Tue. Apr 25th, 2023
An ultra-marathoner tells us the secret to race training
An ultra-marathoner tells us the secret to race training

We have the running gear and marathon tips that you need from one of the world’s most elite runners, so you don’t have to look anywhere else.

Mike Wardian is a champion ultra-marathoner and he has tips for completing your first or fiftieth marathon. The runner has completed over 300 marathons and ultra-marathons, set Guinness World Records, and run seven marathons on seven continents in seven days.

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Wardian told The Manual that this was a long time coming. I had seen Forrest Gump a long time ago and was impressed. It was a far off dream when I started running.

You don’t know what’s going to happen next. You only have to make that next step to know what will happen. Attach your laces by filling up those water bottles. There are lots of tips on how to train for a marathon from a long-distance superhero.

Gear is good… to a point

As people get into this a little bit more, a hydration vest is a great investment.

Nathan Sports Nathan Sports © Provided by The Manual

The ultra-marathoner usually uses a.

It is small but quick. It’s possible to have a soft flask in one pocket, money in another, and a phone in the other. I’ll use it when I run. When I run with the dogs, I have poop bags in there.

On his cross-country trek, Wardian was able to use a lot of things. If you prefer not to wear a bulky vest, this is a good option. There are water bottles that are designed to hold while you run.

There is more of a North American thing than handheld water bottles. It gives you a lot of flexibility.

Nathan Sports sponsors Wardian and vouches for carrying a number of its water bottles, which range from pull- cap, quick-shot flasks, to large, one- liter hydration bottles.

Follow the marathon training schedule

The marathon training schedule is typical across the sport, with four days of running during the week followed by a long weekend run, with cross-training mixed in on off days andtempo runs to help your body push its high-end endurance. Wardian has followed the same regimen since 1995.

Mike Wardian Mike Wardian © Provided by The Manual

I wanted to qualify for Boston the first time I ran. It has gotten a lot more refined since then, but a lot of the processes are the same as what you would expect.

The goal of training is to increase your mileage. Repetition and constant increases in distance and speed are all that’s needed for progress.

Strength and cross-train

It takes a lot of time and effort to train for a marathon. It can be difficult to find the space and motivation to go to the gym.

Strength training and mobility training have been helpful for Wardian. It has made a big difference as I get older.

Strength training for a long race is the same thing as a regular gym program. Increasing muscle and tendon power can help make running easier and increase running rates.

PIcklerpeej PIcklerpeej © Provided by The Manual

In the long run, cross-training can be lost in the shuffle. Working across disciplines is what cross training means. If you do any of the activities that promote endurance and athletic prowess, you’ll be able to improve your running skills. The body gets stuck in a rut of doing the same thing all the time if it’s stuck in a rut of cross-training. Wardian jumped in America’s fastest-growing sport recently.

Wardian said that he wants to try to become a pro. I spent four or five hours a day working on my game and knew all the top players.

While feeding his competitive fire, Wardian will benefit from the additional outlet of running. You don’t need to go pro in order to mix alternate sports into training.

Play games

Competition floods the brain with calming, euphoric hormones, which encourages calmer, sharper minds. The brain is going to be trained to help the physical realm. Wardian uses an old board game to improve his run tactics.

Wardian said it would be a very long game of chess. The game is three to four hours long. Different types of time controls dictate how you play. I was thinking of my run across the country.

Campers playing chess outdoors. Campers playing chess outdoors. © Provided by The Manual

The ultra marathoner wanted to run 50 miles a day. Wardian had to consume between five and seven thousand daily calories in order to complete that. He wouldn’t have to burn himself out with this. The attack was developed with renowned trainer Karl Meltzer and his father, Dick Wardian. There was rain gear on hand. There were a lot of things that could be used to cut down on accidents.

Something will go wrong if it goes wrong. Wardian said he wanted to limit the chances of things going wrong that would derail what he wanted to do.

Along the way, the RV got stuck in the mud, Wardian dodged a car, and there were a few angry drivers. Wardian was able to overcome the obstacles because he did the same thing as he did chess.

Stay healthy and watch your back

You don’t usually associate danger with running. There is a chance that some people won’t see a random runner on the road with cars running behind and in front. It’s a good idea to wear something glossy and reflective. Sharing the street can be foreign to some people.

Sometimes people in rural areas don’t know how to deal with it because they’re not used to it. A half- eaten hamburger was thrown at me. The people came over the white line.

Alexander Popov Alexander Popov © Provided by The Manual

Sometimes, that wasn’t enough, such as when a semi truck’s rearview mirror whooshed over his head.

Wardian has holed up in a cave with a space blanket and wondered how this would end on some mountain tops. It was frightening to see the mirror go over my head.

Wardian had to accept the dangers in order to fulfill his dream, but it was difficult to swallow.

The first few days were frightening. I jumped off the road. Wardian said there was no way he could go from east to west and from north to south.

If you’re not crossing the country from west to east, it can be easier to avoid busy byways, but if you’re putting in 25 to 100 miles a week, you’re going to have to give drivers some asphalt. It’s important to stay aware of your surroundings.

While drivers are not something you have to worry about if you are participating in a marathon, they are something you need to be aware of.

Encourage and connect with others

Those frightening interactions were not as common as they would have you believe. Wardian found a lot of people on the road.

Eight mean people would stop to offer help and water.

The best and worst in people often shine through. Without the help of others, Wardian wouldn’t have been able to accomplish this challenge.

I spent most of the time by myself. Wardian said that the days when he had people were better.

Instagram Instagram © Provided by The Manual

His wife and two sons stopped by to see him. Runners joined Wardian for a couple of hours, sometimes full days, even friends who came back for multiple legs of the journey.

To see the country, to do good for other people, and to connect with the running community is what Wardian’s goal was. It was great to connect with people and learn about them and be a part of their journey.

It can take a long time to get to the end of the trek. It doesn’t matter if it’s your first or fiftieth marathon, or if it’s a 10K or 50K you’re training for, take some time to link up with others

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