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Marathon Recovery Guide

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One of the most common mistake runners make in the days and weeks after their marathon is simply running too soon after the race. Racing on Sunday and then going for a run later that week isn’t the best way to recover from the race or to set up the next training cycle. This is what most runners don’t understand: if you want to be able to train injury free in the next training cycle, you need to properly recover from your marathon.

This does not mean that you are sedentary. You’ll be in the pool, you’ll cross train, you’ll do core strength, hip strength and hip mobility, as well as doing rope stretching daily. Your desire to be active will be meet, just not in the form of your daily run.

The recovery phase that I use with my clients is a full 28 days. By the end of the 28 days you’ll be ready for a 10-mile run. At the end of the first week you’ll go for a run, with more running each week between the first week and fourth week.

You have to trust that 28 days of proper recovery is going to set you up for a great training cycle for your next race. The flip side is, many runners get back to training a week after the marathon. They are able to run for a few weeks, yet when they increase their mileage or intensity, they get a “niggle,” for the simple reason that they didn’t recover properly. This runner will often ignore the niggle and keep training… and end up with a full blow injury in the ensuing days. There is no need for this to be your story. Take 28 days to recover rather than a week or two.

Be smart, be patient and trust that a 28-day recovery is simply part of smart marathon training.

You can also listen to a podcast on Marathon Recovery on the Run Faster Podcast (episode #10)!

(To learn about Lunge Matrix/Leg Swings (LMLS), Strength and Mobility (SAM), and Active Isolated Flexibility (AIF) visit: http://bit.ly/2gAr31V)

You can purchase the Simple Marathon Book on Amazon by clicking here.

 

MRG- Option 3

 

The Necessary Warm-Up for Runners

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Before your feet hit the pavement you need to warm-up. Most runners believe that the first mile is a warm-up, but getting ready to run by running isn’t ideal.

The necessary warm-up that will help your body prepare for the strain running puts on your body is the Lunge Matrix and Leg Swings.

The Lunge Matrix is rooted in Dr. Gary Gray’s work, with this Lunge Matrix designed specifically for runners.

The Lunge Matrix only takes 3 minutes and 30 seconds. You do this warm-up before you run. This warm-up gets you moving in all three planes of motion. Runners who do the Lunge Matrix before their workout have a much lower risk of injury because their body is properly warmed up prior to their workout.

Following the Lunge Matrix you need to do Leg Swings (LS).

This simple routine can be done anywhere – next to a wall, tree, fence, car door.

LMLS only takes about 5 minutes and is the warm-up that all runners should be doing prior to their run, before their first step of running.

Marathon Training Build Up Plans

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Simple Marathon Training: The Right Training for Busy Adults with Hectic Lives is the best marathon training book for the busy adult.

The SMT system is comprised of a 20-week training cycle.To begin the cycle you need to be running four days a week and have done two long runs of 8-9 miles.

The following progressions will get you ready to follow the SMT system that is laid out in the book.

28 weeks from your marathon (need to be doing a 3 mile long run) –8 Week-Build Up.

27 weeks from your marathon (need to be doing a 4 mile long run) – 7 Week-Build Up.

26 weeks from your marathon (need to be doing a 5 mile long run) – 6 Week-Build Up.

25 weeks from your marathon (need to be doing a 6 mile long run) – 5 Week-Build Up.

You can purchase the Simple Marathon Training book here.

Learn more about the SMT program here.

This I Believe (second draft)

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The following the newsletter that I sent out to subscribers a month ago.  I shared the first three parts of it here and I thought I would be appropriate to share the rest of it.  I hope you enjoy it.  You can join the newsletter at the bottom of this post.

There is a project called “This I Believe” – http://thisibelieve.org/ – that is based off of the same series done by Edward R. Murrow.  Here is my list as it applies to training.  It is not a comprehensive list, but it’s close.

I believe if an athlete wants to run faster, they need to run.  The Law of Specificity for a runner means that you have to spend a significant amount of time running to get better at running.  Now, the ratio of running to non-running work may (and probably should) change throughout the life of a given athlete.  Early in a career, when the athlete doesn’t have a very good aerobic foundation, more running needs to occur.  When the athlete is in their late thirties and beyond, a bit more general strength (potentially weight room work) and a bit less running is probably the best recipe for success.  But the bottom line is that if you want to improve as a runner then you have to run.

I believe that the long run is the key workout for developing the aerobic metabolism (though many would argue that threshold training is better). [Read more…]

Short Running Gossary

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Here is a short glossary of terms of I use when helping athletes and coaches.  I had a nice suggestion from a reader that I should do a full glossary and I hope to get that done in the coming months.  For now, here is the short version.

Lunge Matrix (LM).  Warm-up that gets you moving in all three planes of motion.  Should be done before every run, before every workout and before every long run.

Active Isolated Flexibility (AIF).  Should be done daily.  A must do, not a nice to do.  This approach to flexibility is the best way to insure injury-free running.  Thanks to Phil Wharton for teaching it to me.

Eight Week General Strength progression (EWGS).  If you follow this progression you will be stronger after eight weeks.  And you will be able to handle more miles and more intense workouts.  Simple.  Do this progression and you will become a better runner.

General Strength and Mobility (GSM).  This is related to the above.  General Strength exercises could include routines like Core X and this progression for athletes, as well as easy routines like Myrtl.

Speed Development.  You can read this article and then watch this video to learn about speed development workouts.  Great way to improve Running Economy (RE).

That’s it for now.  Looking forward to a more robust glossary this summer.

 

 

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