Running Easy

Beginner Marathon Guide

"Try Easier"

Running Easy - Beginner's Marathon Guide

by

Craig & Nicky Blewett

© 2010 Craig Blewett

All rights reserved

www.runningeasy.com

email - craig@runningeasy.com

This book is dedicated to all the ordinary people who every day realize the extraordinary things they can achieve - May we never stop living beyond our dreams!

Table of Contents

Before we put our shoes on

“Well done on completing your first Marathon!”

OK, so you're wondering if you are reading the right chapter, the right book? Well, you are! Keep those 7 words in mind - "Well done on completing your first Marathon!" At the moment they may seem like a distant dream, a far-off vision, but just tuck them away in one of the many empty storage spaces of your brain - and we'll recall then, without a doubt, in the near future. What is most important now is that you have made a decision. You have made a decision to run a marathon. You have joined a program. You have joined a group of people who are all determined to try and reach the same goal.

At the moment it seems like it is a far-off goal - but we've seen it many times, and we've experienced it - you will get there, just stick with the program, stick with our group, and you're going to experience the indescribable joy of completing your first marathon - when these 7 words will not simply be words but a huge sense of achievement, smothered in amazing emotions!

But there are a few things we need to get in place before we start.

We really don't want to lose people along the journey towards our goal, so once more we reiterate that you must have ensured that you are medically fit to participate in this program. While we are going to lead you through what we consider to be one of the easiest programs to run a marathon, it is nonetheless demanding on our bodies. So please, if you have not already done so, make sure that you have a medical doctor's "Oh Yeah go for it" before you undertake this program.

This program, while without doubt the easiest and most enjoyable marathon program in existence, requires you to at least be able to run 5km/3mi before starting. If you cannot run that distance please visit www.runningeasy.com and download and complete the free Running 5km/3mi Starter Course. It's loads of fun too.

We would also like to briefly introduce ourselves to you. We will bore you with anecdotes, funny stories and useful/less trivia about our lives throughout the course. However to start with some simple introductions.

"Hi, I'm Craig and I'm not a super-athlete. Yeah, I know that intro sounds a little like an AA opening line -but I need to let you know up front. I am not the one at the front of the marathon pack. I am not the one with a cupboard full of prizes for first place. And the big shock - I have never competed in the Olympics! I'm just an ordinary person like you - maybe more good looking, gifted, funny...but now I digress. Spare me a moment of sharing my story. About 6 years ago I suggested to Nicky that we should try and run a half marathon. Well, we did some training - on our own - and then one day decided to do it. It was absolutely exhausting. We were dehydrated, exhausted and did not enjoy it. However, the following year I suggested we should maybe try and run a marathon. Understandably Nicky was not enamored with my crazy idea. I confessed I knew little about running - which was pretty obvious after our rather unsuccessful self-attempt at training for 21kms. So I enlisted the help of a book. Thankfully Nicky is the sensible one in our marriage. One look at the book strewn with words like "competitive", "speed", "time", "fast", "hard"...and she was not interested. However I was undeterred. Some time later, in a loving gesture for an anniversary present, I gave her another book that had a totally different philosophy to running (this is a great idea for an anniversary present - give your spouse a subscription to this course). This time the philosophy was about "fun", "enjoyment", "easier", "health" and Nicky was interested. We followed the program and successfully completed our first marathon. But, even more importantly we had not only achieved something amazing, we had loved it. We'd been exposed to the joy of running. We went on from there to develop our own programs, philosophy, and plans. Soon we ran another marathon, then we ran a 56km ultramarathon, and finally a 90km ultramarathon. Since then we have run many marathons, and ultramarathons - and we keep doing it! Not because we are the best; not because we are amazing; we keep doing it because we've learned to love it. We've learned to run in a way that gives you much more than simply achievement, good health, and a great body - but the mental, emotional and spiritual fulfillment that is found in few other activities."

"Hi, I’m Nicky, Craig’s wife and this is my side of the running story

On the morning of our 13th wedding anniversary the gift I received from my husband was most unnerving - a book on how to run my first marathon.

At this stage of my life I had vowed to my husband I would NEVER run a marathon…"Absolutely impossible" were the words I kept telling him. After much assurance that the approach was all about enjoyment I agreed - with much trepidation.

In July we started our training program for our first marathon that was scheduled for November. We ran no more than 4 days a week. There was no cross training involved and we kept to the philosophy “its all about running easier not harder”. The surprise was I was actually enjoying the journey.

Well, Marathon day arrived…Nervous and anxious we waited in driving rain for the marathon to start. Our intention was only to finish, and to run “without a watch”. Well we did it! We completed the marathon successfully in torrential rain…feeling absolutely on top of the world. We enjoyed every minute of it and actually finished Smiling. Well what can I say, the bug bit. After experiencing the exhilaration of running “endorphin highs”, a body back in shape, a mind sharper than ever, and spiritually enlightened, I thought wow, this was certainly a worthwhile journey. It was about reaching a seemingly impossible goal and realizing all things were possible. We thought to ourselves what next?

Well in our story we went on to complete our next marathon in March the next year then our first ultra marathon, “The Two Oceans Marathon" in Cape Town, 56km (35 miles) in April, and then the Comrades Marathon - “the ultimate human race” - 87km (55 miles) in June. I couldn’t believe it myself; we had gone from running no further than 5km to running 2 marathons and 2 ultra’s in just under a year. And since then we have run many more marathons and ultra-marathons.

Believe me when I tell you, “never say never”. All things are possible. You can run a marathon. And when you successfully complete your first marathon you will not only experience the exhilaration of achieving a seemingly impossible goal and all the physical, emotional, spiritual and mental benefits that go with it, you will also realize that in all areas of your life you can achieve so much more than you imagine."

Yours in running easy....

Craig & Nicky

1 - Getting Started

"Jogging is very beneficial. It's good for your legs and your feet. It's also very good for the ground. It makes it feel needed." Peanuts (Charles Schulz)

Smelling, touching, and looking at those serious looking pair of new shoes, it is hard to imagine what they are about to go through. They just look so good sitting there in the box. The soles are in perfect condition. The white's so white. Not a mark on them. Yet are these shoes going to carry me hundreds of kilometers as I train to run my first marathon? Are these shoes going to carry me 42.2 kms on that day when I run my first marathon? Wow! It's just hard to imagine.

Welcome to Week 1 of our 18-week course to run your first marathon. First up, a BIG CONGRATULATIONS to you for deciding to do this - and doing it. As you know there are many, many people in the world who have great plans, who dream of doing extraordinary things - but so many never do anything about it. You are not one of them. You have made a decision and are now pursuing what may still feel like a huge and unachievable goal. It's going to be tough! You may doubt yourself. Others will certainly doubt you. But whatever happens, if you just stick with the plan, let us help you, share your thoughts, doubts, insights, and joys with the other runners - you WILL run your first marathon. You WILL experience the extraordinary in you.

Available statistics report that only 1% of people in the USA have run a marathon. This is likely even lower in other countries. So your achievement will put you amongst a very small minority of the population. Yet, the reason so few people have done it is not because it is impossible, but rather that too many people simply don't believe that they are capable of the extraordinary.

So what can you expect in this introductory week lesson?

1. The Overall Training Program

2. The Philosophy and Practice of our running approach

3. Getting your gear

4. To do this week

This week we will be covering the basics. Things like making sure you have the correct shoes. Ensuring you understand and have bought into the philosophy of the training approach. Planning your program and setting up your routine. We'll also cover other important psychological and physiological basics that will be developed throughout the course.

1. The Overall Training Program

The marathon program is made up of 16 weeks of 4 runs/week. "Is this enough?" We believe so! And we have tried and tested this with others and ourselves many times. "Yeah but I saw a program that had us running 5 times a week with 2 days of cycling too!" Indeed there are many programs that are like that, but often these are designed for athletes who are already quite fit or alternatively they are designed by top sports people with bodies that are capable of sustaining these levels of exercise.

OK, let's see what you are going to be doing. No need to panic or reach for a stiff drink - but here is what you - yes you - are going to run over the next 16 weeks. You are going to bring your body and your mind on an amazing journey that will transform you

64/16=42.2 :-)

That's the magic formula! 64 training sessions (that's 4 per week) over 16 weeks results in you completing (with a smile) your marathon of 42.2 kms.

Our training program will always be based on you running 4x per week. A quick scan of the Web and other programs (mostly designed by hardened professionals) require you to run 6x or even 7x a week. We were surprised recently when we came across a (professional-designed) program that claimed to only require 3 running sessions a week. Be careful of this! Not because it is too little - but because when you look closer it says - "This program is designed for experienced runners" - i.e. people who have already run multiple marathons. And, then the little hidden caveat - You thought the other 4 days were for you to rest? No! They are intended to be used for cross training. Cross training involves activities like gym, swimming, cycling and even speed-work on a field. So, the 3 running sessions/week course actually requires 6 or 7 days of training a week. So let’s start with the philosophy and physiology of our training approach.

What is important is to understand fitness. There are 2 main parts to fitness - well actually there are 5 parts - Cardiorespiratory, Muscular strength, Muscular endurance, Physical flexibility, Body composition - but we want to keep this simple and useful. You're not going to be jogging along the road thinking about the crossover point between your cardiorespiratory gain and body composition. More likely you're puffing and wheezing and got sore muscles. So, we're going to simplify it down to two elements;

- Cardio Fitness - that's the huffing part.

- Structural Fitness - that's the aching parts.

Cardio fitness is to do with the fitness of your heart and lungs - essentially it is how efficient they are. After all we basically need air to live and do everything. If the big pump (heart) and air reservoir (lungs) are optimized then your cardiovascular fitness is operating well and running (or any exercise) will feel easy.

Structural Fitness is the condition of your muscles, joints and all the other parts of your body that are doing all the moving when the Cardio engine is pumping.

It is a lack of Cardio fitness that makes most non-runners feel that it must be impossible to run anything more than a couple of kilometers, let alone a marathon. "Hang! I'm huffing and panting just when I get up from the dinner table, and sweating like a Turkish wrestler after walking up the road, there is just no way I could run a marathon!" The hardest part of your training is developing the cardio fitness. But the good news is that this fitness is quickly acquired and by Week 2 or 3 of the program (assuming you started with the required 5km core fitness) the cardio fitness issues will be minimal.

The diagram below (roughly) illustrates the typical fitness experience. The first phase sees you experiencing high levels of effort relating to developing cardio fitness. The second phase sees the cardio effort dropping off significantly while the strain on the structural component increases. Then finally the third phase, where the training reaches the peak weeks just prior to the taper, the strain on the structural fitness component increases the most. This is when there are lots of sore muscles, joints and others parts of your body you never knew you had. The chart below gives a rough indication of what you might expect.

So as you can see by the time you develop your marathon fitness your cardio fitness feels easier and easier, and with rest your structural fitness also starts to feel easier. This leads us to the smashing of our first Marathon Myth -

Running Easy Mythbuster – Running 42kms feels like 42x the feeling of running the first 1km of your training. That’s not true. The truth is we don't feel anything like that. In fact we feel fantastic. For most of the marathon we don't even pant, and if we do pant then we know we're going too fast." So, don't lose heart. Some of your hardest work is to develop the cardio fitness you need as part of your core fitness, but the good news is that it does not take long, and once it's done, you'll see that you can really achieve amazing things.

Besides these two main key components of your fitness, it is also important to understand how fitness is developed. NOW DON"T SKIP THIS! "But I don't want to know all this boring theory - I just want to run." Yeah, sure you do. But this is really, really important. If you don't get this next part then you are likely to make a big mistake. So if your ADDHD symptoms are kicking in go and chase a chicken or catch a fly (for the Aussies)...and come back when you're ready to concentrate again.

SO- We've explained the two elements of fitness - the Cardio and Structural elements, now we want to explain how fitness is developed. It is astounding, but many people do not understand this and as a result either injure themselves or train inefficiently. It's time to blow the lid off another myth.

Running Easy Mythbuster – You get fit while you’re exercising. No, the truth is that exercise breaks your body down. It is when you rest that you get fit. OK, so that does not mean you grab another beer and go rest for the remainder of your days in front of the TV. Exercise requires the combination of straining your body, and then allowing it to recover/strengthen. Unfortunately beer and TV do not count as strain!

Exercise (exertion) needs to be balanced with rest. This includes good sleep patterns plus days of less (or no) exercise. It is during the rest days that the body recharges, repairs and heals itself. Typically, this repair is not simply to restore the body to its former state but to move it to an even stronger state. Our bodies are absolutely amazing. Once our body is put under strain it says "What! What was that all about? You must be kidding me. That pain, that panting. You sure gave me a good whipping." And so our amazing bodies get to work to repair the damage. But not only do they repair the damage, they also don’t want to go through that experience again so they say "Right cells....this body owner sure gave it to us. Well, we're not going to be caught off guard like that again. We need extra reinforcements. We need stronger muscles. Bigger heart....Go do it!" And that is exactly what happens. The heart gets stronger, the muscles get stronger - you get fitter. And so fitness develops during these rest periods.

So returning to our program. Is running only 4 times a week enough? Yes! As this allows you one day off after each day of exercise to rest, recover, grow stronger - to get FIT!

Day 1 - Session 1

Day 2 - Rest

Day 3 - Session 2

Day 4 - Session 3

Day 5 - Rest

Day 6 - Session 4 (Long Run)

Day 7 - Rest

Our program is designed to give you the optimal balance between developing your cardio fitness and structural fitness.

How the Program works

Each week (as shown above) is made up of 4 runs. Over the 16-week period you will complete a total of 64 runs. It may be necessary for you to extend the program slightly in order to get it to tie into your marathon date. We have indicated in the program which weeks we recommend that you repeat in order to extend the program. Having said this, most of the weeks can be repeated if you feel it is going too fast, or if you miss a week for some reason. The most important thing is that you don't try and do more than the 4 sessions in a week - this is especially true when we reach the taper weeks, but we'll remind you off that again then.

Firstly, and very important - choose 4 days that fit into your schedule. Routine is very important when it comes to training. You need to wake up on Wednesday morning and know "Today I run". The sooner you establish a routine the easier you will find it to keep to the program. The program is designed on 4 days, you can choose any 4 days in the week, but ideally you should try and run with a gap between your days. This might not always be possible, but most important is to try and have a day off before your "long run" day and the day after your "long run day". For example your schedule could be...

 

Day 1 - Tuesday

Day 2 - Thursday

Day 3 - Friday

Day 4 (Long Run) - Sunday

 

Notice that there is a day off before and after the long run (Sunday). The "Long Run" is the run that takes the most amount of time and is the run that "stretches" you for the week. It's the one that gives your body the wake up call and gets those cells running around to strengthen you.

The Marathon Program

Here is the 16-week program that you will be following.

Marathon Training Schedule (KM)
Week #	Session 1	Session 2	Session 3	Session 4	Week Total
1(R)	5.0	6.0	5.0	7.0	23
2	5.0	6.0	5.0	9.0	25
3	5.0	6.0	5.0	11.0	27
4(R)	5.0	8.0	5.0	12.0	30
5	5.0	8.0	5.0	15.0	33
6	8.0	8.0	5.0	16.0	37
7	8.0	10.0	5.0	18.0	41
8	8.0	10.0	5.0	20.0	43
9(R)	8.0	10.0	5.0	22.0	45
10	8.0	12.0	5.0	24.0	49
11	8.0	12.0	8.0	27.0	55
12	8.0	12.0	8.0	30.0	58
13	8.0	12.0	8.0	30.0	58
14	8.0	12.0	8.0	15.0	43
15	5.0	8.0	5.0	10.0	28
16	5.0	0.0	3.0	42.2	50.2
					645.2

Marathon Training Schedule (Miles)
Week #	Session 1	Session 2	Session 3	Session 4	Week Total
1(R)	3.0	4.0	3.0	4.5	14.5
2	3.0	4.0	3.0	6.0	16
3	3.0	4.0	3.0	7.0	17
4(R)	3.0	5.0	3.0	8.0	19
5	3.0	5.0	3.0	9.0	20
6	5.0	5.0	3.0	10.0	23
7	5.0	6.0	3.0	11.5	25.5
8	5.0	6.0	3.0	13.0	27
9(R)	5.0	6.0	3.0	14.0	28
10	5.0	8.0	3.0	15.0	31
11	5.0	8.0	5.0	17.0	35
12	5.0	8.0	5.0	19.0	37
13	5.0	8.0	5.0	19.0	37
14	5.0	8.0	5.0	9.0	27
15	3.0	5.0	3.0	6.0	17
16	3.0	0.0	2.0	26.2	31.2
					405.2

WOW! Look at that! You are going to run 645km/405mi. That is no mean feat (feet?). That's really amazing. While at the moment this might seem like a lot, you will quickly see that once your routine is established the weeks fly by, and you will quickly find that you are participating in the most time efficient method of getting fit.

You will notice that the mileage increases each week up until the peak weeks (week 12/13). Thereafter the weekly mileage drops off. This is called the taper, and is a vital part of the strengthening-through-rest process. The taper continues through to the final week (week 16) where during the week there is very little running as your body is rested in preparation for THE big run of the week and the entire program - the marathon.

At the moment the entire program is not important. What is important is the weekly program. Each week you will receive the program for the week, and instructions and guidance as to how to approach it. Also note that some of the weeks have an "R" after them. These weeks are weeks that could be repeated if you need to extend the program for any reason.

2. Getting your head right - The Philosophy and Practice

OK, so you've seen the program - and we will return to it each week to explain in more detail what you should be doing on each of your weekly runs. However, there is something that we really need to talk about, and that is your head. We're sure that there are quite a few people, to whom you have mentioned that you are running a marathon, that felt that you needed your head examined. Well - you don't really need it examined - but you do need some sense talked into it. SO WHATEVER YOU DO READ THIS SECTION. We know we said this about a previous section, but it is true again. We are about to talk about the fundamental underlying philosophy of our approach. If you don't get it - you will not succeed. YES, that's what we said. If you don't get this philosophy and accept it you will NOT succeed. So this is important. So if you are tired of reading, if your head can't handle any more then go and do whatever you need to do - climb a tree, cut the grass, crush some rocks - whatever - but come back and read this section when you are ready to concentrate.

Go....go.....go.....

OK, either you are just resilient or else you truly do have an ability to take in more. Good! Here we go - Let's get your head right!

There are two camps - Racers and Runners. In fact there are 3 camps, but 2 that concern us in our training.

Racers are people who are concerned about things like time, speed, pace, personal bests, trying harder.

Runners are people who are concerned about things like experience, fun, enjoyment, exhilaration, trying easier.

As you can see there is a fundamental difference in these two approaches. And the different philosophies result in fundamental differences in the approach to running .

Most running programs are actually racing programs designed by racers. As we have said before, top athletes often design them, and what is the common factor of top athletes? Time. They are top because they were the best. They ran the fastest, they had the best time. And so this philosophy pervades all of their advice, all of their training programs. The training program will have sections dealing with "pace", "improving your speed", "achieving your personal best", "racing faster", "speed work", "fartleks" (yeah we know that sounds bad but it is a real running term that means speed play).

Our philosophy and program is about running. This is different to racers and it is also different to jogging, which you are now moving beyond. Jogging is what you see people doing at the park with the dog. Joggers are those people who casually toy with running. They run a few kilometers every now and then, but nothing more than that. Often they know very little about running, and in fact often spend most of their life struggling to develop the core cardio fitness and never moving beyond that zone. However you are no longer a jogger - you are now a runner.

A runner is someone who runs because it is a lifestyle choice. A runner runs because they enjoy it, they enjoy feeling fit, they enjoy being outdoors, they love the exhilaration, they enjoy the camaraderie, the bottom line is they just love it. A runner, unlike a jogger knows what he/she is doing. They understand the science behind running; they understand nutrition and shoes and hydration - just like a racer. However, unlike a racer they are not concerned with how fast they went, or whom they beat or what their pace was - the thrill and exhilaration is simply running. It's about running easy.

So, why is this so important? It is important because if you approach this course with the wrong philosophy - as a racer, you will either hurt yourself or at a minimum disappoint yourself. If however you adopt the philosophy we are suggesting - of running easy - we guarantee that you will achieve your goal, and not only that, you will enjoy achieving it.

Now, this does not mean that if you are one of those speed-people, always wanting to win, to be the best, that you have to remain a runner. You can change and become a racer. HOWEVER, only do that after you have run your first marathon. WARNING - if you try and follow this program harboring the secret desire to be a racer, you will be disappointed.

So, what does this philosophy mean practically in our program. There are some basics, and we'll lay them out below and repeat, repeat, repeat and extend them through the course to make sure you get it. We will start with the first and most fundamental principle of our approach -

Runner Principle 1 - Throw away your watch

Hold on, before you toss that expensive watch away! You can have a watch, an we'll talk about some fancy gear in this category later on. However the important thing is to not worry about time. We are not concerned about how fast you run, what your pace is etc. This is the most fundamental principle of a runner, as compared to a racer. You have to forget about time. The only time you are interested in is a Fun Time. So repeat after us - "I want to have a Fun Time". This is vital! If you set yourself time goals, you will not only disappoint yourself, but also in all likelihood, injure yourself. You are undertaking an epic journey. You are going to run your first full marathon. That is an awesome achievement. Do not pull down or hinder the amazing feeling of completing your first marathon by setting yourself a time goal. You have only one goal and that is to finish your first marathon. And if you really want to add time to that you can say - "My goal is to finish my first marathon and have a Fun Time". So forget time! The goal is to complete a marathon. That is the goal of this course. If you want to learn to run faster, get a PB (personal best) and so on, then you will find literally hundreds of courses to help you do that. But only do that AFTER you have achieved this goal of running your first marathon. So, throw your watch away!

So, there we have it. If you follow this philosophy you are guaranteed to have an amazing journey as you work towards your first marathon. And in addition to this you will have the most amazing experience on your first marathon. Just stick with the philosophy!

3. Getting your gear right

Now that your head is right, we can spend some time getting your gear right. The great thing about running is that you need so little. At its simplest form you need absolutely nothing. The Ancient Greeks used to run naked, so that would have made this section rather short if the intended audience was ancient Greek runners. But, times have changed - and we now run with clothes, which I'm sure most will agree is a welcome improvement.

But even now, the requirements are fairly simple as compared to many other sports. The basic running gear simply consists of a pair of shorts, a running top, socks and shoes. In fact in Africa many of the runners (even marathon runners) run without shoes! However, even while the gear is simple, which is what makes it so easy to run anywhere, anytime - there are some basics (and not so basics) that need to be understood.

In this section we will cover shoes. In later chapters, as it becomes more important, we will cover other items such as specialized socks, watches, specialized tops and shorts, pouches, and other things.

Point of Contact - Shoes

The single point of contact with the ground beneath you (unless you decide to crawl part of the way) is your shoes. In cycling your butt, feet, hands and bicycle are all connected to the ground. In swimming it is your entire body that is in contact with the water and propelling you forward. However, in running it is only your feet. Those little (or big) bits of skin and bone attached to the end of your legs.

It is amazing how incredibly our feet are designed to enable us to run - and not only run, but run long distances. However, as most of running nowadays is on hard road surfaces we need to protect our feet and joints from the impact of running. As such it is vital that we invest in a decent and appropriate pair of running shoes. So here is some important advice to follow.

1. Know your feet - Yeah, this might seem crazy but you need to get to know your feet. You may think that they have been attached to you for years and you know them, but let's reintroduce you to them. When your foot hits the ground, while you are running, it rolls from heel to toe, in order to absorb the impact. So your heal strikes first, then the outside edge hits the floor, then your foot begins to roll in toward it's inside edge and your big toe. Imagine that - all that happens without you even being aware of it. And this is great as it helps cushion you from the impact, while also absorbing the energy, to prepare for you to launch forward again. This is an amazing design, as the force your feet are absorbing when you run can be as high as 8 times your body-weight! Think of all the fancy systems a car needs to absorb the bumps and jolts of the road - yet your foot manages all this and efficiently transfers the energy back to you through your foot, ankle, knee and hips.

However, because of various factors such as genetics, posture, weight, habits we don't all have exactly the same foot strike. As a result there are 3 categories of foot strike - the technical term is pronation.

Neutral Pronation - Here the roll of the foot is from the outside of the heel through to the ball of your foot evenly across the front. Less than 30% of runners are in this category.

Over Pronation - Is when there is too much roll from the outside edge of your foot to the inside edge of your foot. In other words your foot has rolled over too much by the time you are ready to take off for the next step.

Under Pronation (Supination) - There is not enough roll of your foot so the outside of your foot takes most of the shock instead of finishing in the neutral position.

Wow, this sounds all so scary. Well, it's not really, but it is important to understand what type of foot strike you have to minimize injuries. You may be wondering how you got through your life so far without knowing this. Yeah, good question. But, the fact is that you have most likely never run for more than 1 hour or 2 hours. Well, how will it be when you run for 3 hours or 4 hours or 5 hours. That is a continual pounding on your body and it then that you will realize the importance of correct shoes.

So how do you know which you are? Well, we're not sure if you've ever noticed that arch thing under your foot. Now you may have been wondering what it was doing there. Again, it's not just there to leave nice looking footprints on the sand, that arch has a big impact on the roll of your foot. The arch of your foot collapses towards the floor to absorb the impact. It also provides a very useful clue as to what type of foot strike you most likely have. Now for the fun part. Go and find some water, dip your foot in it then go hop around and find a black/dark surface and stamp your foot onto it. If you did it properly you will get a good foot stamp left behind. Here are the options of what you will find.

Normal Arch

The first type of arch is the normal arch as is indicated by this picture. The arch can be seen but there is a clear connection between the heel and the ball of the foot. This type of foot arch is an indication of a neutral foot strike.

Flat Arch

This type of arch is called a flat arch. In fact when you look at the foot stamp the arch is not visible and it looks like the ball of the foot and the heel are all joined together. This type of foot arch is an indication of over pronation.

High Arch

This type of arch is called a high arch. When you look at this foot stamp the arch is pronounced with only a small connection between the ball of the foot and the heal. This type of foot arch is an indication of underpronation.

Now, while this is a good indicator, it is not science! So our advice is that when you choose your shoe you go and have your feet assessed. You can either have this done by going to a specialist sports store that has a machine on which you can run and it will assess your foot strike. Or alternatively you can go to a decent sports store - where they have informed consultants - and take a pair of your old running shoes with you, or any other shoes you have worn a lot. The wear on the sole of your old shoes provides a very useful indicator to an informed consultant as to what type of foot strike you have.

2. Choosing your shoe

Well, now you have an idea what type of foot strike you have, so what type of shoe do you need? It's not simply about choosing the one that makes you look good - as tempting as this may be for some. Believe us, you will look amazing when you finish your first marathon, you wont need your shoes to make you look good! There are essentially 3 types of foot strike, and there are 3 main types of shoes .

1. Stability Shoes - These are suited for people who have a normal arch, in other words they have neutral pronation. They provide moderate control over the roll of the foot and simply help cushion the impact.

2. Motion Control Shoes - These shoes are for people who have a flat arch and hence over-pronate. These shoes provide high stability and try and decrease the amount the foot rolls inward. Typically these shoes have a hard inner edge on the sole.

3. Cushioned (Neutral) Shoes - These shoes are for people who have a high arch. Typically these people under pronate so the shoe must not provide stability but rather try help absorb impact from the inefficient foot strike.

Now that you have some idea about the type of shoe you might need there is one other factor - and that is shoe size. This is something that people often make a mistake with. Choosing a running shoe size is not the same as choosing a normal pair of shoes. Typically the rule of thumb is that you should choose a pair of shoes that is between 1 and 2 sizes larger than your normal shoe size. The reason for this is that when you run longer distances your feet expand and you do not want your toes to start hitting the front of your shoe. Also when you run downhills there is a tendency for your toes to hit the front of the shoe. Again, this is not a real issue when you are only running a few kilometers, but it will hurt after several hours.

3. Making sure

When you think you have found the correct pair of shoes for your running style, try them on. Then force your foot to the back of the shoe and make sure there is at least a thumb-width gap ("rule of thumb") between your longest toe and the front of the shoe. Note that your longest toe may not be your big toe - it just depends on what extraordinary toe configuration you were blessed with.

Make sure you put both pairs of shoes on as often one foot is slightly larger than the other. If you are happy that the shoes are the right type of shoe and the right size, you are ready to take a jog around the shop. Know for sure that if something bothers you while you take a quick jog around the shop it is going to be painful after 4 hours of running. So if there is anything you don’t like, give the shoes back and find another pair. Don't fall for the sales talk that "don't worry that will go away." Nothing goes away it just gets worse the longer you run. The reason there are so may shoe manufacturers is that different shoes suit different people. Nike, Adidas, Reebok, Saucony, Asics and on and on all produce Stability shoes, Motion control shoes and Cushioned shoes. So if one type does not feel just perfect, try another.

If you've finally found the pair that seems good, then you are nearly done. Make sure that the shop you are buying your shoe from has a policy to allow you to return the shoes within the next week or so. If it doesn't then you could still be at risk of buying a pair of shoes that is not suitable. Most decent retailers will allow you to return the shoes as long as they look new - so that means you cant go and trail run with them but you can go and run 5kms on a road with them. A simple wipe down and they will look like new.

So your final step is to then take the shoes out to meet the road. As soon as you can, go out for a run with your new pair of shoes. While you are running try and be aware of how they feel. They are new so they may feel different but there should be no places that seem to rub, or strange protrusions that are poking your foot. Shoes are not like cars - you don’t need to run them in. They will soften a little, but they are designed to feel comfortable out of the box. Do not ignore some niggling thing with the shoe, thinking it will get better. If there is anything you are not happy with rather change the shoe - it will be worth it. If however everything seems good, then you have most likely got a great pair of shoes that are going to be your friend on the journey we are going to undertake together.

One word of warning - Most shoes should last you for about 1000km (600mi), so the pair you buy now will see you comfortably through our program of 645km (405 mi). However, do not be tempted to change your shoes just prior to the marathon. Your shoes will adapt to your feet and running style as you use them. Changing your shoes just prior to running the marathon can introduce all types of unexpected issues. So the shoes you are choosing now will run with you until you cross the finish line of your first marathon! They are with you for the whole journey!

4. To do this week

We have covered lots of important basics in this first session. All the weeks from here on out will have you doing a lot more running and a lot less reading. However these basics are vital as they will ensure that you have both an enjoyable and a successful marathon course experience. So, what do you need to do this week? You could continue with the 5k running program or test drive week 1 of our formal marathon running program. The program will start officially next week. There is a lot of "running around" that you do need to do to make sure you are ready for next week. So here is what you need to do this week.

1. Get your shoes

We have explained to you the importance of selecting the correct shoes. So the first thing you need to get this week is the correct pair of running shoes. This is a very important investment and will help you avoid injury. It is not sufficient to run in "any old pair of shoes". So please don't try and do that. The investment is not big, but it will make all the difference. So get out there and get yourself a correct pair of running shoes.

2. Choose a marathon

Here is a big one - You need to choose your marathon. We will talk more about this next week. You are a marathoner - it is time to think and act like one. The first thing you need to do is choose your marathon. This is vital for a number of reasons. The first is that it gives you a very clear target that you are working towards. It makes that marathon real when you know the date and which marathon it is. Secondly it enables you to work out the training program so that it suits you. As explained above the training program covers 16 weeks that end with you running the marathon at the end of week 16. So ideally you want to start this program 16 weeks prior to the date of your marathon. If however your marathon is 17 or 18 or even more weeks away, we have indicated in the program (indicated with (R)) which weeks we suggest you repeat. So this does not mean that you can't get going now, if you want to, it just means that you will go through a slightly longer program to reach your goal.

3. Plan your running schedule

This is vital! You need to put together a running schedule. We explained this earlier in this chapter. There are 4 runs in the week and one of these is the "Long Run". We have found that it works best if you try and establish a routine. This makes sure that the runs all happen. While this is not always possible, at a minimum you should try and work out which day is going to be your "Long Run" day, as this impacts the overall program. As your Long Run day needs a day off before and after. So what we suggest is you print our running program and put it on your fridge and next to your computer. Also write which day of the week and preferably what time of the day (AM/PM) each session will be.

4. Setting up your running log

You should download the iCram running log from the website - www.runningeasy.com. This log is going to be vital in helping you keep track of your training progress. Not only will it help you see how you are doing but it is also very helpful in the future when you want to run another marathon (we're convinced you'll want to) - as it reminds you of what worked and what didn't. So download your copy and either print it so that you can enter a log of your runs or keep it somewhere so you can update it electronically.

5. Plan some running routes

As you can see from the training schedule you are going to be running all types of different distances. Either you need to measure out these distances with your car or you'll need some type of GPS watch or other device (we'll cover this in a later chapter). What is important is that you have worked out some routes. While it is nice to have a variety of routes to keep your runs interesting, it is also a good idea to have some standard routes that you know well and that allow you to simply run without thinking. We have established a whole lot of routes that we know the distances of. We have a 5km route, an 8 km route, a 10 km route, a 15 km route and a 21km route. The longer distances are not totally new routes but are typically combinations of other routes. By determining some running routes you can easily alter your mileage without having to measure it each time.

6. Tell Us and the World

We will spend a lot of time in the forthcoming weeks talking about the power of the mind. Running is a sport that requires a blend of your body, heart and mind. You need to believe in what you are doing. The more you believe it the more you will create the reality, and the more certain your success will be. We recently completed another Comrades marathon. This is an ultramarathon of 90km (56mi). To be sure this is no mean undertaking, and it takes a real combination of body, heart and mind. Yet every year thousands of runners undertake and complete this epic journey. How? They train, but they also believe they can. They talk and act like Comrades marathon runners. You too need to do this. You need to talk and act like a marathoner. A key part of this is communicating. You have your own page on www.runningeasy.com - use it. You need to go there and do two things right now.

1. Post an entry that tells everyone why you believe you will successfully complete your first marathon.

2. Post an entry that tells everyone which marathon (and date) you are going to be completing.

This is important, as not only is it a commitment from you it also shows that you really do believe that you can do this. And of course you can!

7. Optional - Test drive Week 1 (adjusted)

Right! The previous 6 are what you MUST do this week to make sure you are ready for week 1 of the training program. So there is plenty to do and it is all-important. However, while our 16 week running program only starts next week there is no reason why you can’t get going already. If you are keen to get running, then we suggest you try week 1 of the program but instead of varying the distance simply run 4 sessions of 5km (3mi). This will simply help further establish the core fitness you need to start week 1 of the program next week. It will also allow you to test which 4 days and times are likely to work best for you. However, don't forget our fundamental philosophy - you are a runner not a racer. You're doing this for the experience not for time. If you remember that you will have a great time!

Tying Off

So to summarize the key lessons from this week;

1. Types of fitness

There are two main parts to your fitness and both parts are vital to be able to run a marathon. The cardio part, which is to do with your heart and lungs. The structural part, which is to do with your muscles and joints. Cardio feels harder to get at the start but will reduce. Structural fitness will start to make itself felt more and more as the program continues but with the taper will improve dramatically.

2. The marathon program

We explained the 16-week marathon program that consists of 4 runs a week. Over this period you run 645km (405mi). This is no small effort, but it will transform you into a marathoner.

3. The philosophy

This is vital to your success. We explained the difference between racers, runners, and joggers. We are runners and you must throw your watch away. You are running to enjoy this. The only time you're interested in for this your first marathon is a fun time! Run easy.

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