Hope everyone is having a great week! For those marathon training, the schedule calls for your first 2:30+ run so the coaches wanted to remind everyone of some key elements as we begin the core marathon training season.

During this time of year, one piece of success is the weather so checking the forecast in an important part of planning your weekend run. At this early juncture, both days look to have temps in the mid 80s. Continue to hydrate on a regular basis to prevent dehydration. For those of us who sit at a desk all day, set an alarm to go off every hour to remind yourself.

Also keep in mind why you’re doing these runs: spending time on your feet and building endurance. Time on feet is a reference to amount of time spent running versus the amount of miles run. The difference is the body’s comprehension of running. As you know, the body notices drastic differences in pace, i.e. 7:00/ mile vs. 9:00/ mile. However, the body does not notice a subtle change of 8:45/ mile as compared to 9:00/ mile. Focus on the amount of time spent running — with the amount of miles run being secondary – especially during these warm summer days. There is plenty of time for marathon-paced workouts later in the plan and the base built now will be crucial to their success.

Whether running on your own or with a group, scout your route in advance. These early training runs provide an opportunity to prepare for the longer 20+ runs to come and learn what works and what does not work. Select routes with similar course conditions to your race (flat, rolling hills, etc). Plan water stops at key locations so water is available every few miles. Also, here’s a few things to keep in mind regarding clothing:

• Wear your most comfortable clothing – sports bras/ tank top/ t-shirt/ running shorts that do not chafe; comfy socks, sneakers with some wear (not brand new). Plan ahead during the week to ensure these comfy clothes are available for your long run
• Use Body glide and bandage areas to prevent chafing
• Consider sunglasses if you need them to prevent glare/ eye strain which is wasted energy
• Charge your GPS device (if you wear one) so it does not fail on the run

All of these will ensure successful long runs in the coming weeks. Enjoy your week and, as always, let us know how we can help.

Chris 40