A marathon is a very short run in the grand scheme of things. Yes, it’s 42 kilometres in one go, and that single stint of it can sure take its toll. During the Dublin marathon I saw people seize up with such violence at around the 20km mark I began looking for the glint of a sniper’s scope on nearby rooftops and grassy knolls.
But having laid out the bones of a marathon training plan yesterday, the long bit at the end is merely the short home stretch in a longer line of heavy runs. There’s a lot of running to be done between now and September 23, and it has to be done according to a serious structure. The marathon plan may seem a bit of a tuxedo, like I’m overdressing it. It’s true I’m no Haile Selassie, but if I’m to do this in under 3hr 30mins, it’s got to be better than completely amateur. That means, firstly, planning, and planning well, to avoid injury and to make sure I hit my targets. Job number two, aptly, is bringing my left and right buttocks to something approaching parity in terms of strength. read more »