The goal for many of you.

First-time marathon runners have a special challenge ahead of them. If you are just beginning a running program, and you are training for a fall marathon, like the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, you should follow these three recommendations to begin your marathon training. If you do, you’ll find that the training will come more naturally, and you’ll improve as you gain fitness.

1. Start slowly, and run to your abilities. It takes time to build your body up, about 20 weeks if you are a beginner. Also, consider your current abilities. There is no rush. When completing your workouts, run at a pace that is true to your own fitness level. Don’t compare yourself to a friend, family member, or a running partner. Your training will be most successful when you listen to your body.

2. Rest up. Yes, you have been resting now for many years. But when you begin to train for a marathon, you will put stresses on your body that is it is not used to. Your body needs to recover from the stress of training to stay healthy. Adequate rest is just as important as proper training. Enjoy your time off so you’re fresh and ready for the next challenge your training will bring.

3. Have a plan. You should set specific achievable goals and measurable targets. As a beginner, you’ll want to start off slowly. I recommend starting off with a less aggressive schedule. As you train, as you prepare, by gradually increasing your mileage, you’ll begin to realize that what seemed Impossible has become Improbable and what seemed Improbable will become the Inevitable! Remember, good form will carry you through℠!

Do you want help in preparing? Look into my 20-week marathon program. I will work with you to provide a training schedule suited to your needs and experience level. I will also work with you throughout the season to maximize your performance on race day. Click this link for more details! https://www.signmeup.com/site/online-event-registration/90606

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I was interviewed by Frank Mathie of ABC 7 in Chicago about the tragedy at the Boston Marathon. I’ve had many runners who have competed in Boston. I will have many more runners who now will go to Boston.

This is a fact, based on what I’ve heard from my runners and friends in the running community. We will not stop running. In fact, the cowardly act in Boston seems to have strengthened the resolve of runners all across the country to run more – with a deeper meaning and purpose. So many have said they now want to run the Boston Marathon in solidarity with those in the race yesterday, with the spectators, family and friends, and all of Boston.

The post Running the Boston Marathon in Solidarity appeared first on Coach Brendan Running.

Many times in my life, I have achieved a goal and immediately set a new one.  It’s as though the recent achievement is never quite good enough and I need something bigger and, presumably, better.

But in doing so, I diminish the recent achievement.  Life can’t always be about constant movement.  There are times when a brief respite is necessary – a time for rest and recovery, before the next goal or challenge.

Sometimes, it takes time for the true nature of the accomplishment to set in.  This is one of those times where the “Next goal” is to be still for a time and smile.

More goals will be set, but for now, I’m content to savor the moment.

The post “What’s Next?” – Savor the Achievement appeared first on Coach Brendan Running.

Minor corrections in running form often enhance performance and can help runners achieve a PR.

If you’ve been running for a while, and the improvement has started to taper, or even if you’re slipping a little, you may need to sweat the small stuff.

All runners reach certain points when personal records (PRs) seem tough to come by. Many new runners hit a plateau after a while, and it comes as a shock to some of us. Added endurance allows many new runners to increase training, which in turn leads to better performance. But when they hit that plateau, if they have paid little attention to proper running form and techniques, they may not know what to do.

If you’ve hit a plateau, it may be that your past PRs have clouded inefficiencies in running.

If you are stumped, a session with a coach would be helpful to review running form.

That coach may want to capture a video to analyze and provide objective criteria on how to improve form. A video can show inefficiencies in the runner’s gait: body position, footstrike or arm carriage, which can be tweaked a bit.

Even very fast runners are surprised at how little inefficiencies affect performance. Minor corrections in running form often enhance performance and can help runners achieve a PR.

Remember, good form will carry you through℠.

Are you looking for a PR in an upcoming 5K or 10K, or are you a new runner who wants to train for a 5K or a 10K? You may want to consider my individual training programs. Click on my 5K individual training programs or 10K individual training programs to find the level that is right for you.

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When we get fatigued, we have a natural tendency to tense up, which makes us unconsciously do things such as grit our teeth and clench our fists. When we clench our hands into tightly held fists, we are slowing ourselves down unnecessarily.

Clenched fists make the tension in our forearms rises up to our shoulders, making our hearts work harder. Use this technique for good form, and good form will carry you through℠.

Clenched fists make the tension in our forearms rise up to our shoulders, and that tension extends to the rest of our body. This makes our hearts work harder to push oxygen-rich blood into our muscles, resulting in more wasted energy and, ultimately, a slower pace.

To release this tension, think about holding an imaginary potato chip without breaking it. If your fists are clenched so tightly that you can’t hold that chip, wiggle your fingers and loosen your grip. Body tension will reverse, allowing the deliverance of more oxygen-rich blood to our muscles with each heartbeat. We’ll return to a smoother, longer, more efficient stride, and more energy is saved for the finishing kick.

Balling your hands into fists instead of holding an imaginary potato chip is one early warning sign of fatigue and inefficient running form. I’ve outlined a couple of other signs – zipper lines and chicken wings – that alert us that our running form is degrading. As I say – good form will carry you through℠. And by paying attention to our body’s signals, correcting such problems as clenched fists or chicken wings are easily corrected.

Are you a beginning, intermediate, or even an advanced runner who wants to train for the Chicago Marathon or another fall event? If so, click on my page for endurance running programs. You’ll find all the information you’ll need about my 20-week training programs for fall marathons, which begin on Memorial Day weekend. I’ve designed six specially prepared schedules – basic, intermediate, and advanced continuous running and basic, intermediate, and advanced run/walk.

The post Chips Not Fists appeared first on Coach Brendan Running.

A short while ago I wrote about beginning runners who cross their arms over the “Zipper Line” a short while ago. Today I want to give beginning runners something else to watch for so that they will have good form.

Sometimes when we get fatigued, our arm carriage changes and our body position often resembles the wings of a chicken—pulled up and close to the body. Our shoulders rise closer to our ears, as if we are shrugging and maintaining that shrug.

Like a chicken, we can’t fly very well with our arms held tightly to the sides of our bodies.

Chicken wings? No. This is an example of a nice relaxed arm swing.

The result is a shorter arm swing and, consequently, a shorter stride. By taking more strides, we use more energy to cover the race distance.

Soreness in the lower neck and shoulders is the body’s first signal of running with chicken wings. When you feel this tension, check your form. Relax your shoulders by dropping your arms to your side and shaking out your hands for 50 to 100 meters.

This simple action will relieve the stress in your neck and shoulders. You can then slowly bring your arms back to a normal position and refocus on a relaxed arm swing. It’s especially important for a beginner to run efficiently so as to finish the race. And, remember, good form will carry you through℠.

If you are a beginner who wants to cross an item off your bucket list and run a race, take a look at the programs I have to offer, at http://coachbrendan.com/endurance-training/

The post Chicken Wings Are For Eating Not Running appeared first on Coach Brendan Running.

To be a year-round runner in Chicago you must be tough tough tough tough tough!

Cold weather running is just something we do in Chicago. For years I’ve been running in the winter and coaching runners in the cold. I’ll use this experience tackle the elements when I run the Antarctica Marathon on March 7. If you’re just beginning to prepare for a race now, maybe some of my preparation ideas can help you.

While running in the cold seems like a chore, physiologically our bodies adapt well to the cold temperature, much better, in fact than when we run in very warm temperatures. The three areas of the body you have to pay attention to are the head, the hands, and the feet. A significant amount of body heat is lost from the head, which affects the whole body. So a good winter cap that is warm but that can breathe is essential. Micro fiber wool socks are great for keeping your feet warm and dry by wicking moisture away. And wool gloves can breathe as well as keep those fingers from freezing.  In really cold weather, mittens are better than gloves for keeping fingers and hands warm and toasty. Layering the rest of your clothes helps you regulate your core temperature.

It is easy to think that you don’t need to hydrate as much when it’s cold out, but that’s actually not true. While low humidity makes it feel as though you are not perspiring as much as during the summer hot months, when it is cold, your body is working very hard and the sweat evaporates more quickly.  Check your base layers at the end of a run to see how much you sweat.  So you need to drink water as if it’s July – 4 to 6 ounces every 15 to 20 minutes. And speaking of draining, I’ve been working on my immune system during my training as well, eating extra vegetables and ensuring that I have enough vitamin C. If you are training in the cold weather, you have to pay extra attention to your diet.

If you want more information on “Friend” me on Facebook to get updates – look for “CoachBrendanCournane.” And check back on the Coach Brendan blog for a complete summary of the race.

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Think of the zipper line on a jacket running down the center of your torso. If your hands cross that zipper line, the shoulders and the top half of the body usually follow the hands.

While I was on the running path earlier this week, I saw several runners whose form was a little ragged. Many runners lose proper running form in cold, windy conditions by fighting the wind and getting tighter to combat the cold. Yet, running tight is counterproductive.

Running is a linear sport. We should run with our body moving forward. Any sideward motion uses energy better spent in the latter part of the run. Many runners spend a great deal of energy twisting their upper bodies, fighting the efforts of the lower body.

Think of the zipper line on a jacket running down the center of your torso. If your hands cross that zipper line, the shoulders and the top half of the body usually follow the hands. The torque created from the waist up is energy that could be used to run smoother.

Periodically, glance down at the position of your hands at the front part of your arm swing. If you see your thumb and forefinger, your hands are likely crossing the zipper line. A slight adjustment is all that’s needed. Hold your hands a little wider from your body, slightly wider than your hips. As your arm swings back, think about reaching into your back pocket. This extends your reach further in a straight line with less crossing over the zipper line.

Once corrected, your endurance level will improve, you’ll hold your pace for a longer period of time and your good form will carry you through℠.

If you would like more information, click http://coachbrendan.com/ to see how you can get started.

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Antarctica Marathon – World’s Toughest Marathon.

I’m running the Antarctica Marathon on March 7, in exactly one month. It is the second time I’ve run this race (once can be a lucky break, but two times is a trend). It is billed as “Running’s Greatest Adventure,” and it certainly is one of the most unpredictable races anywhere. We run over a trail of mud, snow and ice … following a few days at sea where practically everyone fights seasickness and tries to stave off the resulting dehydration. The weather is unpredictable and potentially dangerous on race-day. But, as I keep repeating to myself, “Good form will carry you through.℠” Even during what some think is the toughest marathon in the world.

I arrive on King George Island Antarctica on March 6 and run Antarctica the next day, after three days at sea, on a small boat that launches from the southernmost city in Argentina. Ice and wind storms, blizzards or deep freezes can occur with little notice. Runners also have to be weary of wildlife such as penguins, seals or the deadly sea leopard.

The course is an unpaved, ice-hardened dirt road that connects international science stations of several countries on King George Island.  Fewer than 150 athletes are allowed to run the marathon due to concerns that crowds of runners will disturb the island’s pristine environment. There are no spectators along the course, and it’s easy to wander off course during a flash blizzard. Staying safe and alive is my main objective in completing this race.

My goal is to finish the marathon between five and six hours, which is about 50 percent slower than my average marathon time. I plan on running a strategic race – planning a smart race and racing my plan. Six years ago, I had a reaction to medication and had some hallucinations in the second half of the race. I was lucid enough to understand that if I wandered off the trail, it was likely no one would find me for several hours. So I didn’t finish the race, because my personal safety was paramount – and I listened to what my body was telling me. When I complete this marathon, it will fulfill my life-long goal of completing a marathon on all 7 continents and in all 50 states.

This year, I have prepared as best I can for the unpredictability. In this race, the weather and other elements are in control, so we do the best we can. Sometimes it seems running a race like this seems impossible. After a while, the goal becomes improbable. And ultimately, there comes a point when success becomes inevitable.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll share how I’ve trained for this marathon. “Friend” me on Facebook to get updates – look for “CoachBrendanCournane.” And check back on the Coach Brendan blog for a complete summary of the race.

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