PUBLISHED 09/09/2005
Walking the tightrope. That's how elite runners describe their 120-mile weeks, when they put their bodies on the line day after day. Of course, you're probably not up on a tightrope yet. But anytime you train for a race, your mileage goes up. At first, the increases seem small. Then they get larger and larger. And then you hit the Monster Month--the four weeks of heaviest training that come after the buildup phase that boosts your fitness, and before the prerace taper that lets you recharge for the big event. Let's figure you're in decent shape after increasing your training through the summer. Congrats. And let's say you've already picked out a race: a big-city marathon or half-marathon, or maybe even something shorter, like the hometown 10-K. Good thinking. But to thrive during your Monster Month, it's more important than ever to pay attention to the details of staying fit, focused, and balanced. You have the most to lose, but also the most to gain. So make sure you gain every advantage you can. Here's how.
(Get Fitter)
Don't overtrain. Your body will tell you when you're training too much--a common pitfall during this critical high-mileage, high-intensity period--but you have to listen. Some signs are obvious, like fatigue, catching a cold, or muscle soreness that lingers for several days. Others are subtle: you're irritable, you're feeling unmotivated, or you aren't sleeping that well. The cure-all is rest. Don't run for a day or two, and when you start up again, stick to easy runs until the bothersome signs disappear.
Treat your feet. Those beefy, well-cushioned shoes you wear on longer runs do absorb road shock and reduce injury risk. But at this point in your training you're looking to maximize fitness gains, so consider wearing a lighter pair for speed workouts and on shorter runs when you're going faster. Lighter shoes will help you run even faster than you expected in your speed sessions, and that will boost your confidence for the big race ahead. And you can wear these shoes in the race, too, after breaking them in.
Don't play catch-up. If something unexpected interrupts your training program, don't try to catch up by lengthening your long runs and cramming hard workouts closer together. Especially not when you're in the Monster Month. "Trying to make up for lost time is never a good idea," says Tom McGlynn, a 2004 Olympic Trials marathoner, Nike Farm Team coach, and online coach (focusnfly.com). "Most training layoffs are caused by something that leaves you in a weakened condition--often an illness or an injury--so the worst thing you can do is train harder than usual the minute you resume training. Do that, and you're just asking for a relapse."
Train by time, not distance. When you train by time, you don't have to measure a route, and you aren't "penalized" for wind, hills, or trails. (Whether you run six miles on hilly trails or eight miles on flat roads, if they each take you an hour and your effort is the same, they have equal value.) This is especially important on your longest runs, which you'll be doing during this big training month. McGlynn explains: "Some slower marathoners think they need to do a 20-miler, which could take them four hours or more. But you shouldn't do long runs that exceed three and a half hours, because they beat you up too much. The only time when it's better to train by distance is when you're doing speedwork on the track."
Do a dress rehearsal. Treat one of your longest runs--preferably the last long one you do before tapering for your big race--as a race simulation. The same applies whether it's an eight-miler in preparation for a 10-K race or a 20-miler while getting ready for a marathon: Keep the pace comfortably slow, but do everything else as if it's race day. Run at the same time of day and on similar terrain--even on the racecourse itself if that's practical. Wear the running shoes and apparel you plan to race in. And mimic the eating and drinking plan that you aim to follow before and during the race. This physical and mental rehearsal can reveal a problem that you can correct, and will make the race itself seem less daunting.
Cross out cross-training. Or at least cut way back on it during this month of higher-mileage running. Lighten up on the weight training, too. Cycling, swimming, and lifting are great most of the year, as part of low-key training months when your main goals are general fitness and injury prevention. But the heavy training month before a big race needs to be a month of living a little bit dangerously. This means running more and cross-training less, because as you approach your goal race, it's all about the running.
