Marathon You Can Do It

If you are training to run New York  marathon you should keep in mind the following marathon training principles:

When to start training for New York marathon

The early you start your marathon training the better. 4 months prior to the marathon is a good idea. Training early has advantages, you get enough time to train and most importantly you have time to recover from inevitable running injuries.

The 10% rule of marathon training.

Never increase your weekly mileage, by more than 10 percent a week. If you do you will drastically increase the risk of running injury.

The long runs for New York  marathon

The long runs can be up to 20-23 miles (for the experienced runner) for the inexperienced runner this can be 5 – 15 miles depending on your level of experience. The long run should be done at least once a week.

Easy weeks

We love going  full speed on our training but it is a good Idea to slow things down between your training weeks. This will allow you to stay fresh as you build on your overall workload.

Rest.

Taking a complete break from running is as important as running itself. Two to three days of complete rest will allow you body to recover from the stress of marathon running. Don’t take a long rest as you will lose all the gains from your training.

Hydration for New York marathon

Keep drinking enough water. Water helps in preventing running injuries.

Nutrition for New York marathon

Eating the right foods is important! You need to eat plenty of carbohydrates to give you energy. Eating foods rich in protein will help your body repair small tears that happen during training.

Taper for New York  marathon

Avoid over training by reducing your weekly mileage during the final two weeks before New York marathon. This will ensure you arrive at the starting line feeling fresh and energised.

Good luck!!

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: Marathon Running, Marathon Training, New york marathon

What is the perfect running posture? Runners have always sort the answer to that question.

I found this picture with a good illustration on a good posture during running.

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: 10K Running, Ankle, Exercise, Marathon Running, Marathon Training

In preparation for 2010 london marathon  I read the post race commentary of 2009 London marathon and in a bbc article  I discovered a sad statistic that shows the london marathon finishing times have gotten slower since the marathon begun in 1981.

The top of the pack (the elite runners) they have gotten faster and faster but the rest of the field has gotten slower and slower.

In 1982, a time of two hours 40 minutes would have placed you 457th. Last year, it would have been good enough for 184th – this despite the huge increase in competitors.

Interesting Case of Mathew Parris

Matthew Parris, the Times columnist and former MP, finished in 1985 in the best time ever by an MP – an impressive two hours, 32mins, 57 seconds, for 385th out of about 20,000. In 2008 london marathon, this would have placed him 83rd out of 34,000. In 2007 London marathon (a hot day, admittedly), his time would have been good for 46th.

What this illustrates is the decline in the number of good runners who are clocking times between 2 hours 20 minutes up to 2 hours 50 minutes.

To read the full article visit the BBC Running site

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: london marathon, Marathon, Marathon Running, Runners

If you are training for the Chicago marathon you should keep in mind the following marathon training principles:

When to start training for Chicago marathon

The early you start your marathon training the better. 4 months prior to the marathon is a good idea. Training early has advantages, you get enough time to train and most importantly you have time to recover from inevitable running injuries.

The Chicago marathon course

The course is the flattest around. No need to do hill running as part of your training but if you do hill running during your training, on the d-day the flat course will feel like a piece of cake.

The 10% rule of marathon training.

Never increase your weekly mileage, by more than 10 percent a week. If you do you will drastically increase the risk of running injury.

The long runs for Chicago marathon

The long runs can be upto 20-23 miles (for the experienced runner) for the inexperienced runner this can be 5 – 15 miles depending on your level of experience. The long run should be done at least once a week.

Easy weeks

We love going full speed on our training but it is a good Idea to slow things down between your training weeks. This will allow you to stay fresh as you build on your overall workload.

Rest.

Taking a complete break from running is as important as running itself. Two to three days of complete rest will allow you body to recover from the stress of marathon running. Don’t take a long rest as you will lose all the gains from your training.

Hydration for Chicago marathon

Keep drinking enough water. Water helps in preventing running injuries

Weather conditions for Chicago marathon

The last two chicago marathon have seen hot temperatures on the day of the marathon. In 2007 it was so hot to the extent one vulnerable runner died. The best way to prepare is to train in hot weather conditions.

Nutrition for Chicago marathon

Eating the right foods is important! You need to eat plenty of carbohydrates to give you energy. Eating foods rich in protein will help your body repair small tears that happen during training.

Taper for Chicago marathon

Avoid overtraining by reducing your weekly mileage during the final two weeks before Chicago marathon. This will ensure you arrive at the starting line feeling fresh and energized.

Good luck with your training!!

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: chicago marathon, Marathon Running, Marathon Training, Training Plan

I found this chart from BBC. Listing the Top 100 Marathon runners between 1981 -2008.

World Marathon Rankings

Marathon Facts

• Kenya has come from nowhere in 1981 to dominate the roads; in 2008 65 of the 100 runners were Kenyans.
• Kenya’s men are stronger indepth in the marathon than in any other country in a single discipline in athletics.

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: Running, Training

The historic 26 mile boston marathon course starts in the town of hopkinton and ends in boston city

9 Towns along the boston marathon course.

1. Hopkinton

2. Ashland

3. Framingham

4. Natick

5. Wellesley

6. Newton

7. Brighton

8. Brookline

9. Boston

Snap short of boston marathon route – course map

Boston from start to finish

To get a detailed boston marathon route map you may down load it from the official boston marathon website : download the boston marathon map here

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: Boston Marathon, Marathon Running, Marathon Training

A good marathon training plan will get you to the starting line in the best fitness and the most rested state possible. A good training plan means hard work without over training. The organisers of boston marathon provide all their runners with a detailed 16 weeks marathon training plan.

Details of Boston Marathon training plan.

Weekly mileage

For the veteran runners they are advised to run weekly mileage of between 60-70 miles while the rookie runners 40-60 miles.

Weekly workouts

A typical weekly workout should be like this

Monday – rest day

Tuesday – Interval running 8-10 miles

Wednesday – Road running 5 – 8 miles

Thursday – Tempo run 8 – 11 miles

Friday – Road running  4 – 7 miles

Saturday – Easy run 6 – 9 miles

Sunday – The long run 13 – 16 miles

Runners can downlaod a full detailed plan at boston athletics association

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: Boston Marathon, Marathon Running, Marathon Training, Runners

Boston marathon is the oldest marathon in the world. For most runners Boston marathon is on top 100 things in life to accomplish.

Some facts about boston marathon are

• The route is hilly – four in number
• The weather can be unpredictable
• The runners are fast, thanks to the minimum standards.

10. Boston Marathon running tips

To beat these challenges Boston marathon provides every runner with a list of 10 marathon training tips.

1. Train hard but remember to take a rest.
2. If a day or two of training is missed due to injury or illness or other reason, don’t try to cram two days of training into one. Lost days are simply days.
3. Train at your projected marathon pace.
4. Try to train at the time of the day the race starts and in the predicted weather condition as much as possible.
5. Do the long runs.
6. Remember to stretch
7. Do speed works round a track, it just makes your legs feel better.
8. Listen to your body, If you feel tired take a rest, if you feel pain go easy, if the pain is too much stop running.

Source : boston marathon site

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: Athletes, Boston Marathon, Marathon Running, Marathon Training, Stretching

This is a Guest Blog post from my Friend Khalfan who ran the 2009 Tokyo Marathon. He is a Kenyan teaching in Japan

Tokyo Marathon(My first Marathon)
From Khalfan.

Background:

Actually my main sport has been soccer since when I was 6 years old. But in high school I ran a number of short races like 4 x 100m relay, and 200m.
Although I am from Kenya, running is not seen as cool by city youths. Only these days of running boom, people are kind of noticing the power of running. In my case I felt the power of running when I moved to Japan.

How I fell in Love with running

Last July, my student invited me to run in their 5k by 4 Ekiden, and I was the anchor! I was expecting something like 20 minutes, but to my surprise I ran for 17 minutes 30 seconds(Thanks to my soccer sprints!).

After this I felt like challenging half Marathon in November which went well and was tempted to shot at the Tokyo Marathon. Amazingly, a month before November’s half Marathon, I had only two runs. One 6 Kilometre run which I did in my October vacation in Mombasa and a 16 Kilometre run which I did two days from the race. I was quite poorly prepared, but was surprised to finish in 1 hour 31 minutes.

Tokyo Marathon 2009

Starting line:

I didn’t want to go to the Tokyo Marathon start line as poorly prepared as November. So I started training hard and long, only to get injured and stay out of action all of December and January. The injury was so serious that it forced me to go to an orthopedician. In mid Feb I was back on my feet but was scared to do tough training to avoid another injury. So I went to the start line with confidence but poorly prepared again with only one 25 Kilometre run as my longest run.

Register : Get an Entry To Tokyo marathon : Matter of Luck

I think you already know that Japan is a country of runners, I don’t mean record breakers as we know them but I mean people who love running! That means getting a ticket to the Tokyo Marathon, being the biggest running event in Japan is not a joke! The limit was 30,000 Marathon runners and 5,000 10 Km runners, but there were over 260,000 applicants. Lucky me!

On the starting line I met a few good runners I know since my position was good as I used my 5k results. I was dreaming of an ambitious target time of 2:55 to 3:30 and was planning to run 5k 20 to 21 minutes splits. From my half Marathon experience I knew that my pacing is bad, so I decided to follow a guy who can take me at a 4:10 pace.

When the gun went off, we crawled for about one and a half minute before crossing the start line. My leader Mr. Paddy was quite slow at the first split and we crossed 5k point after 23 minutes. Although I trusted him, I still doubted myself if I can hold such a slower pace for long, so I decided to speed up (A rookies mistake which I knew about!). The reason I sped off was the feeling that I better get tired after covering many Kilometres in a short while than getting tired trying to keep a uniform pace.

The second split 5k to 10k I did it in 21 minutes, 10k to 15k at 22minutes, 15k to 20k at 23 minutes. But my trouble started between 20 to 25 mark. My calf muscles started getting tighter as I approached 24k mark. Remember that is around my longest practice run! I hanged in there and crossed the 25k point in 26 minutes.

The Awesome Spectators of Tokyo marathon

The good thing about Tokyo Marathon is that, there are supporters everywhere, it makes it difficult to even think of quitting. And that is why the finishing percentage might be one of the highest in the world at 97%. Although the idea of quitting started filling my head after 25 mark, I knew that I had to reach 28k mark since that is where someone was waiting for me with my Gel. So I pushed on, telling my brain that after taking the gel I can just quit.

I have heard of people eating Bananas, cookies and bread and other stuff as they run, but I always felt this is very silly since serious runners have no such leisures. Also the idea of run-walking was something I never imagined I could keep up with! But as I approach 28K mark I felt all my energy was sapped out! When I saw the Banana supply, I grabbed a handful of Banana pieces that amount to about two bananas. I took the banana hungrily, drunk lots of water and amino drink, enough to get me to the 28 mark.

At 28 mark I got my gel but since I was so hungry I drunk the gel in few seconds, and was supply less. Luckily just around the corner some supporter offered me a bottle of water, and two more supporters gave me gels. Nevertheless at 29 mark I broke my not walking promise and stopped to stretch and walk. In fact at this point I was thinking of quitting but most of the route had railings and supporters never stopped cheering. That made me feel like I was on the stage, and I started enjoying talking with the supporters in between my runs!

The only thing that helped me on top of the food helping was the medical support around! I knew someone had medical supplies, but I forgot what color jacket volunteers had medical supplies. I stopped a number of them asking, until I found out the volunteers in red jackets had spray that could ease my calf muscles. So with few pit stops, I could manage a decent walk run that saw me cross 30k mark after 32 minutes, 35k mark after 31 minutes, and 40k mark after 33, The last 2ks or so I did them in about 12 minutes and managed to cross the finish line far from my target time after 3 hours 46minutes. The rest is history!

The winner of Tokyo Marathon was a fellow Kenyan – Salim Kipsang, I wished I had asked him to carry my chip for me!

Inspiring Story of a 65 year Old Japanese Marathon Runner

Though a Kenyan won, the real record breaker was a 65 years old Japanese with Bushido(Samurai) spirit – Mr. Akinori Kusuda who ran 52 Marathons in 52 days. Tokyo Marathon was his 52nd!

I just ran my first Marathon and I feel like I need two weeks recovery, I wonder what kind of muscles does Mr. Akinori have!

The run was tough, but really memorable and fun! My next plan is to do more long runs of 30 to 35k and do a couple of 10 ks and half Marathons before attempting another Full Marathon!

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: 10K Running, half marathon, Inspiring Stories, Japanese runners, Marathon Running, Training, water

The Great Wall of China Marathon is an annual marathon race held in May along and on the Huangyaguan, Tianjin section of the Great Wall of China East of Beijing. Aside from the main marathon, a half marathon, 10 km and 5 km runs are also held.

How tough is the course of great wall marathon

Participants are challenged by 5,164 stone steps and many steep ascents and descents.

These Course records are a good indicator of how tough the great wall marathon is

Men – 3:18:48

Women – 4:09: 10

Marathon Training Plan for the Great Wall marathon

This is one marathon that will require a runner to do plenty of hill running. But hill running alone won’t be enough to tackle the stone steps, a runner will need to do extra strength work.

Resistance training in the gym with a focus on the hips and calf muscles will give you a good foundation.

Developing mental confidence to run the great wall marathon.

Vertical running. Running up and down the stair case  of a storeyed building will prepare a runner physically and give you mental confidence.

A word of advice from the organizers of great wall marathon

“No runner should enter The Great Wall Marathon® believing that this is an easy course. However, no one shall think this is an impossible challenge reserved exclusively for a running elite. It takes a lot of training and willpower to succeed but on average, 25% of the earlier “combatants” has premiered as marathoners on the Great Wall. Don’t be scared; just make sure to come prepared.” source greatwallmarathon.com

written by Constantine Njeru