With the academic year starting up again, so too is my training for the Honolulu Marathon. This year will be my second try at the course, and I want to finish faster, so I’m making some changes to the way I prepare:
- Adding strength training and foam rolling to my cool-down routine. I’m focusing on my arms and core because my arms suffered a lot more last year than I expected.
- Adding mobility drills to my warmup. I have pretty good form already, but it can always be improved. Plus, warming up properly will help me avoid injuries.
- Not using an off-the-shelf training plan. I’m still basing the pattern of runs I do in the mornings off the Hal Higdon plan, but I’m following my own cycle for when I back off in mileage and when I push ahead.
- Running beach intervals two nights per week. I need to run fast sometimes if I want to run faster. Plus, the sand will provide resistance that will help me with hills.
- Doing yoga the other nights of the week, focusing on hip openers and building strength in my core and arms (notice a theme?). I will use a more restorative style as needed. Last year, I did yoga twice a week at most.
- Foam rolling on my rest mornings. Recovery is serious business.
- Stand up paddle boarding on my cross-training mornings, working—guess what?—my arms and core.
- Running a course that will bring me over the bridge whenever possible. It’s the only hill on the island, and I wasn’t ready for Diamond Head last year.
- Carrying a two-liter hydration pack on my long runs. It’s hotter here than it is in Honolulu.
Now, my question to you is this: how many times do I have to run the same marathon before it becomes a tradition?
Related articles
- Marathon Training: Week 2 (runthisapple.com)
- New York Marathon Training – Week 1 (fitnessfatale.com)
- How to Add Speedwork to Your Running to Get Stronger and Faster (vitals.lifehacker.com)
- How to Break Through a Running Plateau (lifehacker.com)
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