On April 17th, over 20,000 people - including 200 Tufts runners and yours truly - voluntarily took on the challenge of completing the Boston Marathon: a 26.2 mile run from Hopkinton to Boston.
Amazing. Unbelievable. Insane!
While the actual act of running the marathon may not top everybody's to-do list, everyone (runners and non-runners alike) can learn something from the process of training for a marathon.
Focus on a goal
Behind every successful training program is an attainable goal - something you are working to achieve. The goal of a marathon runner is clear: to finish the marathon. A marathoner focuses on this goal and uses it to motivate him or herself through the many hours and miles of training.
You should do the same - regardless of your chosen activity. Choose something to work toward (i.e., benching 180 pounds or participating in the Walk for Hunger) and always use that as a reminder of why you are working so hard.
Vary your routine
Variety is the spice of life - and the key to a good workout routine. Though marathon runners' routines almost always involve running, their workout will vary from day to day. Some days they will complete a short, fast run; other days they will run slowly for a long distance. By changing up the routine, they are training their bodies to be 'fit' in many different ways.
Try this technique in your own training. Don't immediately head to the elliptical for an hour-long workout every day. Instead, make every day a little different by varying the time you spend working out, the intensity of your workout (speed and/or incline), or the type of machine you use.
Rest
Rest? Yep, you read that right. Rest days are one of the most important components of any training program. In the marathon world, they are crucial. Almost all marathon runners take at least one-sometimes two-rest days per week. This gives the body a chance to recover from all of the 'abuse' it has taken during the training runs.
Do the same for your body. Resist the urge to train seven days a week; give your body at least one day to relax. You will prevent burnout and injury this way.
Focus on today and increase little by little
Think baby steps. A good workout routine should
represent your current level of fitness - not your ideal level. Marathon runners don't start their training program with a 26.2 mile run; that is the distance they work toward through long and difficult training sessions.
Preparing for a marathon usually takes 15-20 weeks! So be patient (and realistic) in your own training. Do not start out with a 90-minute workout if you haven't been doing anything at all. Start small and increase slowly.
Celebrate small victories
Every day of your training brings a new experience.
Enjoy every one of them! While marathon runners complete the marathon only once in their training process, they have a lot of small victories to celebrate along the way (like completing their first long run or finishing their first road race).
Don't just think about where you want to be. Instead, think about where you are and celebrate all of your mini-accomplishments on the path to achieving your goal.
Love what you are doing
If you don't like it, you aren't going to do it - bottom line. While training for a marathon isn't always easy and, truthfully, isn't always fun, marathon runners stick with it because of their love of the sport. Your training program is going to be the same way.
Every day is not going to be a blast, but if you genuinely like what you are doing, you will be much more likely to stick with it.
Mary Kennedy is a graduate student in Nutrition Communication at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. She has a BS in Clinical Exercise Physiology from Boston University and is certified as a Health and Fitness Instructor through the American College of Sports Medicine.
