It is not too late — and certainly not too early — to begin training for the LaSalle Banks Chicago Marathon on Oct. 19. That’s 14 weeks from Sunday.
“Getting ready in three months for the marathon is realistic provided your only goal is to complete the distance,” said Amby Burfoot, executive editor of Runner’s World magazine. “Unless you are an experienced runner, it’s best to shoot for a modified run-walk.”
Burfoot recommended a simple strategy: Walk a minute at every mile mark to “get water into you rather than all over you” and allow your body to pace itself.
“I’ve done the run-walk a few times myself,” said Burfoot, who has run about two dozen marathons as a top-flight competitor and three dozen more as a recreational participant. “The first key to a successful marathon for most of us is realizing it is OK to go really slowly.”
“I have worked with people who can barely run three miles when they get started,” said Sharyn Galindo, a personal trainer and president of the Sofuntodo workout facility in Wilmette. “But if you are motivated and make the time, you can do it.”
Galindo, who will be participating in her fourth marathon this fall, said she focuses as much on a client’s mental preparation as the workouts. Like other individuals who have finished marathons, she knows covering the 26.2-mile distance is even more mental than physical. You must believe in yourself — and stick to a training program.
“Some people like to be part of our regular running group,” said Galindo. “That keeps them motivated and committed to putting in the miles. Everyone needs to find what works for them.”
Burfoot said a run-walk strategy is a good idea during early weeks of training, especially in hot weather. He suggested walking 30 to 60 seconds for every 10 minutes that you run.
Master runner and coach Mary Ann Malarkey said she urges all of her clients to complete one 20-mile run (or run-walk) and at least another one covering 18 miles. The last long run should come two to three weeks before Oct. 19 to assure proper rest and recovery.
“People need to run four to six times per week,” said Malarkey, who operates her On the Run business in Evanston. “One of those times needs to be the long run. Lots of people do their long runs on the weekend. You might add two miles per run for a couple of straight weekends, then level it off on the third week.”
For marathon beginners, here is a sample plan: Get your long run to eight miles by the end of July, then 14 miles by Aug. 31 and do the 20-miler before the end of September.
Malarkey said the other three to four weekly runs should cover about 40 to 50 minutes. She said novices simply need to log the time — moving at a pace that would allow conversation between runners — while more seasoned participants can do some “tempo” workouts in which they run hard for 12 minutes and slowly for five minutes, then repeat the pattern.
“I tell people to run for an allotted time because they don’t become obsessed with how far or fast they are going,” said Malarkey. “They also have trouble estimating how far they go unless they run along the lakefront or somewhere else where a trail is marked.”
Of course, jobs, family life and muggy weather have a way of disrupting any well-designed plans. Burfoot said “a bad week is almost inevitable for anyone training for a marathon during the summer.”
Malarkey said it takes roughly two weeks to acclimate to high temperatures and humidity. She recommended using common sense and not pushing too hard on the worst days.
Another option is exercising indoors, even on a stationary bike.
“There is a place for cross training,” Galindo said. “It provides a change of pace and helps reduce the chance of injury. All that pounding can get to some people. Jumping on a bike or taking an aerobics class once a week instead of the usual run can keep building the cardiovascular system but give your muscles and joints a break.”
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Later this month, look for Bob Condor’s weekly on-line marathon training log at chicago.tribune.com. He will discuss his own preparations for the LaSalle Banks Chicago Marathon, provide an upcoming week schedule from running coaches and answer selected questions from site visitors.
