Marathoners – are you pushing yourself hard enough?

Managing fatigue

Hitting the wall, or bonking, is a very real phenomenon felt by marathon runners the world over.

Much of this comes down the way we use and store glycogen in our bodies and it’s important that we train ourselves to cope with this. Glycogen is a carbohydrate, and the body’s preferred energy source, as it is the most readily available when we exercise.

Long-distance training is a sure-fire way to train our body to use other energy sources, such as fat, when we’re exerting ourselves. This way we can go faster and run for longer. It also helps your muscles prepare for the endurance.

But it’s easy to forget that long-distance running isn’t the only way to train for a marathon.

Going the extra mile

Like any sport, it is essential to see improvement throughout your training. If you don’t improve, then quite simply, you aren’t working hard enough. Experts suggest increasing your mileage gradually – a 10% increase week on week is a good bet. This will not only help your body adapt to the distance, it will also help you mentally prepare.

If your aim is to cross the finish line in a set time, you should keep your goal pace in mind during training. There’s no need to complete the entirety of your long runs at marathon pace, but it’s a good idea to manage at least 1/3 of these at this speed. Closer to the event, you should also endeavour to get at least one 20-mile run in.

It’s important to finish off by reminding you that shorter, easier runs are just as crucial as longer ones, as they allow you to keep training without exerting too much stress on your body. Slower runs give your body time to recover from any micro-tears and damage that may have occurred during longer runs. Keep in mind that you could be doing more damage by raising the bar on recovery days.