Maintaining training for the London marathon - guest blog by Purus Active
It has been a long 18 months for those who first found out about their marathon spot in October 2019. In that time, we have had delays, postponements and virtual events but now it seems we are on the home straight. The 6-month countdown to 50,000 people running the streets of London for 26.2 miles is on. If all goes to plan it will be the biggest mass participation event with the main event in London and another 50,000 people from around the world doing the virtual event. It will be an amazing experience and even more so after the hardship of lockdown during 2020.
During this time training has been hard with the stop start nature of lockdown. This has meant runners have found it tough to motivate themselves sticking to a training plan that keeps on being disrupted. Now though with the green light from the organisers, plans can get back in place and the ramp up can begin. However, before lacing up those trainers here are some tips that be good to look at before pounding the pavement:
Find yourself a good training plan that will last 16 weeks. There are plenty of good resources out there and the London marathon has a plan for all abilities.
16 weeks means starting mid-June so between now and then it is all about building up a base level of mileage in the legs. This will mean the start of the plan will not be so daunting and also the body will be conditioned to the training volume. To do this I would recommend 3-4 runs per week of which 75% of that is low intensity and the rest at a slightly quicker pace. Total volume should be relatively low to minimise over use injuries.
Get yourself some comfortable trainers and good clothing. Albeit this is tough whilst shops are closed but when restrictions are lifted, visit a good running shop and let them assess you with a gait analysis. There is a huge choice out there but I always recommend comfort and colour and intuitively you know what feels right. This is key as you will be spending most of your week in them when the plan kicks in! Also, a range of clothing for warm and cold weather as we go through the seasons will be beneficial.
Start a strength program early on in your training. This will help make the body more robust to the rigours of the run training. The basis of run strength training plan is to increase your resistance to fatigue and help maintain an efficient running gait for longer. Single leg weighted exercises along with core strength are key to this.
During the plan I would advise some cross training to reduce the impact on the joints from the running but also maintain fitness. Examples of this include cycling, swimming and walking.
There is no magic formula with recovery but being consistent in a few areas will help. Regular sleep of 8 hours per night is ideal along with nutrition consisting of good quality carbohydrates, fats and protein will maximise the body’s ability to recuperate. Cryotherapy, sports massage and stretching on a regular basis are great additions to this.
These tips will be a great place to get started for the challenging but exciting journey ahead. There is no better atmosphere on race and the thought of that should push you through the next few months to that start line.
For more information, feel free to email Purus Active Health on info@purusactivehealth.co.uk