Useful hints and tips - Types of Training
A really good marathon training plan should NOT only include increasing your running distance! Including other forms of cardiovascular exercise and strength and conditioning training can help to prepare the body, prevent injuries and get you to your targets.
In terms of the gym, as a marathon is an endurance event, I am not currently concerned about strength training (how heavy can you lift in one rep) or power / plyometrics at the moment, but rather now is the time to focus on hypertrophy - increasing the number of fibres within a muscle / making the muscles bigger, in order to store more glycogen for energy, and potentially reduce impact of any injury. Also endurance training - increasing the number of times a muscle can repeat an action before it gets fatigued. These types of training require lower weights with higher repetitions and it is a good idea to focus not only on your main leg muscles, such as quads, calves and hamstrings, but also adductors, abductors, glutes, back, shoulder and arms.
Cardio-vascular (CV) exercise - running is great CV but it also puts the strain of repeated movements and weight through your joints. Swimming is also great CV without putting the strain through the joints, it is a low-impact, full-body exercise, especially perfect to keep the CV up on days when the winter weather becomes icy and you would rather not risk an injury on frozen roads. Cycling is also great CV and targets legs muscles in a different way from running, so a mix is great for variety.
Strengthening the core and increasing flexibility can also help to prevent injuries, Yoga or pilates classes can be a great place to start, there are plenty of free online training programs but one the benefit of classes is having an instructor making sure you have a really good technique.
Training update
This week I have been to my first yoga class, a swimming session, one gym session. and I have also completed a 5.5 mile run with my training buddies K & A. Yes it has been a bit tiring - but also exhilarating! I need to look next week at my diet and make sure I'm fuelling the extra activity in the best possible way.
Fundraising update
Thanks to my first 5 sponsors I already have £100 towards my goal with the online fundraising page.The link to donate is here: Ruth's fundraising page
I have started with a "guess my time book" at work - for just £2 per guess people can try to guess how quickly (or slowly) I will complete the marathon, between 4hrs 30 and 7hrs. People can make as many guesses as they like. So far I have raised £14 in the box.
K & I are planning a charity treasure hunt event for the running club (anyone welcome but people need to be able to run 5 miles and knowing the town really well will help!). An event page will be up and running in the next few days with further details.
Thank you for reading, I hope the info is both useful and interesting!
Ruth x