Marathons are in full swing as the year ends, and we’re only a month away from the new crop! Whether you’re a seasoned runner or someone making a new year’s resolution to get into it, these tips will be helpful.
Ahead of the last few marathons of the year, Sportskeeda interiewed Daniel Vaz- Head Coach, Nike+ Run Club, for tips on how you should run.
How would a person who has not run before start working for a marathon?
For someone who is a beginner, running can be challenging and training for a marathon can be daunting. However with the help of a coach and self-motivation, training for a marathon can become less challenging. For a beginner it is generally advisable to have a training calendar/chart designed and have daily and/or weekly goals. This chart will help the individual track their progress and also help in identifying the weak spots. When one starts running they need to get their body used to running. For pre-training, using combinations of running/walking will help the body be at ease and avoid any kind of running injury.
Eating right and appropriate hydration is also important as a healthy body and a positive mind will go a long way in helping a beginner run their first marathon.
What is the most staggering mental aspect of running?
One of the most staggering mental aspect people face is the motivation to start running as they don’t know where to begin. There are many people who want to take up running and probably even participate in a marathon someday, however they feel overwhelmed and lack motivation to take up running as a hobby.
Along with physical fitness, being mentally strong and determined is equally important. Mentally being prepared for a run or a marathon and a positive self-talk goes a long way in helping the individual push their limits and perform better.
What could someone who is struggling to find fitness do to begin preparing their mind to run a marathon?
Running as a fitness regime is growing tremendously in our country. One doesn’t necessarily have to go to gym to stay fit, running and jogging can help an individual stay fit. Benefits of running is not limited to physical fitness but also contribute to one’s mental health.
For someone who is struggling to stay fit they can start training for a marathon by first mentally preparing themselves. Believing in yourself that you can run in the marathon is the key to mentally prepare yourself for a marathon. Visualizing your run will further help the runner overcome their fears and mental blocks thus help them prepare better for the marathon.
What is your opinion of fitness trackers in order to track one's progress? Accurate, gimmicky, or required?
Fitness trackers is a good way to track ones progress and train for a marathon. If an individual is training for a marathon without a coach, fitness tracker offers personalised training programs making their training process easy and flexible. Like the Nike+ Training App has enhanced in-run controls, real time audio feedback, and auto pause functionality which is the easiest way to get most from your run.
A number of apps allow you to track features like the number of miles a runner has covered, the kind of benefits your body has derived from the workout each time.
Hence fitness trackers are accurate and very helpful as it helps one track their improvements.
What are some things essential to get into a fitness related frame of mind, and what are some ways to do that?
The first thing to do is to join a group of like-minded individuals or running group so that you stay motivated. Running, for a beginner can be a monotonous activity but an exciting one when done with a group. The next thing to do is to set a long term goal (say a race) and break that down into medium term and short term goals. This allows one to not only track progress but serves as a reward every time a goal is met.
What are some tips for first-timers in picking the right tools they need for training and running?
Running gear plays a crucial role and has a significant influence on performance of the individual. Wearing the right running/training shoe can go a long way in helping the individual run better and more importantly avoid injuries. However no one shoe can be perfect or the best fit for every runner as this depends on various parameters such as - Body frame, amount of cushioning required and the way your foot pronates (How does your foot hit the ground when you run). Running biomechanics is a crucial parameter to be considered when opting for the right kind of shoe.
It is largely advised that the individual consults their coach and reads up on what kind of shoe will suit them the best before purchasing one.
Lastly, what are some lessons one learns from running and being a marathoner?
One of the most important realization which dawns upon the individual is how much potential they have. Completing a marathon can be a huge confidence booster and running regularly can help in relieving stress. One also learns that their body is capable of doing a lot more than one would have thought and ultimately everything comes down to the fact that you are what you eat and what you think.
