Training for the marathon, or any endurance running race, is not easy. It’s hard work. It takes discipline. But it’s also a lot of fun, as you’ll soon discover, particularly if you run with a friend or a group of runners, you should try to run with someone else at least once a week to help with your motivation and Goals. Remember that sometimes “togging out” is sometimes the most difficult part, especially during Winter so always remind yourself of the reason that you decide to take up running in the first place.
We have devised a number of training schedules to hopefully suit all different interests and levels of fitness and hope there is something here to suit your ability. Your commitment, training effort and obvious signs of improvement are the most important aspect even if your finding it difficult to stick rigidly to the schedule.
Always ensure that you are properly fuelled & hydrated both before and during your training.
Discover if you are a morning person or evening person, this obviously affects your performance especially on a competitive basis.
CHECK YOUR BODY CLOCK HERE
GOOD REASONS TO EXERCISE
Training is Vital to any event
Extreme North can help you build the best training schedule for the event to help you succeed.
1. Reduce weight and body fat and tone up.
2. Improve your physical fitness and improve your cardiovascular system
3. You can set your pace to suit your own level of fitness regardless of age.
4. You can run at your own convenience with or without others.
5. Relaxes the mind and helps manage stress.
6. The buzz / inspiration you get from a good workout or finishing a race.
7. Go places you wouldn’t normally go and see things you wouldn’t observe from a traditional form of transport.
8. Strike up new friendship with like minded people by sharing a common interest. Comparing routines, achievements, ambitions and planning for events.
A pleasant change from the recession topic.
Life style – the down side; We have strived to obtain every form of labour saving gadgets over the past 2 decades, then wonder why we are not as fit and active as we used to be. Our bodies were designed to be active and all these things contribute to our inactivity and lack of fitness.
Excuses – Fitness starts not in the body, but in the mind. If you are going to achieve your goal then you need to work on your mindset first, if this isn’t right then you won’t achieve your goal. Just like smoking / drugs dulls your mind and thinking, likewise there are other factors that can affect your decision to get out there and exercise.
Don’t have the time – time is a management issue, if you don’t have time for your health then don’t be surprised if it leaves you. Work on the principal that on a day that you have been too busy to exercise then – you have been too busy.
I’ll only look silly – Sure you probably feel everyone else that runs looks silly so you’ll be in good company and you won’t look silly when you fit into your clothes properly.
Can’t afford it – All you need is a decent pair of runners , everything else can wait
My Knees, my Joints – Stop, think, why are they like that, probably its lack of exercise, naturally you will have pains and aches from unexercised joints but taking it careful and looking after yourself, there is lots of good advice on getting started, we will aim to guide you with our programmes and advise.
Running’s an addiction? – Not necessarily, but what is addictive is your body feeling that sensation of fitness and the feel good factor then it doesn’t really want to go back to the old ways so this in turn works as a positive and drives you on to greater fitness.
Ask yourself the question – Is the Bar too high or is it just too close.
Famous Quote – ‘I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion. ‘ – Muhammad Ali
This Plan is for absolute beginners, if you have completed a Couch to 5k then you can move onto some of the other Event training plans
Download pdf here
