Beginner’s Luck: Marathon Training For First Timers

IF running the Gold Coast Marathon has featured on your bucket list and you’ve put foot to pavement and committed to challenging yourself mentally and physically to run your first marathon on July 6-7, the unknown can be daunting.

Buddy up and train with a friend to keep your motivation in check.

IF running the Gold Coast Marathon has featured on your bucket list and you’ve put foot to pavement and committed to challenging yourself mentally and physically to run your first marathon on July 6-7, the unknown can be daunting.

Whether you’re an uninitiated runner or a seasoned campaigner, here are some tips to get you to the start line in the best shape possible.

And a word of warning to first-timers – one is rarely enough and you might be bitten by the marathon bug.

1. Don’t fall into the trap of “cramming’’ your training.

As the weeks count down, it’s easy to become concerned about the training that you still want or feel you need to do. Big jumps in your weekly mileage or speed elevate injury risk. Run smarter, not faster and keep building wisely, based on the training you have done.

2. Enlist support.

Find a running partner now and the accountability that comes with having a partner will make the early and cooler mornings more tolerable than going solo. On mornings when the doona has never felt so good, having a training partner will be the motivation to get you out of bed, if only for the reason of not letting someone down.

Join your local park run or running group and you’re guaranteed to find a like-minded runner to share the training load.

3. Get “strong’’ at home.

While gym-based strength and conditioning work can be very helpful, don’t underestimate what you can achieve with a few simple exercises done regularly at home. Exercises such as side planks, bridges, calf raises, burpees and wall sits can build a foundational level of strength that can make you run more efficiently and reduce chances of injury.

4. Stick to what you know.

Be wary of adding new physical activities into your weekly schedule. New activities can sometimes produce minor niggles or injuries that have the potential to hinder your goal or be the reason you don’t run at all.

5. Lace up.

If you are thinking that you need new shoes, now is the time to take action. With five weeks to go, you have time to break new shoes in, but think twice about changing shoe models. Try to stick with an updated version of the shoe model you know and find comfortable.

With the clock ticking and the 2019 Gold Coast Marathon within sight, pay attention to your body and how it is responding and you will give yourself the best chance of standing not only on the start line, but also the joy of running down the infamous chute and crossing the finish line. You’ve got this.

Brad Beer is an exercise physiotherapist, founder of POGO Physio and author of You Can Run Pain Free.