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Those of you lucky enough to bag a place at the London Marathon this April must be buzzing with excitement. The 26 mile slog around the capital is one of life\u2019s ultimate challenges, with honour bestowed upon men brave enough to tackle such feats of physical endurance. With the London Marathon only five weeks away it’s time to get serious about your training. You’ve probably been stepping up the efforts in 2012 but additional advice and encouragement never goes amiss. Especially from those in the know…<\/p>\n
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That’s why Elysium thought it wise to seek the knowledge advice of a few seasoned pros in the health & fitness world to lend you a helping hand. Step forward former Olympic 400m runner Iwan Thomas, former Gladiator & Olympian Wayne Gordon and leading fitness scientist Anna Holder.<\/p>\n
A marathon is undoubtedly hard work so preparing your body in the right way will help you get through this demanding challenge. We’ve broken it down into five key areas essential to success in endurance sports, and with the guidance of fellow Olympians and experts, you\u2019ll be in safe hands.<\/p>\n
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To get your body and mind ready for the challenge ahead, the right preparation is crucial. As Wayne tells Elysium \u201cGetting prepared for a long distance running event won\u2019t happen overnight but it isn\u2019t something that should seem unreachable. Make sure you invest in a good pair of trainers and set yourself a training program that will help you reach the required level of fitness by race day.\u201d<\/p>\n
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This is how you\u2019re going to build up the fitness level needed to compete (\u2026or simply complete) a long distance endurance event. \u201cThe key to exercising for a marathon is to slowly build up your fitness over a long period of time\u201d highlights Iwan.<\/p>\n
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This all makes sense so far, and you\u2019re probably thinking those gym hours on the treadmill or pounding the pavements has prepped you enough. But here\u2019s where a little science might help your understanding as Anna explained: \u201cIdeally you should be building up a good \u2018base\u2019 of endurance fitness through the off season (e.g. winter) with plenty of long low-to-medium intensity sessions, then adding some higher interval sessions later on. The longer, slower sessions will help your \u2018economy\u2019 whereby your body learns to become really efficient at a set of movements, using less energy for the same level of performance. The higher intensity sessions will boost your fitness and improve speed.\u201d<\/p>\n
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You\u2019re not going to be running nowhere without the right type of fuel so diet is one of the most important factors. It can mean the difference between finishing or not, and even shaving seconds off your personal best time.Wayneadds food for thought \u201cYou\u2019ll need to have a well-balanced, sensible diet which includes unprocessed foods. Increase your carbohydrate intake with foods such as oats, sweet potatoes and brown rice, to ensure sustained energy release throughout the day. Also always make sure you stay hydrated through your workout.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Anna added \u201cDuring training, stick to water for sessions under an hour and use sports drinks, gels and bars (whichever suits you) during longer sessions. After longer or higher intensity sessions, consume a snack with some high-quality protein and carbohydrate (like flavoured milk or peanut butter on toast) within 30-60mins of finishing and then eat a proper meal including plenty of wholegrain carbohydrates and fruit or vegetables within the next few hours.\u201d<\/p>\n
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There\u2019s good reason to believe that fuelling your body with the right foods is key to getting the best performance from it. Your body is craving food after a workout to help with the repair and regeneration of muscle tissue. Anna helped get our heads around the concept \u201cThis reduces the stress hormone response to exercise and so helps prevent suppression of your immune system. It optimises muscle recovery, aids rehydration and replenishes muscle glycogen stores ready for your next training session.\u201d<\/p>\n
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We all love our rest, (afternoon siesta anyone?) but it plays a far deeper role in the maintenance of your body when training for endurance activities. \u201cRest is obviously important for endurance running and they are a key element of my training programme. I will usually have three rest days a week when training seriously in order for my body to fully recover and be able to train as hard as I can. In the lead up to the race I will make sure I rest for four days and stock up on carbohydrates to ensure I\u2019m fully prepared\u201d said Iwan.<\/p>\n
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Injuries are also more likely if your body is not properly rested, and fatigue can leave you open to illness. As Anna warns \u201cThe last thing you want is to get injured or come down with a cold just before the big event, so make sure you schedule recovery days into each week, particularly on the days after longer runs or high intensity sessions. Consider getting a sports massage on a regular basis to aid recovery and help maintain muscle condition.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Running long distance can be a lonesome experience \u2013 typically a couple of hours with no one to talk to, and just your thoughts for company. You might have the comfort of music spurring you on, but there\u2019s only so much of \u2018Eye of the Tiger\u2019 a man can take.<\/p>\n
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Variety is key to motivation, as Anna suggested \u201cvary the type of training that you do during the week and you\u2019ll find that your fitness improves more rapidly. Integrate other activities like spinning classes, martial arts and walking into your weekly routine to add another dimension to your training and help avoid boredom.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Iwan adds \u201cThe main thing I do to reduce boredom is setting small goals throughout my runs. This keeps me motivated and breaks down the long runs.\u201d<\/p>\n
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So there you have it. Whether you\u2019re already committed to running the London Marathon this year (exact countdown from today: 1 month seven days), or decided that 2012 is the year to get involved with endurance sports \u2013 the advice above should prove invaluable in reaching your goals. The euphoria of crossing the finish line, building up your fitness, raising money for charity, or simply having an amazing story to tell at the next dinner party \u2013 such feats of endurance is a huge accolade to hold.<\/p>\n
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For more details on the London Marathon visit Virgin London Marathon<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Iwan Thomas is a K-Swiss elite ambassador and uses the K-Swiss Blade-Max Stable trainer. For further information, visit: www.kswiss.com<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Wayne Gordon is ambassador for ICON Health and Fitness, enjoying workouts on his NordicTrack Treadmill (www.nordic-track.co.uk<\/span><\/a>) and Proform Exercise Bike (www.proformfitness.co.uk<\/span><\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\nAbout the experts:<\/strong><\/h3>\n