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while on a diet, end up getting addicted to the sport and take it to the next level, becoming runners. The first sign of this evolution is signing up for local 5K races. After a few of these, the hook has been set.

The Next Step: Distance Running

Soon, the running neophyte moves up to longer distance road races like the 10K and half marathon and begins to chart progress in a training log. Most runners that get to this stage eventually start looking at the long-distance standard, the full 26.2 mile marathon.

Training for this distance gets a little more complicated than the shorter ones mentioned above. The chance of running injuries increase, nutrition must be addressed a bit closer, and much more time must be comitted for training. It’s also important to establish a training schedule.

The Marathon Training Schedule

The marathon training schedule, or plan, generally begins about 26 weeks out from the target date and is a gradual build-up. Why gradual? To allow the body to adapt while avoiding stress or overuse injuries. The build-up follows the 10 percent rule, which means never increasing either the total weekly mileage or the weekly long run distance by more than 10 percent.

The build-up does have an end, of course. Two weeks out from the race date, the “taper” begins, which means decreasing the total weekly mileage and the distance of the long runs until finally resting completely for one or two days before the race.

At this point, the idea is to maintain the high level of fitness, while at the same time completely charging the batteries. When race day morning arrives, all systems are go!

Making the transformation from ‘normal’ to runner is not hard at all. The biggest challenge would be the change in mindset. To become a runner means to voluntarily become odd. To voluntarily wear strange sports kit in public, run past people you may know, exhausted and leaking sweat all over the pavement. To get up at the crack of dawn to train. These are not the actions of so-called normal people. To take running seriously borders on lunacy, and that’s what makes it great!

Critics point out that runners get bad knees, are always exhausted and look like freaks. And for what reason? What they conveniently leave out of their argument is that running injuries are mostly preventable with a bit of learning and proper equipment. They forget about the strong heart and lungs that gets developed, the weight-loss, the powerful legs, decreased risk of nasty diseases…the list of benefits is a long one.

So you want to join the club? Excellent! And it is so easy. If you are a complete novice, simply start to get in the know by reading a few specialist running magazines. They generally recycle the same theories and articles, and in this way you can learn the lingo and pick up some useful viewpoints on training methods and kit available. In no time at all you will be wondering if you pronate or supinate, and what PB you can achieve for a 5km.

The next bit is the hardest. It is the shift in attitude you need to make mentally. People that don’t understand the sport, or who are simply jealous of your effort to achieve personal goals will poke fun at you and mock your endeavours. Laugh off their ignorance, you are stronger than that. Congratulations – you have just completed your application form to the nutty world of running!

 Now you are ready to advance. A medical examination would be wise if you are in any doubt as to your medical condition. Then the most important item of equipment you need is a decent pair of running shoes based on the type of foot you have. There are essentially three different types of shoe that are available for runners. Please don’t just buy a popular brand in your local sports shop because you feel under qualified to pester a proper running store specialist. Trust me, you shins, knees and other body parts will thank you for proper preparation a few months down the line. Then you should really have a stop watch of some kind. You could go the whole way and buy a GPS/Heart Rate Monitor, but at the moment it really isn’t necessary.

At this stage you have read what you can on the sport, you know some terminology, theories and items of kit. Importantly, you have gone through the whole rigmarole of identifying what type of foot you have and which type of shoe would suit you the best. Out of a handful of models you have chosen the best fitting, most comfortable pair of running shoes with the help of an experienced expert. You even have a stopwatch. You are now ready to run.

The hardest part of running is often to step outside your front door. You may have all sorts of doubts about whether this silly pursuit is worth all the effort. Trust me, it is. Prior to starting out simply get a notebook, write down your goals and what you want to achieve from running. Make it specific, and then program your mind into achieving your set aims. Break it down into a training program spanning a few months, and record your training in your notebook. Then plan a simple route that you will be comfortable with. Track the distance beforehand in your car or on a mapping program. And then get out that front door and run that route! 

 If this is the first time you have ever run a training route on your own just mentally go through all the magazines you have read and put the tips into practice. Don’t go too fast. Walk as often as you need to, drink along the route if you want, try to keep upright and focused on what is happening around you for safety’s sake. Ignore the clever quips from the local idiots. Greet any fellow runners who may fly past you at this stage, but as they disappear like the Flash try and identify what it is that allows them to run well. Admire and remember them, they should be your role models. Learn as you go along. When it starts to hurt just ease back a bit, but fight off the desire to quit. Just think of how you proud you will feel when you have finished, knowing that the more sensible training you do the better you will feel and look. You are becoming a boa fide runner.

First and foremost, running shoes are the first line of defense against the running surface. Your feet and legs can take a beating. Long gone are the days of running in Chuck Taylor basketball shoes. Specialty running stores can be found in most metropolitan areas.  Trained specialists can help you pick a well fitted shoe and one suited for your step. If you feel comfortable choosing your own shoes,  sporting good stores like The Sports Authority or Dicks are excellent choices.

• Warming up is the first step to a long running career. The muscles need to be warm  before being pushed into high gear.  Start each run with a brisk walk of about two or three minutes. This gets the blood flowing to the muscles.
• Second, never run for miles run for minutes. Depending on your level of fitness, start slow. Work up to ten minutes. Then up to twenty, thirty, or forty minutes upto an hour. 
• Always cool down. Cooling down is just as important as warming up. Once again, walking and light stretching will help in the cool down stage.
• Hydration is also an important part of any running program. I typically carry one or two 20 ounce water bottles depending on the amount of time I will be running.

Older runners should set goals for what they want to accomplish with their running. Overall fitness, weight loss or a general sense of wellness are great for beginners.

As with all exercise programs, you may want to consult a physician to  ensure you are healthy enough to begin an exercise program.

Should you just buy a popular brand that you know from your local sports shop? Or should you spend a little more time getting your feet examined by a professional (or at the very least, by someone that knows what to look for). The answer is most certainly to take your time, and have your feet examined by a podiatrist or specialist running retailer. And this is where it can get a bit confusing.

Firstly, people have different shaped feet that operate in very different mechanical fashions. These mechanics are classified into three broad foot groups:

1. Overpronation: The foot rolls heavily inwards over the ankle just before the lifting of the foot.
2. Supination: The foot does the opposite, and rolls outwards over the ankle just before the foot lifts in the running cycle.
3. Neutral: The foot hardly rolls either way at all, and is described as biomechanically efficient.

As a general rule of thumb, most people pronate to some degree, and hardly anyone has a totally biomechanically efficient running stride. Not many people are supinators either. The trick to finding the ideal injury-preventing running shoe for yourself is therefore to know with confidence how your foot is shaped.

A great and cheap way to start to understand your foot is to do the ‘Wet Paper Test’.

This can be done as follows:

1. Get 2 sheets of white A4 paper and a pen. Have them ready by the side of your bath that you are just about to run.
2. Run a bath shallow enough to just get the bottom of your feet wet. You don’t want to cover your whole foot in water as you don’t want to be dripping water all over your two sheets of paper you are about to stand on.
3. Once both feet are wet get out of the bath and stand on said sheets of paper. Give your feet a little wiggle to shake off excess water before you stand on the paper, as you want to create a nice crisp wet impression of the shape of your feet.
4. The sheets should have been placed in such a position that allowed you to get straight out of the bath and be able to stand naturally, with feet about shoulder width apart. Obviously you have to get your stance right on the first go, or you will form multiple sloppy impressions.
5. What you should be left with is two sheets of A4 paper, with a left footprint on one sheet, and a right footprint on the other. Now draw around the wet imprint with the pen so you can take your time examining your feet.

You will now see one of three basic impressions:

1. A very flat foot shape, showing that most of the foot must have been in contact with the ground. This indicates a flat foot with low or fallen arches, and leads to severe overpronation.
2. A ‘normal’ semi curved foot shape that is tapered in the middle. This is the most common foot shape and shows normal to medium overpronation.
3. If two distinct and separate parts to the foot are shown with the middle nearly, or completely missing, then this is showing very high foot arches, which is generally a sign of supination or neutral feet.

You will now have an idea of what type of foot you have, and can now approach an expert with your results so that he can check them for you, before advising you on a selection of shoes that you could try. For further confirmation of your foot type (which is a sensible option if you have any knee, back or other problems, which could be aggravated by poor shoe selection) you could even undergo a video gait analysis or foot scan. This should further confirm your foot type while providing a more in-depth explanation of your individual running cycle.

You can now choose a selection of the correct shoes for your foot type to decide from, and then choose by comfort, feel and technical details appropriate to what you will be running on. Trail shoes are a world apart from road shoes for example.

Never be afraid to be extremely fussy, to run around in the shop and to try every shoe in every shop you can get to! It’s your body you need to look after, and specialist running shops will understand this.

Happy training!

To summarize, if you model a person’s leg as a pendulum, it turns out that a speed a person runs at is proportional to the square root of the length of the leg. That is to say that someone who is twice as tall as someone else will not run twice as fast (everything else being equal) but just over 40% faster. It seems just looking at Bolt this isn’t a bad approximation. In the past people thought that sprinters who were too tall wouldn’t be fast because they find the motion harder to achieve,  but this analysis suggests size IS everything.

Of course, a human beings leg in full sprint is not analogous to a pendulum. The point is that is isn’t so different as to make any calculations modelling the leg as just such a pendulum nonsensical. I have to admit to not knowing what the answer would be when I did the maths. I prayed that it would predict a time below that which he had already run (since he seemed to ease off in the olympic final, perhaps sensing he could become more famous if he kept on breaking his own record as other athletes have done in the past). If you read the article you’ll see that I suggest a future time of around 9.2s or below would be do-able by man, but not by Bolt.

I’d guess that others have done more advanced calculations on Bolt, modelling him as far more than an inflexible stick man. But I’d like to take this chance to suggest that you don’t need flashy computers to predict things. Sometimes thinking about a problem in simple ways can yield perfectly good answers.

Running should be easy, right? Everyone can do it. Everyone does it when they’re kids – so why is it so difficult as adults to start running after we haven’t for a few years?

There are many possible answers. Children, for example, tend to run differently. They run more on the balls of their feet and do not strike the ground with their heels as much as adults do. (You may re-learn to run like that, it is a method called “The Pose Method of Running” – but beware, some feet injuries are believed to be connected to running on the balls of your feet, e.g. plantar fasciitis).

Also, the last time you ran you may have been a few pounds lighter on your feet – and that makes a tremendous difference. Add to that the possibilities of weaker muscles, especially at the front of your shins – and other pains and injuries are thrown into the equation.

All in all – if you haven’t run for a long time, chances are it’s going to be difficult to start again.

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What Do My Running Shoes Have To Do With Any Of It?

Good question. Running shoes, regardless of how good they are, will not help strengthen your weak muscles or magically remove those extra pounds. However, a good pair of shoes may help prevent some of the pain of running by providing cushioning, support and enough comfort to prevent blisters, burns and possible mis-steps.

Ok, So What Should I Look For In A Shoe?

First and most important – the shoe must fit the way your feet meet the ground when you run. You are either a natural runner, meaning you land on your feet straight and naturally, or you roll your foot as you land on it – either inside – a condition called pronation – or outside (supination).

Before Deciding which running shoe to buy, you may want to have your running style analyzed. Most professional shoe stores can do this for you, usually free of charge.

Finding out what is your running style limits your choices to a set of running shoes to choose from.

Got My Style Analyzed – Now What?

After you know which type of shoes you should go for, you need to analyze your running needs. Are you going to run mainly outside or on a treadmill? Paved roads or soft grass? Rugged or smooth terrain? Different shoes are adequate for different conditions – and you should consider these before you choose.

Apart from terrain, you may want to look at how comfortable are the shoes, how much they weigh compared to other possible models, how durable they are and how much they cost.

When you have done all that – take the shoes you want for a run. Most stores will let you do that – or at least let you buy them and swap them after a few days if you feel they aren’t right for you.

To find out more about different running shoes – come over to the choozza website. You can compare popular models against each other, and personalize the comparison to your desires.

Two of the comparisons you can find on Choozza are:

• New Balance WR882 vs Adidas Gigaride A3
• Brooks Adrenaline GTS 7 vs Asics Gel Nimbus 10

This made me think and I responded, “Yes, I walk with an over pronation, but I run with my feet facing completely forward and land each footfall in a neutral running form.”

What is pronation?  It is the normal foot motion from foot strike on the outside of the heel to the way the foot rolls inward.  Over pronation (hyper pronation) occurs when the foot rolls from the outer to the inner edge.  Under pronation (supination) occurs when the foot rolls from the inner to the outer edge.  Neutral is when the foot falls directly below the lower leg and no rolling occurs. 

My daughter’s comment made me think of the first time I went to the pro running shop where I get my shoes.  Of how I’d told the man that I needed neutral running shoes.  He asked me to walk across the room.  I did.  He told me that I walked on the outsides of my heels and I needed shoes for over pronation.  I disagreed, telling him what I’d told my daughter.  He informed me that neutral runners are very rare and that he found it hard to believe that based on the way I walked, I could be one.  There was a treadmill in the store that I volunteered to run on.  I settled into a steady run and the man watched my feet.  After a couple of minutes, he scratched his head and said he was convinced.

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I explained how, when I had resumed running, I had worked very hard to train myself to become a neutral runner, knowing that running in that form put the least amount of stress on my joints, tendons, knees and lower back.  I told him how I had obsessed on every single footfall I landed and my body posturing until I got it right.  To completely retrain my body took months.

Everyone pronates a little.  Initial pronation is necessary for the body to cope with the shock imposed upon it while running and then be able to properly propel the foot forward.  When the foot first hits the ground, it acts like a spring, soaking up the impact in preparation to explode that energy into the next step.  The foot should be flexible when it first hits the ground.  Then, when it’s time to push off, it should be rigid.  Problems arise when the body is forced to push off of a flimsy foot.  Undue stress is put on the joints, muscles and tendons, increasing the odds of injury.  If too much or too little pronation occurs on a regular basis, such as with runners who don’t have proper running shoes, injuries may result.  

I have had serious knee and lower back injuries.  After surgery and years of physical therapy, the doctors gave me the devastating news that I would never be able to run again.  Not acceptable, I thought.  I set out to retrain my body to run in a completely different form than what came naturally to me in the attempt to give myself a shot at reclaiming that which I held dear—running. 

Hyper pronation forces the lower leg to turn inward, causing the knee and hip to fall out of alignment.  It can also cause the back to twist.  Symptoms of over/under pronation might be: arch pain, ankle pain, heel pain, back pain, shin splints or even Achilles tendonitis.  Supination occurs when the ankle doesn’t roll inward enough.  Symptoms can be shin splints and knee pain.  All of these conditions are rather common and for the regular runner, who isn’t battling a history of serious injuries, can be eradicated by getting fitted with proper running shoes and/or inserts.

Bearing all this in mind, I chose to an option that I thought would give me the greatest chance at resuming running without aggravating the injures I already have.  My endeavor to accomplish the seemingly improbable—eradicate my over pronation—paid off and I became a neutral runner.  Really, I didn’t have a choice.  For me, it was either that or resign myself to the diagnoses of all those doctors and physical therapists.  And that just wasn’t something I was willing to live with.

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Running a marathon is one of life’s most gruelling yet rewarding experiences. For the first time marathon runner however, 26.2 miles of continuous running presents a daunting if not insurmountable challenge. If you’re thinking about running your first marathon, or maybe you are currently in training for one, you’ve undoubtedly absorbed as much information as possible regarding what to expect and how to achieve this life goal.

In chronological order, here are nine tips unlikely to be found in any book for someone about to embark on their first marathon.

Two Months To Go – Surface Work And Why You Should Not Shun The Treadmill

There are numerous books and websites that will tell you that the secret to finishing a marathon starts many months before the actual race. If you are aiming for a four hour marathon – a respectable time for any first-timer – you need to be running consistently for months before the big day. Though there is no magic point in time when you should start training for a marathon, the general guideline is that four months of focused training should get you safely over the line.

The problem with this theory is that most books will tell you that you must run in conditions similar to the actual race. Though training in a similar climate and at an appropriate elevation to the actual marathon are paramount in your preparation, with the average marathon training schedule consisting of hundreds of miles of running, training on just pavement could damage your body. The last thing you want is, come race-day, your knees, feet or shins to have been compromised due to your training routine that results in a sub-par performance during the actual marathon.

Alternate your runs between road-work and using a treadmill. Your knees will thank you when the race is over. Running on grass can be beneficial though it does tend to sap some of your energy. Beach work is also a good idea as it builds endurance but don’t overdo it as the surface has a tendency to quickly tire inexperienced runners and be almost de-motivational.

Top tip: Remember, treadmills have inclines too! When running on a treadmill you should always be at least a 2° incline. Vary this level during your work-out to simulate terrain including the all important running downhill.

One Month To Go – Incorporating Yoga Into Your Training Routine

Training for a marathon is not just about running. You’ll be increasing your calorie intake to fuel your long runs and you should also be doing some light weight work in the gym to prepare your muscles for the pressure of a non-stop four hour work-out. Introducing yoga to your routine is an integral element to marathon success with many professional athletes regularly performing yoga for its benefits toward their overall fitness and well-being.

Yoga will help in two main areas. Firstly, it will tone your muscles and help with suppleness; factors that are key to a successful marathon. Secondly, and more importantly, yoga will add a calming element to your training. Running most days of the week can be a stressful endeavour for anybody so regularly spending an hour to balance yourself both physically and mentally is invaluable. Remember: though intensely physical, a marathon is mostly mental. Having a strong mind going into the event will aid you in more ways than an extra run or weights routine could do.

Top tip: Stay clear of Bikram yoga. During your training period your intention is to stay as hydrated as possible. Bikram is great though it does have a tendency to dehydrate the body.

Two Weeks And Counting – Running With Gels

A vital pick-me-up during a marathon, gels are probably not something first-time runners are totally familiar with. Loaded with calories, carbs and sometimes caffeine and amino-acids to stimulate race-goers into further action, gels have been known to give depleted marathon runners an almost magical surge of much needed energy towards the end of a race. You’ll likely need gels when hitting the dreaded wall around mile 19 or so as the phenomenon, caused when your muscles and liver are literally exhausted of glycogen, can be countered by immediately ingesting high calorie foods.

Gels will probably be handed out during the race by numerous companies wishing to promote their products. The problem with taking a gel for the first time during a marathon is that you may have a negative reaction for varying reasons. Purchase some gels towards the end of your training schedule and try them out during one of your long runs (the 20 mile run a couple of weeks before the marathon is a good candidate). Remember to take water when eating a gel and be careful of the wrapper edges. You’re going to be in enough discomfort towards the end of the race and the last thing you want to do is cut your mouth along the way.  

Top tip: Gels come in varying and inventive flavours. Buy a few different ones and find the one you like. Fair warning though: a lot of them taste like washing up liquid no matter how hard the companies try to improve their flavour.

Final Week – Time For Some Musical Inspiration

For people who find running without music more conducive to their program, skip this section. For the majority of other people out there who use music as a motivational device and distraction – read on.

Music can be the difference between achieving your goal time and not finishing at all. A week before the event, work out your playlist for the marathon and fill your MP3 player with tracks that you think will help you along the way. Keep the tempo up-beat and, if you think you might skip the track during the race for whatever reason, leave it off. The idea is to start the playlist and not touch your music player again until after the race. You don’t want to expend any energy shuffling through songs when running.

I mention music as a distraction for the main reason that marathons for most first-time participants are usually quite a painful experience. Don’t worry, pain goes away, knowing you ran a marathon lasts forever. That said, a large part of running a marathon is pain management. Listening to music you like or can personally identify with can be the perfect distraction and pain-blocker. Some people pull caps down over their faces or wear sun-glasses. Others mostly close their eyes during the race in an effort to focus on simply putting one foot in front of the other. Whatever you do to block out distractions and motivate yourself to keep going, having a fixed playlist will be a comfort during the race.

Top tip: I run with an iPod Shuffle for its size and ergonomic design as it helps me know I’m always in control of my inspirational soundtrack. During my first marathon I used something much bigger and more cumbersome which I actually dropped during the race and cost me time. Invest in a small and reliable device. Finally, put your favourite song around the three hour mark (mile 19). You’re going to need it then.

Nearing The Big Day – Going To The Expo

A few days before the actual race, the marathon sponsor will probably swing into your city and set up an expo. Attending the expo is sometimes mandatory as it’s where you will need to register, but other times you don’t have to go – especially if you’re an out-of-towner and you’re flying in for the race.

Going to the expo is highly recommended for numerous reasons. Not only is it a great opportunity to meet people from all around the world who, just like you, are running in the race, some of them will also be first-timers and you can share stories, possibly write on a memorial wall and take some photos. This simple practice will turn what has undoubtedly been a stressful time into what it should be – a positive and memorable experience. The expo is also a treasure trove of gear, nutritional products and advice. It’s here you can pick up your gels and maybe even a commemorative t-shirt.

Top tip: Some expos offer free sports massages. Avail of these if you can as they can be instrumental in helping prepare your body for the impending physical trauma of running 26.2 miles.

The Night Before – Massage Time

Speaking of massages, the night before the marathon is when you need to completely relax and mentally prepare. You’ll likely be nervous and maybe even tense from the constant training and preparation. If you have a partner, or even a good friend, ask them for a massage. They don’t need to be good at it or even know what they’re doing but, ideally, you want to work out the remnants of any tension or minor injury you’ve picked up during your training. It will also help you sleep. Focus on the calves and hamstrings as these are usually the muscles that first-time long distance runners complain most about after the race.

You may want to avail of a professional physiotherapist or massage which is also recommended. Tell the person performing the massage that you’re running a marathon the next day and the purpose of the massage is to relax your muscles and prepare them for a long run.

Of course, you might want to book a second massage for just after the race. Give it a day or two though as any massage after such a gruelling event might be painful.

Top tip: Deep muscle massage is something to be avoided. This practice can inadvertently compromise the muscle group in the short-term and do more harm than good.

The Big Day – Time To Put On The Goo

There are three ointments you need to bring with you on the day of the big race. Vasoline to be smeared on any part of your body that may chafe (also a small bit above the eyebrows will deflect sweat away from the eyes and don’t forget your nipples), a balm such as Tiger Balm to be rubbed into your legs and lower back to provide a warming effect and preempt some impending discomfort through mild numbing, and menthol which you should rub on your racing bib. The latter is exceptionally useful as it will help keep your breathing clear during the race.

Top tip: Depending on your marathon, you may see medical crews offering race-goers a white cream to be rubbed on their legs. Most will even rub it in to you as you stand there. This cream is similar to the aforementioned Tiger Balm and will sooth aches and pains. The negative aspect with availing of this salve is the fact that, not only will you lose time having it administered, there is also the dreaded “If I stop it will be harder to re-start” issue with marathon running. If you’re in a lot of pain it might be the only option but, either way, the choice is yours whether or not to partake.

And You’re Off! – Get Up Front

In direct contradiction to what race organisers will likely ask you to do on the day, get close to the front of the race before the starting gun fires. The organisers will quote how the professional athletes will need the space to set off. The reality is, the professional athletes will be running at over 16kph (as opposed to your 10-12kph) and will quickly vanish into the distance.

Being too courteous and going to the back of the throng will have a negative impact on your time. You will undoubtedly have to manoeuvre around costume wearing runners and people with a goal time much longer than yours. You won’t be in the way if you get up near the front and you won’t be overrun or pushed to the ground. Of course, standing next to the ribbon before the race starts is also not a good idea but somewhere in the first 10% of runners is the optimal place to be.

Top tip: Before the race starts you will likely be in the starting area for a long period of time; maybe even hours. Due to nervous energy you’ll likely be hopping about the place. Try and sit down and relax. A lot of people complain that they’re actually tired before the marathon starts simply because they’ve been on their feet for hours before running. Sit down, stretch gently and breathe.

You’re Running A Marathon! – Don’t Experiment With Your Time

You’ve trained for months. You’ve enjoyed some yoga classes and your playlist is full to the brim with your favourite energetic tunes. You know exactly where and at what time you need to be in order to achieve your personal goal. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, it’s not going according to plan. Running on your own and running with potentially thousands of people are two entirely different things. You also may not really know the marathon route that well (though driving it before hand is recommended) so don’t be surprised if your meticulous time-plan is thrown off a little. The worst thing you can do if you find yourself behind schedule is to immediately speed up. You’ll be tempted to but don’t. Being behind at the start of your first marathon can happen for numerous reasons but the main culprit is people getting in the way. Unfortunately navigating around these slower runners has meant that you have possibly used up some extra energy in the process. Wait until the field clears and then work out where the time can be made back if you’re still adamant on achieving a particular finish-time. The race pack thins out considerably around mile 6 or 7 when the four hour people start to group together leaving the rest of the pack behind and the more adventurous runners far in front. If you must, modify your pace in small increments at this point. Don’t try and run a six minute mile to make up the lost time as you’re at risk of putting your body under undue stress which could affect the remainder of your performance.

Alternatively, you may find yourself far ahead of schedule and on track for a truly amazing time by your own personal standards. This can happen due to the part adrenaline plays in first time marathon running. Check your pace and consider slowing down even to a gait below what you normally would run at. It will be hard to do but it will benefit your energy levels in the long term. Many first time marathon runners rue a fast start only for the illusion to shatter towards the end of the race when their bodies either breakdown or they are forced to stop altogether.  

Top tip: Find someone who has run a marathon before and at a time you are happy with. You’ll probably find these people in the starting area before the race while chatting to other runners. Ask what their target time is and if you could shadow them. Use these people as markers to give you a good idea of how you are doing. That said, run your own race and not someone else’s. They could be having a great (or terrible!) race themselves, something you don’t want to emulate.

The most important part of running a marathon is coming out the other side healthy. It’s a truly monumental and rewarding experience and if you’re thinking about running your first marathon, these tips should allay some of your fears and give you an idea of the commitment and mindset required to obtain such a personal goal.

Good luck, and see you at the finish line!

The first Cross-City Race was originally 7.51 miles long.  It started at the Ferry Building along Market Street and progressed to Golden Gate Avenue before turning onto Divisadero Street.  In 1965, the name of the race was changed to Bay to Breakers.  In 1968, the length of the route was shortened to an official 12K (7.46 miles).  It now travels west along Hayes Street and up Hayes Street Hill near Alamo Square before hugging the panhandle and then heading west through Golden Gate Park, past the Conservatory of Flowers, all the way to the Great Highway, ending at Ocean Beach.

In 1986, the race earned the title of the world’s largest foot race from Guinness Book of World Records with an astounding 78,769-registered runners and 110,000 total participants.  Currently, the race draws between 60,000 to 90,000 registered runners annually, with many more unregistered participants joining the fun.  More than 100,000 enthusiastic spectators line the route to cheer them on.

Sunday, May 17, 2009 marked the 98th year of the race’s history, making it the longest running consecutively run race in the world.  Athletes of every imaginable level came to participate in the renowned event—a testament to the unique audacity of one of the most eclectic cities in the world.  Highly trained athletes, Olympic hopefuls, weekend runners, walkers and adventurers endeavored to make their way through the route, which beautifully reflected the life between the breakers and the Bay.

For the third year in a row, I ran the race—this year with my youngest daughter.  The fun began even before the race started with the tortilla-throwing tradition.  I seriously doubt that a corn tortilla existed anyplace other than along the staging coral areas of the race.  Thousands upon thousands of them were hurled high into the air.  The goal was to get them to gracefully glide through the air like Frisbees prior to pegging some unsuspecting soul in the head.  And shame on anyone who was unaware of this age-old pre-race tradition.  Fear not, after being hit by a few tortillas, even the most awkward novice became an enthusiastic skilled thrower.

For some reason, the race seems to draw a number of Christ worshipers who prominently position themselves immediately preceding the start line and after the finish line.  They shout their decree, that all of the racers are on the path to hell and damnation, through blaring megaphones.

Although every participant signed an agreement to not imbibe during the race, the unmistakable smell of alcohol, mostly bear, wafted from cherished brown paper bags from which containers of beer were clandestinely sipped, gulped and slurped.  As recently as two years ago, nary a shopping cart existed in the city on race day.  All having been confiscated by beer-loving racers, who filled them with cans of their favorite brewskies then dumped ice atop.  Quite the ingenious rolling ice chest.  Unfortunately for them, the city Mayor handed down a new decree in February 2009, renouncing tolerance of alcohol possession, consumption or drunkenness anywhere along the parade route.

Another unfortunate victim of the no alcohol on the route crack down has been the elimination of what, in my opinion, made the race so unique.  Individuals went to great lengths to design and build elaborate, and some not so fancy floats that they would push/pull along with them.  Now these weren’t just any floats, but cleverly disguised rolling bars, complete with hidden hatches that when taped, would open to magically reveal a refreshing alcoholic beverage to the inquirer.  These fascinating inventions could be encountered anywhere along the route prior to Hayes Hill, most being too bulky to drag up the steep incline.  Race officials allowed that floats would still be a part of the event in 2009, but were to be sequestered at the rear of the race, following all runners/walkers, thus depriving the majority of race participants the privilege of catching a glimpse of the cleverly created crafts.  

Another item racers agreed to when registering, was that they would remain in their clothes during the race.  Part of the initial February Mayoral decree denounced any nudity along the route.  But officials quickly realized the impossibility of enforcing this rule and decided to turn a blind eye to the flashes of flesh proudly revealed along the route.   Participating nudists were easy to identify.  They wore shoes, socks and neon baseball caps while proudly holding the strings of bright yellow happy face balloons that bobbed above them, announcing their presence. 

Let me not neglect to mention the vast number of costumed racers.  The unofficial theme this year was anything having to do with flying pigs, thus representing Swine Flu.  My daughter and I ran along with an enormous pig that measured near twelve feet in height.  Unbelievably, it managed to cross the finish line, proclaiming that it was staying ahead of the Swine Flu. 

In addition, there were the masses of Elvises, both clothed and naked.  And then there were the annual swimming salmon—a cleaver group of unregistered racers who crashed the route, disguised as giant salmon, and ran against the flow of runners, chased by a giant inflatable brown bear.  This year, we did not see the bear, but did hear several of the salmon tell us that we were going the wrong way, claiming that we needed to “swim” upstream to spawn.  In years past, there has been a giant brigade, numbering fifty or more, of the Star Wars Storm Troopers, outfitted in studio-quality costumes.  Although we searched the entire route this year, neither my daughter nor I spotted a single one.  What a shame.  They really did enhance the race.

And finally, I need to mention that Bay to Breakers is the official site of the world Centipede Running Championships.  The first running centipede was introduced to the route in 1978 when Dwayne “Peanut” Harms of the UC Davis men’s track team, founded a special division of the race, in which thirteen runners are connected, as a unit, entitled “centipedes”.  A floater, usually the team captain, is allowed to run alongside the connected individuals to pace them and fill in should a runner drop out.  This is a serious aspect of the race not to be overlooked.

Despite all the oddities still heavily prevalent amongst participants, it would appear that race officials are attempting to morph the Bay to Breakers Race into a more legitimate 12K.  I hope they don’t succeed.  For in doing so, they are erasing what makes Bay to Breakers such a unique experience that in years past has drawn in excess of 78,000 registered runners who proudly demonstrate their affection for the eclectic traditions of an irrepressible city comprised of a colorful spectrum of individuals.

In longer races, especially half and full marathons, I run at a slower pace and have more time to gauge what is occurring with my body.  In 5K’s, that is not the case, as the minute the gun fires, I’m pushing myself at maximum speed and don’t relent until I cross the finish line.  Because of this heightened endurance, I have an overabundance of endorphins and adrenaline coursing through my veins almost from the onset of the race.  These block pain and are what allow me to perform harder and unrelentingly until I finish the race.  Plus there’s always the mental thought that the faster I run, the faster I’ll cross the finish line.  And that’s a huge motivator when I’m faced with running a 5K that takes only minutes versus hours to complete.

This having been said, not many marathoners, myself included, have managed to successfully cross the finish line without having had the experience of running a number of 5K’s during their training.  In this sense, 5K’s can be a useful tool.  They allow runners to become familiar with and overcome any anxiety associated with having to line up at a start line, wait for the gun to fire and then will themselves to push forward lest the masses stampede them. 

Running 5K’s can also be useful in teaching a runner how to dress for a race and what supplies their body might need to consume en route.  Simply going out and running 3.1 miles of blacktop or trails is not the same as running a 5K race.  Running on your own schedule, you can control when you start, finish, what warm-up gear you might want to wear and how readily you can get warm following a workout.  When you enter a race however, those components of the equation are outside you control, setting up novice racers for injury and complications.

So how does one go about making 5K races work for them?  Easy.  Get to know your body and listen to the warning prompts it sends you.  And know that no matter how careful you are with your training, there will come a time when you have an off race day and/or get hurt.  Knowing this, be smart.  Don’t opt to use a race day to alter things you haven’t trained for.  Instead, use training runs to experiment.  And if you are using a 5K race to enhance your training for longer races, be willing to adjust your running speed and how hard you are willing to push your body.

Image via Wikipedia

I have a personal mantra that I live by.  Race hard, being mindful that the ultimate goal is to make it to the finish line of my own accord and to be able to race another day.  Enacting these simple practices will better ensure that your races will be injury-free.