You have the date circled on your calendar. You know exactly when you're going to start your next big build up to that dream marathon, the problem is: you have 5 weeks until that build up actually starts. So what do you do in the meantime?
That period before you start actually training specifically for the marathon can often feel like the weirdest, most nebulous time of any training cycle. It can also absolutely be the time that you set yourself up for success . Here are three things that you can do to maximize that period of time before embarking on the big build up.
Develop Good Ancillary Habits.
What I mean is that THIS is the time to institute a daily pre and post run flexibility/mobility routine. THIS is the time to make getting your strength and core work in a habit. THIS is the time to clean up your eating. It's difficult to start any of these habits in the middle of a marathon build up as the miles and the fatigue start to pile up. So start these habits before the fatigue sets in and make them a part of your routine so that it sticks once the miles start to accumulate. Looking for a place to start? Here's an easy video of some exercises you can do to prep your body to hit the road:
Run Fast.
A lot of marathon programs, for good reason, are incredibly focused on aerobic work, long mileage, and threshold work. Typically during this time, speed work tends to get pushed to the side. So in that 4-5 weeks ahead of your marathon build, give yourself a good base of speed to build off of. By speed I primarily mean short bursts of running between 15-45 seconds with long rests (double the duration of the repetition), at around your 1 mile race effort. You can run these on the road, the track, you can do short hill sprints, or just institute them as post run strides. The important thing is that you spend some time running fast to prep your body for the work to come. Short, fast work like this can help your efficiency and economy, and will make all of those threshold miles feel a little smoother. Here's an easy workout to get you started:
10 minutes of easy running to warm up, 10 x 30 seconds at your 1 mile race effort (fast, but NOT an all out sprint) with a 1 minute recovery jog between. Cool down however many miles you need to complete your day.
Goal-Set for the Build Up
What are you hoping to get out this marathon build up, besides running a fast time? Do you want to miss less than 3 Quality Sessions? How about run with a group more than 5 times during the build? Before you're in the thick of training is a good time to sit down and reflect on what you want to achieve during your training block. We all set the goal to run fast, or run a PR, or BQ, but what goals do you have about the PROCESS of training? How many small wins can you accumulate during the build up itself. By setting, then knocking down these smaller process oriented goals, you can build momentum during the training block and have an incredibly positive experience even if you're race day doesn't go as planned.
Have more questions on how to nail the pre-build period? Want to start the journey to your next PR? Click the button below to get started today!
Comments