The Boston Marathon is the holy grail for many marathon runners. The unique qualification system and stringent timing standards mean that only a small percentage of the marathoning population is eligible to participate. Unless you are a charity runner, your only option is to spend years getting fitter and faster…and then having the perfect race […]
Join Coach Patrick from Marathon Nation (www.marathonnation.us) for a discussion on how to pick the best possible first marathon.
Once a luxury, most marathons now employ a group of Pacers to help lead runners to a certain finishing time. But not all Pacers are the same; and non of them run like the metronome you most likely assume them to be.
Getting ready to run — or race — a marathon is an undertaking of significant effort. Having miles in your legs isn’t the final arbiter of race day success — or performance. Here are some critical points to consider as you prepare for the final push to your marathon.
One of the most frequent marathon training questions I am asked has to do with the “best” distance for the weekly long run. At first I thought everyone was obsessed with the long run, but I have come to realize that people are really asking me something entirely different: “How far do I need to […]
After the marathon, most runners simply…keep running. No downtime. No rest. No reflection. No time for growth…and ultimately no room for it either. Any marathon finisher will tell you the importance of being 100% mentally prepared for the challenges of race day; yet few choose to exercise their mental muscles in the post-race window when […]
Winter training isn’t fun or easy. Everyone needs to run in the snow at least once a year, after that the fun and excitement diminish in favor of worry about falling and concern for missed workouts. But the winter is also a great time for a running re-birth, a chance to leave the hectic race […]
Lining up just before starting gun goes off is a moment of extreme tension. Months of training and focus have brought you to the precipice of race day. In a few minutes, your body and mind will be put to the test. You are ready to go, but there’s just one problem: every fiber in […]
Not all marathon running schedules are created equal, and your training might be suffering because of it. This isn’t the case for everyone, but it’s especially true if you run slower than 9-minute miles during your long runs. Here’s how you can adapt your training plan.
The challenge of running and racing a marathon is a singular pursuit. Before you even start, you know that you’ll have highs and lows, obstacles to overcome, and inevitable suffering — followed by euphoria — on race day. With all of this ahead of you, it makes sense to pick the right marathon. No 26.2 […]
Those cross-training workouts – like core work, pool running or cycling, and strength exercises – have dramatic benefits for marathoners and shouldn’t be skipped. Knowing when to implement them in a smart training plan can help you recover faster, run more, and ultimately get that new personal best.
The end of December is a fantastic time to be a runner…unless you are actually training for something! If you’re like me — and many others — the thought of hitting the road and spending hours each day playing board games sitting parked next to too much yummy food is enough to make you request […]
With the New Year approaching the season of giddy goal setting is almost upon us. You know, that short window at the end of the year when everyone makes snap resolutions about health, fitness, work, family, diet. Unsurprisingly, the vast majority of these promises fail long before we remember to cancel that gym membership…but it […]
While the marathon is your own personal adventure to navigate, rest assured that thousands more have done the same. You can use their experience as your road map. As a coach who has helped countless athletes reach the finish line, I am going to let you in on one simple secret for your preparation: Take […]
Not racing the marathon could be one of the best things for your fitness and future performance. That’s right, skipping the big day could be the catalyst for significant performance gains.
Author’s Note: This is the second installment in our new “Couch to Marathon” instructional series designed to help newbie marathoners make the most of their first race (first one is here). From training to racing information, we’ll cover the fundamentals that all beginner runners should know. If you have any additional questions, please find us […]
