Marathon Training Season Begins!

For most Texans, September means the beginning of football season.  Teams at every level, from PeeWees to the NFL, “break camp” and begin playing games with meaning.  While I watched a little football action on television last weekend, the real meaning of September for me is ramping up the training miles in preparation for a winter marathon.

Many runners’ Fall marathon training regimens have similarities to the NFL calendar. 

During the mid-summer heat of July and August, they begin to run more often and slightly farther.  Just like an NFL training camp, they are laying the groundwork for the upcoming season.  Runners are also putting together a training plan for the rest of the year and orienting their lives and minds for the demands of marathon training.  A good place to start with the development of a marathon training plan is Marathon Pal – Marathon Training FAQ’s .

When it comes to “race training” element of a marathon plan, the North Texas Race Calendar is set up to support runners training for the December 13 MetroPCS White Rock Marathon.  The calendar features incrementally longer races (15K, 20K, half marathon, 30K and 20-miles), fitting well into marathon training programs.

In the NFL, teams build momentum through the regular season in an effort to make the playoffs, and then try to peak at the right time to win playoff games.  Likewise, runners training for a marathon participate in these incrementally longer races, and increase the distance of their weekend long “easy-does-it” runs to build stamina and endurance for peak performance on marathon day.

Marathon race weekend is like a personal Super Bowl for runners.  The race expo and pre-race pasta dinner are big celebrations and a time for camaraderie with fellow runners.  For many runners, especially those who traveled to the marathon race city, there are also logistical issues to deal with leading up to the start of the race.  All this adds up to anxiety and some sleepless pre-race nights.

Of course, when the starting gun sounds and the marathon begins, runners’ emotions reach a crescendo.  Just like the opening kickoff of the Super Bowl, when the game begins, no one can predict the outcome.  At that point it’s “game on” and time to let the chips fall where they may, and hope that all the training pays off.

The marathon race progresses much like a Super Bowl game.  Runners enjoy a halftime celebration at 13.1 miles, experienced marathoners know the real race begins in the fourth quarter (last 10K), and the hardest part comes during the two-minute drill (last 2 miles).

However, the biggest difference between the NFL’s Super Bowl and the finish line of a marathon, is everyone gets an award.  After completing 26.2 miles, everyone is a winner!

Best wishes to everyone training for a winter marathon. 

Whether it’s your 1st or 51st, train smart and run well!

 

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