For many runners, the need to do a marathon is about personal challenge. You may want to test your limits or prove which you can go the distance. Maybe a friend has talked you into it. Perhaps you’d like to lose weight, get healthier or boost awareness for a charity. No matter what your reason is, hold on to it and remind yourself of it frequently during the months that lie ahead. When your legs are tired, or the weather isn’t playing ball, maintaining your motivation will help you get out the door.
Preparing for a marathon can be a marathon in itself. Training for a marathon requires intense preparation, dedication as well as skill. However, poor race-time decisions may counteract all of your months-long hard work in addition to planning.
How To Prepare In The Weeks Before The Marathon?
Your last long run should happen place approximately three weeks before the marathon. It takes that period of time for the training-induced muscle damage to resolve itself. Including an additional long run could lead to a lot of trouble. There will be slight gain, if any, and could cause an athlete to suffer from “dead legs” throughout the event.
The mileage two weeks prior to the race should be lowered by 25 to 50% as opposed to the prior week. Furthermore, you should cut this mileage in half the week before the race. This period could be when you wonder, “Did I train enough?” Don’t worry! You cannot make up training in the last two weeks. You will not de-condition while you are tapering off. If you put in the training, you are ready.
Like you taper your work in order to restore your muscles, concentrate on sleep the week before the race. Your body will really appreciate it. Even if nervousness prevents you from getting sleep the night before the race, the extra sleep you got during the preceding week will make up for this. This is a fantastic time to review the map of the course. Visualize yourself cruising along the course, enjoying the trip.
Find The Correct Training Plan
You can’t begin running the whole distance right out of the gate. This means that it’s important to find a plan which helps you to gradually build up your mileage as well as endurance while incorporating sufficient rest in order to prevent overuse injuries. Ideally, after finishing the training plan the runner will be prepared both physically – as well as mentally – for what to expect during the marathon.
Fuelling And Recovery:
You’re without doubt going to be hungry after all of that running, however eating the correct foods at the right times can help you fuel and recover throughout training. There is a small window of time up to 30-minutes after a hard training run when the body is best able to replenish and utilise the carbohydrates and protein that were used during exercise. Experts recommend consuming foods with a 3 to 1 protein to carbohydrate ratio. You can also refuel using protein shakes or chocolate milk.