Because so many spring marathons have been postponed owing to the coronavirus pandemic, autumn is shaping up to be a very busy time for runners. With the London, Boston, Berlin, Chicago and New York marathons all taking place within a few weeks of each other (and several other events scheduled in between), here’s how to be ready, as well as the key dates for your diary.
How can I stay fit between now and my next race?
Like the majority of runners, you’re probably missing the structure of a training plan, filling your days with shorter runs and home workouts, all the while adjusting to the government’s exercise rules; week strength training plan for runners drills to improve your running form and pace?
‘It’s about maintaining the work you’ve done without overdoing it. It’s about continuing to work quite hard without putting yourself in a hole – research suggests that over-training can suppress the immune system,’ says running coach Lewis Moses.
His advice? ‘Keep the long run, but drop the volume of it. If you keep knocking out 20-22-mile runs, you risk overdoing things. If you’re the type who does an interval session, a tempo run and a long run, consider dropping either the interval or tempo session. Think about doing just one tough workout a week, alongside easy running and a long run.’
When will I need to start training for my autumn marathon?
With the majority of the autumn marathon season kicking off mid-September, a 16-week marathon training plan would begin mid-June. This means you could reduce your mileage and focus on strength and stability work until then.
September 2020 Races
6 September: - Edinburgh Marathon
13 September: Richmond Marathon and half marathon
13 September: Best wireless headphones
14 September: Boston Marathon
20 September: Brighton Marathon
27 September: Berlin Marathon
October 2020 Races
4 October: London Marathon
4 October: Richmond Marathon and half marathon
4 October: How to run faster: A coach’s guide to speedwork
11 October: Chicago Marathon
11 October: Manchester Marathon
11 October: Royal Parks Half Marathon
18 October: Paris Marathon
25 October: Barcelona Marathon
25 October: Rotterdam Marathon
25 October: Venice Marathon
November 2020 Races
1 November: Health & Injuries
8 November: Athens Marathon
15 November: Rock n’ Roll Madrid Marathon
15 November: Verona Marathon
22 November: Limassol Marathon
29 November: Florence Marathon
December 2020 Races
6 December: Valencia Marathon
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