How to Prepare for the NYC Marathon
Mar 07, 2023
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One of New York City's most famous events is the New York City Marathon, which happens in November of each year. Since its modest beginnings in Central Park when 127 runners participated in front of a tiny cheering section, the race has grown to include over 39,000 participants who traverse the five boroughs in front of around two million spectators. It also pulls a worldwide television audience of 315 million. It's no wonder people strive to be a part of this event.
Although the New York City Marathoner enrollment is closed for this year, viewing the incredible athletic exploits on November 6th may motivate you to establish your running objectives. After all, you have to prepare for the marathon before you join, so why not spend this next year doing just that?
Keep Your Eye On The Prize
Have a plan first. Is completing a 5K or a marathon part of your plan to reach a particular performance objective? Spend time determining how much you can dedicate to the goal—and remember to be realistic.
A first-time marathon runner requires at least three months (but ideally more) of training before their big debut. For the best results, you will want to train for about six to eight months to train your body and your brain, as the marathon is also mentally challenging, not just physically.
Get A Coach Or Train With Others
To assist you in achieving your objective, look for a tutoring group or a private coach. New York Road Runners provides online and offline training options throughout the city for people of all skill levels. However, if you don't live in New York, you can also find plenty of groups in your neighborhood. Just check on Facebook.
If you decide to run the marathon, you'll compete against professional athletes who prepare and practice the same as everyone else. So, during training, work on not comparing yourself to others. They put the hard work in just as much as you. You're golden if you are doing better than you did the day, week, or month prior while training.
Remember Your Passion For Running
Running is a unique sport because competitors genuinely support and encourage one another. Because running fits everyone, no matter where you are, anyone can start anytime.
Are you doing this for your health? And when we say health, we mean both bodily and emotional well-being. Running helps relieve stress, clear your mind, and gives a therapeutic perspective.
We must remember the physical benefits of running, as it helps you keep your cardiovascular system healthy and muscles strong. It also releases endorphins, relaxing your muscles after a long run.
So, even though you can't sign up for the marathon this year, you can still head out and stand on the sidelines to ignite your drive to train so that you can sign up for 2024.
Invest In The Gear
While you can technically run a marathon in any shoes and clothing, you'll want to ensure you are comfortable. Go shopping for the proper running clothes and shoes. Buy two pairs of shoes, one for training and one for the marathon. However, you'll want to break your marathon shoes in about a month before your run.
Investing in the gear helps you become more invested in your training. After all, you wouldn't spend $200 on shoes just to let them sit on your shelves, would you?
Have Your Transportation Planned
There's nothing more stressful than having everything mapped out only to have no way to get to the marathon itself. You’ll want to avoid driving in the city as the parking and traffic are even worse than usual during this huge event.
If you're traveling with a group of people—which you most likely are, whether it be family, friends, supporters, or fellow runners—you can look into group transportation New York. They'll be able to bring your whole group to a particular drop-off point, and they can pick you up and get you back to your hotel.
Cross Train
Cross-training is a great idea as well when preparing for a marathon. You don't always have to run the same old route every day. You can use elliptical machines and spin bikes even though you'll undoubtedly jog a lot throughout your training.
To ensure that your muscles are properly trained for distance running, you can focus on strength training too, which you should talk to a coach about.
Eat The Same Way Runners Do
Running burns more calories than your average activities throughout the day, regardless of if it’s just a short run, or if you’re training for a marathon on pavement or equipment. Thus, you will want to increase your caloric consumption and watch what you put into your body.
Many people want to focus on carbs, however, the more critical macro is protein. You will want to consume carbohydrates in moderation to ensure you are able to keep your body fueled for your long run, but protein, in particular, is crucial for assisting muscles in healing.
It's also crucial to figure out what functions best for your body. For instance, before going for a run, some people need a longer time to digest their food. Therefore, start with a nice meal, and wait about 30 minutes before venturing out. If you feel sick, wait 45 minutes to an hour next time.
Some people can't eat at all before running. If you're a milk lover, try some high-protein chocolate milk or a protein shake beforehand. You can also get gel packs at running stores, and you can pair those with an electrolyte-packed drink. There are countless options.
Stay Mindful
Some runners love listening to music, while others prefer to take in the sounds that are going on around them. And others still love to listen to podcasts to keep their mind busy.
However, if you are a music lover, only wear one headphone or earbud to be mindful of your surroundings. Do whatever motivates you! Remember that this process is as tough mentally as it is physically.