Are You Ready to Run a Marathon?
By Genevieve Cunningham
Taking on new fitness challenges is such a great thing to do. Maybe you’ve already hit your most recent weight loss goal, finished off a few 5K races, and are ready to take on a bigger and more difficult challenge. So is this it? Are you finally ready for a marathon? Before you set your sights on those 26 miles, take a look at these ways to know if you’re ready for the biggest race of your life.
Do You Have Time?
It’s not time to sugarcoat it. You really have to look at your time demands before embarking on the journey of a marathon. Training for a marathon is incredibly time consuming. You’ll run miles and miles and miles each week. You may have to schedule time for icing your legs or feet. You’ll have to crank up the workouts in a big way, and you’ll probably want to be quite a steady runner. If you’re not ready to take multiple long runs every week plus complete strength and speed training, it might not be time to tackle this big race.
Have You Tackled the Smaller Races?
Before you go after the big daddy of races, you’ll need to make sure that you have completed the smaller races with relative ease. Does this mean that you can run a half marathon without losing your breath? Absolutely not. It just means that you should be able to complete it without being sick or completely rundown for days after. If you haven’t reached this point yet, and a 5K or a half marathon completely wipes you out, you may not be quite ready to train for that elusive marathon just yet.
Are You Dedicated?
The thing about a marathon is that it takes serious dedication. Besides the time demands, it’s also a ton of work. You’ll be sore, stiff, and hurting throughout the duration of your training. You’ll have to commit to a workout schedule, and you’ll have to stick with it come rain or shine. If you can honestly say that you have this kind of dedication, then you may be able to test the waters and begin training for a marathon.
Running is a great workout, and for some people, it’s even a bit of a hobby that keeps them incredibly fit. Anyone can do it! But whether or not you’re ready to run a marathon is another story. Ask yourself these very important questions before you attempt this big challenge so that your venture into marathon running can be successful and satisfying.
To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Willa Springs, Fla.