Pfitzinger Pete - Advanced Marathoning

Marathoners vary widely in the types of shoes they prefer to race in. On the theory that even an extra ounce adds up over the course of 26.2 miles (42.2 km), some like to wear as light a shoe as possible. On the other hand, some runners figure that during such a long run, they’ll need as much cushioning and support as they can get.

Most competitive marathoners should choose their race-day shoes toward the light end of the spectrum. Most shoe companies make a lightweight trainer that works well in the marathon – these are minimalist enough so that you can feel light on your feet but are built up enough in the heel and midsole to provide some protection, especially as you fatigue late in the race.

Most elites, of course, race the marathon in flats. Bear in mind that these runners are usually whippet thin and have excellent biomechanics. Flats have less support and less heel lift than training shoes. The lack of support increases the risk of injury and can make muscles that have to work harder fatigue because of the decreased support. In addition, the lower heel lift puts more strain on Achilles tendons and calf muscles.

In the last few years, many companies have introduced a broader range of racing flats so that marathoners have more choices between the shoes they race 5Ks in and their training shoes, no matter how light the latter are. Usually weighing around 8 ounces (230 g), with a decent amount of cushioning and some heel support, these longer-distance flats are a good choice for marathoners attempting to race the marathon significantly faster than normal training pace. In his world record, for example, Gebrselassie wore the Adidas version of this type of flat. Paula Radcliffe wore Nike’s version of a marathon flat in her record. On the other hand, multiple London and New York City champion Martin Lel wears a flat that most average runners wouldn’t even dare to do a 5K in. As always, the key is to find what works best for you. Regardless of which shoes you choose for race day, be sure to try them out on tempo runs and at least one of your longer marathon-pace training runs (in addition to the short dress rehearsal run during taper week).

Following are some rough guidelines about the most likely candidates to wear flats in the marathon.

Top candidates for wearing flats in the marathon:

Most runners find it quite difficult mentally to run by themselves for long stretches of the marathon. So what’s the trade-off between having company and having to compromise your strategy? A rule of thumb is to deviate from your goal pace by no more than 8 to 10 seconds per mile (per 1.6 km) if you would otherwise be running by yourself during the first 20 miles (32 km) of the race. (Of course, you won’t know until afterward whether you would have had to run by yourself.) Running 8 to 10 seconds per mile faster than planned may not sound like much, but this difference in effort can put you over the edge after a couple of miles. The best way to judge whether to pick it up to latch onto a group is by how you feel at the time. If you feel as though you can handle it, then go for it. If your breathing is uncomfortable and you can sense that you’re working at a higher intensity than you can maintain until the finish, then relax and let the others go. You may find that the group will soon break up and that you’ll once again have others to run with.

During the final 6 miles and 385 yards (10 km), you can afford to be more independent. If no one else is running at the correct pace for you after you’ve passed the 20-mile (32 km) mark, you need to muster the courage to go it alone. Chances are that forging out will work well psychologically because if you have prepared well and run a fairly even pace, you’ll be passing other runners throughout the final miles. Nothing lifts the spirits quite like passing another runner late in the marathon.

If you’re racing a marathon in which your specific finishing place is an important consideration (e.g., the Olympic trials), then your pacing strategy will be somewhat determined by the actions of others in the race. If a group of 10 runners break away, then you had better go after them, even if it means running faster than planned. In general, though, it’s best to stick close to your race plan and your goal marathon pace.

You’re finally at the starting line, warmed up, and ready for the task ahead. It’s all too easy to get carried away and run the first mile (1.6 km) too fast. A better approach is to run the first mile at, or a bit slower than, your goal pace. Because you won’t have done much of a warm-up before the start, your body won’t be prepared to go faster than race pace. Also, if you run too fast at the beginning of the race, your body will burn off extra glycogen and accumulate lactate that could negatively affect the rest of your race.

Once the first mile is out of the way, the best strategy during the next few miles is to settle into a good rhythm. Try to run fast but relaxed. Establishing a relaxed running style early in the race will go a long way toward helping you avoid tightening up so that you can maintain your goal pace to the finish. Go through a mental checklist periodically to make sure your shoulders are relaxed, your body is upright, and so on to help you maintain good running style throughout the race.

Take a carbohydrate drink at the first aid station. It’s important to drink right from the start rather than wait until you think you need carbohydrate or fluid. Your thirst mechanism isn’t particularly closely matched to your hydration level, so waiting until you feel thirsty to drink is a mistake. Similarly, if you wait until you feel tired and light-headed to take in carbohydrate, it will be too little too late. The longer you can postpone dehydration and carbohydrate depletion, the longer you will be able to maintain your goal pace. Taking in carbohydrate and fluid early will help postpone or prevent dehydration or carbohydrate depletion later. As we discussed in chapter 2, a few seconds lost at each aid station can translate into several minutes gained toward the end of the marathon.

Mentally, the first half of the marathon is the time to cruise. Try to save your mental and emotional energy for the second half of the race. All other factors being equal, if there is a group of runners in the lead pack at halfway, the winner will be the one who has cruised along at the back of the pack saving his or her energy for the demands of the second half of the race. Regardless of your ultimate finishing place in the marathon, you should realize that the second half is much harder than the first half; just try to get the first half out of the way at the correct pace without using any more mental energy than necessary.

It’s important to drink right from the start rather than waiting until you feel thirsty. Taking in fluid and carbohydrate early will help postpone or prevent dehydration and carbohydrate depletion later.

Most of the time, you should finish the marathon even if you’re not running as well as you had hoped. The marathon is a test of endurance. If you casually drop out of a marathon once, it will be all too easy to drop out again. Of course, in certain situations, struggling to finish a marathon may compromise your health or your future marathon success. Here are some legitimate reasons to drop out of a marathon: