New range of Canine Hydration launched to optimise the performance of your hound in hotter weathers.
A 2017 study showed that electrolyte drinks are a safe hydration alternative for dogs who’re at risk of heat stroke in hot weather. The dogs offered electrolyte drinks in the study drank significantly more fluid and maintained healthier hydration levels.
“If a dog is reluctant to drink, then a highly palatable flavoured electrolyte solution may give them a boost,” says Cynthia M. Otto, the lead researcher named on the paper.*
Well, we did try effervescent tablets, but none of the dogs we beta-tested them with were keen… Chris’ dog Kyra was NOT a fan of our effervescent tablets
Why now?
PH are generally all dog lovers and this has been a pet project of mine for a while now. It’s just taken a while to convince head honcho Andy Blow, who has a ‘complicated’ relationship with anything that barks… Plus, we did the math and dogs have twice the number of legs for us to help avoid cramping up. It just makes sense from a business perspective.
5 signs your pooch is a ‘salty sweater’
They lick your leg when you arrive home from a sweaty effort They stop to drink from, or lie down next to, puddles a lot, especially when it’s hot They crave salty food and treats They leave salty marks on your car seats after walks on the beach Their nose is less wet than usual after longer walks
Check out these 5 reviews from our beta-pups and their humans…
Sammy and Saxon (and F1 legend Mark Webber)
“The drinks made us feel faster than Daddy used to be on a good day in qualifying!” “I was sceptical at first, it all just seemed a little far-fetched to me. But fair play to the lads, they’ve pulled it out of the doggy bag with this one…” Sammy, Saxon and Mark Webber
Bruce (and Superbike rider Eugene Laverty)
“I can’t usually stomach much when I’m panting hard, but I was lapping this stuff up!”
“Super happy that the whole family will now be hydrated by the pros. Brucie knocked 3 minutes off his walk PB the other day and I’m 67% sure that the drinks played a role in that…” say Bruce and Eugene Laverty
X (and triathlete Emma Pallant-Browne)
“I’ve been peeing on far fewer lamp posts since incorporating the drinks into my hydration strategy. 5 from me!” “PH really are best of breed when it comes to hydration.”
Rosa and Pica (and ultrarunner Robbie Britton)
“After years of barking up the wrong tree when it comes to our hydration needs, we’ve finally found an optimal solution,” said Fast Running contributor Rosa.
“The drinks have become part of our pre-walk ritual, right between the girls bringing me my shoes and pacing up and down by the door. Thanks guys!”
We can’t give you the last few minutes of your life back, but we do still make the best darn electrolyte supplements for sweaty humans too. For now at least…
The British Olympic Association has confirmed the first seven members of the athletics squad who have been selected to Team GB for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Chris Thompson, 39, and Stephanie Davis, 30, secured their spots in Tokyo after victories at the British Athletics Marathon and 20km Walk Trial at Kew Gardens last week.
For Thompson, who became a dad for the first time earlier in the week, it capped a whirlwind few days as he achieved a personal best time, completing the course in two hours, 10 minutes and 52 seconds, which doubled as an Olympic Games qualifying standard. Ben Connor, 28, also booked his seat on the plane after finishing second, having set the qualifying standard in 2020.
They will join Scotland’s Callum Hawkins, 28, who had previously earned pre-selection in December 2019 and demonstrated current form and fitness having acted as a pacemaker at Friday’s Trial.
Stephanie Davis, who ran her first marathon only three years ago, ran inside the qualifying standard in Valencia in 2019, and her performance at Kew Gardens will see her compete for Great Britain and Northern Ireland for the first time.
Jess Piasecki, 30, and Steph Twell, 31, will join Davis in the women’s marathon in Sapporo.
Piasecki clocked a time of two hours, 25 minutes and 28 seconds at the Florence marathon in 2019, while Twell clocked a marathon personal best of two hours, 26 minutes and 40 seconds in Frankfurt in the same year.
Purdue misses out
In the current wealth of British female marathon talent someone was always going to miss out, with four athletes having secured the qualification time. Maybe unexpectedly it was Charlotte Purdue, just 10 seconds back from Piasecki’s 2:25:28, who missed out to 2:26:40 marathoner Twell.
This could potentially be down to the fact that all three missed the Trial, which Davis won commandingly, and current fitness had to be assessed by selectors from afar. Twell, who ran 16:20 for 5000m recently, was the only one with recent form and Purdue’s last performance was an excellent 68:23 half marathon, way back in February 2020.
That said, Piasecki’s last race was that 2:25 that put her third on the British all time list, in November 2019. It could simply be that Purdue didn’t put herself forward for the event either, but such is the secrecy around selection meetings, we might have to wait on Instagram posts from athletes themselves or just not really know for sure.
Bosworth walks into the Olympics
Kew Gardens also played host to the British Athletics 20km race walk trials which saw Tom Bosworth, 31, finish second to secure his qualification for Tokyo having already achieved the qualifying standard at the European Race Walking Cup in 2019 when he posted a time of one hour, 20 minutes and 53 seconds. Tokyo will be Bosworth’s second Olympic Games having finished sixth in 2016.
“It is a great privilege to be able to welcome the first seven members of the athletics squad for Tokyo into Team GB,” said Mark England, Team GB’s Chef de Mission for Tokyo 2020.
“It was clear from watching the coverage of the qualifying event last week, and seeing the emotion felt by each athlete as they crossed the finish line, just how much this selection means to them. The hard work and dedication that goes into securing Olympic qualification is admirable, especially in a year that has come with so many challenges.
“I’d like to congratulate everyone on their fantastic achievements, and we look forward to welcoming them to Tokyo this summer.”
The first of many athletes to be announced
UK Athletics Performance Director and Team GB Athletics Team Leader for Tokyo 2020, Sara Symington, added: “We are really pleased to be announcing the first seven members of the athletics team for the Tokyo Olympic Games. I want to congratulate all the athletes on their selection. It is a significant milestone in their careers, and a proud moment for them, their coaches and support teams, family and friends.
“Focus now turns to making sure they are prepared for that start line in Sapporo, so we will be supporting the athletes to achieve their goals at the Games.”
Selection is subject to the appeals process, with the rest of the athletics team due to be announced over the coming months.
Marathon and race walk join canoeing, sailing, sport climbing, triathlon and shooting as the first sports to announce the athletes selected to Team GB for the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, which will take place from 23 July to 8 August 2021.
Selected marathon athletes:
Stephanie Davis (Phillip Kissi; Clapham Chasers)
Jess Piasecki (Robert Hawkins; Stockport)
Steph Twell (Aldershot Farnham & District)
Ben Connor (Derby)
Callum Hawkins (Robert Hawkins; Kilbarchan)
Chris Thompson (Alan Storey; Aldershot Farnham & District)
Karla Borland starts off her 2021 Fast10 journey with an insight into being married to someone at the very top of their sport. Some a little bit like living with a marathoner, but to the extreme.
When I was asked for a ‘fun fact’ for the Fast 10 blog I mentioned my dog, Goose. He’s a very cool English Pointer and will hopefully feature in an upcoming blog. The other ‘fun fact’ that I probably should have mentioned is that I’m married to a double Olympic medallist in rowing, Tom Ransley.
Tom retired last year, and I could probably write a book on living with a recently retired athlete, but it wouldn’t be funny and I’m keen to avoid divorce (turns out, divorce is mind numbingly expensive and a massive hassle).
I thought I’d try to talk through what I’ve learnt from living with an Olympian.
The not-so-normal aspects
Once you’ve got your required nutrients in for the day then you can eat whatever you want. If that means consuming 16 mini rolls on the way round a supermarket and then having to explain it to the checkout lady, then that’s what is necessary.
If it means you need to eat a bowl of pasta before going out for a three-course dinner because you’re concerned about portion sizes, then that’s the sacrifice you’ll have to make. Anxiety about the availability of food will be constant.
Rest is essential. Agreeing to come on a dog walk isn’t really about the walking. It’s all about walking infuriatingly slowly to the nearest bench and then asking to sit down.
In summer, our dog enjoys this enormously as every bench usually has some disgusting discarded sandwich nearby to try to eat. In winter, the dog and I just freeze as we’re basically just standing outside in the cold and waiting. I suspect the aim to stop being asked to come on a walk.
Training so hard that it makes it difficult to get up every morning is normal. As is groaning every time you have to put your socks on, lift anything off the floor or trying to descend the stairs. Living with someone who does an impression of the tin-man in the Wizard of Oz on a daily basis becomes totally normal.
We shall be asking Karla for as many pictures of Goose as we can.
Enough lycra to make clothe the Titans
You can never have enough kit. We now have enough lycra to clothe a large village of very tall people with a penchant for close-fitting sportswear. No matter how many times it’s washed it will still smell like a mixture of mould and body odour.
That smell will invade every other piece of normal clothing kept in the same room. When suggestions are made about disposing of said kit the reaction will be akin to suggesting that second breakfast is an optional meal (see Point 1).
Competitiveness extends to every part of your life. At the end of a heated ‘discussion’ you will declare that you have ‘won’ the argument. It will take you 10+ years to figure out that this makes your wife want to kill you. Board games at Christmas take on a new significance and years later you will still have a mental tally of how many times your mother-in-law has beaten you at cards.
Maybe a bit more naked than normal
Training day-in, day-out with 20 other men every day for 11 years will make you incredibly relaxed about being naked. This means being unsure whether answering the door to our 90-year-old neighbour wearing a very small towel is appropriate (it’s not by the way).
Coming home for Christmas to Northern Ireland and swimming in the sea, in panda-print budgie smugglers, is also not ok. Especially if your mother-in-law is looking on, wondering who her daughter married.
If you’re an Olympian-in-waiting and you’re reading this I accept that you won’t have got any useful advice. Spare a thought for your partner though. Living with an athlete is hard.
We probably should include a picture of Karla and Tom too. Not sure how he would be coping with the thin air at 2685m.
James Rhodes brings you all the action as racing returns, bringing with it some stunning results
This week saw the long awaited return of non-elite racing in England. Whether you are an athlete, coach, spectator, or all of these, it has been something to look forward to for the past few weeks.
It is fair to say it did not disappoint. Here’s a whirlwind run-through of an action-packed few days.
Brilliant Beth in Barrowford (Podium 5k)
I do not think I am wrong to suggest that, 24 hours ago, no one would have predicted I would be kicking off this round up with a (possible) World Record, run just outside a village in Lancashire on a Saturday evening. However, that is exactly what happened at the year’s first Podium 5k.
Beth Potter, based about 50km to the east in Leeds as part of their elite triathlon group including Alistair and Johnny Brownlee, had asked to run in the men’s race to try to hit a good time. It is safe to say she delivered on that attempt.
The Scot ran a simply incredible 14:41 to become the second fastest woman over the distance in history, and go two seconds faster than the current World Record (14:43), set by Beatrice Chepkoech in Monaco in February.
Yes, you read that correctly, World Athletics didn’t recognise the road 5k as a WR event until 2018, so the “World Record” is not actually the fastest in history – that honour goes to Joyciline Jepkosgei’s 14:32 split in Prague in 2017. The time also takes ten seconds off Paula Radcliffe’s British Record, set over 17 years ago.
I spoke to Beth to get her thoughts after the run of her life. She explained that, whilst the pace was faster than advertised, she knew there was a need to keep with the pace to avoid running in no-mans-land. This was clearly working, and it was towards the final kilometre that she realised something special was on the cards;
“Coming onto the last lap, with just over 1km to go, I saw the clock at 11-something and in my head I was thinking ‘about 3 minutes for this last lap and we are going to be 14-something’. When I crossed the line I saw the time and couldn’t really believe it”.
That time is a 43 second PB for the Scot, improving her time set on the same course last August. Of course, there was much animation on social media as people began to realise not only the British Record had been broken, but that the World Record might have been bettered also. How about on the ground in Barrowford?
“Well I had no idea what the WR was, the only thing I wanted to immediately do is confirm the time, as of course it was very fast! About five minutes later people started saying things about the WR and it went from there”.
Conditioned to perform
Whilst the last three years have seen focus on the triathlon (including a win at the Super League Triathlon at the Olympic Park just last weekend), Beth is no stranger to running. She has competed on the track at the Olympics, World Championships, European Championships and Commonwealth Games, as well as at the World and Euro XC Champs.
She was also crowned British Champion over 10,000m in 2017, at my personal favourite edition of the always-superb Night of the 10k PBs.
Photo: James Rhodes
Beth notes the role that this change in direction in her sporting career has had in reaching performances such as Saturday’s. “Being a triathlete now I am not running as much as I used to, but I really believe the conditioning that comes from all the cross-training is so, so valuable”. It is also worth noting, since making the switch towards triathlon, Beth has put her physics teaching career on hold to focus on her sporting dreams. Plus, as many athletes have noted, lockdown has allowed Beth to “really get my head down with no distractions”, and alongside an injury-free four years, “everything has come together”.
This is the things athlete’s dreams are made of. Did the dreams of a much younger Beth, at the start of her athletics career, ever envisage something like this? Of course, but she is also not forgetting of the support she has received throughout her career;
“This sort of thing is something I have always aspired to. To be in the same conversation as Paula or some of the other great runners is amazing. But I am really just happy for all the people around me. It is the work day in day out that get results like this”.
Whilst World Athletics has confirmed the time is unlikely to be ratified as the World Record due to full procedures not being in place, it is still an outstanding performance. If I am honest, I am still a bit speechless.
If I am speechless, how about Beth herself, has the magnitude of what was achieved sunk in?
“No, not really. I just went to try to push myself and see what I could run and that was the result. The support, messages and calls from everyone has been overwhelming. But you are only as good as your next race, so it is head down and continue working for me!”.
That work has included a four hour bike ride today, in preparation for the next triathlons; the Arena Games in Rotterdam in a fortnight, and hopefully the World Triathlon Championship Series in Yokohama in mid-May.
Mortimer takes win with big PB
The men’s A race was won by Tom Mortimer, who outsprinted Phil Sesemann to cross the line in 13:39, a 32 second PB. The first ten finishers all ran under 14 minutes with Sesemann running 13:40 and Andrew Heyes 3rd with a fine 13:36.
Elsewhere, Mick Hill set a V45 British Record (14:44) and Revee Walcott Nolan made an excellent debut over the distance with 15:50. Samantha Harrison put in a strong display off the back of recent marathon training to clock 15:53 and Mhairi Maclennan was the 3rd fastest woman on the night racing in the 16:30 race she clocked 15:47.
After Marc Scott’s 13:20 British Record last August, Podium is certainly living up to its tagline as the fastest “course in the country”. By my count, a total of 133 athletes ran a PB. [Writer’s Note: shoe-related chat has been deliberately avoided. There are plenty of other articles focusing on this element, should you wish]
Comeback 5000
Thanks to COVID, it had been over a year since a non-elite 5000m had been raced on the track in England. Wednesday saw the much anticipated return of the distance at the Comeback 5000 at Battersea Park, jointly hosted by Belgrave and Herne Hill Harriers.
Despite this time away from 12.5 laps, competitors certainly put on a show, with over two thirds running a PB. These included 8 of the 14 in the men’s elite race, won by steeplechase specialist Phil Norman in 13:46.80 (in his first race at the distance since 2016), won thanks to a sprint finish against Adam Clarke (13:48.97) and Rory Leonard (13:50.22, a PB and European U23 qualifier).
The women’s elite race provided a demonstration opportunity for Jenny Nesbitt, crossing the line in 15:46.62, the second fastest of her career. Behind her was a gutsy run from Fast Running’s own Hannah Irwin, who ran the second half solo and was rewarded with a 23 second PB and 16:01.29 for second. Seven of the 11 in the field ran PBs, including Charlotte Alexander’s 16:35.09, which is under the European U20 qualifying time, but doesn’t count due to the use of male pacemakers.
The event was a demonstration of what is possible with domestic middle distance racing when passionate and dedicated people are involved. In the absence of on-site spectators it provided a high-quality livestream for all races, a prize pot built up by fans in excess of £1500, and some superb fields.
It would also be reminds of me to not express my gratitude to Steve Gardner for organising the event, as I came away with a 10 second PB in one of the earlier races (16:40.66).
Photo: James Rhodes
Istanbul Half Marathon
You wait a while for a World Record, then two come in the space of 15 hours! Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich took 29 seconds off the half marathon World Record with a 64:02 performance in Instanbul on Sunday morning, bettering the previous mark set last February by Ababel Yeshaneh.
Notably, it is also faster than the 64:28 run by Brigid Kosgei at the 2019 Great North Run, a course ineligible for World Records. The pace was fast from the start, with the leaders passing through 5k in 15:07 and 10k in 30:21. By 15k, the leading pack was down to three (Chepngetich, Yalemzerf Yehualaw and debutant Hellen Obiri) and went through in 45.29, 13 seconds ahead of WR pace. The reigning marathon World Champion and two-time winner in Istanbul broke away to record the fastest time in history.
Hellen Obiri’s 1:04:51 for third is the fastest half marathon debut ever, but it also allows for another milestone for the athletics history books – she is the first woman to run under 4:00 for 1500m, 8:30 for 3000m, 14:30 for 5000m, 30:00 for 10km and 65:00 for the half. An unprecedented range.
The men’s race was won by World Record holder Kibiwott Kandie in 59:35, the sixth half marathon win of his career. He certainly put the burners on in the last quarter of the race to shake off Geoffrey Kamworor, running the last 1.1km in 2:55 – that is 2:39/km pace!
Road Racing Round Up
After three months away, there were plenty of other road races dotted across the country. Saturday saw a return to marathon racing at Dorney Lake, with wins for Jordan Andrews (2:25;50) and Samantha Amend (2:52:36). The races provided good depth, with the top six men all ran under 2:30 and 52 going quicker than 2:45.
Seven women finished in under three hours; these included Fast 10’s Karla Borland, who ran 2:57:11 for fifth. That is a 27 second PB, run in the middle of 100 mile training, bettering a time set at the 2015 London Marathon. A very impressive result.
Saturday also saw the return of Runthrough’s events with a suite of races from the 5k to marathon at Kempton Park. The 26.2 mile distance provided wins for Ollie Garrod (2:27:03, a seven second PB) and Laura Thompson (3:22:03), whilst Elisha De Mello (1:08:35) and Becki Timmings (1:20:08) took the honours in the half distance.
The 10k races saw dominant wins for Scott Overall (29:59) and Julia Bijl (35:58), the latter winning with a six minute margin. The shortest race of the day saw victories for Daniel Bulbrook (16:34) and triathlete Olivia Matthews (16:56).
Libby Matthews breaks 17 minutes for the first time
James McMurray (30:00) and Jen Baird (37:08) took victories at the St Albans 10k, whilst the Race Organiser’s Olympic Park 10k saw wins for George Gurney in 33:14 and Lily Rae Zechmann in 38:50. Taunton’s Elle Twentyman (37:21) and Exeter Harrier Ben Holmes (32:29) claimed top spots at the Fast Friday 10K. The 5k was won by Oliver Smart (14:46) and Hannah Taunton, of Taunton AC, in 17:32.
Performances Continue in America
Athletes based in the collegiate system in the United States (as well as those based there to train) continue to provide us with plenty to write about.
The highlight belongs to Charles Hicks, who ran 28:25.29 on his 10,000m debut; a time that is almost 45 seconds under the qualifying standard for this summer’s European U23 Championships. Not a bad first outing for the Shaftesbury Barnet athlete!
Following its rebuild ahead of hosting the 2022 World Championships, the new Hayward Field hosted its first competition on Friday and Saturday, with a handful of Brits in action. These included Patrick Dever, fresh from his fifth place finish at the NCAA XC, who ran a 28:28.13 10,000m in his debut over the distance. Behind him Jack Leitch bettered his PB by over a minute with 29:47.21. There were also debuts over 25 laps for Bella Williams and Grace Brock, who ran 33:17.07 and 33:59.31 respectively. Following a good XC season, Poppy Tank took over 20 seconds off her 5000m PB with 15:45.07.
In his first Fast10 Blog Abdel Laadjel talks about how winter base training has stretched a little longer than usual.
We usually associate base training in winter but for most people especially around Europe it has stretched out now till out spring from the lack of races.
As for me I’ve done a big block of base training in this lockdown while still attending school getting ready for my leaving cert.
The key I found to keep consistent for the past 2 months is try new things out , experiment, try new runs and try new routes for my long Sunday runs. Experimenting mileage what I am comfortable at.
Not a race in months
Even though since September I haven’t raced or even done a time trial, throughout the winter it was hard to train and motivate myself. This could be because I couldn’t see when the next race was going ahead from everything getting cancelled. It’s something I imagine a few people can relate to.
But since the New Year I’ve really pulled my socks up and gotten to work, since we can see the end of the tunnel now from COVID and races getting scheduled it really is easy to train again. Motivation really is something that dips and grows and it’s important to be aware of that.
Another hurdle I am going to face later in the year in training is Ramadan.
Photo: Keith McClure
What Ramadan means for an athlete
As an Irish Muslim athlete I’ll be seeing tougher times in training with not being able to drink or eat apart from when it’s dark, especially in the long days in spring and summer.
But For me I see it as another training method to make me more mentally and physically strong by the end of the 28 days. A lot of elites and greats practise Ramadan towards big competition so I’m positive I can get through four weeks training while doing it. Hopefully my next blog can be about how we plan to work through and even utilise those 28 days to my advantage as an athlete.
My Coaches, Gerry Naughton and Lee van Haeften, are getting all the lads through this hard times with training, helping out all the lads with motivation and training plans.
The goals I’m working towards for this summer is definitely national juniors and qualifying for European juniors. I’d love to try get on the team for eurocross in Dublin at the end of the year too as who doesn’t want to be running in there home soil.
But from the meanwhile it’s another big training block for towards the end of May and the start June to get back ready to race.
The new fast shoe revolution is upon us and having tested a few models from various brands I was keen to get out running in the Endorphin Speed from Saucony, especially as they are a take-down version of the carbon-plated racers the running world has gone wild for.
They look great, they’re light as a feather at just 198g and they look like they’ll make me fast…
I’ve been waiting to see more affordable and durable versions of carbon-plated footwear, with the Endorphin Speed using a nylon rather than a carbon plate. This makes it less aggressive but the comfort the shoe brings with exceptional cushioning means it is a truly fantastic shoe for training or longer races where you want more under foot.
Saucony use their PWRRUN PB cushioning which looks a little like compressed popcorn and great news is, the initial “new shoe” comfort doesn’t disappear after the first 30 miles.
The fit is very similar to other Saucony shoes with a snug heel and a toe box which for me is *slightly* narrow on my little toe, however not enough to be a problem. Once you’re laced in, the shoe doesn’t move and feels great. If you’ve run in Saucony before these fit as you’d expect from the likes of the Kinvara, it’s just the sensation from the rocker and platform that might take some getting used to.
First impressions
Like a kid at Christmas I was SO excited to take these out for a spin. The first run being a planned 9-10 mile tempo hill session that ended up being extended to 15 miles – I’ll admit when I realised I was in new shoes, too far from home I was a bit nervous but the run was comfortable all the way back to my front door.
Bouncing along to my chosen hill I had to reign in the pace – it was effortless moving along the tarmac but the real test would be when I needed to up the gears. Uphill sprints had extra zing and recovery felt easier.
The shoes feel a little like you are on a platform, they feel less “rocker” than say the Hoka Carbon X but the “Speedroll technology” Saucony have used feels more natural. You are still propelled forwards and have that similar energy return you get from a carbon shoe but it feels much more accessible and something not just reserved for race day.
Daniel Evans Photography.
What would you use them for?
I’ve continued to take these out on longer tempo runs and interval sessions and just love them more and more. They are so breathable so you don’t get that foot sweat feeling towards the end of sessions and the warm downs feel like you have an extra recovery weapon.
The responsiveness and comfort are so well balanced that you feel like you want to take them out all the time – my only issue was I didn’t want to get the beautiful white shoes dirty!
To summarise, these are a fantastic shoe for someone wanting to make that step up into the “fast shoe” market but wanting to have that comfort to go longer or if you want a fast shoe for training.
They aren’t the reserve for the “elite” and are a brilliant shoe to give you that confidence as well as comfort. I would wear them in slowly to get used to the sensation because they do feel a little platform-esque at times but once you’ve found your groove I am sure you will fly. The great thing is, they are fast but are also a brilliant speed/tempo training shoe that can stand some decent miles being plugged in.
Pros
Mega comfortable
Great responsiveness
Similar drop (8mm) to most neutral training shoes
You can go long in these – not reserved for short sessions or race day
The price tag is a little friendlier
Cons
I honestly don’t have many cons on this shoe. If I were to scrape the barrel I’d say you simply can’t run slowly in them & as they’re white they are not an all-weather shoe if you like your kicks box fresh.
Hold tight as we rattle through a slew of fast 5ks, international outings and local XC in this week’s roundup. It’s packed!
On Monday the PB 5k in Ardingly lived up to its name with the top 8 all running new bests.
Ellis Cross (A,F&D) broke the tape in a rapid 14:05 and a close finish against Daniel Jarvis (Bedford & County) who was just two seconds behind. At a slightly safer distance was Hamis Reilly (Medway & Maidstone U20) who ran 14:17 for third.
However, Sarah Astin (City of Norwich) didn’t need to run a PB to win her race – finishing in 16:13 and ten seconds clear of Belgrave’s Michelle Pearson (PB of 16:23). Chasing them both down for the final podium spot and another new best was Charlotte Alexander (U20 Herne Hill) who finished in 16:28.
Also worth a mention is Pippa Roessler’s time of 16:36 which puts her third on the All Time list for U17s, ahead of Andrea Whitcombe and Non Stanford.
Monday was clearly the day for Ronseal-eque races (just me?). The Fast 5k saw Laura Weightman (Morpeth) convincingly win the women’s race in 15:30, well ahead of an excellent run from Stockport’s Jip Vastenburg who PB’d in 15:59 and Kate Waugh (Birtley) who also PB’d with 16:15 on the clock.
A,F&D topped the men’s leaderboard again thanks to a 14:05 from Richard Allen but Hugo Milner (Derby) and Andrew Smith (Leeds) should be happy with their 14:13 and 14:16 runs which give them brand new targets to beat in the future.
The BMC 5k wasn’t quite so swift across the board, but there were some excellent runs nonetheless. Rob Samuel won in 14:20, from Tom Lancashire in second with 14:33 in cold conditions. Thomas Archer’s 14.38 win in the B race took him to 5th on the UK all time U17 list.
Irish 1500m record holder Ciara Mageaan eased away with a 6:08 last 2k to win the women’s race in 16:10 from training partner Izzy Fry (16:15) and Sarah Astin (16:16).
Strong fields feature in Wimbledon
On Sunday, Hercules Wimbledon hosted their own 5k and a 5k Masters competition. In the Senior men’s race a quality field kept the podium places all under 15 minutes. Ellis Cross (Aldershot) came top in 14:33.7 to beat Tim Lefory (14:47.2, THH) and Josh Grace (14:48.4, Aldershot).
Belgrave Harriers’ Michelle Pearson was first home in the women’s race, squeaking under 17 with a 16:59.2 on the clock. The battle for the remaining medals was fierce but in the end Suzie Monk (Guidlford) won out in 17:43.4, just beating Emily Wicks (A,F&D) in 17:45.2.
Full results of the Masters race can be found here but overall, it was Hayley Cargil (F35) who took home the women’s trophy in 19:02.5 ahead of Isobel Rea (19:53.4 F45) and Helen Pool (19:55 F45). Andy Bond won it for the men in 16:38.5 (M45), easily holding off Ben Paviour (M45 17:14.7) and Robin Jones (M45 17:17.)
The Middlesborough Endeavour Graded 5k has a tasty looking start list, but we are still awaiting official results and will update asap. We’ll also keep an eye out for the Blackheath & Bromley Spring Middle Distance Open Graded Meeting results.
Going longer over 10k
The RunThrough Tatton 10K is not known for being a PB course but the women proved otherwise on Saturday. First place went to Bury’s Hannah Price in an 11 second PB time 36:22, that’s hot off the back of her 17:18 at the recent Podium 5k race.
Rebecca Twardochleb (Newcastle U23) finished runner up in 37:12, also running a 52 second PB and Chrolton’s Amy Weyers kept the PB streak going with her third place time of 38:41.
For the men, it was Blackburn’s Ben Fish who raced home first in 31:49, beating Ian Mcbride (Bury) who beat his previous best to finish in 32:11. Scott Nixon came home third in 32:40.
The Chertsey House Series 10k took place in Guernsey earlier in the week with (understandably) a pretty local field. Richard Friedrick (Guernsey/Germany) was victorious in 32:00, besting James Priest who PB’d to run 32:10. U23 Sam Galpin was a safe distance behind in his own new record of 33:53.
The women’s race all hovered under and around the 40 minute mark and Rosie Williams was the one to get safely under it, finishing in 39:31 for the win. Megan Chapple raced home in 39:43 and Nicole Petit just missed out on that sub 40, clocking 40:02 for the final podium place.
Fine performances on the track in the UK and US
The Trafford Open Meet had two mixed heats of 3,000 the first of which saw Ellen Kearney (Wirral AC U20) finish first lady in 10:01.76. The fastest time overall came from George Lewis in the second heat, taking the win for East Cheshire in 8:43.89.
Over 5,000m Connor Mills topped the podium in 15:13.11 pipping Euan Brown to the line (15:13.12) as the pair made it a 1-2 for Hallamshire Harriers Sheffield AC. Elliot Smith (Newcastle AC U20) placed third in 15:37.20. The only woman in the field, Lauren McNeil gave a strong performance, finishing in 17:01.32 for Hallamshire Harriers Sheffield AC (she recently clocked 16:49 at the Podium5k).
Bromley 3000m saw a fine performance from Holly Dixon running 9:40.88 with Joshua Prendergast the fastest man clocking 8:57.90. Our own James Rhodes was in action in the 800m running 2:12.11.
British Athletes were also in action across the world. In Eastern Iowa at the NAIA Cross Country Championships Middlesborough’s Natahan Baker ranked 11th, covering the 8k route in 24:52 for Milligan College. Liam Barnsby was representing Baker Uni/Inverness and placed 82nd in 26:01 and Wirral’s Arran Kearney logged a 29:15 for Bethel Uni.
Preston’s Kian Davis was representing Oklahoma State Uni on Friday at the Joe Walker Invitational in Oxford, Missouri and did so rather nicely, winning the 1500m thanks to a new best of 3:47.63. Lewis Mills (Blackheath and Bromley)was also racing and placed 9th in a PB of 4:00.68.
In an earlier heat Cameron Field (Liverpool) ran 3:47.00 and Stephanie Moss (Sale Harriers) was 12th in her heat in 4:28.86. Preston are clearly sending their athletes far and wide with great success, as Charlotte Cook also bettered all her previous efforts when she ran 2:09.48 to place 4th for Uni of Central Florida at the USF Invitational. Hannah Seagrave (Middlesborough) was back in action at the Miramar Invitational and finished in 2:04:73 over 800m for seventh place.
Men’s 1500-Meter Invite | Heat 1
1. Kian Davis (Oklahoma State) – 3:47.63 2. Jantz Tostenson (Georgetown) – 3:48.51 3. Jack Crull (Bradley) – 3:50.32 pic.twitter.com/8Ovtdrro9I
James Drakeford has clearly got used to the conditions in Taiwan and represented Bourneville Harriers well at the Liangkuo Cup Half Marathon in Dongshi, getting bronze in 76:41
Away from flat tracks and roads, it was brilliant to see Jenny Spink out racing again. She was one of eight elite athletes who set out to beat the 1988 men’s and 1994 women’s records for the Coll de Pal vertical roadrace in Spain.
Sara Alonso, Eli Gordon, Jenny Spink, Bárbara Ramon, Xavi Tomasa, Roger Roca, Daniel Osanz and Aleix Domènech all went for it and in the end, Sara and Daniel did beat the record.. ..but so did the rest of the women’s team too. This was despite Jenny’s build up being hampered by a knee injury. The previous mark of 1:47:59 was thoroughly destroyed with Sara Alonso setting the new mark at 1h40 and with Jenny completing the 19.6k and 1,300m elevation gain in a storming 1 hour and 42 minutes.
Back in the UK there was a little out-of-season XC action in the form of the ATW XC Series Race 3. Chiltern Harriers won out thanks to Richard Slade who finished in 27:17. Emily Jeanes brought it home for Trent Park RC in 33:01.
In the longer distances, it should of course have been the NN Mission Marathon in Hamburg this weekend which was due to host, amongst a stellar line-up, one Eliud Kipchoge. However, we will have to wait another week to see how that one pans out.
There were no GB athletes (understandably) in the Xiamen Marathon & Tuscany Camp Global Elite Race which took place at Ampugnano Airport, but it’s worth reporting on just to get an idea of the current form of top athletes around the world as we build to the Olympics.
Kiptanui Erickiprono of Kenya won the race in 2:04:57, ten seconds ahead of his nearest rival. Compatriot Tanui Andelajemesunde topped the women’s race in 2:20:08, with the top seventeen all finishing inside the Olympic qualifying time.
A little more, er, local but joyful nonetheless was the Kent Spring Marathon which was won by Mathieu Lavedrine in 2:48:44 and Sharon Bollister in 3:22:05. The Half was won by Sophie McGoldrick in 1:34:15 and Alexander Barber in 1:15:13. We’re waiting on results from the Rutland Spring Half Marathon.
If you’ve been a runner for long at all, you’re no stranger to experiencing sore calves at the end of a long, intense run. Your calf and quad muscles receive the brunt of the impact with every stride, and that’s why calf exercises for runners are so important for keeping your calves healthy. This is especially true if you tend to run on the forefront of your feet–also known as a “toe-runner.”
When I ran cross country in college, I earned the nickname of “Prancer.” No matter how much I tried to correct my form, I always ended up running up on my toes. I adapted over time–but it also put a lot of stress on my calves. I relied heavily on ice baths, as well as these tried-and-true calf-strengthening exercises to keep my calves healthy.
Why Calf-Strengthening Exercises Are Critical
Strengthing your calves isn’t just about preventing injury to your calves. It’s about protecting your lower legs as a whole. For example, if your calves are too weak, it puts stress on your Achilles tendon and shins. No runner likes dealing with a painful, squeaky Achilles tendon or going through the agony of shin splints.
Include these calf exercises into your training routine two to three times per week to improve your form and help prevent injuries by building muscle in your lower body. You can put them into the middle of your run or tack them on at the end while your muscles are warm.
The difference between good calf exercises and great calf exercises is the time and attention you put into them. Don’t just cruise through these so you can rush off to a shower and your post-run smoothie. Be diligent and intentional—take your time.
Good calf workouts aren’t an afterthought—they’re a priority.
It doesn’t have to take long–you just need 5-10 minutes each time. Your calves, shins, and Achilles will thank you for it!
7+ Best Calf Exercises for Runners
1. Best Dynamic Calf Exercise: Jumping Rope
Let’s start with the basics! An exercise as simple as jumping rope not only strengthens your calves, it amps up your cardiovascular ability–which as runners is what we want, right? You don’t have to use a jump rope to do this exercise, but we argue it’s more fun to see if you can set a new jump rope record without tripping!
It can also serve as a great pre-run warm-up. Jump in place on the balls of your feet for 30-60 seconds three times. Repeat for a total for three sets.
Tip: Be sure to land on your toes rather than flat-footed. Landing on your toes is what makes this a great calf exercise–you strengthen those muscles with every jump.
2. Best Static Calf Exercise: Simple Calf Raises
Stand on the edge of a step or sturdy box. Raise your left foot, putting your body weight onto your right foot. Balance on the ball of your right foot.
Next, lift your right heel and pause there for a few moments. Lower your heel and repeat. Alternate feet every 10-15 reps, completing a total of three sets for power up those calves!
Tip: You can also hold dumbbells at your sides to amplify this strength-training exercise.
3. Best Calf Exercise With Dumbbells: Toe Walking
If you have them, grab some dumbbells and hold them at your sides–but this exercise works fine without weights, too.
Lift up your feet and walk forward on your toes for about one minute to 90 seconds. Do three to five sets for stronger calves–particularly the soleus muscle in your calf that’s responsible for plantar flexion–helping you to power off when you run. Remember, don’t let your heels touch the ground–keep them as high as you can!
4. Best Calf Exercise At-Home: Ankle Mobilizing Knee Pushes
Assume a starting position in front of a three to four-inch mat or block and put your toes on it so they are elevated past your heels. Bend your right knee and push it forward until you feel that familiar stretch in the back of your calf.
Repeat with your left leg. Aim for three sets of 10-15 reps on each leg.
5. Jumping Half Chair Squats
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, flat on the floor. Focusing your energy on your lower legs, jump using only your calves.
We aren’t going for a killer, sky-high jump here–if you’re only using your calves, you won’t get that high. On the way down, absorb the power of your jump by dropping into a half squat and landing quietly.
Complete three sets of eight for toned, healthy calf muscles ready to take on any hill workout. Plus, you’re weaving in a bit of cardio with this exercise!
6. Best Calf Exercise Without Equipment: Standing Double-Leg Calf Raises
This exercise might be the most classic move for building strong calves. Like a lot of strength training practices for runners, it leverages the power of your body weight.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart–being near a wall can help for balance. Align your ankles, knees, and hips to shield your joints. Press down on the balls of your feet and lift your body up while keeping your core muscles firmly engaged.
Hold for three to five seconds, then come on back down. Do three sets of eight.
7. Best Calf Exercise With Barbell: Weighted Calf Raise
Start by doing this as a double-leg calf raise. Once you’re comfortable with that, advance to single-leg weighted calf raises.
You’ll perform this exercise much the same way as the classic calf raise and double-calf raise. The only difference is you’re going to be adding some more resistance to the calf exercise.
The easiest way to do this is with a barbell and a squat rack.
Get into the squat position with a barbell across the back of your shoulders. However, instead of squatting down, you’re going to simply perform a toe raise.
A weighted exercise like this helps you measure your progress by the number of plates you put on the bar. This helps you progress and grow muscle faster than cranking out 50 to 100+ calf raises.
Don’t Underestimate the Importance of Injury Prevention
It’s common for runners to experience sore calves–these muscles power our runs and give us the strength to tackle steep hills and fire off speedy kicks at the end of a race. So, we have to take care of them!
There’s nothing that can deter even the most disciplined training plan and running goals more than an injury that could have been prevented. Resolving those injuries involves more than drinking enough water and light stretching.
Listen to your body and invest the time into proper stretching, ice baths, and strength training activities. It might not be the most fun part of your training routine–but it’s worth it! Your entire body and personal records will thrive as a result!
Don’t wait for an injury to start doing these calf exercises for runners. Make calf-strengthening a priority—not an afterthought.
A happy runner is a healthy runner with strong muscles, enjoying pain-free runs. Get started by downloading our FREE injury prevention video series today!
Running and climbing are vastly different sports. Yet many runners are avid climbers and vice versa. Do you fit into this group? If so, how do you balance running and climbing? Or do you think about that at all?
The reasons you choose to run may vary widely but one question I don’t hear often is, How can these two sports live in harmony? The answer is complicated and depends on your goals.
How Running Affects Your Rock Climbing
Here, we’ll walk through how climbing and running can coexist at a supplemental and performance level as well as some of the benefits of doing both.
Training Should Be Specific to the Sport
High performance climbing requires A LOT of time on a wall to develop proper motor skills. Those motor skills show up in your technique, which most climbers should focus on more than anything.
Physiologically, humans aren’t built to scale mountains. We need to adapt ourselves over time to develop internal and external cues that tell our bodies how to move upward. More on technique here.
Climbing and climbing-specific training should be 85%+ of training for beginners, 75%+ of your training for intermediate climbers, and 50%+ of training for advanced climbers.
When planning your training for climbing and running, keep these percentages in mind. If you slip too far in either direction, your climbing performance will suffer. Don’t obsess over the numbers, however, and record every minute of your training. Paralysis by analysis will leave you stuck with no action.
Running Supports Your General Endurance
In his famous book Training for Climbing, Eric Horst says “any sustained climbing lasting in excess of two minutes is fueled principally by the aerobic energy pathway.” It’s fair to say that your aerobic energy system plays a large part in climbing performance.
Running is a great way to improve or maintain your aerobic energy system. There is a point of diminishing returns for climbing performance, though.
Climbing is a complex sport that requires a lot of time climbing. You need plenty of mileage to build the necessary motor skills to perform at a high level. Therefore, running should be supplemental if your fitness goals are solely climbing related. If you have running and climbing goals, read the periodization section to understand how you can perform at high levels with both sports.
Try Two Running Sessions Per Week
For supplemental climbing training, I suggest doing running intervals or steady-state running. Two sessions each week will maintain your running fitness and improve your general endurance.
Through these sessions, you’ll improve the efficiency of delivery of oxygen to your muscles. That means you’ll feel less fatigued when climbing long routes and you’ll increase the number of routes you can climb in a single day.
Running intervals for climbers involve 20-30 minute running sessions at varying paces. The difficulty and duration of each interval can vary. The idea is to alternate between a faster pace than your aerobic pace and a jog.
An Interval Workout You Can Try
The Run Experience has a fantastic 20-minute interval run workout on YouTube you can follow. Holly takes you through a pyramid interval structure that increases in difficulty and decreases in duration with each interval.
Steady-state running for climbers involves 20-30 minute running sessions at a consistent pace. You want to run at about 8 out of 10 difficulty or 85% of maximum heart rate.
Running Can Speed Up Recovery
Low-intensity cardio is proven to speed up recovery time. Why? It increases blood flow throughout your body, which provides your muscles with necessary products and removes unnecessary waste. Running is a great low-intensity cardio workout for climbers.
This session is not used to directly improve your climbing performance through endurance training. Nasal only breathing and speaking without gasping for air are signals that you’re in the correct training zone. Five out of ten difficulty or lower is great.
Structure Your Training with Periodization for High Performance in Running and Climbing
If you’re set on high performance for both running and climbing, structure your training with periodization. Periodization uses set periods of time to focus on improving a facet of your sport.
In climbing, this means focusing on an energy system. An example structure is four weeks of endurance, three weeks of maximum strength, two weeks of power, and one week of power endurance training.
Periodization creates a performance peak, so you can climb at your highest level. Ideally, you plan a trip or competition at the end of your training program. While focusing on climbing, you can use running to support your general endurance and maintain your running fitness.
At the end of your climbing training program, switch your training focus to running. If you’re an intermediate climber, instead of focusing 75% of your time on climbing and climbing-specific training methods, you can focus 75% of your time on running and 25% on climbing.
Maintain Your Energy Systems
While climbing during this period, your goal is to maintain your energy systems, so your performance doesn’t deplete. Make sure you have one or two climbing sessions each week to maintain your energy systems and motor skills. Since you’re largely improving your endurance energy system through running, focus on strength and power.
The Run Experience has a great deal for a 7-day free trial. The Run Experience is a company dedicated to improving and inspiring runners through coaching support, community, and providing clear programs and tools for becoming the best possible runner you can be.
You get access to all of their running training programs through the free trial. Whatever your running goals are, they can surely help. This is a great program to explore while focused on running.
Running Offers Mental Benefits to Climbers
Managing anxiety and fear while scaling a sixty-foot cliff is a real thing. As a climber, you know the importance of managing your mental landscape. One of the best ways to manage your anxiety and fear on the wall is to manage it off the wall.
Running is a great way to calm the mind. If you love running, by all means, keep up with it. The mental benefits alone will help you live a happier more productive life. That inevitably rubs off on your climbing performance.
The Verdict
With a proper structure, running and climbing can coexist in harmony. Running is a great supplemental workout for climbers to maintain and improve general endurance. For supplemental practice, keep climbing and climbing-specific training to 85%, 75%, and 50% of total training time for beginner, intermediate, and advanced climbers, respectively.
Running and climbing at a high level is also possible and best done through periodization. Lastly, if you only run for the mental benefits, then please keep running. Running is proven to improve your mental well-being, which directly affects climbing performance.
Meet Our Guest Author!
I’m Forrest, founder of Onsight Built and climbing coach. I love climbing because of the wonderful and supportive community, the adventure of exploring the great outdoors, traveling to beautiful locations, and the concept of self-mastery. If you’re looking to break through a performance plateau, improve your performance but aren’t sure how, or put together a structured plan for performance improvement, check out my coaching page!
Marathon training is a big undertaking; there is no question about that. But what if we told you marathon training did not have to be such a daunting idea? In fact, if you plan ahead, find a solid marathon training plan, and stick to that plan, gradual improvements will allow you to be ready by race day with minimal stress.
How Long Does It Take to Train for a Marathon?
The first question many people ask is: “how long does it take to train for a marathon?” The magic answer is…well, it depends.
How to train for a marathon depends on your running experience and current base training. While it might take an elite runner a couple of weeks to refocus their training and get in tip-top shape for a marathon, it might take a couch to marathoner months.
Below, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about how to train for a marathon, whether you’re a complete beginner or a veteran of the sport.
How to Train for a Marathon Based On Running Experience
In this article, we’re diving into how long it takes to train for a marathon given your running experience: from beginners to vets. Let’s dive in!
I’m a brand-new beginning runner.
If you are brand new to running and to working out in general, a marathon is still completely doable. In fact, it’s a great goal to kickstart your fitness journey. Figuring out how to train for a marathon will be your first big hurdle. Luckily, we’ve got you covered.
As a general rule, beginning runners should give themselves at least 5-6 months to train for a full marathon. After all, you don’t just want to finish your first marathon.
You want to finish your race feeling strong and injury-free. If you are looking to make long-distance running a habit, you’ll want to create a good memory out of your first marathon.
This is why we suggest at least 5-6 months of training beforehand. And you will want to find a marathon training plan. Let your plan do the heavy lifting in your marathon training – all you should have to do is show up every day and do what the plan says. And don’t worry, at least once a week, the plan will say to rest.
Your Main Goals:
Acquire sufficient physical fitness to finish the race
Learn and practice proper running form
Build the endurance and mental toughness required to run such a long distance
If it is your first time running, find a plan that starts with short distances at a slow tempo, utilizing the run-walk method. This method allows you to combine running and walking in intervals.
Maybe for your first run you’ll run for 30 seconds, and walk for one minute, repeating that pattern for 20 minutes. From there, you can eventually bump that up to running for one minute, and walking for 30 seconds, or some variation of that. This way, you are learning proper running form while incrementally increasing your fitness level.
Over the next 5-6 months, your will gradually increase distance and speed. When searching for the proper marathon training plan, make sure your training plan has variety.
For many beginner runners, it helps to find a training partner, or to join a running group, either in person or online. Telling someone about your training helps you to stay accountable, as does having someone to train with. Consider asking a friend if they want to get fit and train with you!
Each week, you (and your partner) will incorporate a long distance run, some speed work, 1-2 days of strength training, and plenty of mobility every single day. If mobility is new to you, check out this video on foam rolling basics for beginners.
Hopefully, you’ll find the training plan that works perfectly for you. However, if you don’t, just remember that these plans can easily be modified and customized to your needs.
For example, if you are aiming for a particular marathon time, adjust your plan accordingly if necessary. Especially as you get closer to race day, adjust your training paces so that they reflect your desired race time.
I am active, but running has never been my thing.
For those who work out regularly or even semi-regularly, give yourself 3-4 months to train for a full marathon. Your overall fitness will certainly help you cross that finish line, but running requires a particular skillset that is best built gradually.
For this reason, give yourself about a month to get ready for your marathon distance run. Here at The Run Experience, we always recommend following a training plan, no matter your fitness level.
A training program will take care of determining things like weekly mileage, weekly number of training runs, when your rest days are, and other things like that.
The less planning and stressing you have to do, the easier your training will be. It’s that simple. So let your training plan take care of that and be your running coach; you just have to be the athlete.
The biggest challenge of your marathon training is going to be running on some of the days when you would normally do a different work out. Or perhaps, given your current workout schedule, your biggest challenge might be fewer rest days than you’re used to.
Again, this is why we recommend a training plan so that your runs are like any other calendared appointment.
Your Main Goals:
Learn and practice proper running form
Build the endurance and mental toughness required to run such a long distance
If you are already working out regularly, you do not need to switch up your routine entirely. Find a marathon training program that incorporates cross-training, and use those days for your normal workout method.
Your marathon training requires you to build both the particular muscle memory associated with running, and the endurance a marathon requires. If you give yourself enough time to build these things gradually, your body will thank you on and after race day.
A major benefit of starting your marathon training early is that you will be less prone to injury. This is because you’ll have time to incorporate easy run days and recovery days. Not only will these minimize overall soreness during training, but they will make your tempo and long distance runs that much stronger.
I already run, and I’ve even done a half marathon, but I’ve never run a full marathon.
The only difference between “marathoners” and “recreational runners” who have never done a marathon: marathon preparation. Longer distances simply require more preparation so that you can teach your body how to calm down and support you, even at mile 25.
If you are changing your race distance to become a marathoner, give yourself 2-3 months to get marathon-ready. Your run form is likely in good shape, but finding and maintaining marathon pace over such a long distance is a tall order.
Allow yourself enough time to properly train and comfortably switch your distance, so that your body doesn’t try to fight back against the sudden added mileage.
Your Main Goal:
Build marathon-level endurance and mental toughness
It is important to note that some of your training runs are going to be longer than anything you’ve done before. These longer runs beat the body up. In fact, when it comes to marathon training, one of the biggest hurdles is actually just making it to the starting line.
This means your mobility and recovery practices are even more important. If you already follow running training plans, just be sure youreallystick to your marathon plan.
If training plans are a new concept for you, we cannot recommend them enough. Maybe you used to be able to get away with not using your foam roller, or with skipping your cool down, at shorter distances. When it comes to marathon distance training, that is no longer the case, and a training program will hold you accountable for things like that.
How to Train for a Marathon—TRE Style
Like we just mentioned, training plans are where it’s at to reach your goal, no matter your experience level. New runners benefit from the guidance to train safely and efficiently, and experienced runners can use a training schedule to get out of a rut or to strive for a new distance.
There are also some things that every runner should do, no matter their level, such as strength training, speedwork, and mobility training. Finding a pair of shoes that you love and testing a fueling strategy for your long runs are other universal needs of marathon runners.
Running a marathon will take time and dedication, so let’s check out the best way to get started.
The First Week of Marathon Training
Our training week is more than just running. To stay strong enough to handle the miles and avoid overuse injuries, our week has 3-4 running days, two strength training days, and a daily dose of mobility work. It might seem like a lot to fit into a seven day period, but with smart planning, it’s not too overwhelming.
Keep in mind that this training week represents the intermediate level. If you’re just starting out, don’t skip that base-building phase to improve your fitness level. In that phase you could still follow the same structure within your week, just modify the miles and volume of the runs and strength workouts to what feels manageable for you.
Day 1: Core Work and Restoration
Warm Up: two rounds of:
30 jumping jacks + 5 plank walkouts
10 squats with a 2-second pause at the bottom + 5 pushups
20 leg swings + 10 lunges per side
repeat for 2 total rounds
Mainset:
3 rounds: 30″ single-arm planks (alternate arms slowly side to side) + 10 V up/tuck up variations
3 rounds: 5-10 downward dog pushups + 10 lateral leg raises “windshield wipers”
Mobility:
Chest stretch (on belly). ~2 minutes per side
Upward dog + downward dog flow ~5-10 reps (or 2 minutes)
Anterior + posterior banded hip stretch. ~2 minutes per side in each direction
Day 2: Posture, Breathing, and Pulling Drills
Warm Up:
10 deep belly breaths
5-minute easy run to get your heart rate going
Bend & Touch: stop running and continue to warm up with a bend over and touch and reach back.
Side Bend: side to side bend.
Hips: follow with 5 high kick + lateral lunges in each direction.
Drills:
Leg swing + Pull: this drill involves a standing leg swing + Pull. 10 each side.
Pulling: 5 rounds: 30 meters run, pull 10 times on the right, pull 10 times on the left.
As you pull your leg up, focus on being as tall and relaxed as possible. The taller and more relaxed the easier it is to pull!
Run:
Run the remainder of the time at a steady to moderate pace. Every 5 minutes include 10 quick pulls on each side.
Cool Down & Mobility:
3 minutes of easy running
2 minutes of couch stretch per leg
Day 3: Strength and Cross-Training
Warm Up:
3 rounds: 10″ jogging in place, 10″ of high knees, 10″ of butt kicks, and 10″ of rest
3 rounds: lateral lunge and hip circles
2 rounds: 10 opposite arm circles each way and 3 shoulder rotation (with hand against the wall)
Main Set:
3 rounds: 10 meters of walking lunges and forwards bear crawl
3 rounds: 10 meters of inchworms and backward bear crawl
3 rounds: 10 single leg burpees (5 L, 5 R) and 10 step ups per leg. Choose height on ability.
3 rounds: 10 shoulder touch push ups (touch, touch, pushup) and 10 box or bench jumps. Choose height on ability.
Mobility:
5 minutes quad rolling & smashing
5 minutes thoracic spine (upper back) and shoulder work
Day 4: Hill Intervals
Warm Up:
10 deep belly breaths
10 minute run progressing from easy to moderate effort
1 round: 10 sprawls, 10 squats, 10 hip circles per leg, 10 elbow touches per side, 10 forward/backward arm swings
Run:
5-7 rounds: 60-second hill interval. Rest 1-2 minutes in between.
*Use a “runnable” hill, nothing that’s over 5% incline.
Options: continue up the hill & slow jog back down to the start, or use a treadmill indoors
Cool Down & Mobility:
3 minutes easy run/walk cool down
2 minutes of rolling with a ball, per foot
Day 5: Rest and Mobility
Today is a recovery and restorative day. The goal is to give you the mental and physical break you need to not only absorb all the hard training you’ve done this week but to feel rested and refreshed and ready to tackle this weekend’s long run and fun run.
Feel free to spend time on your problem areas, i.e. roll out your quads and do the couch stretch if you’re dealing with tight hips and knee issues! You can use the mobility you’ve seen here, or don’t forget about the Injury Prevention Series in the app!
Day 6: Long Run
Warm Up:
10 minutes of a breath-focused run
One round of leg swings, lunges, and hip circles
One round of inchworm push ups
Run:
5-7 mile run with optional walk breaks
Cooldown & Mobility:
3 minutes of easy jogging and walking.
Mobility area of choice.
Repeat a previous mobility drill and spend at least 2-3 minutes per side where applicable.
Day 7: Fun Run and Recovery Cross-Training
Optional Run
20-60+ minutes. A great way to get extra mileage for the week provided your body is ready to handle those miles and you have race goals that require them!
You can also just spend some time outside moving around. Kick around a soccer ball, take a walk on the beach, or roughhouse with your kids. Just have fun and move around a little!
Round out Your Training
Once you’ve got your schedule worked out, there are a few more things you’ll need to consider. Beyond just the training, you’ll also need to dial in your nutrition, your gear, and your race day prep.
Running shoes
Chances are you’ve already found a pair of running shoes that work for you if you’re ready to train for a marathon. But if that’s not you, then we’ve got you covered. There are endless models of shoes to choose from, but three main categories are stability shoes, highly cushioned shoes, or minimalist shoes. Each runner has to find what works best for them, and some runners even rotate between various styles and pairs depending on the day’s workout.
Fueling
As your runs get longer and the weeks of training build-up, you’ll need to find what sort of nutrition and fueling works best for you. In this case, we aren’t talking about your daily eating habits, such as whether you start your day with peanut butter toast or just a cup of coffee.
Rather, once you start spending more than an hour at a time running, you have to start bringing calories on board to fuel your body throughout the run. Specifically, your body needs carbohydrates, aka glycogen, to go those longer distances. Some runners consistently reach for chews and energy gels, as they’re easily digestible and highly portable. Other runners prefer to stick with real food such as bananas, boiled potatoes, or dates. Still others stick to a sports drink in their water bottles to hit the right balance of fuel. Just like your shoes, it takes a lot of trial and error to figure out the right nutrition strategy for you. Heck, you might even be like some pro runners and rely on tubs of frosting to get the job done.
Being ready for the start line begins well before race day itself. The biggest part of your prep is of course your training plan. Figuring out how to tailor your schedule to fit around your lifestyle, how long your longest run will be, and when to start tapering are all hugely important. But, there are some other factors that you should also keep in mind.
For example, depending on the race you sign up for, make sure you’re able to train in a similar environment. If your race will be in the heat of summer, take advantage of warm days to get in a run. If you choose a speedy downhill course, strategic strength training will help prepare your quads and ankles for a beating. Sometimes you have to get creative to replicate your rae situation. Here’s how you can prep for a hilly race, even if you don’t live in a particularly hilly area: Marathon Running For Hill Lovers, Even When You Live In Flatland.
You can train mental toughness just like you train your legs. Using a mantra to get you through the tough workouts is great practice for race day when you’re striving to perform your best. Speed workouts are usually pretty uncomfortable, so they’re another great opportunity to practice keeping your cool when your brain and your heart rate is telling you to stop and take a break.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Marathon Training
How long is a marathon?
Oh, easy. Good one to start with. A marathon is 26.2 miles or 42.19 kilometers. Why? Well, that’s a longer story.
When should I start training for a marathon?
As soon as possible. Chances are, you’ve started training for a marathon without even realizing it. All the running and training you’ve ever done contributes to your base fitness—and this is the key component to your marathon training.
Training involves focused workouts, optimized training plans, and intentional rest days. In that sense, you should start training for a marathon now to give focus and structure to your running.
How to get ready for a marathon?
Commit. Anyone can run a marathon. You just need the commitment, training, and know-how. Marathon training isn’t just getting out and putting the miles on your legs. No, it involves:
Structured training
Intentional rest days
Cross-training
Dieting
Stretching and foam-rolling recovery
etc.
How to train for a marathon in a year?
Be slow and intentional about your training. If you’re planning on racing a marathon in a year, then build up your base fitness and focus on recovery—you have to show up on the start line to run a marathon.
You have 52 weeks to train, so take it nice and slow. Don’t be afraid to take consecutive rest days, and make cross-training a priority.
How to train for a marathon in a month?
A month isn’t a lot of time to training for a marathon, especially if you’re training as a beginner from scratch. If you’re completely new to running, then there’s a chance you could training for a marathon in a month, but there’s no promise you’ll quickly recover from the new trauma on your body after finishing the race.
If you’ve already been running for some time, then it’s completely possible to get in marathon shape in just a month. First, don’t change anything. With just 4 weeks to go, you’re not going to gain any new incredible endurance.
Instead, the focus for how to train for a marathon in a month is just to show up healthy at the start line. Start tapering your training to give your legs more of a rest.
How long does it take to get used to running?
How long it takes to get used to running all depends on the individual. If you have a high amount of healthy base fitness, then it’ll take little-to-no time. If you have a higher fitness mountain to climb, it’s going to take longer.
Don’t set arbitrary deadlines for yourself. Enjoy the process. If you fell in love with running overnight, it would diminish the joy and accomplishment of overcoming the challenge.
Start Training for a Marathon Now
Runners of all levels can successfully cross that marathon finish line.
It’s less about how long you take to train for a marathon and more about the nitty-gritty training plans and details.
Now that you know how to train for a marathon, it’s time to put your new-found knowledge to the test—sign up for a race! Target a race that’ll excite you, whether that’s 8 weeks, 16 weeks, or 52 weeks away. Next, sign up.
Now, it’s time to start training for a marathon.
If you’re ready to start, be sure to download our app and explore our full marathon training program. 16 weeks of training are all programmed for you with the perfect balance of miles, strength, run drills, and mobility to give you the prep you need to show up healthy and prepared on race day. If you need some base building training first, check out the 30 Day Challenge to get you ready.
You can do this! Just be sure to give yourself adequate prep time, stick to your training plan, and enjoy the ride!
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