Hello everyone, my name is Andy and this is my first blog post with JustRunLah!
2017 Sundown will be my first Marathon too!
If you are a first time Marathoner, a few questions might follow you along your running journey. Yes, I am still having these self-doubts, even when we are only days away from Sundown Marathon 🙂
Am I training enough for 42.195km?
Am I happy with my own efforts?
Am I READY for a Marathon?
Then I heard from regulars that even if you are running a Marathon for the 3rd or 10th time, you will still have doubts, as 42.195 KM is a r-e-a-l-l-y long distance!
Allow me (a novice runner) to share a few points which I pickup up along the training journey:
1) Enjoy the training routine, celebrate your own development and improvement.
Your fitness will definitely improve. Week by week, your stamina and pace will improve, you will be tired too but recovery is easier and faster.
2) We all have only 24 hours a day, Family, Work and other commitments keep us busy and we sometimes sacrifice REST (and sleep). This is the most neglected component in my training routine, it sucks when we fall sick and have to train harder again.
3) Running is tough, but finding SPARE TIME to run is even harder! When I am trying to clock the mileage for a Marathon (40 to 50 KM per week), you can literally count the number of hours needed.
4) Have Fun! Be it running with friends or enjoying a new route (sightseeing), it makes it easier to pass time (literally). If you need additional fuel and motivation for your running adrenaline, follow JustRunLah!’s fellow runners’ experiences 🙂
5) I joined all 5 TPS (ThePerformanceSeries) 10 KM in 2016. Although my personal best never went under 60 minutes, but it did build my appetite for more runs. Having said that, 42.195 KM is a huge difference from the 10 KM race!
Apart from getting some tips from friends, I pick up more tips from YouTube (Go ahead and laugh at me hee hee). Marathon is not something which we can attempt without training, you need to start preparing at least four to six months beforehand.
You might read up some YouTube or Google some of this running terms (and there are many terminologies out there!) :
– Breathing, Running style, Hydration, Injury prevention, Stride, Eat (gel) and nutrition, Tapering, Recuperation etc.
The first thing I did for myself was to come up with a training plan, and STICKING to it. (How long, how fast to run in the weeks before race day etc).
Some will recommend non-running exercises like Cross, Hike, Steps, Yoga Pilates or Aerobics to train other muscle groups. This will enhance our overall running performance, by having stronger core and flexibility (eg).
6) Join the lead-up runs (with pacers) organised by your Running event.
After all your training, this is the moment to validate whether you are ready for the race.
It is not about running Fast or even strong, but maintaining a constant (and comfortable) pace.
As this is my first Marathon, any timing below 6 hours is an achievement for me. I will be trying to run with the 5.30 pacers. Mathematically, if I can maintain a pace of 7.30 Min/Km, then I should be good 🙂
Then again, you will read that the real Marathon starts at 30 KM (the WALL).
And I am not sure how my body will adjust to running at 3 or 4am in the wee hours :p
My running journey has just started. By keeping fit myself, I hope to motivate my family to keep fit too. Cheers to many more running milestones down the road.
You can read more about my 42.195 KM Marathon motivation and bucket-list here or Instagram #Training42Sundown2017. Wish me Luck !
