American Liver Foundation:

TEAM MEETINGS & EVENTS

Training

Reaching the finish line

Just as you have committed to work hard to raise funds for the American Liver Foundation, Run for Research® is committed to helping you in every way possible to have a safe, successful and satisfying marathon experience. Later in the fall you will receive a more detailed training guide. Here are the fundamentals of our training program.

Basic training principles

Once upon a time, training for a marathon meant running 100 miles a week, never taking a day off, and eating nothing but tree bark. In the last 10-20 years, however, hundreds of thousands of runners have finished marathons by following much simpler, less punishing, and safer training regimens. The Run for Research® training program is a good example. It is designed so that runners of all ages and fitness levels can reach the finish line. You may decide to create your own plan, rely on other sources of training guidance, or modify the RFR program somewhat. In any case, it's a good idea to understand the fundamentals behind our program. Here's how it works.

Avoiding injury

Before we even start to talk about running, understand that the greatest threat to your successful marathon is an injury. Even minor injuries can knock you off your training schedule. Most injuries are preventable, and most are caused by overuse—too much mileage, too rapid increases in distance or speed, or running downhill too often or too aggressively. Lack of stretching is another common cause. By sticking to the RFR training program, you will minimize (but never eliminate, of course) your risk of injury. If you do become injured, we can help you obtain the treatment you need to get back on track. At any point during the process, if you have a question or a concern about a possible injury—like where to get help, what to do, how to modify your training—you can contact our coach (brian@hamilladhesives.com).

Building a base

Our training program officially begins in December, but team members are strongly encouraged to start building their fitness level and mileage base in October. By early December, ideally you should have been running several times a week for 6 weeks or more. Your weekly mileage should be in the range of 12-20 miles, and you should be able to comfortably complete a 6 mile run. We encourage a "slow and steady" approach during this base-building phase—avoid weekly increase in distance that exceeds 10%. It is definitely possible to finish your marathon without having this mileage base, but it won’t feel as comfortable, and you will leave yourself with a higher risk of injury. In addition you may have some trouble keeping up with the suggested training schedule.

The long run

Your ability to run 26.2 miles in April will rely heavily on your weekly long runs, which progress from approximately 8 miles in early December to approximately 21 miles in late March. These runs literally build on each other. By running 10 miles, you prepare your body and mind to run 12 miles the following week, and so on. The key in these long runs is to cover the distance; don't worry about speed. Running out of gas with 3 or 4 miles to go will be frustrating, and will not help you get to the next distance level.

Your most important run each week is the long run. If your schedule allows, you can do all of these runs with the RFR team on Saturday mornings (see group run schedule and logistics). Everything else you do in your training supports your ability to run long distances, either by building cardiovascular fitness, augmenting leg strength, or simply giving your body practice in turning energy into miles.

Cross training

Fortunately, runners who heed warnings about running too far and too often have another wonderful option—cross training. This is the fancy term for training on a bike, stair machine, elliptical trainer or Nordic Track skiing machine. Cross training allows you to significantly build fitness levels without the pounding experienced while running.

Experts agree that cross training is an extremely smart way to train. Many fitness experts have called the elliptical trainer one of the great advances in training of this generation and our team trainer, Jake Kennedy, strongly encourages cross training, saying that it is almost impossible to get hurt while using these machines.

Because cross training avoids pounding-related injuries, there are essentially no limits for frequency or duration. It is safe to cross train everyday if you desire, including the day after a long run. Like running, cross training can be done for duration, tempo, incline or intervals. Varying your workouts promotes more balanced development of leg muscles and prevents monotony. Our coaches can help you create a schedule that includes cross training so that you can train healthier and smarter!

Taper

Approximately 3 weeks before the marathon, you will have your last long run. After that, you will go into "taper" mode, significantly reducing mileage and the associated stress to your body's moving parts. Between 8-15 days before the marathon, you should reduce all your workouts by at least 30%. In the last 7 days, by 50-60% and during the last 3 days you should avoid running altogether. The taper allows your body to heal and store energy for the big day that follows. At the April team meeting and by team communication, you will receive more specific information on how taper properly, how to prepare mentally for the big day and what you should be eating the days prior to the marathon.