Get Up Off The Couch To 5K Running - A Quick Start Up Guide

If you're considering getting fitter and would like to go from lounging on the couch to 5k training then there are a few things you need to do first.

Give some consideration to the next few points before you start any 5k training plan: -

#1 Give Your Body The Once Over

First things first. Make an appointment with your doctor or physiotherapist to make sure you’re in good health or you have any joint or muscular complications before you begin your training.

#2 Invest In Your Health

The bare minimum any new runner needs is at least one pair of good quality running shoes, ideally selected for you by knowledgeable staff at a highly regarded running store that have the equipment to monitor your running style.

You’ll also have to do some research so you know exactly what changes you ought to be seeing throughout your training and how and when to take your training forwards or take a step back.

Lastly it will be a big help to you if you get some running clothing such as waterproofs, gloves, shorts, thermal underwear and running socks etc.

#3 Get The Foundations Right

Start off slowly, increasing your distances little by little, making sure you can allow an adequate amount of recovery time between training. I advise that you leave at least 24 - 48 hours in between very demanding runs to begin with, but more if you need it.

If you plainly are going from the couch to 5k training and can’t run at all to begin with then you should begin by power walking until you are able to jog easily, from then on you can push yourself a little faster. Running 3 times a week is usually enough to start seeing improvements in your fitness levels.

To find out more about going from the couch couch to 5k running, I would suggest ‘5k Training For Beginners.’ It’s one of the most effective 5k training schedules for beginners offered on the internet, perfect for anyone that wants to study how to run a 5k race in the quickest possible time. Click here to find out more.

The Significance Of Good Marathon Nutrition

Marathon nutrition is a little unlike most other forms of healthy eating. While the focus on most ways of eating is to minimise calorie intake and possibly reduce the intake of carbohydrates, in order for you to run at your best you will need to eat more calories than you need, but at the same time the likely outcome is that you will end up losing weight.

You'll be burning large amounts of calories during your marathon training, so it is important to eat more to make sure you have an adequate amount in store. If you've also got some weight to lose then this could make your running more difficult, so getting a rid of a few pounds will definitely help you to run faster, longer and with less stress on the joints.

One of the most foremost factors of marathon nutrition is that your body requires a supply of superior quality fuel to get the most out of your training.

The amounts of nutrients also have to be altered for somebody who runs frequently. Where most weight loss diets would recommend that you select somewhere in the region of 50 - 60 % of your foods from carbohydrate sources, a distance runner will need nearer to 70% calories from complex carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates are your body’s perfect choice for energy and this energy is saved in your muscles in the form of glycogen. You also require fats to create energy and if there aren’t enough being supplied in the diet, they’ll be taken and used from your own fat stores.

Another factor in creating a well balanced supply of marathon nutrition is that you’ll need a regular amount of low fat proteins. Proteins are required to help rebuild and repair damaged cells of the body which are a by product of your marathon training.

An ideal ratio of nutrient intake for marathon nutrition is: -

Carbohydrates = 65%
Protein = 15%
Fats = 20%

Always consider the quality of foods you select, try to choose foods as near to their natural state as possible with minimal processing. Opt for low fat and low sugar as much as workable and once or twice a week have a treat.

If you’d like to really run at your best then getting the right marathon nutrition is absolutely essential. The top runners in the world eat a diet specifically geared to improving their running ability. Whilst your aim might just be to actually finish a marathon it won’t be critical that your diet is perfect but getting it right will make a big improvement to the way you run.  Click here to find out the ideal runners diet and discover how to successfully run a marathon in the shortest possible time

The Problem With Most Marathon Training Schedules

Anything that has ever been achieved in life can usually be traced back to a plan or design, following a haphazard approach rarely gets the results we hope for.

Marathon Training Schedules are a bit like this in that you do need one. You need direction and goals and without a roadmap to stick to you will likely end up not achieving anything.

Watch out for any of these types of marathon training schedules: -

Ideal

Training for a marathon requires a routine and any worthy schedule should contain this. Also there need to be enough rest days, which allows your body to recover and the opportunity for you to add in further training if for some reason you haven’t been able to make your scheduled days.

The most important aspect of a good marathon training schedule is knowledge, you need to understand how your body and fitness should be developing. This will keep you motivated, but also you will be able to spot any signs of injury or overtraining long before they happen.

No Good To Anyone

Any training schedule that is a chart that just contains days and distances of runs or times for you to do is absolutely useless.

Training techniques have developed significantly over the last few years. Gone are the days of simply plodding away day after day, mile after mile. There are more effective ways to improve your fitness which don’t place the same stresses on to the body.

Just A Pack Of Lies

Any program that promises you can run a marathon as a complete beginner in just a few weeks is nothing short of scandalous. This type of claim may well sell training programmes, but it won’t yield many if any marathon runners.

Want to know more about training for a marathon?  ‘Marathon Training For Beginners’ will teach you all you need to know. It’s one of the most effective marathon training schedules for beginners available on the internet, ideal for anyone that wants to learn how to successfully run a marathon in the shortest possible time. Click here for more details.

Marathon Fitness - 3 Important Rules

Whilst training to run a marathon needn't demand any actual skill or talent as such, it does take determination and commitment, you will need to consistently give enough time to improving and developing your marathon fitness.

Marathon fitness can be summed up as the ability to be able to run the marathon distance completely (26.2 miles) in one go without stopping or giving up.

To accomplish this level of fitness, you will need to adhere to these 3 Important rules: -

Only Practice Makes You Better

To become good at anything requires practise. To become exceptional at anything requires practise, dedication and a will to be the best you can be. For the purposes of running your first marathon you are just aiming for a steady improvement in your body’s fitness and stamina levels which needs to be gradually encouraged over the course of many weeks, by following a marathon training program that is both structured and progressive (gets a little harder each run as your fitness improves)

Variation Spices Up Your Training

Running at a slow steady pace (steady state training) is desirable to some degree in order to build up your mileages, but you will boost the distances you can run far faster and more effectively by varying the way you train each session. By using advanced training techniques that push you in different ways such as hill running, speed work and interval training to name just a few, you will increase your marathon fitness at a much greater speed.

Once You Believe You Will Achieve

Once you know you can do something, you are much more likely to believe that you can do it. You’ll also understand how hard it feels when you go through it again and be prepared for it mentally. This is why at some point during your training you will have to try a long run at or around the marathon distance.

It is very important to ensure that you leave at least 2 or 3 weeks between your longest run and the real marathon so you have plenty of time to recover because the distance will take it out of your legs.

If you’re a marathon newbie that wants to learn how to quickly improve your marathon fitness and run a marathon in the shortest achievable time, then you need to turn your attention to finding out how your body adapts and changes during training, so you know when to move forward harder and when to back off a little. Without this awareness you really are playing a guessing game with your fitness.

If you've always wanted to run a marathon, ‘Marathon Training For Beginners’ will teach you everything you need to know, an entertaining and easy to use marathon training schedule for beginners that want to learn how to successfully run a marathon in the shortest potential time. Click here for more details.