As Scenic City Multisport prepares for its second annual 7 Bridges Marathon, runners should also be preparing themselves for the race. Participants at the Oct. 21 event can enter the full marathon, a half marathon (called "4 Bridges") or a 5k, each of which is challenging in its own way. To ensure that they perform at the top of their game, runners should begin training months in advance.
"The basic training premises behind the three events remain the same, but everything is lengthened and intensified as the distance grows," says Will Musto, training coordinator for the 7 Bridges Marathon.
7 Bridges Marathon
OCTOBER 21 at 7 a.m. Riverfront ParkwayWHERE: Begins and ends in Renaissance Park, with the course crossing the river six times as it runs along roads and the Chattanooga Riverwalk.Landmarks passed:Tennessee Aquarium, Chickamauga Dam, Coolidge Park, Hunter Museum of American Art, AT&T Field and many more.
"5k training allows for a lot more leeway in your training. With a half or a full marathon...you'll probably want to spend some time thinking about fuel intake during the race."
Depending on your fitness level and training history, finishing the full 7 Bridges Marathon may or may not be a realistic aim if you are just now starting to train. You know your body better than anyone, but a trainer can help you develop a regimen that best suits you and your goal. So...what are you waiting for? Start running.
CONSISTENCY means exactly what you think it means: training regularly. "[For] the 7 and 4 Bridges races, it would be better for a runner to exercise six days a week than it would for them to exercise three or four days a week," Musto says. Even if the distances are shorter, consistency pays off in the long run.
RECOVERY is just as critical to improving your time and ability as running is. In fact, if you don't give your body at least one day a week to heal, your progress will start to decline. "I'm a big proponent of training based on how you feel," says Musto. "If you feel sluggish one day, back off. If you feel fresh, take advantage of it. There's nothing wrong with shifting your training around a little bit."
LONG RUNS are a must if you are trying to increase your efficiency and decrease fatigue. "Running for longer than 60 minutes allows for your heart...to become substantially more efficient," Musto says. "In essence, every minute over roughly an hour is putting time in the bank, which will allow you to train more thoroughly later on in your training program." If you're shooting for the marathon, a weekly long run of increasing duration should be the cornerstone of your training.
"HARD DAYS HARD, EASY DAYS EASY" is a concept that means you should work hard on the days you've set aside as intense training sessions and take it easy on the days you've set aside as light training sessions. "There should be an obvious distinction between the efforts of an easy day and a hard day," says Musto. "This keeps the stimulation to your body different enough that the training doesn't get stale."
PACE TRAINING or specificity, should be a priority if you're trying to improve your race time. "It's important for someone training to run, say, a 22-minute 5k to spend time running at a 22-minute 5k pace," Musto says. He cautions that you shouldn't plan to complete every practice run at your goal pace, but "there certainly needs to be time spent adapting your body to that effort."