Archive for May, 2011

Starting with a 5K – Ending with a Triathlon, Part 4

Monday, May 23rd, 2011

We are now into part 4 of our blog on preparing for a Triathlon. Our last blog provided a training schedule for a half marathon, we hope this helped you start training. Instead of focusing on the training schedule for a full marathon we are going to give you some tips for training and running a full marathon. Hopefully these tips will inspire you to push yourself to a full marathon.

1. Shoes & Socks - Select the shoes–and the socks–you’ll wear in the marathon. The shoes should be relatively lightweight but provide good support, and the socks should be the type you wear in other races. If the shoes aren’t your regular training shoes, wear them on at least one 10-mile run at marathon pace. Make sure you are very comfortable in the shoes and socks and if you are not be sure to change them before the marathon and do another practice run.

2. Run a Half Marathon – Don’t just break into a full marathon, make sure you run a half before. Aim to run the half-marathon slightly faster than your marathon goal pace. If you can’t find a tune-up race, recruit friends to accompany you on a long run, with the last several miles faster than marathon pace.

3. Drink on the Run - Make sure you stay hydrated and remember that sports drinks do triple duty when compared with water by providing fluid, carbohydrates, and electrolytes, the most important being sodium. Find out how often your marathon will have aid stations, and practice drinking at that rate. If you don’t run with fluids, place bottles along your training route. It’s important to do this so you are prepared for drinking during the real race.

4. Pick the right outfit - Once you’ve picked your marathon outfit, make sure it doesn’t irritate your skin. It’s a good idea to do a practice run with your outfit on, including shirt, shorts, socks, etc… being comfortable will help your marathon performance.

5. Clock Work – If possible, run at the same time of day as the start of your marathon. This way, your body’s rhythms–including the all-important bathroom routine–will be in sync with marathon needs come race day. The more times you can do this, the better, but shoot for at least the last three days before the race.

Good luck running a full marathon and accomplishing your health and wellness goals.

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Starting with a 5K – Ending with a Triathlon, Part 3

Tuesday, May 10th, 2011

Training for a half marathon is the third part of our sequence of blogs. Now that you have completed a 5K and a 10K a half marathon is next step in order to ultimately complete a triathlon. Before you start any training be it for a 5K or a half marathon 13.1 miles, you should regularly run. If you’re a beginning runner, it’s always a good idea to consult your doctor before starting anything as strenuous as training for a half marathon especially if you’re over age 35 or 40.

Here is a schedule that is based on a simple philosophy — using the mid-week runs for conditioning and feeling out your proper pace, and using the once-per-week long runs to get you mentally prepared for running 13 miles.

Make sure that you keep in mind the terms from our last blog post such as rest days, water consumption, walking and taking breaks. Training for any type of race should be fun and it can help you complete your overall health and wellness goals. Good luck training for a half marathon.

12-Week Training Schedule

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Week 1 off 3 miles 3 miles 3 miles off 3 miles 4 miles
Week 2 off 3 miles 4 miles 3 miles off 3 miles 4 miles
Week 3 off 3 miles 4 miles 3 miles off 3 miles 5 miles
Week 4 off 3 miles 5 miles 3 miles off 4 miles 6 miles
Week 5 off 4 miles 5 miles 4 miles off 3 miles 7 miles
Week 6 off 4 miles 4 miles 4 miles off 4 miles 8 miles
Week 7 off 4 miles 6 miles 4 miles off 4 miles 9 miles
Week 8 off 4 miles 6 miles 4 miles off 4 miles 10 miles
Week 9 off 4 miles 6 miles 4 miles off 3 miles 11 miles
Week 10 off 4 miles 5 miles 4 miles off 4 miles 12 miles
Week 11 off 4 miles 5 miles 4 miles off 3 miles 6 miles
Week 12 off 3 miles 5 miles 3 miles off 2 miles 13.1 miles!

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National Walk @ Lunch Day – Are You Walking?

Monday, May 2nd, 2011

Wednesday of last week was National Walk @ Lunch Day. We thought it would be fun to write a post on this because it is such a great idea! Are you walking at lunch?

The definition of the day is as follows: National Walk @ Lunch Day is a national workplace walking initiative designed to encourage you to take a walk during your lunch break.  Since walking briskly for 30 minutes can burn up to 200 calories for the average person, a daily walking program can be an effective way to manage weight and blood pressure.  Regular physical activity can improve stamina and reduce fatigue during the work day and at home.

This does no mean that you have to wait a year to take a walk at lunch. This is the time to start a new routine. Instead of sitting at your desk during your lunch and feeling lazy, eat your lunch and then go for a walk. The best way to make this happen is to find a friend who wants to do it with you. Make a commitment to each other that you will walk for 30 minutes two to three times a week. Make it a fun part of your day and make sure you don’t walk the same path everyday – mix it up so you don’t get bored.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates the cost to treat illness and chronic disease caused by inactive lifestyles is nearly $1,000 for every family in America, every year. Simply getting 30 minutes of moderate physical activity, such as a brisk walk, at least five times a week has significant health benefits, lowering the risk of developing or dying from cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes and improving the health of muscles, bones and joints.

Let the National Walk @ Lunch Day inspire you to try walking at lunch. See if you can do it for a month and then another and perhaps a full year. It’s important to celebrate your health and wellness and make it a part of your day. Find a buddy and start walking at lunch – you will enjoy it!

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