Inspire, Summer 2012

Train for a Marathon by Sergio Reyes ’03 Whether you’re training for your first 5K or a half marathon, the most important thing is that you enjoy it. If you’re not having fun, you won’t stay driven to continue the training it takes to improve. Training with a group of friends can make the experience more enjoyable and keep you motivated to reach your goals. As with any endeavor, training the right way — including having the right mental focus — will greatly contribute to your success. Train Your Body A good pair of shoes is essential. Running is a fairly cost-effective sport, but you don’t want to skimp on your shoes. Expect to pay $90 or more for high- quality running shoes. While that may seem like a lot, running injury-free is worth the investment. Good shoes can last up to 500 miles. Casual runners should replace their shoes one or two times a year; consistent runners, three or four. Find a specialty running store in your area that can do a gait analysis. They’ll have you run on a treadmill and video your stride from different angles. This will tell them how you run, and they can recommend shoes designed for your stride. Some stores will even allow you to try out a pair of shoes for a day or so and return them if they’re not right. Safety is important as well. If you’re running at night, wear reflective clothing so you can be seen. It’s smart to carry a cell phone with you in case of an emergency, and always make sure you are adequately hydrated. I have learned this the hard way, especially training in a high desert region where it can get up to 110–115 degrees. Stretching before a run can help you get loose, but stretching for at least six–10 minutes after a run is even more vital. You’ve just worked your body using a particular repetitive motion. If you don’t stretch, your muscles will get tight, and you will lose flexibility. In your training, work up to the point where you can, at least once, comfortably run 85 percent of the distance you are preparing to race, knowing that you’ve got more to give. It’s good to start slow so you’re feeling great longer into your run, because the level of difficulty gets exponentially harder the longer the distance — your body will start working against you in many ways the farther you go. Aim toward still feeling great at the halfway mark of any distance you are racing. Train Your Mind Developing the mental endurance for any distance event is a crucial part of your training. A full marathon (26.2 miles) is completely different than running two half-marathons (13.1 miles) back- to-back. Your body can sustain the tough, physical pace for about 75–90 minutes at peak intensity. The world’s best marathoners complete the race in just over two hours. Average runners may take three–five hours. Once you burn through your energy reserves, along with what you can consume during the race, you will have to dig deep and run on straight willpower. When I’m running, I am usually thinking about the finish line and whether I’m on pace with eight (or five or three) miles to go. For the Olympic trials in January, I memorized 26 verses of Scripture to meditate on — one for each mile. I couldn’t believe how fast the race had gone when I realized I had just five miles to go. Remembering why you’re doing this is a big motivator — whether you’re running for a person or a cause, a personal fitness goal, or pushing yourself as hard as you can for the glory of God. Your passion will keep you going when you reach the toughest part of the race. Sergio Reyes ’03 is a professional runner, averaging 25 or more races per year. He is the 2010 men’s national marathon champion, two-time winner of Cincinnati’s Flying Pig Marathon, and he placed 12th in the 2012 Boston Marathon. He and his wife, Aimee, live in Palmdale, California. You may contact him at sergdreyes@hotmail.com . Photos courtesy of Di Zinno Photography So You’d 20 SUMMER 2012