Distance Running and The Marathon

Distance Runner

Marathon is a name gotten from a place in Greece where it is first practiced. Because of its popularity, it stood out amongst other distance races and was once the centerpiece in Olympic but has now replaced with other various field races and fast track that looks more interesting on television.

Marathon training is a bit different from a standard 5, 10 or 12 km race. While preparing for the race, the runner must have to get used to running at a marathon pace for an extended period.

Long Run

Marathon’s preparation most crucial workout is ‘The Long Run.’ The Long Run is developed by increasing the mileage of the runner once a week until the athlete can run for 2-3 hours generally. Although this increase is to be done gradually and gently, the weekly mileage increase should be about 10 to 20% of your goal mileage and is majorly dependent on the runner’s baseline.

Plans on the weekly distance to be covered must first be made, to help plan the increase accordingly. After this, the runner can begin to include speed workouts.

Marathon pace running

In this type of training, the runner runs at the projected marathon pace. These are tough runs that can go on for about 2 hours mimicking the primary marathon race.

Getting a running partner that runs at the same speed as you, keeps you going and helps to pace your rate during workouts. Joining a half-marathon is also a good idea, but you must ensure you run at your own marathon pace, as it is an effective way of preparing for the main marathon.

Food, fluids, and paraphernalia

During preparation for the real marathon, knowing the kind of food and drinks you are conditioning your body to is essential as it determines how slow or fast your pace during the race will be. Experts have advised you to stay hydrated by drinking fluids every 10 to 15 minutes during the run, whether you are thirsty or not.

Check your body reaction to the type of fluid that served at the race by using it during practice. Sports drinks give a better boost than plain water.

Avoid food that contains fiber; eat more of food rich in carbohydrates.

Choose the gears, i.e., shoes, running clothes, socks, shorts, you are comfortable with, and practice it until it becomes part of you, the aim is for you to be extra comfortable during the marathon race.

Other pre-race preparations

The final long run is to be done two weeks before the primary marathon race and should be about 20 miles (32.19 km) or at least3 hours run. Finally, before you enter the marathon, ensure you take much rest to heal from injuries obtained during pre-race preparation.

Following the routine of the previous runner who broke a record also helps your running ability and keeps you motivated and pushes you to achieve results you would be proud of. Training on Distance running should be done gradually and with no harshness at all.

Distance Running Tools

Distance Running Tools

The Gears

Just like in every sport, preparation for a full marathon means getting the right tools. For those aspiring to reach their goals, you must ensure to get the right gear/tools and accessories that will augment your speed, endurance, motivation, and strength. Here are some gears preparation tips to help ease the stress of you going to look for them yourself.

Running Clothe

Wearing the appropriate running attire will help prevent external running hazards from getting to your body.

We will be starting with running shorts. Remember when choosing a short ensure it is not too tight (which may lead to improper blood circulation) or to lose (to prevent it from falling off your waist). There are two types of shorts runners can decide to opt for

  • Traditional running shorts

These runnings short are not very close but are short. They provide excellent cooling and comfort. Regular running shorts are designed with microfiber and wicking briefs; although they are a bit expensive, it gives support for distance runners by directing cooling to a specific area.

  • Compression or Cycling shorts

Compression shorts, on the other hand, are mostly used by athletes who do not like their thigh flab poking out because of its unflattering snugness that prevents friction against the thighs.

Tops

Distance runners could either opt-in for Singlets, short sleeves, or long sleeves, depending on the weather type and the runner’s preferences. However, do not use tops made with cotton material while tops made with polyester are widely accepted because of its ability to absorb and dry up the sweat quickly, keeping you dry, comfortable, and fresh. For adverse weather, sports jackets are allowed. They help in keeping one dry and warm throughout the race.

Shoes

Running shoes contributes mainly to the runner’s comfort level. You need to select a pair that fits your type of foot, and allows free movement of the foot muscles. It also shapes the manner at which you run.

Socks

Sweating on the feet is common to athletes running a distance of 5 km or more. (Feet) Sweats can make you uncomfortable and could lead to soreness of the feet. Long marathon races require socks with materials that absorb sweats.

Accessories

Running accessories may include head and wrist bands, hats(protects us from wind), speed monitors. The speed monitor is used for calculating the distance traveled on the course of running and keeping track of the overall time taken to cover a specific range. Accessories eliminate the stress/hassle of using an odometer for measurement.

Hydration packs can also be added to the list of running accessories since it helps you maintain an optimal hydration level.

For female runners, the right bra for sport is essential. It reduces the uncontrollable burst movement that tends to stress the burst ligament and can cause pain on the burst.

During the preparation of a marathon, you have to ensure you are comfortable in your choice of chosen gears, i.e., the tops, shoes, shorts, socks, and any additional accessories, when all the selected speeds are on point, then you are a step closer to achieving your goals.

Distance Running Random Tips

Distance Running Random Tips

The popularity of running is rapidly increasing in the world of sport. Just by knowing you don’t require any athletic qualification (you need to know how to run) and its other great benefits, has played a significant role in the popularity increase.

Here are 6 random tips about distance running that will get you started or even more prepared.

The Mind

The mind places a significant role in distance running, as people will say “success starts from the mind,” i.e., your kind if mindset determines how much of a successful being you can be and vice versa. Although the reality of distance running been hard is right, having a positive mindset does the trick.

When a new body begins an exercise, there will be some resistance from the body. The person will encounter difficulty in breathing, muscles ache, and tiredness. All these are enough reasons to quit but that is where the power of the mind and mental attitude comes into play, but the zeal to succeed will keeps you going.

The secret, Start slow

Keeping the pace low at first is extremely important although stiffness of muscles and lung issues (like difficulty in breathing) might arise at first but eases up as you continue. First run is always the hardest; therefore, you are to pick a short distance, run two to five times weekly with rest in between, then you can progress from there. Finding a running partner makes it more fun.

Gears

Choosing of shoe and clothe for running is to be supervised by the sport store clerk, more importantly, the shoes should be made for running, must be flat (with little or no heel slippage), and must also fit well to avoid injuries on the muscles of the feet and bruises on the toenails while running.

Food

Distance running requires a lot of energy, strength, and endurance which brings carbohydrates(known as energy givers)to the top of the list, followed by protein(known as a body-builder)needed to help build strong muscles. Lack of carbohydrates in the body results in muscle fatigue, low blood sugar, low endurance level and many more which can make you give it up faster than expected.

Let’s not forget about water which is also as important as food, and needed throughout the race. Whether you are thirsty or not you have to make drinking water every 10 to 20 minutes a habit since the fluid in our body is dissipated/released as we run via sweat.

Endurance

Increasing running distance is suggested once one becomes stable and comfortable with their running, and must be done gradually (i.e., at most 10% increase every week).To ensure your endurance level remains on point, setting a long-term goal is suggested, these goal keeps you going but remember the slower, the better.

Training logs

The log is another valuable tool that is to be filled daily and must be detailed. Here you are to record all your running details that include pulse rates, distances covered, rest days, comments on being tired. It also helps in the planning of future activities.

Distance running is fun; you have to enjoy it. Although you have to exercise patience in the journey to become a successful distance runner you also have to train the right way, eat good food and have enough rest.

Injuries and Errors in Distance Running

Injuries and errors

In every sport, injuries are always recorded, and distance running is not exempted. Aches must occur whether you are training for a race, or you are running to lose weight, or just for the fun of it. Survey has shown that training errors have led to more than 50% of injuries recorded in the running.

Training errors tend to occur when one takes on much more physical activity than the body can maintain and by constant repetition of a particular exercise that tends to strain the muscles, leading to an injury known as an overuse injury. These training errors are also said to occur when the training routine suddenly changes or changes in the intensity level of the practice.

Other training errors include

  • Training Load

In the running, it is not advisable to move from 0 to 100, i.e., increasing our mileage so fast. This is one of the major causes of injuries in the running. Due to these coaches ensures the athlete takes it slow while building their distance, by doing so, your muscles tend to adapt to the forces they are subjected to…

  • Down Hills Running

Extreme care should be taken when doing the hill training because while running the hills down our heel tends to hit the ground, thereby leading to the knee’s inability to absorb the reactive forces of the earth, which goes further to cause a condition called runner’s knee. Such pains on the knee increase during prolonged sitting or after sitting for a while.

  • Size of Shoe

When choosing the size of shoe used during training, the athlete is to consider if he or she is comfortable, does the pump create a free movement of the foot and muscles of the foot, if no then injuries like a sore foot would occur.

Other common injuries include

  • Hamstring Strain

Research has shown that the hamstrings make up most of the muscles responsible for forwarding movement while running. Once there is an issue with the group of muscles, your flexibility and strength are automatically affected.

  • Shin Splints

Shin splint is a type of injury in which tears begin to occur around the shin-bone. About 15% of injuries that happen during running can be traced to the shin splints.

  • Plantar Fasciitis

Less than 16% of injuries obtained during running are attributed to foot pain. Foot pain occurs as a result of the tearing and swelling of ligaments and tendons of the feet. Such strains are mainly felt along the heel like an achy feeling.

The human body can heal itself, even though it is not realistic in any way to want an injured body to recover fully while still undergoing the activities that caused the injury. The healing process doesn’t just work like magic; it is a process and must take a bit of time. Therefore, try not to get engaged in any training during the healing process, also ensure you visit a physiotherapist for proper checkups during the process of healing, and don’t just assume you are beautiful and ready for a race.

Crossing Countries in Distance Running

Crossing Countries

Running has lots of benefits, which includes enhancing you physically by giving you a well-chiseled physique and stimulates the release of endorphins (during the peak of the race) which helps fight pain and stress naturally. For this is the reason, more communities have joined, and are still participating in the fight to ensure running is globally recognized. There have been lots of competitions, shows, and events as regards distance running, one of which is known as “cross-country.”

How is Cross Country Running done?

Let’s get your engine revving by pinpointing what cross-country running is all about. It is merely a type of race done on open-air and over terrain which is natural for example grass. This race can be done as a team or individually and people of different ages are allowed to compete. Cross-country running events occur at a different temperature, especially during winter and autumn. Before joining this event have it in mind to encounter muddy grounds, hill, flat surface, woodlands, and lots of dirt.

Starting off the race

Signals like a horn sound or a gun fired once indicates the competition has, i.e., head to the finish line. Most times in this race teams are assigned their boxes popularly known as bullpen along the beginning area. The bullpen can sometimes be big enough to take the whole team, but when this is not the case, and the space available is for only one runner, then the other side members will have to wait in line for their turn. Each team must consist of 2-7 runners for your team to have an advantage once the race starts; they have to be smart and quick because of people converging on a very narrow path.

In cross-country competition, the loops should be between 1,750metersto 2,000meters with about 400meters to 1,200meters of leveled terrain, i.e., no turning included. This is done to avoid/reduce congestion at the beginning of the race. In the middle of the race, runners are reminded to stay on the path marked and avoid running over the items(such as ribbon, flags, tapes, e.t.c) used as a marker to tell the runners where to turn or go to avoid creating confusion.

Ending of the race

Just like every other type of sport, this also has a finish line (the end) to ends. A chute or funnel usually marks the finish line, i.e., a long walkway made or marked with either rope or flags. This is typically done just to ensure a single file order and to enable proper scoring.

The race is scored by adding up four to five top finishing positions of the individuals in a team.

In cross-country running, it doesn’t just take your endurance and speed alone to win. It takes teamwork meaning every member of your team has to be up and doing. Some persons have advised that team members should run in a group, but this seems to be impossible since every individual has a limit to which their capacity can take thereby making some members of a team lag behind.

Becoming A Victorious Distance Runner

Victorious Distances

Running is not only a fun-filled activity, but it is also a serious event that can be life-altering. The more distance an athlete covers in a designated time frame, the more accomplished he or she feels both physically and even psychologically. Becoming a successful runner especially in long distances requires the building of some particular component that would give a boost to skill, thereby making you adequately ready for the race.

Here is an essential list of routines/training that helps you boost your skills, and also helps you get ready for a race.

The Fartlek:

Fartlek is a Swedish term for speed play and is tagged an essential component in the distance running. Fartlek is done by carefully bursting into speed while in the middle of the race training. It merely means intermixing of some periods running fast and some periods of running slow. Fartlek allows your legs to utilize various paces. The basic of the Fartlek is to help the athlete know the time he or she can go at an individual pace. It’s essential that Fartlek should not be overdone, i.e., Ensuring the body can maintain the speed it is running.

The Hills:

Just like the name implies, it means running on a hill or an inclined plane. This training requires lots of mental and will power. Hill and incline routines and sessions help in building up of the muscles especially that of your clave, therefore giving you an edge(regarding power, speed, and leverage)overrunning on the flat surface field since the same muscle groups used in the hill and inclined session are used on the flat surface field too. Hill routine also offers the benefit of preventing injuries, since muscles around your knee are improved and strengthens during the method.

The Interval:

Intervals involve a short time frame of running hard and a longer time frame of resting in which you can either jog or walk. This training will be done on the track where distances are clearly defined. The interval running involves mostly speed workouts whereby both the length and pace is accurately laid out before you even begin. This routine helps the athlete become more efficient physiologically over some time.

The Tempo Run:

Tempo Run is known as the least complicated speed workouts; this is because the track of the distance is not kept and doesn’t require regular recalling of the time split. During this training, your body realizes how to run economically thereby enabling an increase in your speed level and maximizing your body’s endurance.

The Long Run:

The long-run is said to be the most crucial because it gives your body the needed endurance and stamina (both physically and mentally) that will carry you throughout the distant runs.

Practice makes perfect and building towards distance running is no joke, but if you follow the basic routine listed above before you head out to the road or track, you can be sure you are on your way to becoming a successful athlete.

Joining The Race

Joining The Race

Distance running is also known as the Marathon race has become a popular form of exercise. However, things to note before joining a distance running includes

Heart conditions:

This is one crucial thing to be considered before one decides to join in on all the fun.

Before joining the race, approval from the doctor is first required. It is advised that those with such conditions are to consult their physician or doctor on the kind of exercise they are to partake in that won’t aggravate the heart condition. It also applies to those who think they are fit and healthy; because feeling fit and confirming you is medically fit are two different things.

Here was a list of men who died in a race

  • Mike Banner was one of the men reported to have died of a heart attack in 2007 while competing in a race. It was said he was unaware he had a rare heart condition which caused his arteries to get clogged during the competition leading to a fatal the heart attack.
  • Running the U.S. men’s marathon Olympic, Ryan Shay, died. At 28, he had an enlarged heart. Even though his condition was made known to him, he decided to use it to his advantage. Unfortunately, this advantage was what ultimately turned on him and led to his death.

Therefore, before one embarks on any exercise like distance running, medical check-ups must be carried out to ensure one is healthy and fit. Thereby any risks are averted.

Intake of Water:

Measures have also been taken to remind runners to drink while running. However, a substantial number of runners do not heed this advice. But who can blame them? After all, it breaks the concentration and while drinking water is critical, crossing the finish line is on the first thoughts of all athletes find themselves entertaining.

Medical research has shown that when athletes go on a long race without drink or fluid and fiercely guzzle down water after the race, they tend to lose excessive sodium when they sweat when compared to those athletes who take fluid during the race. Low sodium in the blood could lead to brain swelling, seizure, confusion, and even death. Therefore caution is to be taken in this area.

Proper Eating:

Food is also as important as water. Eating the night correctly before embarking on a long-distance race is essential. It is advised to eat food loaded with about 50 percent carbohydrate and fat, oil and vitamins to complement the remaining50 percent. The calories of the diet should not be less than 2000 calories.

Stretching:

Stretching is another essential thing to note before running a marathon. This is to be done to help the muscles fully relax and flexible thereby preventing muscle injuries or pulls while running. One has to do it right also; having a trainer is always an excellent idea.

Distance running is an enjoyable exercise and is safe if all rules are being followed, i.e., medical check-ups, proper eating, stretching before running an adequate intake of water. Its benefit includes burning of fat, strengthening of the muscles and heart as well as regulating blood supply in the body.

The Human Powerhouse

The Human Powerhouse

“Your Core is probably the only structure that does not require much training.”

Core strength is not about developing skeletal or muscular armoring and it is not about over developing one specific group of muscles. Instead, core strength involves developing resiliency.

It becomes rigid when you need to lift something substantial, it becomes loose when you are tired, fatigued or depressed, it becomes responsive when you are playing sports or doing other activities such as dancing, and it becomes stable and strong to maintain a good posture both durable and dynamic.

The entire core system is like a tennis ball. As long as it’s compact, it will bounce, but the moment it’s cut the bounce reduces and eventually stops.

The core is your powerhouse. It can still be active and working despite of all the direct or indirect damage caused by the body structure (Flat feet, lumbar lordosis, thoracic kyphosis, scoliosis, stiffness of the spine for whatever reason), adaptive positioning and movement dysfunction, pregnancy, childbirth, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, sexual intercourse, physical trauma, post-surgery and old age just to name a few.

The question is what the first step towards Core Recovery is?

Many of you agree when you are depressed, you tend to give up most of the activities you slouch and loose your ideal posture. Realigning your position is the first step to a faster core recovery. This sounds easy but how do you realign your perfect posture and how long will it take?

Your posture is an Internal job; it’s not just physical but also psychological. To realign your posture you need first to find the bunch of muscles that are causing this postural malfunctioning and changes. Creating balance in their length and strength relationship is the way to start. This may not take too long, but the actual results can only be seen after this training of fixing their relationship has been done consistently and for a reasonably long time. Ideally, as much time as it has taken to malfunctioning.

Most people already give up halfway. Or when the pain is reduced, they believe the problem is fixed. That’s not true. It’s like taking the antibiotics you must finish the doses; otherwise, you will develop the sensitivity towards it, and it won’t work next time you decide that antibiotic. You will need a much higher dosage that means much harder work for your liver to process & expel it and detoxify your body.

Same applies when fixing your core. When you stop it becomes sensitive to the methods, you used to fix it, and then ultimately you have to try something else to fix it. That requires learning new ways new techniques all over again and the time and effort that it takes yet. This process goes on and on.

The two best methods to keep it all aligned and remain it that way is to practice Yoga and Pilates under supervision (one on one) and also practice under the experienced masters who have the extensive knowledge of Human body and movement science.

See below the six specialized classes we offer to fix your core or book a private session, and we can fix it from the inside out without going for any invasive or fat-sucking procedure.

  1. Postnatal Recovery
  2. Yoga Core
  3. Back Care Yoga
  4. Backstretch vinyasa
  5. Spine Clinic
  6. Ab Blast Pilates

If you are not being able to visit our physical location, Purchase the ten series pilates video and begin strengthening your core as little as in 30 Days.

—-

If you are a new or busy mom?

Or Are you recovering from surgery in your back or abdomen?

Or want to regain your strength after chemotherapy?

Or you are looking for an alternative way to manage chronic pains and boost your energy?

But you either can’t make it to the studio that often or can’t afford the cost of private training or BOTH.

Then, THIS IS FOR YOU.

Sign up for the eight weeks customized online core repair program today and begin to feel energetic and pain-free again.