Whether a runner has run one marathon or a half-dozen, there comes a time when they might want to improve their performance and make the marathon running experience more fun and enjoyable. To get to the next level of performance there are three key areas runners need to focus on: finding their pace; meeting their needs for fuel; and keeping themselves hydrated along the way.
Why not Just Do It?
First time marathon runners often eschew advice on making their marathon experiences better, despite people with the best intentions giving it to them, feeling instead that they just need to go out there and do it and see if they can finish. This is fine for a time or two, but sooner or later they will find that marathon running is an art form that can be finessed and made much more enjoyable by applying a little more logic to it.
Think of a distinction for a moment between driving to the local mall and driving across the United States. While these two activities both involve getting behind the wheel, the similarities end fairly quickly. Driving across the country, like running a marathon, requires a bit more planning. Marathon running requires some planning to make it happen more easily.
Pacing for the Marathon
Finding the right pace in the marathon is a devilish task for many runners. Most expert marathon runners and coaches agree that the best way to pace in the marathon is to run an even pace from start to finish. But this means knowing what that pace is and then going out and executing on that pacing goal in the race.
For the marathon runner, the task is to understand how fast they can run over the course of the entire 26.2 miles and then run that pace from start to end. When the runner understands that pace, they need to practice that pace over and over so that they can replicate that pace under the pressure and anxiety of the race.
Eating for the Marathon
Food is fuel and completing a marathon requires fuel. But there is so much more to eating than simply fueling the tank. Eating right for running means eating right on a day-to-day basis in order to have the energy to complete the many workouts required to get ready for the race and to help the body recover from those workouts. For an article that explores the basics of marathon running nutrition, click here.
Replenishing Fluids
As the body exercises, its mechanism for cooling is to release fluid onto the skin in the form of sweat. Once this fluid has been released from the body, it has to be replaced or eventually the body runs out and will no longer be able to cool itself. This leads to a number of heat related problems for runners. In addition to this, the body loses salt and other electrolytes in sweat and these substances are critical for cell function and the absorption of fluids.
While most beginning runners know that they need to drink something during their races, they don’t always make the connection that fluid loss impacts their performance. Learning to drink and to replace electrolytes is a key ingredient in keeping up their pace throughout the race, especially when fatigue sets in late in the marathon.
Joe English - Joe English is a professional running and triathlon coach and a journalist who follows the sport of marathon running and triathlon. Joe ...
