Are You Strong Enough And Fast Enough For Marathon Day

by glenn on April 14, 2011

After completing several marathons and already running regularly for the past 15 years, it’s become apparent what can help make you a better runner and keep you running injury-free longer.  You’ve got to be aware of a common mistake that many runners make when training for their first marathon. We’re not talking about the front of the pack runners here either.  They understand what’s necessary.  They have coaches teaching them and critiquing them.  Most middle of the pack and back of the pack runners often do not consider strength training to boost their times, and instead focus on the cardiovascular training schedule leading up to race day. While running consistently is obviously necessary, building muscle is essential to making sure that you run your best time, most efficiently, and pain free to complete your marathon.

Why strength training? You’ve got to emphasize the power of your entire body. Your muscles can boost you over hills and make quick steps around unforeseen potholes. And let’s not forget the 59th Street Bridge. Without full body muscular endurance, you will never reach the speeds you want for marathon running.  The hills, bridges, and pot holes can bring you to the “wall” sooner than you’ve expected.  The endurance portion of training, will not fulfill all of what a runner needs to complete a marathon. Too many runners are focused only on mileage and speed, rarely are they focused on strength exercises to improve muscular endurance.

One strategic reason is the principle of runner’s efficiency.  The stronger your leg muscles are, the less each muscle fiber will have to work to move at a certain pace.  If you can increase the amount of fast twitch and slow twitch muscle fibers, the work of running a marathon is further spread over those fibers.  Allowing you to run with less effort for a long period of time.  Possibly, making for an even faster pace and maybe a PR.

The New York City marathon is not the flat and fast out and back course that marathoners dream of on race day. The terrain is rough including hills, bridges, sharp turns, and through generally tough city road conditions like uneven pavement and potholes. In order for your body to get faster over and around these obstacles, your core and legs need strength training to increase ability to survive and work through these conditions. A personal trainer NYC can help you understand your muscular needs for the terrain along the NYC marathon during training, as well as boost your speed through strength training.

In addition, personal trainers NYC will help you prevent injuries through strength training. Prevention of knee injuries and hamstring problems, which are the two most common problems that runners face, which are mostly caused by lack of proper training and muscular development around the entire body. Strength training at least 3 times per week is recommended.  This additional training can shave minutes off of your final marathon time and keep you training injury free throughout. In time you may see that your marathon times are dramatically reduced through more efficient running and increased strength.  You’ll be are stronger and faster than before!

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