5 Ways to Kickstart Your Training
by Mike Schulz
“Oh my god you’re crazy. I could never do that”. It has to be the most common thing I hear when people find out I’m running a marathon. Sure, 26.2 miles is far, but truly anyone can get it done if they set their mind to it.
1.Sign up for the Race
Nothing sets your training in motion more than receiving an email confirming your registration with a receipt. Before you sign up, the marathon is just a fun idea to toss around. But once you get that email, the race gets very real. Fast.
2. Get a Calendar
Being able to visualize the time until the race takes a lot of power away from the distance. It becomes much less intimidating when there’s six months worth of dates to train sprawled across your wall. For me it was accompanied by a few Bruce Lee and Muhammad Ali quotes, but pick your poison.
3. Get a Plan
Having the calendar doesn’t do you any good without a plan to fill it with. Luckily finding a training program is the easiest thing you’ll do all day. I recommend one from Hal Higdon. There is a plan for every level runner, from first race to Boston qualifying.
4. Partner Up
3 hours of running alone can turn a man insane; a running partner greatly decreases the odds of that happening. Being able to talk with someone on an early morning 20-mile run can make the time fly by. Not only for the company, running with a group or partner is the best way to push your limits and not let up.
5. Learn to Enjoy the Run
So many marathoners will tell you that running a marathon changed their life, but I don’t buy that. Crossing a finish line doesn’t change you. What changes you are the months of dedication and sacrifice that got you to the finish. It’s the rainy, early mornings in the cold when your warm bed was screaming your name but you went out and got the miles in anyway. If you can learn to love those mornings, your training will fly by.
About the Author
I’m a 20-year-old from Milwaukee, Wisconsin…so as far as awesome goes, I would say that almost covers it. I’m an avid runner and weight lifter. I’m currently training for a marathon, which is in two weeks. One of my favorite things to do is cook and prepare healthy meals, occasionally trying to get my roommates to join me in clean eating. I love the outdoors, taking my dog for trail walks is where you can usually find me on a nice morning.