If you are looking to run your first marathon or improve upon your last effort, might I suggest a 3-day marathon training program? Let’s add, ‘for older runners,’ ‘injury-prone runners’ and even, ‘time-strapped runners’ to this mix. Time seems to be everyone’s catchphrase when starting a diet or perhaps volunteering or helping the community. How many times have we heard, I just don’t have the time or jeez, I am just too busy to start an exercise regimen?
Guess what, if you have uttered those words, you are simply not alone. That is what made me search for and refine a 3-day marathon program. Finding free time to run is hard for everyone. After switching from a 5-day program, to the 3-day program, my time did in fact improve as well, turning a 3:59 marathon into a 3:45 PR last year. How did I get there?
Here’s how. Utilize some CBD for runners, Run Lab CBD Sleep Aid to be specific, with a ton of discipline and just the right amount of experience-trained for 3 marathons and was able to compete in 2. My last marathon was injury-free and went exactly as planned.
So what does this look like? Well, we start with the discipline part. Each and every run (except 1, more on that later) was done in the morning. Completing runs with fresh legs, a primarily empty stomach, and a clear head just plain works. (Note: Primarily empty stomach does not mean completely empty stomach. Your body needs fuel to perform at its best and for most of us, that fuel comes in the form of carbohydrates. We recommend easy-to-digest carbohydrates prior to running. For example a small bowl of oats or an English muffin. What we do not recommend is running after a full meal.) Get those runs in before the excuses or time issues start to creep into the day. It is much too easy to bail on a run after a stress-filled day at work. You KNOW this!
Remove another common issue by not eating much prior to a run. You won’t have to say, I had to stop to use the restroom, or I dislike running because of stomach issues or my run didn’t go as well as I had liked because I was just not feeling right. If eating prior to a good workout works, go ahead. For many, not eating or drinking a lot before hitting the road may be the best plan after all. Yes, stay hydrated. But running after a meal might just be slowing you down.
Mental energy is often as hard on the body as physical exertion. Not being focused on your running effort and overall running form won’t and cannot help. Waking up early and running with a clear mind will yield better results. Give it a shot. Early runs help me remember what leg of an interval run I am on.
As a salesman, traveling will interfere, but scoping out an early morning run is part of the adventure too. I have run on high school tracks, in a zoo, and down busy city streets, all at 5 am. I consider fresh legs, a mostly empty stomach, and a clear head focused on creating the best overall training run possible all to be distinct advantages.
During my last training effort, getting home from a long work week at about 4 pm seemed perfect for my long run. This was Friday and in the middle of my 3-Day 16-week marathon training program. I thought getting the run in on Friday would be a good idea and leave more time to rest the legs. Nope, not the right answer. Here’s why. It was a sunny 80-degree day with 90 percent humidity. None of those conditions exist at 5 in the morning. During this run, I slowed to the laziest jog ever for the 15-mile long run. Bad form too. This run hurt physically and mentally. It was a poor effort and a great learning moment.
So after that run, I created my individual disciplined running principles:
Give early morning runs a shot, it works!
Next up, Creating your 3-Day Marathon Running Plan.
Marathoner and Co-Founder of Run Lab CBD
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