So what to do about needing to use the bathroom a few miles into a run? My stomach gets crazy. If I race I do a mile run when I wake up before eating but this doesn't always take care of the issue?

When I think about building my endurance, I actually start with the end in mind.⁣ ⁣ I reverse engineer it from when my marathon is to the current date.⁣ ⁣ The more time you have, the longer you can build your endurance.⁣ ⁣ If your marathon is in 12 weeks, then you would have to increase your long runs by about 1-2 miles a week.⁣ ⁣ But if your marathon is in six months, then you can increase your mileage every few weeks.⁣ ⁣ So the most important thing is that you give yourself enough time to train.⁣ ⁣ If you are someone who is training for their first race and is out of shape, then you want to give yourself the additional time.⁣ ⁣ Think of building your endurance like getting on an airplane.⁣ ⁣ When you first get on an airplane, it’s not moving. Then it starts to move a little bit faster, then faster and faster until it’s flying.⁣ ⁣ You want to match your weekly volume with your current conditioning.⁣ ⁣ If you aren't ready for the physical demands of starting a 16 week training plan, then you can get injured.⁣ ⁣ It happened to me when I was training for my first marathon.⁣ ⁣ I wasn’t ready for the physical demands of running five times a week so I ended up injuring both of my knees.⁣ ⁣ So what does this look like in practice?⁣ ⁣ What I like to do is run each distance two weeks in a row before I increase my mileage.⁣ ⁣ This gives me the opportunity to prove to myself that I am capable of running the same distance.⁣ ⁣ It also allows me to work on my speed.⁣ ⁣ The first time I run the distance, my goal is to just complete it.⁣ ⁣ The second time I run that same distance, I try to beat my previous time.⁣ ⁣ This approach also allows for you to stay confident throughout your training.⁣ ⁣ If you struggled to run a certain distance, having to run even farther next week will feel very daunting.⁣ ⁣ It will fill your brain with self doubt and fear because you will question if you can run that distance.⁣ ⁣ An actual training plan that you can follow (first 8 weeks)⁣ ⁣ Week 1 - 2 miles⁣

I find it pretty difficult to keep my HR under 150 (I'm 32) even at a slow plod, any slower and I'd be walking.

Runners make the fatal mistake of not hydrating while they run. The important thing to understand is what it prevents. The mindset of someone on a run is to analyze how they are feeling and then make a decision based on that. So if they are tired or in pain, they will slow down. If they are thirsty, then they will drink water. But if they are feeling good, then they will continue to push on. Which makes sense, but you want to prevent problems before they occur. Once it's already a problem, it significantly hinders your run and/or your performance. It’s the same reason why you do injury prevention stretches before you run. Or you eat before your run so you don’t run out of fuel during your run. So in the case of hydration, you want to drink water before and during to prevent you from getting dehydrated. So what does this look like in practice? There are designated hydration stations every mile or so. You want to run through each station and grab a cup of water. Think of approaching a water station like going through a drive-through at a fast food restaurant. You don’t want to park your car, sit down, order food, and spend 30 minutes eating. No, you want to be faster than that. You want to get your food quickly and eat while you are driving. It’s the same thing with grabbing water at a hydration station. You want to slow down to grab the water, but you want to keep running. Now the important thing to take into consideration is how much water to drink. If you try chugging water then it can disrupt your pacing and momentum. Also, if you drink too much of it, then it can upset your stomach. So what you want to do is drink water like you are a boxer or a UFC fighter. If you ever watch them drink water while they’re in their corners, they will drink a few sips and then spit out the rest. Bringing this all together. (Action steps) 1) You want to slow down and approach the water stations. 2) Grab a cup of water from a volunteer while still running.

Hey Strong Runners! 💪🏃‍♂️🏃🏼‍♀️ Welcome to The Marathon Training Secrets Community! 🚨PLEASE COMPLETE THE TWO STEPS BELOW🚨 STEP 1: Add an introductory post in the Community tab Introduce yourself and share what race you are training for, your wins, or the challenges you are having training for your half or full marathon. I want this to be a community of goal oriented runners who will encourage you, support you, and hold you accountable throughout your training. The only way we can do that is if you interact in the group. There will be special bonuses and prizes for members who help the most amount of people. STEP 2: Watch The Course Content In The Classroom Tab This is where you will get access to The Marathon Training Starter Kit plus additional content to help you with your marathon training. Finally, my goal with this community is to give you all the tools and resources you need to run your half or full marathon so if you have any questions or content ideas feel free to post in the group. Enjoy, Tony Johnson