Jonny Mellor Talks ‘Top Mistakes When Training For A Marathon’
Running / Beginner
We’ve team up with coaches Jonny Mellor & Adam Craig from JM Run Coaching to give you their expert advice as your prepare for your marathon. Boasting a PB of 2:09:06, Jonny is one of the UK’s most consistent marathon runners and continues to get better year on year. Equally as experienced, Adam impressed byt running a 2:13 on his debut over the distance. In fact both have a vast amount of experience across a whole host of distances; and therefore couldn’t be better placed to advise on training for a marathon.
In this article we look at common mistakes made when training for a marathon. As coaches Jonny & Adam often have to naviagte their athletes around these issues. So today we’re sharing these marathon mistakes to help you avoid making them!
MISTAKES MADE WHEN TRAINING FOR A MARATHON
It’s very easy to make mistakes when marathon training, especially if it’s your first one. It’s even easier to make mistakes around the actual training sessions; some of these you may be a little less aware that you’re making.
Below we’ve picked out the top 4 most common mistakes when training for a marathon:
Not giving yourself enough time between interval sessions to recover and adapt to the training you’re doing: Recovery is one of the biggest parts of marathon training and needs to be given as much respect as the actual training sessions.
Not running their easy runs ‘easy’: Easy runs help to build a strong aerobic base which in turn promotes recovery from your harder sessions and overall will help improve your endurance (as much as it doesn’t feel like it at the time).
Not fuelling around training properly: Fuelling your training for a marathon doesn’t just stop when the trainers come off. In a marathon training block it needs to be a consideration at every meal. You need to be providing your body with the nutrient it needs to recover and repair, whilst also topping up the fuel stores to be ready to go again on your next run. Well balanced meals with portions of carbohydrates and protein, as well as essential fats, vitamins and minerals to look after that potentially compromised immune system.
Not getting enough sleep: So many people I coach have got busy lives, with kids, family and of course working full time; and they’re only getting 4,5, & 6 hour sleep. Particularly during a marathon training block, prioritising get that bit extra sleep can make the world of difference with how you feel day to day. Aim for 8 hours as a minimum, even if it’s just until you’ve completed your training block and achieved your marathon goal.
