It’s fall and runners everywhere smell races in the air. From D.C. to L.A. marathoners are gearing up for a 26.2 haul. Maybe it’s time you gave it a try?
Not so long ago, marathons were thought of as an activity for the elite athlete—only the hardcore dare to participate. Not so anymore. Now, a swell of charity training teams are making the marathon an activity
that almost any average Joe can accomplish. I coach one of the “Train to End Stroke” marathon teams, and we send dozens of first-time runners to marathons twice a year.
I’m not saying the marathon is for everyone. Training for one takes a lot of time and dedication. This includes not only giving up one of your weekend days for long runs, but also making the time three or four times a week to exercise in order to keep up with the program. And for those already dealing with bad hips, knees and feet—a marathon may not be the best course of action. BUT, if you’re up for a challenge, want a new and exciting way to get in shape—maybe it’s time to join a marathon training program!
Kimberly Grover, a participant on one of my “Train to End Stroke” teams says, “I never really ran before joining the (TTES) training group and it was amazing to see your body change and adapt to the distance we added on each week. The run/walk method helped train me to run a marathon! To know that I was running a marathon as well as raising funds to help fight Stroke made it very meaningful. I liked it so much, I have done 2 ½ marathons since!”
Most training programs for beginners are four to five months long—and include both walking and running programs. Participants meet as a group on the weekend (usually nice and early Saturday morning) for their long run of the week, and are expected to follow a schedule on their own during the week. In 16-20 weeks, you go from zero to 20+ miles to prepare for your marathon. During the week trainings vary depending on the coach.
Not so long ago, marathons were thought of as an activity for the elite athlete—only the hardcore dare to participate. Not so anymore. Now, a swell of charity training teams are making the marathon an activity
I’m not saying the marathon is for everyone. Training for one takes a lot of time and dedication. This includes not only giving up one of your weekend days for long runs, but also making the time three or four times a week to exercise in order to keep up with the program. And for those already dealing with bad hips, knees and feet—a marathon may not be the best course of action. BUT, if you’re up for a challenge, want a new and exciting way to get in shape—maybe it’s time to join a marathon training program!
Kimberly Grover, a participant on one of my “Train to End Stroke” teams says, “I never really ran before joining the (TTES) training group and it was amazing to see your body change and adapt to the distance we added on each week. The run/walk method helped train me to run a marathon! To know that I was running a marathon as well as raising funds to help fight Stroke made it very meaningful. I liked it so much, I have done 2 ½ marathons since!”
Most training programs for beginners are four to five months long—and include both walking and running programs. Participants meet as a group on the weekend (usually nice and early Saturday morning) for their long run of the week, and are expected to follow a schedule on their own during the week. In 16-20 weeks, you go from zero to 20+ miles to prepare for your marathon. During the week trainings vary depending on the coach.
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