How to fit marathon training into your life

One of the biggest challenges in marathon training isn’t fitness, it’s protecting the time to train consistently, says TCS Sydney Marathon Head Coach Ben Lucas.

The runners who succeed long term are usually the ones with better structure and routine, says TCS Sydney Marathon Head Coach Ben Lucas.

One of the biggest challenges when training for a marathon isn’t fitness. It’s life.

Work, kids, social plans, long commutes, and fatigue – if you don’t protect your training time, something else will take it.

The runners I see succeed year after year aren’t always the fastest or most talented. They’re usually the ones with better structure and routines in their lives. They make training part of the week before the week begins. Here are three ways to do that.

1. Map your training week

One thing I encourage runners to do is sit down on a Sunday afternoon or night and map out the week properly. Once it’s in the diary, it becomes much more likely to happen.

Ask yourself these questions:

·       What day can I fit in a long run?

·       When can I fit in strength training?

·       Which day is realistic for recovery?

Depending on your circumstances with work or family life, you may also like to schedule a backup date if your first choice can’t happen.

2. Set realistic targets

A lot of runners go from zero experience to wanting to train like a professional athlete overnight. That usually lasts about two weeks, in my experience. But here’s the thing: three consistent runs a week will beat seven random ones – every time.

I’m also big on creating ‘non-negotiables’, like sessions that happen regardless of motivation, because motivation comes and goes. Structure is what keeps you moving forward when life gets busy. So schedule in one locked-in long run with a friend, or a regular Wednesday run group session you commit to no matter what.

3. Reduce your decision making

Runners often underestimate how much mental energy gets wasted making decisions throughout the week. Save yourself the hassle, reduce friction and make training easier to start by:

·       Planning your week ahead (this may also include anticipating work commitments, organising child-minding, planning meals)

·       Laying your gear out the night before

·       Booking a session in at the gym or a run with friends

·       Planning post-recovery food and hydration

Training for a marathon doesn’t require perfection – it requires consistency. And consistency usually comes from protecting the time that matters before something else fills it.

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