On Sunday, June 1, 2008, the original Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in San Diego begins a new decade as one of the world’s premiere marathons. The event is known as a 26.2-mile block party with a live band at every mile along the course, hundreds of cheerleaders, themed water stations and a post-race concert, which featured SEAL in 2007.
Now is the time to set training plans and begin preparing for the entertaining fitness experience. For 20,000 runners and walkers, race weekend offers a unique opportunity to take an active vacation, accomplish personal goals, team up with friends and family, raise funds for charity or race like the King.
Read the rest of this entry »
Completing a marathon puts ordinary runners in the company of elite athletes—finishing a 26.2-mile run is an impressive accomplishment.
But you don’t have to be an elite athlete to join the ranks of marathoners around the world. With dedication and training, most runners can complete a marathon—and then have the satisfaction of being able to say, “A marathon” Yeah, I’ve done that.”
So don’t shy away from a marathon because it seems too hard, too long, too painful. With the right attitude and a good training regimen, it’s just 26.2 miles away.
Read the rest of this entry »
“I just run as hard as I can for 20 miles, and then race.”
- Steve Jones (when asked about his race plan, after he had won the Chicago Marathon in the then world’s best time)
“Anyone can run 20 miles. It’s the next six that count.”
- Barry Magee, Olympic marathon bronze medalist
“A marathon is like life with its ups and downs, but once you’ve done it you feel that you can do anything.”
- Unknown
“Ultimately, you just need to enjoy it and have fun with it. The best advice I got – that really was beneficial to me – was to take it slow. Walk through the water stops – make sure you take something to drink and stay hydrated. I think the mental part of the marathon – just like in gymnastics – is the most important and sometimes challenging part.”
- Shannon Miller, seven-time Olympic medal winning gymnast’s advice for other marathon rookies
Let’s get this one simple fact straight: you do not have to run a marathon to be considered a “real runner.” Anyone who pounds their feet on the pavement in repetitious monotony, automatically knows how many miles are in a 5K, and doesn’t laugh when someone bellows out the word “fartlek,” is a REAL runner.
But since the running boom officially “boomed” a second time with Oprah’s 26.2 feat in 1994, not to mention her triumphal landing on the cover of Runner’s World magazine, more and more runners continue to spin their feet at the distance. Dubbed “everyman’s Everest’ by former professional runner and current Runner’s World executive editor, Amby Burfoot, the marathon of the twenty-first century attracts everyone from the taut and toned twenty-year-olds to the Ben & Jerry fifty-year-olds. Gone are the days of the first boom where everyone ran hard, everyone ran more than 70 miles per week, and almost everyone belonged to the same gender.
According to a recent article in the New York Times, 410,000 runners hit the finish line last year, as opposed to 277,000 in 1994. And there are no signs of slowing down: the Chicago Marathon shut down registration for its famously flat October race earlier than ever before.
But why the sudden rush to the summit when there at least 13.1 reasons to run a half before you land on top of the world?
Read the rest at our partner site: HerActiveLife.com
A few years ago (while I was living in Florence, Italy) I trained a good friend of mine to run the Rome Marathon.
I paced him throughout the cobble-stone laden course and he crossed the finish line in just over 4 hours; an excellent time for a first-time marathoner.
After the race, as I gleamed with pride over his accomplishment, we went to a restaurant near the Coliseum to stuff our faces and I did what any good friend would do to celebrate such a milestone . . . I ordered a bottle of champagne.
No, alcohol and post-race recovery are not a match made in heaven (especially when so many runners’ stomachs are already in knots), but we were caught up in the aftermath of his glory. We were also in Italy, where alcohol is an important and respected dimension of the culture.
So as they say . . . “When in Rome”!
Read the rest of this entry »
Jim Fortner is a weekly, guest contributor to TFS. Make sure to also check out his own personal running and advice site: “Jim2’s Running Page”.
It’s perfectly natural for a runner to have a lot of uncertainty while training for his or her first marathon. There are so many things to question yourself about …
Am I running enough miles? Am I getting enough rest? Should my longest run be 18 or 28 miles….or somewhere in-between? How many 20 mile runs should I do? Should I structure walking breaks into my long runs? Should I do speedwork? If so, what kind and how much? Should I use sports gels and/or powerbars during my long runs? And on….and on!
Different marathon training plans or “experts” will give you conflicting answers. All are right and all are wrong for your specific needs!
Read the rest of this entry »
A note from TFS: Jim Fortner is a weekly, guest contributor to The Final Sprint. Make sure to also check out “Jim2’s Running Page”, his own personal running and advice site.
Below you will find his latest post about when you should run your first marathon in order to prevent injury and perform your best.
I think it is a mistake for a beginning runner to attempt a marathon too soon. The risk of injury and/or a very discouraging experience is just too great in the first year. Most of the work associated with a marathon is in the training, not the actual running of the race. The race is simply the hardest single day (albeit, also the most enjoyable) of an overall marathon program. The real challenge is to be prepared to handle the training program which precedes the actual marathon before launching into it.
Marathon training places intense demands and stresses on the muscular and skeletal structures of the body. I believe they should be developed and strengthened very gradually….in sequential seasonal stages or phases….to reach a level where they can take on the rigors of marathon training. Pushing them too far, too soon is just inviting injury.
© 2006-2008 The Final Sprint, LLC | Privacy Policy | Design by The Blog Studio
The Final Sprint, LLC is owned and operated by Adam Jacobs
The Final Sprint