TRAINING FOR THE MARATHON
- By Doug Kurtis

It's all about the miles.   Two miles here, five miles there, fifteen here and there, preparing for the Free Press Flagstar Bank Marathon is all about getting in the mileage.   Of course a few helpful hints can make life a little easier along the way and on race day too.

Start with my training schedules that can be found at www.detroitfreepressmarathon.com under Runner Info and Training.   I've created modest workouts for four levels of experience.   Each of these is meant as a guide to help motivate runners to put in the miles.   Let me emphasize the word guide because each runner may want to adapt it to their own personal schedules and adjust for previous experience.

High mileage weeks range from 40 miles for the beginner to 50 plus for the ace runner.   Certainly elite runners can do a lot more but they typically don't need my schedules.   Regardless of the schedules, I would recommend keeping a log to track mileage. It will help provide interim goals along the way such as getting to the first 25, 30 or 40 mile week.

Successful athletes are those that can find satisfaction in doing something over and over again while continually perfecting their craft. Runners can accomplish this by developing a weekly routine that allows them to increase mileage without getting injured.   Some runners need a regular day off, while some can withstand running everyday.   The fewer days off per week the easier it is for marathoners to adapt to higher mileage. Plus it spreads the distance out more evenly.

Long runs mentally and physically prepare runners but they shouldn't be at the expense of weekly mileage.   Trying to cut corners by cramming miles in a month before the race rarely works. That includes coming back too quickly from an injury.

I've found the greatest success personally and from coaching other runners by finding time to run two workouts a day whenever possible.   I often did this in place of several long runs.   A runner's body can get more out of two eight mile runs than one sixteen miler as long as they throw in a few long runs every few weeks.

Now for the few helpful hints: Finding a training partner, running club or running store in-training program will make a big difference.   Doing it all by oneself is tough and not as much fun.   Choosing a few races longer than a 10 km will get marathoners conditioned to racing at marathon pace.   Races are a good place to ensure that all of their equipment is working well.   Now is the time to do a shoe check and determine if they will hold up until race day. If not, runners have twelve weeks to break in a new pair.