may offer a "home field advantage" with the opportunity to run on familiar roads; on the other hand, choosing a "destination" race can really stoke your motivation fire in the months leading up to race day.
The primary elements of marathon training are:
Base mileage. Build your weekly mileage over time, running three-to-five times per week.
The long run. Do a long run every 7–10 days so your body can adjust gradually to long distances.
Speed work. Practice intervals and tempo runs to increase your cardio capacity.
Rest and recovery. Adequate rest helps prevent injuries and mental burnout.
Base Mileage: Most marathon training plans range from 12 to 20 weeks. Beginning marathoners should aim to build their weekly mileage up to 50 miles over the four months leading up to race day. Three-to-five runs per week is sufficient. The vast majority of these runs should be done at a relaxed pace. You should run at an easy enough pace to be able to carry on a conversation.
When building base mileage, never increase your weekly mileage by more than 10 percent from week to week.
The Long Run: Your next step is to build up to a weekly long run. This should be done once every 7–10 days, extending the long run by a mile or two each week. Every 3 weeks, scale it back by a few miles so as not to overtax your body and risk injury. For example, you might run 12 miles one weekend, 13 miles the next, then 14 miles, and then 12 again before moving on to 15 on the fifth weekend.
Doing these runs at a substantially slower pace than usual builds confidence, lets your body adjust to longer distances, and teaches you to burn fat for fuel.
Max distance: Most marathon training plans usually peak at a long run of 20 miles. So where do those last 6 miles come from on race day? With proper training, your body will take advantage of the peak shape your body will be in, the rest you offer it during a tapering period, and the adrenaline and crowd support of race day.
Speed Work: Speed work is an optional element to incorporate into your training program. It can increase your aerobic capacity and make your easy runs feel… well, easy! Intervals and tempo runs are the most popular forms of speed work.
Intervals are a set of repetitions of a specific, short distance, run at a substantially faster pace than usual, with recovery jogs in between. For example, you might run 4 X 1-mile repeats at a hard pace, with 5 minutes of slow jogging or even walking between the mile repeats.
Tempo Runs are longer than an interval—generally in the range of 4–10 miles, depending on where you are in your training—run at a challenging, but sustainable, pace. This kind of workout teaches your body, as well as your brain, to sustain challenging work over a longer period of time. Always allow your body to warm up and cool down with a few easy miles at the beginning and end of any speed workout.
Rest and Recovery
Rest days mean no running. They let your muscles recover from taxing workouts and help prevent mental burnout. The greatest enemy of any aspiring marathoners is injury, and the best protection against injury is rest.
If you are itching to do something active on your rest days, doing some cross-training is a great option. Cross-training can include walking, hiking, cycling, swimming, yoga, lifting weights, or any other active pursuit that isn't as high-impact as running.
Tapering: In the two or three weeks leading up to your marathon, scale back significantly on overall mileage and difficulty of your runs to let your body rest up for race day.
Hydration
Nearly all marathons include water and aid stations along the way.
If you plan to carry some of your own water on race day, buy a hydration pack or belt long in advance and get accustomed to running with it. Never try something new on race day.
While training, of course, you will be doing plenty of long runs without the benefit of aid stations. Several tried-and-true techniques to consider:
Carry your own water using a hydration pack or belt, or with handheld bottles
Do long runs on a short loop course, so you can stash water in one spot along the way.
Plot your long run route to pass water fountains (but during colder months, make sure that they're turned on).
Fueling
You've probably heard about the phenomenon many marathoners experience right around the 20-mile mark, commonly called "hitting the wall" or "bonking."
Your body can only store so much glycogen—its primary source of energy during the marathon. As this level gets depleted over the course of your marathon, your muscles will begin to tire and feel heavy. While no amount of fuel consumption during the race can entirely replace your depleted glycogen, consuming small amounts of carbohydrates can help prevent you from hitting the dreaded wall. Energy gels or chews are the easiest to carry and often easiest to digest—but a few pieces of fruit or an energy bar can also do the trick. For any run over 2 hours, aim to take in about 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour.
As with everything, make sure to test out various types of fuel on your training runs to see what your stomach tolerates best, so you can fuel confidently on race day.
Race Day Tips
Don't try anything new on race day—no new shoes, new shorts or a new shirt. Don't guzzle 3 cups of coffee if you usually have one. Your long training runs are when you should be fine-tuning your clothing, gear and fueling strategies.
Before the Race: Hydrate well for several days leading up to your marathon. Drink a big glass of water before you go to bed the night before race day. Drink another one first thing in the morning.
Eat a simple, high-carbohydrate breakfast several hours before the start of the race. Bagels, oatmeal, bars and fruit all work well.
Lather up with a little Vaseline or BodyGlide in any areas vulnerable to chafing (you probably learned where during training runs).
Get to the starting line early, and if needed, get in the port-a-potty line 30–40 minutes before the official start time. The lines may be long.
The temperature is apt to rise over the course of the race, so don't overdress. If you're really cold at the start, wear an oversize trash bag over your clothing to keep warm until the starting gun goes off.
If you plan to run with music, check ahead of time whether headphones are allowed on the course; not all marathons permit them. Running with headphones can be dangerous if you can't hear what's happening around you, particularly if you're not on a closed course. Finally, there's something to be said for not tuning out the sounds of the spectator crowds and your fellow runners.
During the Race
Start slowly. It's easy to get caught up in race-day adrenaline, but starting too fast is a big rookie mistake. There will be plenty of miles over which to pick up your pace if you're feeling great.
Don't blaze by every aid station or try to drink from a cup while running full blast. Either practice drinking while running before race day or just pull over for a few seconds to drink.
Bathroom lines are longest at the first few aid stations. If you can wait another couple miles without discomfort, it may save you time.
If you have a friend coming to cheer you on, plan ahead at which spots along the course he or she will meet you. A friend along the way can be a huge boost.
Enjoy the energy of the spectators. However, ignore the guy with the box of chocolate donuts. He's trying to be nice, but chocolate-glazed donuts at mile 18 are not a good idea.
Race day: In the immediate moments after your finish, drink several cups of water or sports drink to nourish your tired muscles. Walk a little, if you can, to let those muscles cool down. Do gentle stretching. Eat some simple carbohydrates, whether you feel like it or not.
After race day: Take at least a week off before resuming any kind of regular running schedule, and even then take your time easing back into distance and frequency.
Get plenty of sleep. Eat well-balanced meals. Take care of any injuries or ailments you may have developed during the race. Nourish your immune system, which will be more vulnerable immediately after the marathon.
When all is said and done, and you’re putting away your number and medal, you know, the one you get for finishing the marathon of all marathon’s, you can be proud of what you’ve accomplished. So, what’s next? Maybe in 2018 you can tackle the Boston Marathon as well?
Marathons range from quiet, low-key races on backcountry roads to spectator-lined urban races with tens of thousands of runners. To help you get used to the race vibe and identify your preference, run a few shorter races, cheer on a friend or volunteer at marathons.
Choosing a marathon close to home may offer a "home field advantage" with the opportunity to run on familiar roads; on the other hand, choosing a "destination" race can really stoke your motivation fire in the months leading up to race day.
The primary elements of marathon training are:
Base mileage. Build your weekly mileage over time, running three-to-five times per week.
The long run. Do a long run every 7–10 days so your body can adjust gradually to long distances.
Speed work. Practice intervals and tempo runs to increase your cardio capacity.
Rest and recovery. Adequate rest helps prevent injuries and mental burnout.
Base Mileage: Most marathon training plans range from 12 to 20 weeks. Beginning marathoners should aim to build their weekly mileage up to 50 miles over the four months leading up to race day. Three-to-five runs per week is sufficient. The vast majority of these runs should be done at a relaxed pace. You should run at an easy enough pace to be able to carry on a conversation.
When building base mileage, never increase your weekly mileage by more than 10 percent from week to week.
The Long Run: Your next step is to build up to a weekly long run. This should be done once every 7–10 days, extending the long run by a mile or two each week. Every 3 weeks, scale it back by a few miles so as not to overtax your body and risk injury. For example, you might run 12 miles one weekend, 13 miles the next, then 14 miles, and then 12 again before moving on to 15 on the fifth weekend.
Doing these runs at a substantially slower pace than usual builds confidence, lets your body adjust to longer distances, and teaches you to burn fat for fuel.
Max distance: Most marathon training plans usually peak at a long run of 20 miles. So where do those last 6 miles come from on race day? With proper training, your body will take advantage of the peak shape your body will be in, the rest you offer it during a tapering period, and the adrenaline and crowd support of race day.
Speed Work: Speed work is an optional element to incorporate into your training program. It can increase your aerobic capacity and make your easy runs feel… well, easy! Intervals and tempo runs are the most popular forms of speed work.
Intervals are a set of repetitions of a specific, short distance, run at a substantially faster pace than usual, with recovery jogs in between. For example, you might run 4 X 1-mile repeats at a hard pace, with 5 minutes of slow jogging or even walking between the mile repeats.
Tempo Runs are longer than an interval—generally in the range of 4–10 miles, depending on where you are in your training—run at a challenging, but sustainable, pace. This kind of workout teaches your body, as well as your brain, to sustain challenging work over a longer period of time. Always allow your body to warm up and cool down with a few easy miles at the beginning and end of any speed workout.
Rest and Recovery
Rest days mean no running. They let your muscles recover from taxing workouts and help prevent mental burnout. The greatest enemy of any aspiring marathoners is injury, and the best protection against injury is rest.
If you are itching to do something active on your rest days, doing some cross-training is a great option. Cross-training can include walking, hiking, cycling, swimming, yoga, lifting weights, or any other active pursuit that isn't as high-impact as running.
Tapering: In the two or three weeks leading up to your marathon, scale back significantly on overall mileage and difficulty of your runs to let your body rest up for race day.
Hydration
Nearly all marathons include water and aid stations along the way.
If you plan to carry some of your own water on race day, buy a hydration pack or belt long in advance and get accustomed to running with it. Never try something new on race day.
While training, of course, you will be doing plenty of long runs without the benefit of aid stations. Several tried-and-true techniques to consider:
Carry your own water using a hydration pack or belt, or with handheld bottles
Do long runs on a short loop course, so you can stash water in one spot along the way.
Plot your long run route to pass water fountains (but during colder months, make sure that they're turned on).
Fueling
You've probably heard about the phenomenon many marathoners experience right around the 20-mile mark, commonly called "hitting the wall" or "bonking."
Your body can only store so much glycogen—its primary source of energy during the marathon. As this level gets depleted over the course of your marathon, your muscles will begin to tire and feel heavy. While no amount of fuel consumption during the race can entirely replace your depleted glycogen, consuming small amounts of carbohydrates can help prevent you from hitting the dreaded wall. Energy gels or chews are the easiest to carry and often easiest to digest—but a few pieces of fruit or an energy bar can also do the trick. For any run over 2 hours, aim to take in about 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour.
As with everything, make sure to test out various types of fuel on your training runs to see what your stomach tolerates best, so you can fuel confidently on race day.
Race Day Tips
Don't try anything new on race day—no new shoes, new shorts or a new shirt. Don't guzzle 3 cups of coffee if you usually have one. Your long training runs are when you should be fine-tuning your clothing, gear and fueling strategies.
Before the Race: Hydrate well for several days leading up to your marathon. Drink a big glass of water before you go to bed the night before race day. Drink another one first thing in the morning.
Eat a simple, high-carbohydrate breakfast several hours before the start of the race. Bagels, oatmeal, bars and fruit all work well.
Lather up with a little Vaseline or BodyGlide in any areas vulnerable to chafing (you probably learned where during training runs).
Get to the starting line early, and if needed, get in the port-a-potty line 30–40 minutes before the official start time. The lines may be long.
The temperature is apt to rise over the course of the race, so don't overdress. If you're really cold at the start, wear an oversize trash bag over your clothing to keep warm until the starting gun goes off.
If you plan to run with music, check ahead of time whether headphones are allowed on the course; not all marathons permit them. Running with headphones can be dangerous if you can't hear what's happening around you, particularly if you're not on a closed course. Finally, there's something to be said for not tuning out the sounds of the spectator crowds and your fellow runners.
During the Race
Start slowly. It's easy to get caught up in race-day adrenaline, but starting too fast is a big rookie mistake. There will be plenty of miles over which to pick up your pace if you're feeling great.
Don't blaze by every aid station or try to drink from a cup while running full blast. Either practice drinking while running before race day or just pull over for a few seconds to drink.
Bathroom lines are longest at the first few aid stations. If you can wait another couple miles without discomfort, it may save you time.
If you have a friend coming to cheer you on, plan ahead at which spots along the course he or she will meet you. A friend along the way can be a huge boost.
Enjoy the energy of the spectators. However, ignore the guy with the box of chocolate donuts. He's trying to be nice, but chocolate-glazed donuts at mile 18 are not a good idea.
Race day: In the immediate moments after your finish, drink several cups of water or sports drink to nourish your tired muscles. Walk a little, if you can, to let those muscles cool down. Do gentle stretching. Eat some simple carbohydrates, whether you feel like it or not.
After race day: Take at least a week off before resuming any kind of regular running schedule, and even then take your time easing back into distance and frequency.
Get plenty of sleep. Eat well-balanced meals. Take care of any injuries or ailments you may have developed during the race. Nourish your immune system, which will be more vulnerable immediately after the marathon.
When all is said and done, and you’re putting away your number and medal, you know, the one you get for finishing the marathon of all marathon’s, you can be proud of what you’ve accomplished. So, what’s next? Maybe in 2018 you can tackle the Boston Marathon as well?
Read more
Well, the New York Marathon is in the books, did you even think about participating this year? If not, why not make it the new goal for 2017. Think about it, a goal like that beats your usual New Year’s resolutions that you make each year while eating an appetizer and drinking your favorite brew at the New Year’s Eve party you go to each year, right?
There really is no reason why you can’t be one of the participants in next year’s race. After all, being a part of something so grand and big is a milestone event for anyone. Being a part of the over 50,000 finishers, it’s come a long way from the 55 original finishers who ran around Central Park in New York, 45 years ago!
If you commit, you’re going to need to prep and for any marathon, especially this one you need to build up your endurance to tackle that 26.2-mile course. We made a list of some key points you need to tackle to make sure your body and also your mind are in shape for this kind of trial.
Know why you want to run a marathon. Keep it personal and reminding yourself of the reason your training so hard each day, week and month will help keep you committed to reaching your goal of crossing that finish line.
Know what kind of shape You’re In! The 26.2 miles in a marathon put you at a significantly higher risk for injury than your daily neighborhood jogs. Consult with your physician before embarking on any training program. Make sure everything is in working order and your good to go.
Start early: We don’t mean start early in the morning!!! We mean that to train right, you need to train often and most aspiring marathoners run consistent base mileage for at least a year before embarking on a marathon training program. So you see, making that resolution at your New Year’s Eve party might just get you in under the wire, physically wise, but you need to commit!
One of the most common causes of injury is building weekly mileage too soon, too fast—so don't underestimate the importance of consistently running at least 20–30 miles a week regularly before committing to training for a marathon. This is important! You need to build your stamina so that your body has the conditioning it needs to tackle that distance. If you currently just jog occasionally, you need to ramp things up. Set yourself up with a schedule for each day in the week, but make sure after two days, you give yourself an easy pace day to help your body adjust.
Start small: Running a few shorter races—5Ks, 10Ks, or even a half marathon—is an excellent way to prepare physically and mentally for a first marathon.
There really is no reason why you can’t be one of the participants in next year’s race. After all, being a part of something so grand and big is a milestone event for anyone. Being a part of the over 50,000 finishers, it’s come a long way from the 55 original finishers who ran around Central Park in New York, 45 years ago!
If you commit, you’re going to need to prep and for any marathon, especially this one you need to build up your endurance to tackle that 26.2-mile course. We made a list of some key points you need to tackle to make sure your body and also your mind are in shape for this kind of trial.
Know why you want to run a marathon. Keep it personal and reminding yourself of the reason your training so hard each day, week and month will help keep you committed to reaching your goal of crossing that finish line.
Know what kind of shape You’re In! The 26.2 miles in a marathon put you at a significantly higher risk for injury than your daily neighborhood jogs. Consult with your physician before embarking on any training program. Make sure everything is in working order and your good to go.
Start early: We don’t mean start early in the morning!!! We mean that to train right, you need to train often and most aspiring marathoners run consistent base mileage for at least a year before embarking on a marathon training program. So you see, making that resolution at your New Year’s Eve party might just get you in under the wire, physically wise, but you need to commit!
One of the most common causes of injury is building weekly mileage too soon, too fast—so don't underestimate the importance of consistently running at least 20–30 miles a week regularly before committing to training for a marathon. This is important! You need to build your stamina so that your body has the conditioning it needs to tackle that distance. If you currently just jog occasionally, you need to ramp things up. Set yourself up with a schedule for each day in the week, but make sure after two days, you give yourself an easy pace day to help your body adjust.
Start small: Running a few shorter races—5Ks, 10Ks, or even a half marathon—is an excellent way to prepare physically and mentally for a first marathon.
Choosing a First Marathon
Marathons range from quiet, low-key races on backcountry roads to spectator-lined urban races with tens of thousands of runners. To help you get used to the race vibe and identify your preference, run a few shorter races, cheer on a friend or volunteer at marathons.
Choosing a marathon close to home may offer a "home field advantage" with the opportunity to run on familiar roads; on the other hand, choosing a "destination" race can really stoke your motivation fire in the months leading up to race day.
The primary elements of marathon training are:
Base mileage. Build your weekly mileage over time, running three-to-five times per week.
The long run. Do a long run every 7–10 days so your body can adjust gradually to long distances.
Speed work. Practice intervals and tempo runs to increase your cardio capacity.
Rest and recovery. Adequate rest helps prevent injuries and mental burnout.
Base Mileage: Most marathon training plans range from 12 to 20 weeks. Beginning marathoners should aim to build their weekly mileage up to 50 miles over the four months leading up to race day. Three-to-five runs per week is sufficient. The vast majority of these runs should be done at a relaxed pace. You should run at an easy enough pace to be able to carry on a conversation.
When building base mileage, never increase your weekly mileage by more than 10 percent from week to week.
The Long Run: Your next step is to build up to a weekly long run. This should be done once every 7–10 days, extending the long run by a mile or two each week. Every 3 weeks, scale it back by a few miles so as not to overtax your body and risk injury. For example, you might run 12 miles one weekend, 13 miles the next, then 14 miles, and then 12 again before moving on to 15 on the fifth weekend.
Doing these runs at a substantially slower pace than usual builds confidence, lets your body adjust to longer distances, and teaches you to burn fat for fuel.
Max distance: Most marathon training plans usually peak at a long run of 20 miles. So where do those last 6 miles come from on race day? With proper training, your body will take advantage of the peak shape your body will be in, the rest you offer it during a tapering period, and the adrenaline and crowd support of race day.
Speed Work: Speed work is an optional element to incorporate into your training program. It can increase your aerobic capacity and make your easy runs feel… well, easy! Intervals and tempo runs are the most popular forms of speed work.
Intervals are a set of repetitions of a specific, short distance, run at a substantially faster pace than usual, with recovery jogs in between. For example, you might run 4 X 1-mile repeats at a hard pace, with 5 minutes of slow jogging or even walking between the mile repeats.
Tempo Runs are longer than an interval—generally in the range of 4–10 miles, depending on where you are in your training—run at a challenging, but sustainable, pace. This kind of workout teaches your body, as well as your brain, to sustain challenging work over a longer period of time. Always allow your body to warm up and cool down with a few easy miles at the beginning and end of any speed workout.
Rest and Recovery
Rest days mean no running. They let your muscles recover from taxing workouts and help prevent mental burnout. The greatest enemy of any aspiring marathoners is injury, and the best protection against injury is rest.
If you are itching to do something active on your rest days, doing some cross-training is a great option. Cross-training can include walking, hiking, cycling, swimming, yoga, lifting weights, or any other active pursuit that isn't as high-impact as running.
Tapering: In the two or three weeks leading up to your marathon, scale back significantly on overall mileage and difficulty of your runs to let your body rest up for race day.
Hydration
Nearly all marathons include water and aid stations along the way.
If you plan to carry some of your own water on race day, buy a hydration pack or belt long in advance and get accustomed to running with it. Never try something new on race day.
While training, of course, you will be doing plenty of long runs without the benefit of aid stations. Several tried-and-true techniques to consider:
Carry your own water using a hydration pack or belt, or with handheld bottles
Do long runs on a short loop course, so you can stash water in one spot along the way.
Plot your long run route to pass water fountains (but during colder months, make sure that they're turned on).
Fueling
You've probably heard about the phenomenon many marathoners experience right around the 20-mile mark, commonly called "hitting the wall" or "bonking."
Your body can only store so much glycogen—its primary source of energy during the marathon. As this level gets depleted over the course of your marathon, your muscles will begin to tire and feel heavy. While no amount of fuel consumption during the race can entirely replace your depleted glycogen, consuming small amounts of carbohydrates can help prevent you from hitting the dreaded wall. Energy gels or chews are the easiest to carry and often easiest to digest—but a few pieces of fruit or an energy bar can also do the trick. For any run over 2 hours, aim to take in about 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour.
As with everything, make sure to test out various types of fuel on your training runs to see what your stomach tolerates best, so you can fuel confidently on race day.
Race Day Tips
Don't try anything new on race day—no new shoes, new shorts or a new shirt. Don't guzzle 3 cups of coffee if you usually have one. Your long training runs are when you should be fine-tuning your clothing, gear and fueling strategies.
Before the Race: Hydrate well for several days leading up to your marathon. Drink a big glass of water before you go to bed the night before race day. Drink another one first thing in the morning.
Eat a simple, high-carbohydrate breakfast several hours before the start of the race. Bagels, oatmeal, bars and fruit all work well.
Lather up with a little Vaseline or BodyGlide in any areas vulnerable to chafing (you probably learned where during training runs).
Get to the starting line early, and if needed, get in the port-a-potty line 30–40 minutes before the official start time. The lines may be long.
The temperature is apt to rise over the course of the race, so don't overdress. If you're really cold at the start, wear an oversize trash bag over your clothing to keep warm until the starting gun goes off.
If you plan to run with music, check ahead of time whether headphones are allowed on the course; not all marathons permit them. Running with headphones can be dangerous if you can't hear what's happening around you, particularly if you're not on a closed course. Finally, there's something to be said for not tuning out the sounds of the spectator crowds and your fellow runners.
During the Race
Start slowly. It's easy to get caught up in race-day adrenaline, but starting too fast is a big rookie mistake. There will be plenty of miles over which to pick up your pace if you're feeling great.
Don't blaze by every aid station or try to drink from a cup while running full blast. Either practice drinking while running before race day or just pull over for a few seconds to drink.
Bathroom lines are longest at the first few aid stations. If you can wait another couple miles without discomfort, it may save you time.
If you have a friend coming to cheer you on, plan ahead at which spots along the course he or she will meet you. A friend along the way can be a huge boost.
Enjoy the energy of the spectators. However, ignore the guy with the box of chocolate donuts. He's trying to be nice, but chocolate-glazed donuts at mile 18 are not a good idea.
Race day: In the immediate moments after your finish, drink several cups of water or sports drink to nourish your tired muscles. Walk a little, if you can, to let those muscles cool down. Do gentle stretching. Eat some simple carbohydrates, whether you feel like it or not.
After race day: Take at least a week off before resuming any kind of regular running schedule, and even then take your time easing back into distance and frequency.
Get plenty of sleep. Eat well-balanced meals. Take care of any injuries or ailments you may have developed during the race. Nourish your immune system, which will be more vulnerable immediately after the marathon.
When all is said and done, and you’re putting away your number and medal, you know, the one you get for finishing the marathon of all marathon’s, you can be proud of what you’ve accomplished. So, what’s next? Maybe in 2018 you can tackle the Boston Marathon as well?
Marathons range from quiet, low-key races on backcountry roads to spectator-lined urban races with tens of thousands of runners. To help you get used to the race vibe and identify your preference, run a few shorter races, cheer on a friend or volunteer at marathons.
Choosing a marathon close to home may offer a "home field advantage" with the opportunity to run on familiar roads; on the other hand, choosing a "destination" race can really stoke your motivation fire in the months leading up to race day.
The primary elements of marathon training are:
Base mileage. Build your weekly mileage over time, running three-to-five times per week.
The long run. Do a long run every 7–10 days so your body can adjust gradually to long distances.
Speed work. Practice intervals and tempo runs to increase your cardio capacity.
Rest and recovery. Adequate rest helps prevent injuries and mental burnout.
Base Mileage: Most marathon training plans range from 12 to 20 weeks. Beginning marathoners should aim to build their weekly mileage up to 50 miles over the four months leading up to race day. Three-to-five runs per week is sufficient. The vast majority of these runs should be done at a relaxed pace. You should run at an easy enough pace to be able to carry on a conversation.
When building base mileage, never increase your weekly mileage by more than 10 percent from week to week.
The Long Run: Your next step is to build up to a weekly long run. This should be done once every 7–10 days, extending the long run by a mile or two each week. Every 3 weeks, scale it back by a few miles so as not to overtax your body and risk injury. For example, you might run 12 miles one weekend, 13 miles the next, then 14 miles, and then 12 again before moving on to 15 on the fifth weekend.
Doing these runs at a substantially slower pace than usual builds confidence, lets your body adjust to longer distances, and teaches you to burn fat for fuel.
Max distance: Most marathon training plans usually peak at a long run of 20 miles. So where do those last 6 miles come from on race day? With proper training, your body will take advantage of the peak shape your body will be in, the rest you offer it during a tapering period, and the adrenaline and crowd support of race day.
Speed Work: Speed work is an optional element to incorporate into your training program. It can increase your aerobic capacity and make your easy runs feel… well, easy! Intervals and tempo runs are the most popular forms of speed work.
Intervals are a set of repetitions of a specific, short distance, run at a substantially faster pace than usual, with recovery jogs in between. For example, you might run 4 X 1-mile repeats at a hard pace, with 5 minutes of slow jogging or even walking between the mile repeats.
Tempo Runs are longer than an interval—generally in the range of 4–10 miles, depending on where you are in your training—run at a challenging, but sustainable, pace. This kind of workout teaches your body, as well as your brain, to sustain challenging work over a longer period of time. Always allow your body to warm up and cool down with a few easy miles at the beginning and end of any speed workout.
Rest and Recovery
Rest days mean no running. They let your muscles recover from taxing workouts and help prevent mental burnout. The greatest enemy of any aspiring marathoners is injury, and the best protection against injury is rest.
If you are itching to do something active on your rest days, doing some cross-training is a great option. Cross-training can include walking, hiking, cycling, swimming, yoga, lifting weights, or any other active pursuit that isn't as high-impact as running.
Tapering: In the two or three weeks leading up to your marathon, scale back significantly on overall mileage and difficulty of your runs to let your body rest up for race day.
Hydration
Nearly all marathons include water and aid stations along the way.
If you plan to carry some of your own water on race day, buy a hydration pack or belt long in advance and get accustomed to running with it. Never try something new on race day.
While training, of course, you will be doing plenty of long runs without the benefit of aid stations. Several tried-and-true techniques to consider:
Carry your own water using a hydration pack or belt, or with handheld bottles
Do long runs on a short loop course, so you can stash water in one spot along the way.
Plot your long run route to pass water fountains (but during colder months, make sure that they're turned on).
Fueling
You've probably heard about the phenomenon many marathoners experience right around the 20-mile mark, commonly called "hitting the wall" or "bonking."
Your body can only store so much glycogen—its primary source of energy during the marathon. As this level gets depleted over the course of your marathon, your muscles will begin to tire and feel heavy. While no amount of fuel consumption during the race can entirely replace your depleted glycogen, consuming small amounts of carbohydrates can help prevent you from hitting the dreaded wall. Energy gels or chews are the easiest to carry and often easiest to digest—but a few pieces of fruit or an energy bar can also do the trick. For any run over 2 hours, aim to take in about 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour.
As with everything, make sure to test out various types of fuel on your training runs to see what your stomach tolerates best, so you can fuel confidently on race day.
Race Day Tips
Don't try anything new on race day—no new shoes, new shorts or a new shirt. Don't guzzle 3 cups of coffee if you usually have one. Your long training runs are when you should be fine-tuning your clothing, gear and fueling strategies.
Before the Race: Hydrate well for several days leading up to your marathon. Drink a big glass of water before you go to bed the night before race day. Drink another one first thing in the morning.
Eat a simple, high-carbohydrate breakfast several hours before the start of the race. Bagels, oatmeal, bars and fruit all work well.
Lather up with a little Vaseline or BodyGlide in any areas vulnerable to chafing (you probably learned where during training runs).
Get to the starting line early, and if needed, get in the port-a-potty line 30–40 minutes before the official start time. The lines may be long.
The temperature is apt to rise over the course of the race, so don't overdress. If you're really cold at the start, wear an oversize trash bag over your clothing to keep warm until the starting gun goes off.
If you plan to run with music, check ahead of time whether headphones are allowed on the course; not all marathons permit them. Running with headphones can be dangerous if you can't hear what's happening around you, particularly if you're not on a closed course. Finally, there's something to be said for not tuning out the sounds of the spectator crowds and your fellow runners.
During the Race
Start slowly. It's easy to get caught up in race-day adrenaline, but starting too fast is a big rookie mistake. There will be plenty of miles over which to pick up your pace if you're feeling great.
Don't blaze by every aid station or try to drink from a cup while running full blast. Either practice drinking while running before race day or just pull over for a few seconds to drink.
Bathroom lines are longest at the first few aid stations. If you can wait another couple miles without discomfort, it may save you time.
If you have a friend coming to cheer you on, plan ahead at which spots along the course he or she will meet you. A friend along the way can be a huge boost.
Enjoy the energy of the spectators. However, ignore the guy with the box of chocolate donuts. He's trying to be nice, but chocolate-glazed donuts at mile 18 are not a good idea.
Race day: In the immediate moments after your finish, drink several cups of water or sports drink to nourish your tired muscles. Walk a little, if you can, to let those muscles cool down. Do gentle stretching. Eat some simple carbohydrates, whether you feel like it or not.
After race day: Take at least a week off before resuming any kind of regular running schedule, and even then take your time easing back into distance and frequency.
Get plenty of sleep. Eat well-balanced meals. Take care of any injuries or ailments you may have developed during the race. Nourish your immune system, which will be more vulnerable immediately after the marathon.
When all is said and done, and you’re putting away your number and medal, you know, the one you get for finishing the marathon of all marathon’s, you can be proud of what you’ve accomplished. So, what’s next? Maybe in 2018 you can tackle the Boston Marathon as well?