Training for the Richmond Marathon

 

It is now just a week until I run my first full marathon in Richmond. It's kind of hard to believe. I signed up months ago after completing the Flying Pirate Half Marathon and November 10 seemed like an eternity in the future. No longer. It has been a long road, but I think I'm ready. Having never run a full marathon, I really wasn't sure what to expect. Fortunately, being part of the Cornerstone Striders has been an enormous benefit. The founder of our group, Andrea, is a seasoned marathoner with lots of experience.

One of the first things you learn when you begin training for a marathon is that, once a week, you do a "long run." The long run is designed to extend your ability to endure a long distance. The long runs start with relatively shorter distances and, toward the end of training, work up to 20-22 miles. That's a lot of miles, but the process serves a purpose. In my case, my training and a good many of my long runs occurred during the heat and humidity of July and August. Even though we started early in the morning, running 14 or 15 miles in temperatures in the upper 70's or low 80's and 90% humidity takes its toll. I remember thinking that I was never going to finish 15 miles and having to slow my pace to a walk because I was so drained. But I kept on plugging.

As the temperatures have turned cooler, an amazing thing has happened. All of those hot and humid miles built my endurance and conditioned me to deal with longer distances. Most marathoners, especially first-time marathoners, worry about hitting "the wall." The "wall" is the point where your body is running low on fuel and simply refuses to keep going. It can be devastating to a marathoner, especially if it comes with 5 or 6 miles left in the race. Trying to continue with leg cramps is very nearly impossible. And so, how do you deal with "the wall"?

In addition to training for distance, I have learned how to run distance. One of the keys is hydration. If you allow yourself to become dehydrated, you will hit the wall for sure. For that reason, I have learned to take hydration with me (hydration belt) or to consume it along the way at water stops. The same is try with nutrition. You cannot run a race on an empty stomach. You need fuel. I always eat something no closer than an hour before race time. I also take sports beans or gu's with me to provide a quick source of energy. Finally, when it comes to the marathon, sometimes walking is a good thing. There are any number of marathon strategies that include a walking component. Our Cornerstone marathon group will be using a "2 and 1" strategy. At each 2 mile mark, we will walk 1 minute. We have tested this strategy in our long runs and it seems to work well. It's almost like running a series of two mile races.

I will be running the Richmond Marathon with several friends. One of the things I have learned over the weeks and months of training is that running with friends makes the journey all the more enjoyable. If you have been thinking about taking the plunge and doing a full marathon, my advice is to go for it. Have fun and do something you never thought you could do!