The Boston Marathon is the world's oldest annual marathon. The opportunity to run in this race is an earned privilege as those in the race must qualify. I ran the race in 2005 and had a wonderful experience. For a successful race and finish it is important to train diligently and mimic the Boston marathon course.
The following training tips will help you get to the finish line upright and smiling.
1) Train on hills. The Boston marathon course is known for "heartbreak hill" which comes up around mile 18. Your legs are tired at this point, so you have to do everything you can to get up the hill. Be sure to add hills in your long run training and be sure to add those hills towards the end of the run. Running hills at mile 5 will feel a lot easier than running hills at mile 18!
2) Pace yourself. Boston marathon runners are more advanced and therefore, the pace of the race is much faster compared to most marathons. Be careful not to go out so fast that you bonk at mile 18. Wearing a pace band is a great way to be sure you stay on your pace and avoid the common mistake of going out to hard and fast.
3) Be prepared for any weather conditions. I watch and follow the Boston race every year and the weather can be anywhere from cold and rainy to a mild sixty degrees. Either way, bring clothing that can handle warm and cold weather and be ready to layer up.
4) Strength Train. Lift weights to strengthen your legs: specifically the quadriceps muscles, but also the calf and hamstring muscles. To fail in this regard is to invite injury and to insure a poor performance, especially on the up and down hills of the race course.
5) On race day, write your name on your shirt. Hearing the crowd chant your name can be enough motivation to keep you going and feeling like a celebrity.
6) Fuel up. Do not wait to long before eating and drinking. Drink water at every aid station and be sure you start eating a carbohydrate snack beginning at mile 12. To wait any longer and you will be playing catch up with your body and lose energy. Energy bars and gels are a great source to quickly get glycogen in your blood.
The Boston Marathon presents a lot of challenges in both the training for and running of the race. These insider tips will help you run a smart, strong Boston Marathon.
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