#dong handsome classroom# three months run down full marathon guide
Introduction: The new year brings the spring,The 2016 race calendar is out~ Worried that a few short months won't be enough to achieve your grand goal of running a full marathon this year? Don't worry! We'll teach you how to conquer a full marathon in three months!
Translation by Yuan Chao
【If you can run and chat for 60 minutes, you have the strength to run a full marathon】
After setting the goal of running a full marathon in three months, the answer turned out to be surprisingly simple. "If you can run and chat for 60 minutes, you have the strength to run a full marathon." Why is that?
Coach Takao: "Being able to run and chat is very important. Being able to maintain normal conversation indicates continuous aerobic exercise. If you can keep your body well-oxygenated, running for 60 minutes, 2 hours, 3 hours, 4 hours... even 7 hours while still being able to talk, then you can effectively utilize fat to provide energy for the marathon."
On the contrary, if you're gasping for breath and your breathing is irregular, even though you're running, it's closer to anaerobic exercise, which cannot be sustained for long periods.
【Training plan to achieve '60 minutes of running and chatting'】
Next, let's talk about the specific training methods. For those who don't run at all, start with 'walk for 15 minutes + run for 5 minutes.' The key point is that the training goal is set by time, not distance.
Coach Takao: "Including warm-up, start by walking for 15 minutes. Begin running for 5 minutes, gradually increasing to 10 minutes, then 15 minutes. In the initial phase, follow the principle of 'train for 3 days, rest for 1 day.' After reaching 15 minutes of running, switch to 'train for 1 day, rest for 2 days.' But never rest for more than 3 consecutive days! If you rest for more than 3 consecutive days, your cardiovascular function will stagnate or even regress."
The times and days shown in the chart are just targets. Initially, stick to walking for 15 minutes and gradually extend the time based on your physical condition. The most important thing is not to forget to run at a pace where you can chat.
【Ensure correct running posture】
Whether walking or running, maintaining the correct posture makes training much more effective.
☆ Key points for walking posture
Unlike normal walking, increase the swing of your arms, land on your heels, and use your entire foot to walk. Because the range of motion is larger, it helps burn fat. Additionally, muscle strength will improve, preparing your body to run a full marathon sooner.
(Translator's note: This image shows walking posture, not running posture. When walking, you can't land on the forefoot. Indeed, landing on the forefoot reduces impact on the knees. There are various opinions on the best way to land while running, and there's no consensus. Many professional athletes also land on their heels. If you're used to landing on your heels, forcing a change requires a long period of exploration. Speaking from personal experience, I used to land on my heels and completed several full marathons. It took me over a year to explore and even got injured trying to change my running posture. Finally, after some insights from 'Tai Chi Running,' I learned to land with my entire foot by placing the landing point behind the vertical plane of my leaning body. I've translated longer articles on landing techniques, which can be discussed in a separate thread if interested.)
·POINT: Pay attention to the three points of the foot
Feel the sensation of using your entire foot to walk. Maintain contact through the three pink points in the middle, and push off cleanly with the ball of your big toe. Land on your heel first, and ensure that the forefoot lands simultaneously, not just on the big toe or little toe side.
☆ Key points for running posture
The most important thing is to run in a relaxed state. If your shoulders and arms are too tense, your movements will slow down, increasing the burden on your body and making breathing difficult. When running, imagine holding a sponge in your hands, lightly clenching your fists and running relaxed. Another important point is to maintain a forward lean. If you lean forward, your center of gravity will move smoothly in the direction you're running. Since fatigue causes the body to lean backward, always keep an eye on maintaining a forward lean.
·POINT: Remember the running rhythm through bouncing
When waiting at a red light, practice bouncing. Rhythm is very important for running. Bounce with a fixed rhythm like 'pa, pa, pa, pa' to maintain your running cadence. You can also march in place, but bouncing helps relax your shoulders, so it's more recommended.
【Don't push yourself to the point of gasping for breath; 80% running and 20% muscle strength training is the safe way to train】
When sticking to running, you must be aware of the risk of injuries. This is actually a hidden trap behind the desire to train hard.
"A person's cardiovascular function can improve within about a week of training. However, muscle strength improvement starts 1-2 months after training begins. Ideally, cardiovascular function and muscle strength would improve at the same rate, but that's not the case. This is the root cause of injuries. The reason is that if you run until you're gasping for breath, you feel like you've worked hard. Many people push themselves to train to achieve this feeling. However, at this point, muscle strength hasn't reached that level, so you're actually overloading your training."
To avoid this, it's necessary to do muscle training while running. Running should account for 80% of your training, and the remaining 20% should be for muscle strength. This is the safe way.
According to the 'Survey on Running Injuries among Ordinary Amateur Runners,' knee and foot pain are the most common. Here are some targeted training exercises.
Coach Takao says, "I didn't expect to be able to run for 60 minutes so soon." But to avoid getting injured just when you're starting to enjoy running, be sure to do muscle training seriously.
【Building legs for a full marathon, muscle training is indispensable】
☆ 'Squats' to prevent knee injuries
Strengthen your thighs with squats to prevent knee injuries.
1. Extend your arms forward and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart
2. Maintain this posture and squat down by bending your knees
·POINT: If you bend your knees too deeply, your muscles will stretch, so moderate depth is sufficient. Start with 10 reps per set, gradually increasing to 2 sets, then 3 sets. Once you can do 3 sets, increase the number of reps per set until you can do 3 sets of 50 reps.
※ Stretching to relax after 'squats'
Hold onto a wall with one hand, grab the same side foot with the other hand, and stretch the front of your thigh. Hold for at least 20 seconds. This is a complementary action to squats and must be done.
☆ 'Heel raises' to prevent foot injuries
To improve the stability of the easily injured ankle and strengthen the calf muscles. Also, to help the body remember the forward-leaning posture.
1. Hold onto a wall or other support, lean forward as if you're about to fall.
2. While counting '1, 2, 3, 4,' raise your heels. Raise to the highest point by the count of 3, and hold at 4.
3. While counting '1, 2, 3, 4,' lower your heels. Touch the ground by the count of 3, and hold at 4.
·POINT: Usually, by maintaining a forward-leaning posture during training, your body will remember the feeling of shifting your center of gravity. Start with 10 reps per set, gradually increasing to 2 sets, then 3 sets. Once you can do 3 sets, increase the number of reps per set until you can do 3 sets of 30 reps.
※ Stretching to relax after 'heel raises'
A. Step one leg forward, keep the back leg straight, and stretch the calf muscles. Hold for at least 20 seconds, then switch legs and repeat.
B. This time, bend the back leg to relax. Hold for at least 20 seconds, then switch legs and repeat.
A stretches the gastrocnemius muscle, and B stretches the soleus muscle. These two actions help relax the entire calf muscle.
How about the method to run a full marathon in three months?
Have you remembered the posture to run 42.195 kilometers?
Training can become more enjoyable as you discover a different version of yourself through it!
Mark it down, andfully prepare forthe full marathon in 2016~
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