Spring Training — A How To Guide

By Susie Pontefract

Springtime has arrived, and with the April showers and May flowers come the flurry of people gearing up for the multitude of running and walking events in the Northwest. This year, why not become one of them? Most of today’s “races” are open to all ability levels — from the hardcore runner and racewalker to the beginning jogger and fitness walker. Training for an event is beneficial to both our mind and body because it shakes up our routine, challenges our fitness level, and gives us a goal with a deadline. In addition, the events themselves are great fun. It is a time to get out with your neighbors to partake in a healthy, community-building activity. Finally, events are motivating — once you do one, you’ll be back for more!

What to do, what to do…

So, how to choose your event? First, consider the distance. Typical event distances include 5K (3.1 miles), 10K (6.2 mile), half marathon (13.1 miles) and the mother of all events: the marathon (26.2 miles). Pick a distance that is motivating to you. If 6.2 miles sounds daunting, then go for a 5K. If you are ready to take yourself to places you never thought possible, and then maybe this is the year of the marathon. Despite the distance you choose, you are bound to find a local event that matches your goal. Almost every weekend during the spring and summer months in the Portland/Vancouver area, someone, somewhere is setting up a starting line. Websites such as walkaboutmag.com, racecenter.com, and active.com list many of these events. While you will sometimes need to look for “running” events when searching, most events are walker friendly. If you are unsure if an event welcomes walkers, feel free to call the event’s race director and ask. Also, if you’re choosing an event that requires some travel or seems a bit pricey, research the event’s reputation. No one wants to spend a day driving to or paying a lot for a poorly organized event. Local technical shoe and apparel stores such as Portland Running & Walking Company, Fit Right Northwest, and Foot Traffic are great resources for race information.

Gear up!
The most important piece of training equipment in your quest for the finish line is a good pair of properly fitted shoes. The same technical shoe stores that can help you choose an event have trained professionals who will place you in the right shoe for your walking form. This is extremely important if you are training for any distance longer than a 10K. (See this issue’s shoe review article for more details.) The wrong pair of shoes can quickly lead to injury and end your event plans.

Choosing the right apparel helps ensure your training is comfortable and dry. If it’s the rainy season, make sure you have good, technical, walking rain gear. Nothing will put a damper on your training faster than a cold rainy day when all you have to wear is a thick, cotton sweatshirt to protect you from the elements. One walk in the wrong gear and you will come back cold, soggy, and vowing to never walk in the rain again (remember this is the Northwest).

Fueling the Body
Obviously, when training for an event, a well-balanced diet is recommended. You should also focus on increasing your daily water intake. If you are training for a marathon or half marathon, then you must drink water and electrolyte-replenishment drinks during your training sessions that last more than 60 minutes. There are a variety of hydration belts and packs available that make it easy and comfortable for you to carry your drink with you. Finally, you should always try to eat a well-balanced snack within 30 minutes of your workout to quickly replace nutrients lost during your session.

The Plan
You’ve chosen the event, are dressed for success, and are eating right — now what? Time to train! A typical training plan has at least one week of training for every mile in your event. Therefore, for a 10K race, your training plan would be at least six weeks; a marathon-training plan usually lasts around 26 weeks. Each week should have four to five days of training included, with a long walk scheduled once a week. It is also important to slowly increase your weekly mileage to prevent injury.

Ensure Your Success–Train with Others
Having a training partner makes your training more fun and holds you more accountable. If you can’t convince one of your friends to train with you, there are plenty of organized groups to help keep you motivated (see side bar).

The longer event you choose, the greater commitment and knowledge it takes to get there. Some of these training groups, such as Portland Fit, have both group walks and informational seminars that are beneficial in training for a half marathon or marathon. All of these groups are filled with friendly folks who are happy to keep you on track.

Training for an event is a great way to motivate you toward a new level of fitness. In addition, events are a great way to get out, see our city, and make new friends. They also teach us that applying ourselves a little every day to a specific goal can lead to outstanding achievements.

Happy Training!