You’re a fairly new runner and you’ve conquered those first few runs, seen an improvement in your fitness and you’re feeling motivated. It’s tempting to set yourself a new goal now and start training for your first race. It’s a great way to boost motivation.
SET LONG-TERM GOALS
The key is to set long-term goals and not try to cram in too much training at once. Setting goals now for 2017 may seem like a longterm approach, but it’s a key way to prevent injuries. “The longer you can give your body to adapt and strengthen to the demands of running, the better,” says physiotherapist Mark Buckingham from Witty Pask & Buckingham (wpbphysio.co.uk). “While it is the muscles that are sore in the first few weeks, it is actually the bones and tendons which take much longer to adapt. It takes a period of six to nine months (of running) in bone, six months in tendon and three to four months in muscle.”
Even if you feel physically strong, you still need to factor in the impact. During running, a force of three to four times your body weight is absorbed by the knees. Your muscles, bones and tendons need time to adapt to this impact. “If you increase your training rapidly without consideration to the lack of conditioning in these structures, then you are much more likely to overload, strain and damage them,” adds Buckingham. “So from a point of no training, you need to build up over at least six months to reduce injury risk. For a February or March half-marathon, ideally you should start training in August or September. If you’ve already been doing a bit of running, or your body is used to doing an impact sport, then you might be able to drop this to four months.”
If you want to do your first marathon, start training in October and build up gradually (see box, page 39). Aim to reach 10 miles by Christmas. Don’t leave it until the New Year to start your training.
LOOK FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS
Jan McLoughlin, who works as Director General of PDSA (People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals), took a long-term approach to her marathon training as a new runner, and it paid off. She began training six months before her marathon, hiring a personal trainer to help her lose weight and improve strength. She lost three stone and improved her core strength first. Her patience served her well: Jan ran the London Marathon in 2010 and has run two more since.
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