As a bone fide scientist* and world class procrastinator, I think it was only a matter of time before I gave into my childish urge to take things apart to see what's going on - purely to find out if I could learn something to help me run the marathon.
Now, although I have, on occasion, performed minor surgery on myself (not recommended, for the love of God, don't do it!) I don't think even my finely toned body (stop sniggering at the back) can recover from me opening up my leg with a kitchen knife to see what's going on in there.
So, I decided to instead dissect a training plan - much less mess, and most importantly, I don't get hurt.
There are loads of good ones on Runners World, and with a name like that, they're bound to know what's going on.
The thing is, like too many of my childhood toys, once taken apart, I couldn't put it back together without wanting to "improve" it slightly. Like when one of my toy trains got a rocket booster...
But how? You might ask, but only if you're the kind of person who likes to ask people "how?"
Simply enough, with science.
After some thorough research** it soon became clear that there was some serious thinking behind this training malarkey, and if you think about it properly, it can help you get around much easier.
Basically, good marathoners (I'm not one) have a lot of similar physiological traits.
- High lactate threshold - can produce energy efficiently, without building up lactate
- Good running economy - can use oxygen efficiently while running
- High VO2 max - can transport large amounts of oxygen to muscles, which can then extract and use it
- High glycogen storage and fat use - can store enough energy to run 26.2 miles
- quick recovery
Now, using our finely tuned scientific minds, it's possible to look at what kinds of training address these bits, and use then these as building blocks to a decent training schedule.
So, tune in to future episodes of what I have christened Marathon Training For Simpletons*** to find out how I've done this, and, more importantly, what, like the crazed scientists of third-rate sci-fi, I emerge through the fog of my laboratory with!
* BSc in Politics and History, First Class (hons) - yeah baby!
** Googling "marathon training theory"
*** Not in anyway affiliated to Marathon Training for Dummies, which, it turns out does exist as I Googled it prior to posting and had to change the sodding title. Seriously, what's next? Nose blowing for Dummies? Arse wiping for Dummies? Breathing for Dummies?
