Archive for Competition
5K Training Strategy: Enjoyment
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First off, look at that picture of women running in a 5K. Can I just say how much I like posting pictures of REAL women running in a REAL race!? Look at those women in the picture. They are sweaty and straining. Their faces show they are trying their hardest. Their legs aren’t “perfectly contoured.” They are athletes: each different and unique with musculature in various stages of development and training. We don’t “photoshop” here at Fashionrunher.com. I like this picture. I like seeing these women running together.
Running together, whether it’s for training, safety, social purposes, or even in races, is a good thing. It gives us a sense of community and companionship. Running can be a solitary thing, but when we do it together, it benefits everyone.
But let’s talk about races for a moment. Because running is relatively inexpensive and a great way to stay in shape, the popularity of 5K races has dramatically increased during the past few years. Races have also become popular fund- or awareness-raising events at the local level. By running a 5K on behalf of a charity, organization, or specific cause, a person is supporting their community and meeting new people who share similar interests and goals.
It’s also great for motivation. Often, finding one or more people with the same goals (such as running a 5K) can help keep the motivation going, and maybe lead to running longer races in the future. Working with a personal trainer who specializes in sport-specific training may also benefit a person preparing for their first race. But, homework needs to done before hiring a personal trainer to make sure he or she is properly educated, certified, and has the right qualifications to help the runner meet his or her goals.
And sometimes, it’s just funner with friends, isn’t it? Lots of the bumps along life’s path can be worked out among friends on a running path. I hope you’re enjoying yours.
Starting to Train for a 5K
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Run with a group
Let’s talk about beginning to train for the most basic of races: a 5K. This should be an easy, fun, slightly demanding, but all around great run for beginnings and experts looking for a little challenge.
Starting the Training Program:
Before you begin any fitness program, the first step should be a complete medical exam. You want to make sure it’s safe for you to participate. This is particularly important if you are between 35 and 40 years of age.
Also, do you have enough time to prepare for the race you want to participate in? Depending on your training base, an eight-to-10 week program should be just enough time to prepare to run 30 minutes, which is the approximate time it takes a beginner to complete her first 5K.
If you have not previously been involved in a running program, it might be best to start with an eight-day walking program routine before you begin to run. Remember: running can be a lifetime sport. We don’t want to shoot ourselves in the foot, figuratively, before we get a toe-hold on the fun. (Whew! That was a week’s worth of bad run-puns, right?) The walk program consists of getting out at a fast walk pace for 20 minutes per day for the first four days, then 30 minutes the last four days.
If this causes no problems, next follow a 30-minute circuit of running for two minutes and then walking for four minutes, five times consecutively. This routine should be done three times per week until you are comfortable. Each week, add one minute to the running time and subtract one minute from the walking time. This should continue until the person is running comfortably for the full 30 minutes.
Be Smart
Again, gradual training and attention to safety are the keys to long-term success; and rest time is just as important as the time spent training. When looking for gear, runners should select proper shoes and clothing that fit well and suit the desired fitness purpose. The best running surface is a track. If no track is available, asphalt is better than concrete, and dirt or silt alongside the road is even better. But, when running near areas of traffic, special attention must be given to wearing highly visible, even reflective, clothing.
Have fun
Above all, have fun. You won’t want to continue if you don’t enjoy what you are doing. Make sure you enjoy your running. If you need to slow down, do it. But also remember to push yourself just a little every day. That’s why it’s called training.
Train safe!
How Many Miles in a Marathon?
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A Parade of Bodies in Motion!
How many miles in a marathon? Strictly speaking, a marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometers (26 miles 385 yards). The event is named after the fabled run of the Greek soldier Pheidippides, a messenger from the Battle of Marathon to Athens. The historical accuracy of this legend is in doubt, contradicted by accounts given by Herodotus (an ancient Greek philosopher and writer), in particular.
The marathon was one of the original modern Olympic events in 1896, though the distance did not become standardized until 1921. More than 800 marathons are contested throughout the world each year, with the vast majority of competitors being recreational athletes. The larger marathons can have tens of thousands of participants.
The winner of the first Olympic Marathon in 1896 (a male-only race) wasSpiridon “Spiros” Louis, a Greek water-carrier. That seems sort of fitting, doesn’t it? He won at the Olympics in 2 hours 58 minutes and 50 seconds.
The women’s marathon was introduced at the1984 Summer Games (in Los Angeles, USA) and was first won by Joan Benoit of the United States with a time of 2 hours 24 minutes and 52 seconds.
So back to our question. Originally, the length of an Olympic Marathon was set at 24.85 miles. Then it bounced to a little over 25 miles. Olympic marathon routes being what they were (rustic tours on very fast feet) they went back and forth between 24 and 26 miles before finally settling at the current length of 26 miles, 385 yards.
Since the modern games were founded, it has become a tradition for the men’s Olympic marathon to be the last event with a finish inside the Olympic stadium, often within hours of, or even incorporated into, the closing ceremonies. The marathon of the 2004 Summer Olympics revived the traditional route from Marathon to Athens ending at Panathinaiko Stadium, which was the venue of the 1896 Summer Olympics. A lot of tradition and symbolism went into the planning there.
Annually, more than 800 marathons are organized worldwide. Among the most famous of modern contests are the Boston, New York, Chicago and London Marathons, as well as the United States Marine Corps marathon which is pictured above.
And by the way, the current female world record holder for this event is Paula Radcliffe, who runs her 26+ miles in 2 hours 15 minutes and 25 seconds.