Running
How to train for a marathon
Two Adidas Runners coaches explain a step-by-step guide on how you can train if you are planning to attempt running your first-ever full marathon.
Over the last two decades, urban Indians have embraced running, especially road running, with gusto. With marathons now being held in almost every major city, including Mumbai and New Delhi, the interest has grown exponentially.
Previously shy of running in public, Indians have shed their inhibitions bit by bit. When the Mumbai Marathon was launched in 2004, it had a total of 22,000 participants. In 2020, the most recent edition of the race, the number had increased to 55,000 of which almost 10,000 runners participated in the full marathon.
Running a 42.2km full marathon is not only a milestone in your fitness goals but also something that tests your limits to the fullest.
Here are tips from two Adidas Runners coaches – Tamilarasan Rajan of Mumbai and Rashmi Gupta of Bengaluru – on how to train for a marathon:
Adidas Runners has currently suspended outdoor community sessions in India until conditions improve. The community advises everyone to take care if participating in personal running or training sessions.
When should you start training?
For a seasoned runner, or one who has completed a marathon before, three months may be enough to get ready for a full marathon. But for beginners it is recommended that they start training for the race at least five months in advance.
What should the weekly mileage be?
It will depend on the training stage, but target a weekly mileage between 80 and 120 kilometers. “Every week we try to increase the mileage by 10 per cent,” says Tamilarasan.
Should you train on the treadmill or the road?
“If you are going to run a marathon, you have to hit the road,” says Tamilarasan. “It would be more of road running. For speed workouts and incline workout, you can opt for the treadmill. I wouldn’t suggest a two-hour run on a treadmill. It is better for a speed workout or repetitions of 100m, 200m, 400m. If you have access to a track, that’s ideal.”
Adidas Runners in Cubbon Park
© Adidas Runners
The five phases of training
01
Base training
The first four-five weeks are meant to increase your endurance and prepare your body and heart for the distance. “The pace does not matter,” says Gupta. “This is about how long you can endure.”
The principle of progressive loading is used here. If you start with running for 30 minutes, you do it over and over till your body gets comfortable with it. Then increase it to 45 minutes, then an hour, and keep building.
The way to start is figuring out your ‘easy pace’. “We give runners a talk test,” says Tamilarasan. “If while running, they are able to talk to a partner and speak a whole sentence comfortably, that is their easy pace. If you can carry it for one hour, that’s your base.”
Running with a partner can help you train for your 'easy pace'
© Adidas Runners
02
Speed training
In this phase, you need to club your long runs with speed workouts.
Speed workouts last about 20-45 minutes. “Depending on how the person has performed in base training, we come up with a plan for speed training,” says Gupta.
Interval training is a vital cog in this. You can do this on the road, track or treadmill. Fundamentally, interval training involves alternating between high intensity activity and low intensity activity immediately.
“These mainly involve repetitions,” Gupta adds. “So you can have two minutes striding – run at a pace much faster than what you are comfortable with, where your lungs try to give up on you – and then jog/walk for two minutes. Then repeat the process. There are a lot of variations of speed intervals. And they can be at consistent distances: for example 200m sprint and walk or 400m sprint and walking.”
It is important to keep up with endurance training along with the speed workouts. Usually, weekends are reserved for long slow distance runs.
03
Hill repeats
Correct posture for uphill running
© Miles Holden | Red Bull Content Pool
Every marathon course is different; some are flatter and faster than others.
Doing hill repeats will not only prepare your body for those uphill sections on the course but are a great way to build and strengthen the lower body muscles. Hill repeats not only work the glutes, hamstrings and calves, but also improves the body’s capacity to pump more oxygen into your muscles.
Again, this is to be done in conjunction with the endurance and speed workouts. You can do speed workouts and hill training on the treadmill because it gives greater control and consistency.
04
Peaking
This begins a month before the actual marathon. Here you try to simulate what you are actually going to do. You try to run your target pace at least three-four times a week.
“We try to help them with that or focus on the heart rate. If they have a smartwatch that can record it, we ask them to maintain a lower heart rate while running. Then based on their 21-25k timing, we suggest a particular pace to run,” says Tamilarasan.
“Some people tend to start fast. I always prefer a negative split – do the first half slow and then try and push forward in the second half.”
Also make time for at least three strength training sessions in this week.
05
Tapering
Two to three weeks before the actual race you have to start slowing down and give your body some time to recover. Focus more on hydration, nutrition, breathing, stretching and yoga. You can also opt for low impact exercises like swimming.
“Running a marathon is not a joke,” adds Gupta. “You need to reserve your body fuel so that you can get the optimal performance on the day of the marathon.”