Incorporating Weight Training into Marathon Training

Even after being married for many years there are still some conversations with your wife that can be difficult. Well, I had one of these conversations with my wife earlier this week, and I definitely should have put more thought into what I was going to say. Starting the conversation off with "I found this girl's website on the Internet", followed by "For my birthday, could you you pay for an hour session with her to improve my performance?", may not have been the best approach.

Here is what I should have explained in detail...

Last year before starting my 18 week marathon training program for the Chicago Marathon, I worked with a personal trainer to establish a weight training program to incorporate into my marathon training program. After much research I found that there are three primary benefits to weight training for runners,

First is the upper body, when running both your legs and arms move, granted your legs do most of the work, but when running 26.2 miles that adds up to a lot of work for your arms. Upper body training will reduce fatigue and soreness in the arms and provide more energy to finish strong.

Second is your abs, on long runs your abs can become sore. By strengthening your abs you are better able to maintain your running form and stabilize your back. And it also helps on the hills.

Third is the lower body. Running strengthens certain muscles in the legs but not all of the muscles, and this can cause an imbalance. With proper weight training for your lower body you can help balance your muscle strength to avoid risk of injury and help build endurance and strength for the long runs.

So being sold on the weight training, the question is what specific weight training do I need to incorporate into my marathon training? I feel that my weight training was a significant help in my marathon training. Over the tough 18 week training program I did not experience any injuries, and most importantly I FINISHED the marathon.

Since the Personal Trainer that I used last year has moved on and is no longer involved in personal training, I wanted to enlist the help of another Personal Trainer to to review and enhance my weight training program for this year's marathon training.

When browsing all of the handouts and flyers in the goody bag from the Bunny Rock 5K I stumbled across a familiar name Meghan Kennihan. Meghan is a race director for the Waterfall Glen Xtreme 10 race that I ran last year. After signing up for the Waterfall Glen Xtreme 10 last year, runners received emails from Meghan about the upcoming race, that included "Top 10 Reasons to Run this Race" and "Top 10 Unacceptable Excuses" that were so absolutely hilarious that Meghan's Top 10 list always come to mind when hearing about the Waterfall Glen Xtreme 10. In the goody bag was a flyer for Meghan Kennihan a Certified Personal Trainer. Eureka!

I immediately checked out her web page and was impressed by her credentials and certificates as a Personal Trainer. And in addition to that she is an accomplished runner.

With my wife's permission I contacted Meghan to discuss her different programs, I have signed up for a personal training session in May. I am looking forward to working with Meghan to evaluate and enhance my weight training program for my second Chicago Marathon in October. Look for my upcoming posts regarding my personal training session and progress.

www.TrainWithMeghan.com

BENEFITS OF A PERSONAL TRAINER BEFORE A MARATHON

Last year, prior to beginning my 18 week marathon training, I decided to research the benefits of a personal trainer before a marathon. My first half marathon was the Oak Brook Half Marathon in September 2010. But I knew that running 26.2 miles, was going to require a lot more training.

I’ve been running for over twenty years and I had never done any weight training. After researching the benefits of a personal trainer before a marathon, it seemed clear that weight training for your core, and upper an lower body would have great benefits for longer distance running and would improve my Marathon Training.

I did not want to hire just any personal trainer. I wanted to seek the advice from someone who had run a marathon and could offer me the best advice and a training program with the most benefits for my running. I wanted to be fully prepared for the marathon and was doing all the recommended steps for a safe race. I had a membership for the fitness center at our Park District and I knew they had personal trainers. I set up an appointment with Pam for a session. Prior to our session, Pam and I talked and we determined the areas that I needed to focus on through weight training and cross training. When I arrived for my session, Pam had structured a program to fit my goals. She provided me with notes and diagrams on how to do the exercises. By the end of the session it was obvious the benefits of a personal trainer before a marathon. Nothing compares to learning the proper ways of exercise than have someone show you how it’s done. We kept in contact throughout my marathon training and even after the marathon. She was always willing to answer my questions about the training.

My marathon training included a schedule of weight training, cross training and running. As the running portion of the marathon training took on longer distance running, I could feel the effects of the weight training and cross training and it did improve my running and endurance.

I am planning on working with a personal trainer to fine tune my weight training routine as a prepare for my second marathon this October.

I can attest to the benefits of a personal trainer before a marathon. Be sure to find someone who can help you determine the areas of focus for your weight training and cross training that will offer benefits to improve your running.