While running for long periods of time is clearly the most important part of a marathon training program, building up your all round athletic performance is highly beneficial to marathon preparation.
Being an all round athlete means:
- You are much less likely to become injured
- You will probably recover from training more quickly
- You might even be able to put your socks on in the morning without help
- And you’ll also feel pretty good about how you look and feel.
Building up your all round athletic performance
Running long distances on a regular basis will help build your stamina. But you should also include activities that improve these aspects of your fitness if you can:
- Flexibility
- Core strength
- Leg strength
- Speed.
Many marathon runners also enjoy other types of endurance or aerobic training, particularly when nursing potential injuries or weaknesses.
Good complementary training includes
- Cycling
- Indoor cycling or spinning – great for bad weather
- Rowing machines
- Aerobics classes
- Hill walking.
Mix up your running
A well-balanced marathon training program contains a variety of running:
- Shorter runs at a higher intensity
- Interval training – sometimes called Fartlek running
- Running up hilly areas
- Running on grass
- Running different routes to keep training interesting.
- Occasional “big day” runs which stretch your capabilities a bit.
Other types of training to consider
The following are all highly beneficial to all round fitness and will help you avoid injuries while training for a marathon or half marathon:
- Yoga
- Pilates
- Stretching
- Light weight training
- Swimming
Swimming is also a great way of staying fit if you get injured during your marathon training schedule because the water supports your body weight.
