With March upon us it’s time to start thinking about training for the Missoula Marathon! But how do you start a run training program while snow is still falling, streets are icy, and ski season is alive and well? Here’s a few tips and tricks we’ve picked up over the years….
- Ease into it – whether you’re coming from a winter of skiing or a few months of enjoying dark beer and warm cookies, running will add an extra stressor on your body. Give your muscles and tendons time to adjust! Maybe start by running every other day, or significantly fewer miles than you think you can handle. A run/walk approach is also a good option. Take that transition slow and monitor how your body responds!
- Keep that traction handy! – today it’s an easy decision: take those traction devices with you. But in two weeks when the roads may be much less icy you may be tempted to put away your traction for the summer. We encourage you to keep traction devices accessible so your decision to take spikes is never determined by what is easily accessible.
- Talk to other people – if you are participating in the Run Wild Missoula marathon training class you have plenty of people sharing the road (and the pain!) with you. If you’re not participating in the training class, find a buddy to share the road (and the pain!) with you. Running with others makes the miles fly by!
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions – on the surface running a marathon seems easy: the gun goes off and you run until you cross the finish. But there is more to it! Nutrition, shoes, body glide, hydration, and what color sweatband to wear all come in to play. Not to mention the training! No one runner knows all the answers, or what is best for you. Ask questions, play with different options, and figure out the puzzle to the perfect marathon!
As always, feel free to come by Runner’s Edge and ask any of our knowledgeable staff for their marathon (or other distance) training tips. We love to talk running!
