Top non-running exercises for runners

Relying on running to build muscles fit for a marathon will take a lot of time to accomplish. Building and strengthening specific muscle groups is necessary to avoid injuries or make sure that your body is strong enough to withstand everything a marathon can throw at you. Here are the top on-running exercise runners can do while training for a marathon.

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Planks

Planks are great at working several groups of muscles at a time, the most basic one already targets your core, lower back, and shoulders. They are great for building endurance, stretching out tired muscles, and improving flexibility. It’s also a great way to fix improper posture.

Russian twists

Russian twists target your obliques and your abs. Having a strong core helps runners by stabilizing their balance, posture, and overall control. This prevents unnecessary movements which use up energy which marathon runners need to conserve during the race.

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Back extensions

Back extensions work your lower back, glutes, shoulders, and your middle back. Strengthening the lower and middle back equates to better shock absorption for your upper body. For a lot of people, standing for an extended period already gives them back problems. Running for a few hours is impossible with a weak back.

Overhead forward lunge

This workout develops your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, shoulders, and your core. This muscle-building routine targets key areas in the legs, upper, and midbody that are usually strained during a marathon. Toning your leg muscles also helps lengthen your stride and improve single-leg balance.

Steven Rindner is a business and corporate development executive with an experience in media, technology, real estate services, and healthcare businesses. He is also a marathoner. For more reads about running, visit this blog.

The importance of pace for long distance running

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It’s often been said that in marathon running, pace is everything. While this is an exaggeration, there is still a substantial amount of truth to it. One of the most important skills a marathoner needs to develop is pacing. The best marathoners know this all too well.

How often have we seen a thrilling end to a marathon wherein two or three competitors take over the race in the final half-mile? It’s happened more times than anyone can care to admit, that at the final stretch, marathoners sprint. After all those miles spent running, they wouldn’t be able to have that one final burst without pacing.

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But pacing isn’t just for that final explosion. It’s also important to keep one’s body in tune with the race, throughout the first 90 percent of the marathon. Pacing involves more than just the speed of running. It also includes breathing techniques and mental focus.

Go too fast and the body will run out of oxygen, the lungs will tire out, and the muscles start to cramp. Go too slow and risk finishing last. Pacing is what dictates a marathoner’s performance. There needs to be a natural rhythm with a slightly varying tempo, which marathoners need to adapt, depending on several factors that include the point of the race, the weather, and the elevation of the race location, among others.

Conserve and spend energy wisely. Those are the basics of pacing.

A graduate of the University of Delaware and St. John’s University School of Law, Steven Rindner has served in various companies across different industries. He is also a marathoner. To know more about Mr. Rindner, visit this blog.

How to recover properly after running a marathon

 It’s not every day that you run 42 kilometers. Running a marathon takes months to prepare for, and the toll it takes on your body can be severe. That’s why recovering correctly is crucial for runners if they want to join the next race. Not taking care of your body after a run can lead to structural, fascial, and metabolic problems that can derail your training for months. Here are some steps on how to recover properly after a marathon.

The first thing you need to do after a marathon is to take a bath. Hygiene is important for obvious reasons, but cleaning yourself after a grueling run can quickly hydrate your skin and prevent yeast infection.

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Make sure you have a protein-rich meal and a right amount of sleep after completing the marathon. And as much as you are tempted to take a light jog or a run the next day, save it for the day after that. Your body needs to rest. However, being active on the second day after the marathon is necessary as circulation can do wonders in helping your body recover.

If the marathon was particularly challenging and you feel like you’ve exceeded your limits, it’s a good idea to see an Active Release Technique therapist. While running a marathon, it is possible that certain parts of your muscle groups break down, leaving your body asymmetric in a sense. These therapists can help you regain that symmetry as well as treat other injuries you could have gotten during the race.

A graduate of the University of Delaware and St. John’s University School of Law, Steven Rindner has served in various companies across different industries. He is also a marathoner. To know more about Mr. Rindner, visit this blog.