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Deciding to run a marathon isn’t a decision to be made lightly. It is a huge achievement when you have completed it but, as many people can testify, marathons can be graveyards of egos – especially if you haven’t trained correctly. Here are some tips from the team at the Limassol Marathon to help you get started 1. Check with your Doctor before you begin training - Running a marathon is a gruelling test of mental and physical strength so check with your doctor that you aren’t taking on more than you can cope with 2. Learn about the course – Once you have chosen your marathon, research what kind of route it is – eg flat or hilly; warm or mild weather; crowded or quiet? Find out the conditions and then adapt your training program to reflect this, for example, when training, onlyrun in the sun. For novice runners whilst it may be fun to get a race like the London or New York marathon under your belt, it is less intimidating – and you will get a much faster time – if you look at flat marathon courses and less crowded options – Limassol is a perfect beginners marathon. 3. Prepare a schedule – This will depend on how long you have to prepare but regardless of lead time, marathon training is a big commitment which will be much easier to cope with if you have a proper training schedule 4. You can’t out train a bad diet – Training is not an excuse to stuff yourself with all the junk food you want simply because you are burning more calories. Long distance running requires sticking to a good nutritional plan, you need to eat fat-friendly starchy and carb loaded food to ensure you have plenty of energy to go the distance – and stay hydrated! Drink at least a litre of water before running and keep taking on water whilst you train 5. Dress for success – If nothing else buy a decent pair of running shoes as this will ensure you avoid nasty knee, hip and back injuries. Ideally this means getting your gait (running stride) analysed which is a service a lot of running shops offer. Otherwise wear clothes that you feel comfortable in and if you are training at night on the roads, wear something with high visibility so other road users can spot you. 6. Mentally prepare – Many people make the mistake of thinking marathons are a purely physical endeavour but being prepared mentally is just as important. Start a training log so you can track your progress, adopt a mantra to get you through your long workouts and create a playlist of songs or stories that motivate you to keep going. It may also be worth finding a training buddy or running club – you are less likely to bail out of a training run if you know you have someone waiting for you 7. Push your limits – Don’t get stuck in a rut where you stick to a pace and routine within your capabilities. Mix things up with hill runs and sprints – they will improve your speed and fitness as well as keep your training more interesting The Limassol Marathon in Cyprus is being run on the 24th of March in 2013 and that means you’ve got just over four months to get yourself fighting fit for the challenge! Bio Run by the sea, Limassol is the host venue for one of the most picturesque international half marathons in Europe. It is popular amongst experts seeking fast marathon courses or novices simply wanting to run abroad
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