10 Rules to Marathon Running Success

While marathon running training make sure to stay healthy, it is not going to help you to over train and then get sick or injured. Rather under train and arrive at the race feeling strong and ready to go.

The trick, of course, is to find the balance between the two.

Rule 2

Build your training slowly. The golden rule here is not to increase your mileage by more than 10 percent weekly. Extend your long runs by only 2 to 3 km's at a time. Take recovery weeks as well as recovery days.

Rule 3

Recover, You really don't have to train hard 7 days a week, in fact if you do you will soon burn out. Train smart 3 or 4 days a week, rest totally at least one day in the week.

Studies have proven that four-time-a-week runners performed just as well in the marathon as those training 6 days a week and running 20 percent more.

Rule 4

You must do your weekend long runs. You have to get your body ready to be on your feet for anything up to 5 hours. You can and should take walk breaks on your marathon running training if you need to, but make sure to complete the distance.

Rule 5

Practice your marathon pace, On your long runs you should run some of the distance at the pace you want to race at. This will get you accustomed to running at that pace.

Rule 6

Extend your tempo runs. Gradually extend your tempo runs by slowing a few seconds per kilometer from your 6k pace.

The longer the tempo run workout you can sustain, the greater the dividends down the road.

Rule 7

Eat your carbs. Firstly you need to fuel up properly, gel, sports drink or whatever works for you and then eat or drink a good helping of carbs as soon as possible after the race. Be sure to take in some protein for those sore muscles as well.

Rule 8

Take In Iron, Running increases your loss of iron through sweat and pounding, consume iron rich foods with vitamin c to increase absorption. Cooking on a iron skillet also helps.

Rule 9

Avoid Injuries, Cross train and in particular do core strengthening exercises. You will get physically stronger and less prone to injury.

Rule 10

Taper for two to three weeks. Most runners don't want to taper as they feel that they are losing training time. You must taper to make sure you are ready, strong and eager when you get to the line.

Cover these basics and the greater the chance of your marathon success.

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