Running a Marathon For Dummies E-Book

Jason Karp

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2012

Seitenzahl: 449

Beschreibung

Get ready to run the race of your life Marathons in the U.S. have seen record increases in participation during the past few years. Running a Marathon For Dummies helps aspiring marathon runners prepare to successfully complete their first race, and shows experienced runners how to take their game to the next level. Running a Marathon For Dummies gives you exercises, programs, and tips to improve your running stamina, speed, and overall health. It takes you from sitting on the couch through running your first 26.2 mile marathon--and beyond. For seasoned runners, Running a Marathon For Dummies offers tips and advice for how to continue improving performance through drills, exercises, and other techniques. * Provides a timed training promise for runners of all skill levels, from non-runners, first marathoners, and mid-race runners to more experienced runners * Includes information on how running increases heart strength, keeps illnesses away, keeps arteries clear, and improves a person's mood * Gives you drills, exercises, and techniques to improve your endurance Whether you're a couch potato or a regularly hit the asphalt, Running a Marathon For Dummies gives you everything you need to run the race of your life.

Leseprobe

Running a Marathon For Dummies®

Visit www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/runningamarathon to view this books’ cheat sheet.

Table of Contents

Introduction

About This Book

Conventions Used in This Book

What You’re Not to Read

Foolish Assumptions

How This Book Is Organized

Part I: The Basics of Running a Marathon

Part II: Creating Your Own Marathon Training Plan

Part III: Going Above and Beyond to Stay Strong and Healthy

Part IV: Gearing Up for Race Day (And Beyond)

Part V: The Part of Tens

Icons Used in This Book

Where to Go from Here

Part I: The Basics of Running a Marathon

Chapter 1: Training for the Big Race: An Overview

Why Run a Marathon?

Making the Time to Train for a Marathon

Starting to Prepare for a Marathon

Running through Basic Marathon Training Strategies

Considering the Challenges of Marathon Preparation

Coping with increased body temperature

Maintaining your pace while your muscles lose fuel

Avoiding dehydration

Joining a Marathon Training Group

Working with a Coach

Going It Alone (With the Help of This Book)

Chapter 2: Getting a Leg Up with the Right Running Gear

Evaluating Your Feet

How high is your arch?

How much do you pronate?

Comparing Different Types of Running Shoes

Cushioning/neutral shoes

Stability shoes

Motion-control shoes

Trail shoes

Racing flats

Minimalist shoes and barefoot running

Considering Orthotics

Shopping for Running Shoes

Surveying some shopping spots

Making the big buy

Choosing Other Running Apparel

Hot weather gear

Cold weather gear

Extra gear that isn’t necessary (but is nice to have)

Chapter 3: Understanding the Physiology of Marathon Running

Getting to the Heart of Running

Discovering how your heart pushes blood through your body

Zeroing in on heart rate, stroke volume, and cardiac output

Focusing on your aerobic power (VO2max)

Knowing How Your Muscles Carry You 26.2 Miles

Mitochondria: Your muscles’ aerobic factories

Capillaries: Your muscles’ highway system

Muscle fibers: Your muscles’ power generator

Running economy: Making muscles more efficient

Making Sense of Metabolism

Acidosis (lactate) threshold: Your fastest sustainable speed

Using your fuels — carbohydrates and fats — effectively

Seeing How Your Body Adapts to Marathon Training

Sizing up your heart

Moving oxygen where you need it

Becoming a better aerobic machine: More mitochondria and enzymes

Delivering oxygen to your muscles with greater capillary density

Altering your muscle fibers

Storing more fuel in your muscles

Chapter 4: Starting Off with Proper Running Technique

Running Right with Proper Mechanics

Focusing on foot placement

Swinging your arms

Improving Your Form with Running Drills

The high-knee walk

The high-knee skip

The high-knee run

Butt kicks

The running leg cycle

Strides

Adding Fluidity to Your Stride

Increasing your stride rate with sprints

Lengthening your stride

Part II: Creating Your Own Marathon Training Plan

Chapter 5: Aerobic Training: The King of Marathon Preparation

Running Mileage: The Key to Marathon Success

Discovering the benefits of running many miles

Knowing how many miles to run

Increasing your weekly mileage

Including Hills in Your Weekly Runs

Up and down: Hill workouts to try

Guidelines for hill training

Practicing Marathon-Pace Runs

Determining your correct marathon pace

Running marathon pace workouts

Improving Your Max Aerobic Pace with Tempo Training

Getting some upfront guidance

Determining your correct tempo pace

Running tempo workouts

Chapter 6: Running Longer, and Longer, and Longer Still

Preparing Yourself to Run Long

Understanding how running long changes your body and mind

Adapting physically to long runs

Managing the mental side

Considering the Pace, Time, and Distance of Your Long Runs

Easy long runs

Long, accelerating runs

Staying Hydrated and Fueled When Running Long

Hydrating your long runs

Focusing on fueling

Cutting Back on Long Runs before a Race

Chapter 7: Getting Faster with Interval Training

Using Interval Training to Improve Your Aerobic Power

Understanding the effects on your heart and other muscles

Seeing what happens to the amount of oxygen you consume

Determining Your Correct Interval Training Pace

Running Different Interval Workouts

Aerobic power repeats

Aerobic power ladders

Aerobic power cut-downs

Aerobic power pyramids

Progressing with Your Interval Workouts

Chapter 8: Making a Plan as a Beginner Runner

Understanding and Using the Beginner’s Program

Breaking Down the Components of the Beginner’s Program

Form drills

Easy runs

Long runs

Tempo intervals

Tempo runs

Moving through the Beginner’s 20-Week Program

Training cycle 1

Training cycle 2

Training cycle 3

Training cycle 4

Training cycle 5

Training cycle 6

Chapter 9: Prepping for Your Next Race as an Intermediate Runner

Understanding and Using the Intermediate Runner’s Program

Breaking Down the Components of the Intermediate Program

Easy runs

Strides

Long runs

Tempo intervals

Tempo runs

Tempo+ intervals

Tempo/LSD combo runs

Aerobic power intervals

Long tempo runs

Moving through the Intermediate 20-Week Program

Training cycle 1

Training cycle 2

Training cycle 3

Training cycle 4

Training cycle 5

Training cycle 6

Chapter 10: Pushing Yourself as an Advanced Runner

Understanding and Using the Advanced Runner’s Program

Breaking Down the Components of the Advanced Program

Easy runs

Strides

Long runs

Tempo intervals

Tempo runs

Tempo+ intervals

Tempo/LSD combo runs

Aerobic power intervals

Long tempo runs

Moving through the Advanced 20-Week Program

Training cycle 1

Training cycle 2

Training cycle 3

Training cycle 4

Training cycle 5

Training cycle 6

Part III: Going Above and Beyond to Stay Strong and Healthy

Chapter 11: Producing Powerful Muscles with Strength Training

Using Strength Training as a Supplement to Running

Assessing the advantages of strength training

Understanding what strength training can’t improve

Knowing when to try strength training

Building Muscle Endurance and Strength with Circuits

Running circuit

Core circuit

Increasing Muscle Strength with Weights

Before you begin: Finding your 1-rep max

Squats

Power cleans

Hamstring curls

Calf raises

Bench press

Cable cross-overs

Amplifying Muscle Power with Plyometrics

Single leg hops

Bleacher hops

Bounds

Squat jumps

Depth jumps

Box jumps

Chapter 12: Stretching, Cross-Training, and Recovery during Training

The Basics of Stretching Your Body

Clarifying the facts about stretching

Seeing the benefits of stretching

Stretching Exercises to Improve Your Flexibility

Static stretching

Dynamic stretching

Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching

Cross-Training to Improve Your Fitness

Working your running muscles

Giving your running muscles a break

Optimal Recovery Strategies to Help You Train Better

Nutrition

Sleep

Hydration

Stress relief

Inflammation reduction

Chapter 13: Recognizing (And Avoiding) Common Running Injuries

Focusing on Factors That Affect Your Chance of Injury

Intrinsic factors

Extrinsic factors

Training Smarter to Avoid Injury

Looking at Some Common Running Injuries

Patellofemoral pain syndrome

Iliotibial band friction syndrome

Achilles tendonitis and tendinosis

Plantar fasciitis

Shin splints

Stress fractures

Chronic muscle strain

Recognizing the Female Athlete Triad

Part IV: Gearing Up for Race Day (And Beyond)

Chapter 14: Backing Off Before You Give Your All: The Marathon Taper

Understanding the Marathon Taper

Checking out the benefits of tapering

Finding the sweet spot: The “why” behind your taper time

Do the Math: Figuring Out Your Mileage during a Taper

Crunching the numbers for different taper lengths

Building a taper plan

Fueling Up while You Taper Down

Chapter 15: Getting a Boost with Practical and Motivational Pre-Race Strategies

Gearing Up before the Big Day

Staying off your feet

Preparing for the weather

Putting together your marathon kit

Picking up your race number

Minimizing your jitters

Asking friends and family to watch your race

Making a Solid Race-Day Plan

Fueling up with your pre-race meal

Hydrating before your race

Going to the bathroom

Checking your gear at the start

Chapter 16: Running the Marathon: Race Strategies and Tips

Staying on Track to Hit Your Target Time

Pacing your race properly

Surging past other runners

Running hills effectively

Drafting off other runners to save energy

Listening to Your Body

Consuming carbs to reduce fatigue

Staying hydrated and cool

Breathing correctly

Keeping Your Mind in the Race

Being patient the first half of the race

Drawing on deeper emotions to run your best race

Being positive and confident

Counting steps (and other tricks) to distract yourself from discomfort

Dividing the race into parts

After the Race: Recovering and Improving Your Performance

Recovering from the marathon

Dealing with post-marathon blues

Resuming running after the marathon

Part V: The Part of Tens

Chapter 17: Ten Things to Do on Marathon Race Day

Give Yourself Plenty of Time before the Marathon

Eat Breakfast

Wear Familiar Shoes and Gear

Avoid Cotton Clothes

Stay Off Your Feet before the Start

Consume Carbs during the Race

Hydrate Frequently

Pace Yourself Properly

Finish the Race

Focus on Your Performance, Not Your Time

Chapter 18: Running Amok: Ten Common Training Errors

Avoiding a Plan

Doing Too Much Too Soon

Doing Workouts Too Fast or Too Slow

Neglecting Long Tempo Runs

Doing Interval Training without Enough Aerobic Running

Running an Inadequate Amount during the Week

Blaming Your Shoes for Injuries

Running Too Much on Soft Surfaces

Ignoring the Conditions of the Marathon

Skipping Your Post-Workout Meal

Chapter 19: Ten (Or So) Great Destination Marathons

Walt Disney World Marathon

Napa Valley Marathon

North Pole Marathon

Paris Marathon

Virgin London Marathon

Great Wall Marathon

Berlin Marathon

Dublin Marathon

ING New York City Marathon

Athens Classic Marathon

Honolulu Marathon

Chapter 20: Ten (Okay, Eleven) Frequently Asked Questions about Running a Marathon

Should I Join a Training Group?

Do I Need to Run 26 Miles in Training?

Is Running Bad for My Knees?

What Is This Pain in My Knee?

What Do I Do if I Get a Cramp?

Should I Run if I Have a Cold?

What Should I Wear in the Marathon?

What Should I Consume during the Marathon?

Is Stopping to Walk Okay?

What Is the Marathon Wall?

How Do I Meet My Family after the Race?

Appendix: A Marathon Directory

Cheat Sheet

Running a Marathon For Dummies®

by Jason R. Karp, PhD

Running a Marathon For Dummies®

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River St. Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774 www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2012949693

ISBN 978-1-118-34308-1 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-118-43207-5 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-43210-5 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-43211-2 (ebk)

Manufactured in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

About the Author

Jason R. Karp, PhD, is a nationally recognized running and fitness coach, freelance writer and author, and exercise physiologist. He owns RunCoachJason.com, a state-of-the-science run coaching and personal training company in San Diego, California. As one of America’s foremost running experts and the 2011 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year (the fitness industry’s highest award), Dr. Karp is a trusted source of information. Through his writing, conference presentations, DVDs, and numerous print and television interviews on topics related to running and fitness, he brings the state of the science directly to the public. A sought-after speaker, he is a frequent presenter at national fitness, coaching, and academic conferences. A nationally certified running coach through USA Track & Field, he has also taught USATF’s highest level coaching certification and was an instructor at the USATF/U.S. Olympic Committee’s Emerging Elite Coaches Camp at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. He also regularly holds clinics for runners, coaches, and fitness professionals.

He is a prolific writer, with more than 200 articles in numerous international coaching, running, and fitness trade and consumer magazines, including Track Coach, Techniques for Track & Field and Cross Country, New Studies in Athletics, Athletics Weekly, Running Times, Runner’s World, Trail Runner, Women’s Running, Marathon & Beyond, IDEA Fitness Journal, Shape, and Ultra-Fit, among others. He is also the author of four other books: Running for Women (Human Kinetics), 101 Winning Racing Strategies for Runners (Coaches Choice), 101 Developmental Concepts & Workouts for Cross Country Runners (Coaches Choice), and How to Survive Your PhD (Sourcebooks).

Dr. Karp has coached cross-country and track at the high school, college, and elite club levels. In 1997, at the age of 24, he became one of the youngest collegiate head coaches in the country, leading the Georgian Court University (NJ) women’s cross-country team to the regional championship and winning honors as NAIA Northeast Region Coach of the Year. His personal training experience ranges from elite athletes to cardiac rehab patients. As a private coach and founder of REVO2LT Running Team, he has helped many runners meet their potential, ranging from a first-time race participant to an Olympic marathon trials qualifier. He has been profiled in a number of publications and is sponsored by PowerBar as a member of PowerBar Team Elite. His popular downloadable training programs are used by runners around the world.

Dr. Karp received his PhD in exercise physiology, with a physiology minor, from Indiana University in 2007; his master’s degree in kinesiology from the University of Calgary in 1997; and his bachelor’s degree in exercise and sport science, with an English minor, from Pennsylvania State University in 1995. His research includes motor unit recruitment during eccentric muscle contractions, post-exercise nutrition for optimal recovery in endurance athletes, training characteristics of Olympic marathon trials qualifiers, and the coordination of breathing and stride rate in distance runners. His research has been published in the scientific journals Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, and International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance. Dr. Karp has taught at several universities and currently teaches dissertation writing, a course he designed for doctoral students, at the University of California, San Diego.

Dedication

For my father, Monroe, whose long walking strides through the streets of Brooklyn, New York, caused me to run to keep up. Perhaps it was those fond moments as a kid with my father that planted the seed for me to become a runner. And for my mother, Muriel, who always told me how proud she was of me and who taught me how to endure and “roll with the punches.” In her memory, I’m donating 10 percent of my royalty on every book sold to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Author’s Acknowledgments

This book has been my biggest writing project to date. It couldn’t have happened without the support of many people. I’d like to thank the expeditious editorial staff at Wiley, including Stacy Kennedy, Georgette Beatty, and Todd Lothery; Kathryn Born, who created the medical illustrations for the book; and Wiley’s graphics department, which created the rest of the illustrations. A well-oiled machine, Wiley published this book faster than a dummy can run a marathon!

I’d also like to thank my twin brother, Jack, for inspiring me to be as good a writer as he is and for not making nearly as many jokes as he could have about me writing a book for dummies; my hard-working agent, Grace Freedson, who made this book possible and who thankfully understands my perfectionism; Traci Cumbay, who helped with the initial “dummifying” of my writing; photographer Maurice Roy, for his great photographs that beautifully illustrate my text; models Martha Carbajal Moreno, Natalie Jill, and Pedro Molina, who made the photographs pop off the page; and my parents, who left this world much too early but who are with me with every word I write and every step I run.

Publisher’s Acknowledgments

We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments at http://dummies.custhelp.com. For other comments, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 877-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax [phone].

Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:

Acquisitions, Editorial, and Vertical Websites

Senior Project Editor: Georgette Beatty

Acquisitions Editor: Stacy Kennedy

Copy Editor: Todd Lothery

Assistant Editor: David Lutton

Editorial Program Coordinator: Joe Niesen

Technical Editor: Patricia Heniff

Editorial Manager: Michelle Hacker

Editorial Assistant: Alexa Koschier

Art Coordinator: Alicia B. South

Cover Photo: © Maurice van der Velden / iStockphoto.com

Cartoons: Rich Tennant (www.the5th wave.com)

Composition Services

Project Coordinator: Katherine Crocker

Layout and Graphics: Carrie A. Cesavice, Jennifer Creasey, Corrie Neihaus, Brent Savage

Proofreaders: John Greenough, The Well Chosen Word

Indexer: Galen Schoeder

Photographer: Maurice Roy Photography

Illustrator: Kathryn Born, MA

Special Help: Traci Cumbay

Publishing and Editorial for Consumer Dummies

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Publishing for Technology Dummies

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Composition Services

Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services

Introduction

To paraphrase the ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius, “A journey of 26.2 miles begins with a single step.” From the time the ancient Greek runner Pheidippides ran from Marathon to Athens in 490 BC to announce the Greeks’ victory over Persia in the Battle of Marathon, humans have had a compelling interest in taking that single step, and many more after that.

Humans have repeatedly tried to push the limits of running endurance, which have been nothing short of remarkable: 50 marathons in 50 days and 300 miles of nonstop running by Dean Karnazes of the United States, and the current world records in the marathon, which equal an average marathon pace of 5 minutes and 10 seconds per mile by England’s Paula Radcliffe and 4 minutes and 43 seconds per mile by Kenya’s Patrick Makau.