By Dr. Robert Weiss
The Running Doctor
It’s time for some serious thoughts on marathon training, as the Boston Marathon is coming up, as well as the New York City, Chicago, Washington-Marine Corp marathons, just to name a few popular ones, are not far off in the future.
One must realize that the training session is 25 percent perspiration and 75 percent determination. The hardest part of the session is to get out the door and to get started. This will give you the full potential to strengthen the body and to relax the mind. The following guide is for the successful, goal-oriented person who has taken charge of his or her destiny.
- Ask yourself if you are really cut out to be a marathoner. The marathon distance is not for everyone.
- Plan out exactly what you want to achieve. Is it the desire to just finish or to run a sub-three hour marathon?
- Make sure you are willing to make the commitment and all the sacrifices needed for a successful marathon.
- Daily visualize yourself in perfect harmony.
- Map out your training program as the goal to a successful marathoner.
- Establish many different distances and times as goals, working up to the ultimate distance and respected time.
- Be ready to adjust your lifestyle for the increased schedule in the training program.
- Enjoy and take with pleasure the movements of release that are found with a hard training session or you may burnout early.
- Be ready to take necessary risks and have the confidence to overcome the dangers in hard all out training.
- Learn to discipline yourself with control, so that you strengthen your goals.
The Marathon, one long distance, been there, know it well, and will never forget it- one of the ultimate challenges in body & mind. GOOD LUCK!!
Dr. Robert F. Weiss, a sports podiatrist, was a member of the Medical Advisory Committee of the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Marathon Trials. Weiss is a veteran of 35 Marathon and has a practice in Darien; affiliated with Stamford Hospital and member of Stamford Health Medical Group-Foot & Ankle Institute. For info visit Stamfordhealthmedicalgroup.org
