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Signing up foryour first marathonis seriously daunting.
Courtesy of the author
Specifically, Ive learned about just what it takes to train for a marathon.
This past weekend, I finished a 21-mile (my longest distance ever) training run.
To run a long distance, you just have to run more, right?
Well, not quite.
Not only was I tired, but as I soon learned, this wasnt the most effective strategy.
I never realized how much other work besides running goes into marathon training.
Specifically, moving in different planes of motion and working on your backside are really important.
Neglecting the back of your body can result in an imbalance of strength that may eventually lead to injury.
But while bilateral pain (i.e.
Throughout my training, Ive seen Nurse for check-ins and treatments every 10 days or so.
Ive also made foam rolling a regular part of my routine.
Body alignment simply means making sure the segments of the body are properly lined up with each other.
This translates to how the body naturally was made to function with the most ease, Weiss says.
Your risk of injury increases dramatically the more out of alignment you are, Weiss adds.
But Id never considered that this could negatively impact my stride.
Everythings connected in one long chain, after all.
It does this by hyperextending the cervical spine causing more wear and tear in the neck.
Ive always just run to run, rarely challenging myself during my jogs.
And if I didnt care about getting faster, why tire myself out with bursts of speed?
Physiologically, running faster further challenges and strengthens your cardiovascular system.
You’re training your body to feel more comfortable at faster speeds.
Ive shaved seconds off my mile time.
At the beginning of my training, I ran about a 10-minute mile.
But during my 16-miler, I averaged a 9:16 mile pace!
Running up and down a crazy-high hill in Brookline, Massachusetts, near my home has not been easy.
After all,running uphillhelps strengthen both the glutes and hips.
The downhill is equally as important as the uphill, Nurse says.
But after I started training, I found myself signing up for restorative forms of the practice instead.
In the days following a long run, its exactly what my body wants.
Its a great way to balance out all the high-impact endurance training.
It helps distance runners develop better focus in long moments of discomfort during running, English says.
make my way toward that finish line.
