- km In A Marathon
1 marathon = 42.194988 kilometers
Long Distance Marathon Training
The distance of a long run is considered to be 10 miles or longer as well as
runs that last over 90 minutes. It should be run approximately one minute
slower than the pace you plan to run during the marathon or stated another
way, one to 1-1/2 minutes per mile slower than your present 10K race pace.
If your training schedule calls for a long run of 16 miles, the distance
must be run at one time rather than splitting the distance into an 8-mile
morning session and an 8-mile evening run.
The long run is the most important component of marathon training because it
teaches the body to both mentally and physically tackle the challenges
presented in completing the 26.2-mile marathon event.
Physiologically, the body must learn to tap into and utilize energy reserves
from fat storage sites after the glycogen (fuel stores in the muscles,
converted over from carbohydrate food sources) have been depleted. Through
long run training, the capacity to store more glycogen within the muscles
increases. An increase in glycogen stores translates into the ability to
maintain one's pace during the marathon and delay the onset of fatigue.
Conversely, trouble is on the horizon when you run out of glycogen, as your
pace will significantly decrease.
One must also be accustomed to running for very long periods of time, and
the mental toughness that develops from completing long training runs pays
off handsome dividends during the actual marathon.
The long run also provides an excellent opportunity to experiment with a
variety of issues and concerns (e.g., shoes, nutrition, pacing, etc.).
Above all, marathon training schedules must be designed so
that runners are adequately rested prior to undertaking their long runs. One
who completes at least two long runs of 20 miles or longer prior to his or
her marathon will no doubt reduce the possibility of visiting the dreaded
"wall" (the point in time when glycogen stores within the muscles have been
depleted and as a result, the runner's pace slows considerably, oftentimes
to a walk).
In short, the majority of runners who experience difficulty in completing
their long training runs fail to prepare adequately for these critical
workouts. In short, remember that both long runs and the marathon
don't have to be painful experiences. The key is to plan ahead.
Benefits of the Long Run
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Provides the necessary endurance to complete the marathon.
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Strengthens the heart (increases stoke volume) and opens
the capillaries, both sending energy to working muscles and flushing waste
products from fatigued muscles.
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Other physiological benefits include the increased number
and size of mitochondria and increased myoglobin concentration in muscle
fibers.
-
Strengthens the leg muscles and ligaments, thus improving
your endurance.
-
Recruits fast-twitch muscle fibers to help with
slow-twitch tasks (like running a marathon).
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Teaches the body to burn fat as fuel.
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Develops your mental toughness and coping skills, thus
increasing/enhancing your confidence level that you can go the full
marathon distance on race day.
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Increases your overall speed, even for shorter races.
Preparing for
the Long Run
While completing long runs can be sometimes difficult, preparing properly
for these training sessions will make this important workout much easier to
accomplish. Listed below are areas of concern that require your careful
preparation prior to, and during your long run. Let's assume that your long
run is scheduled for Sunday morning.
Rest
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Get lots of rest Saturday night, aiming for 8 hours sleep.
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Make either Friday or Saturday a complete rest day for the
legs.
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If you do train on Saturday, make it a very light workout
on the legs.
Marathon
Training Nutrition
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Drink lots of water all day Saturday.
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Eat meals high in carbohydrates for lunch and dinner
Saturday. Selecting the "right" foods is an important area of
experimentation.
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Avoid foods high in salt and excessive protein/fat all day
Saturday.
-
Drink about 16 ounces of water Sunday morning prior to
your long run.
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Eat a light snack Sunday morning prior to your long run.
This is also an important experimentation area in regard to food
selection.
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Drink lots of fluids while running. Be sure to stop for
water frequently throughout the run. For runs longer than 90 minutes, you
MUST drink sports beverages (such as Gatorade, PowerAde, etc.) at every
two to three mile interval. Drinking on the run requires careful planning
of the route (making sure there is water frequently available along with
places to stash sports drinks).
-
Consider trying gel carbohydrate replacement products. Be
sure to chase these supplements down with water to avoid stomach cramps
and insure absorption. A final thought: Please dispose of gel and energy
product wrappers properly by throwing them away in trash receptacles or
placing them in your fanny pack. Let's all work together to keep the
environment clean!
-
After the run is over, continue to drink fluids (water,
sports drinks, and/or juice products are all great choices).
-
As soon as possible (ideally within 15 minutes), grab
something nutritious to eat to replace your depleted glycogen stores.
Research indicates that to avoid muscle fatigue the next day,
carbohydrates should be eaten as soon as possible following long duration
exercise.
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Shoes,
Apparel, and Accessories
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Make sure that you are training in shoes with low mileage
wear to maximize absorption of shock.
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Wear Cool-max or synthetic blend socks, singlet, and
shorts that wick away moisture/perspiration and won't cause chafing to
enhance your comfort level.
-
Use Body Glide, Skin Lube, Vaseline, or similar products
(on feet, under arms, between thighs, nipples, etc.) to eliminate or
reduce chafing and/or blisters.
-
Do not over-dress. Assess the need to wear tights,
long-sleeves, etc. as excess clothing can lead to overheating of the body.
Doing so makes the "real feel" 10 degrees warmer once you begin running.
In cooler weather and/or in windy conditions, consider wearing an old
t-shirt that you can discard once your long run or marathon begins, but be
sure that you won't be running into the wind later on your return route.
Also remember that if you choose to wear a hat, it will trap body heat
(great in cold weather) but a bad idea for a long run or marathon with
hot/humid conditions).
Things to
Consider While Running
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Run at a conversational pace by starting out slowly to
conserve glycogen.
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Running at an easy pace reduces the possibility of
incurring an injury.
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Stay loose by shaking out your arms and shoulders
regularly.
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Carry your arms close to your waist or hips to conserve
energy. Also avoid unnecessary arm swing, particularly laterally across
the body.
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Realize that long runs will sometimes be difficult to
complete and that you may experience some "bad patches" in the later
miles. Persevering through these stretches will develop mental toughness,
an essential skill that will be needed during the marathon.
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Use imagery, mental rehearsal/visualization, and self-talk
to develop mental toughness. Mentally break the course into sections.
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Cool down by running the last half-mile at a very easy
pace.
After the
Long Run is Over
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Drink and eat.
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Stretch thoroughly.
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Do some light cycling, walking, etc. later in the day to
loosen up your legs.
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Consider utilizing some therapeutic techniques such as
dipping your legs in cool water soon after the run, getting a leg massage
over the next couple of days to reduce muscle soreness and fatigue.
Guidelines
and Other Helpful Tips to Make the Long Run Easier and Safer
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Don't schedule long runs too early in your training, even
if you are physically prepared to cover the distance. This may lead to
staleness or premature burnout. Additionally, you may "peak" too early in
your training.
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Schedule some long runs at the same time of day the actual
marathon will be held to familiarize yourself with running during that
time-frame and to also develop a pre-race routine for which you feel
comfortable.
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Include weight training into your marathon training
program.
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Consider running for time, approximating the distance.
Doing so will enable you to have more flexibility and spontaneity in
regards to the route you choose to run.
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Do not increase the distance of your long run by more than
10 percent per week. This equates to adding approximately 15 minutes to
each subsequent long run.
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Every fourth week of your training schedule, drop the
distance of your long run, providing for an easy week to facilitate rest
and recovery.
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Use your long runs as a means of experimentation regarding
future choices of food, clothing, shoes, etc. See Experimentation Issues
for more information.
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Schedule you're longest run no closer than four weeks
before the marathon. The distance of this run should be 23 miles maximum.
Above all, DO NOT run 26.2 miles in practice to see if you can run a
marathon. Save your efforts for the actual race!
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It's perfectly acceptable to stop or walk to get the
fluids down during your long run. Doing so will not have a negative effect
on your preparedness for the marathon. Water and sports drinks are your
"lifeline" to completing these long workouts.
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Running with a group will make the long run more
pleasurable and easier to accomplish as opposed to running alone.
-
While running with a group is a great idea, be sure you
don't turn long runs into races. This will almost surely lead to injury.
Find training partners who run at, or close to your training pace.
How
Many km In A Marathon |
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