How Do Marathon Runners Prepare For The Big Day
Let’s say you’ve got the motivation to run a marathon. But do you really know how do marathon runners train? What do they eat? How do they recover? If your answer is no, then read further because these tips are definitely for you.
We all have our motivations for wanting to run a marathon. You’ve got to a certain age and feel like you need a challenge.
You have a charity that you want to help, and want to raise as much money as possible. Someone you know is doing it, and you don’t want to give them the satisfaction of being the only one to get the credit. All are perfectly good reasons. Yes, even the last one.
How successfully you run the marathon will come down to a lot of factors:
- Your diet regime, from the moment you decide you’re running it, has to be on point.
- Your training needs to be efficient and thorough, to make sure you run at your full potential.
- And your mental attitude needs to be strong.
- You need to hold on to whatever is making you do this – be it love, ambition or revenge – and keep it in your mind at all times.
Preparation Needed For Marathon Runners
There are other things you need to keep in mind to make sure you do as well as you can in a marathon. Here’s how to prepare as marathon runners do:
1. You Don’t Have To Finish The Marathon
Although people talk about making sure you finish, this is not the most important thing. There are world-class athletes who start a marathon but don’t finish it.
If you start and give it your very best – but don’t end up finishing – it is not a failure. Especially if this is your first go – and don’t let it sour you on trying again.
2. Make Your Efforts Efficient
What’s more important is to make sure that you give yourself the best chance of doing well, and are able to recover from the attempt.
Whether you complete the marathon or not, you want your efforts to be as efficient as possible. And if you’ve got a job to go back to, you don’t want to be wincing around the office for days on end.
3. Make Sure You Are Equipped For The Race
The wrong equipment for a marathon, or any other athletic endeavor, can bring the whole thing crashing down. Say, for example, you get to around the three-mile mark and your feet are agonizingly painful. You’re just over 10% into the race. Do you really want to quit?
It should become clear in training whether or not your feet need more support. If that is the case, orthotics for running shoes will make your efforts more efficient.
4. Watch Your Diet
You need to prepare correctly in terms of diet. That means for at least a week before the race, you don’t waste a calorie.
High-protein meals and smoothies are essential. For a few days before the contest, a high-carb option such as pasta will help.
5. Know The Difference Between Injury And “The Burn”
Finally, when it comes to running a marathon, you will be in pain for at least part of the race. You have to be skilled at differentiating between injury pain and “the burn”.
Running through the pain can be a necessity in a marathon, but there is no point in trying to run through a pulled muscle. It will more or less guarantee you don’t finish.
It could very well mean you don’t do much of anything for weeks afterward.
Running a marathon is more than worthwhile. If you can get the bug for it, it can be a great way to stay in shape and a way to raise money for charity.
But don’t let enthusiasm blind you to the fact that preparation is more essential in this than in any other race.
What You Should Know About Marathons
Here is a great infographic with a few more detailed tips on how marathon runners prepare for the event, and what you should know before starting your first marathon:
