So you got into the London Marathon?! That's fantastic, congratulations!
If you're new to marathon running, don't be nervous - we'll be with you every step of the way.
We've got week-by-week plans all the way up to the day of the marathon that will incorporate BMF to ensure you're keeping all muscles working hard to prevent injury, and increase your all-round strength for those longer runs. Stick with us and we'll help you through!
MARATHON TRAINING PLANS
We caught up with David Hellard, BMF Race Team's long-distance specialist, to talk about how he prepares for a marathon. Over to you, David:
"Firstly, congratulations! I've run London eight times now and every one of them has been special - it truly is one of the greatest races on earth. The good news is there is plenty of time from now until April (possibly too much time) so if you're new to running just try and get out jogging a couple of times a week, mixing up speeds and distances. The main aim for the next few months will be to get in the habit of going for runs and working out how best to fit running into your routine - whether in your lunch hour, as your commute or as an early morning wake up call. Use this time to find enjoyable routes and even ask around at your local BMF class to see if anyone else is also running. Speak to one of the BMF instructors about stretching, as it's important that you build in 5-10 minutes after every run to stretch out properly. If by December you're running 2-3 times a week you're looking good."
"Many marathoners make the mistake of stopping everything in their life except running. One of the biggest challenges though, is how to get through the training plan without getting injured, and cross training is the answer. When you grow tired, your muscles tire at differing rates, which causes you to lose your form. As one muscle tires, it puts extra strain on the others, causing you to run less efficiently, slowing you down, but also increasing the risks of injury, as these muscles become overloaded.
This is why cross training is so important.
Not only does it increase leg strength to help you power up those hills, but it protects you from injury. Athletes such as Mo Farah and Paula Radcliffe always build in weights and core exercises into their training plans for this reason. I make sure that even during my heaviest training weeks I attend two sessions of BMF to build a strong core and work on my glutes."
"I used to suffer with runners knee whenever I upped my training, but the BMF classes have addressed my lack of glute strength and now I can train harder with fewer problems. There's a long way to go, but by building up slowly it allows your body time to respond, improve and recover."
If you have any questions, please feel free to pop them on our Facebook page and also visit our running hub for extra resources such as perfecting your running technique and rejuvenating after a marathon.
Happy running!
