Time is certainly flying! Before we know it the Chicago Marathon will be here and the runners will be off.
Are you going to be one of them? Are you ready?
There are a few things that you should be doing at this point. You need to run frequently, avoid injuries, and keep your motivation up. Hopefully you are enjoying your training and can see the benefits.
Let’s talk about the things to keep in mind for the next month in your training. Is it time to get new shoes? Remember that you should get new running shoes every 300 – 500 miles. The replacement time for your shoes depends on several factors. It depends on the surface that you usually run on – your shoes will last longer if you are running on trails than if you are running on pavement. Also if you are a technically perfect runner your shoes will last longer than if you hit your heel hard with each step. (If you are a technically perfect runner, I would like you to tell me how you do it!)
How can you tell if your shoes need to be replaced? There are some ways to tell. One would be if your legs are tired after your runs. Yes, they will be tired when you run longer but if your recovery seems to take longer than it should, the problem could be your shoes. Also, you can look at the heel of your shoes. Is it collapsed? Then you need new shoes. Most likely if you are wondering about whether you need to change shoes, you do. Most runners do not change their shoes often enough.
At two months before the marathon, it is really time to decide if your shoes are the right shoes for you. If you need a change, now is a good time so that you can break in new shoes and make sure they are comfortable for the race. One important note here – the shoes should be comfortable the minute you put them on your feet. There should not be a break in period to make them comfortable. Yes, you still need to break them in when you are running but there should not be any feeling that once you wear them, they will get more comfortable. I know that it is expensive but you might want to buy two pairs of shoes and rotate them. Since you are running every day, your shoes need a chance to dry out between runs. It takes the mid-sole of the shoe a day to recover from a run. Also you may find that if you get two different pairs that by running in different shoes your foot adapts to the difference in the shoes. This helps prevent overuse injuries.
If you are feeling any discomfort in your feet when you run, now is the time to go see your friendly local podiatrist. The doctor can help by looking at your foot, your stride and your shoes to see what can be done to make your more comfortable. With two months before the run, there is time to make some adjustments.
It isn’t too soon to think about what you will be wearing race day and make sure your clothes are comfortable. You might want to avoid that cotton tee shirt and go for a fabric like Coolmax that draws the sweat away from your body. You want to make sure that your clothes are comfortable and non-chafing. You would hate for your clothes to be a problem with your big run.
One other thing that you should start thinking about now is life beyond the marathon. Psychologists tell us that one of the best ways to recover easily from the marathon is to make plans beyond that one goal. Think about your next goal so that you have running plans beyond that one day.
You are really doing great in your training and should be proud of yourself. Running a marathon is a tremendous achievement that takes dedication and motivation. If I were with you right now, I would give you a high five.
Your Pal,
The Foot Blogger Chick