Life's a Marathon: Training Tips To Help Run Your Life by Marilynn Preston on Creators.com

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Life's a Marathon: Training Tips To Help Run Your Life

Marathon running is not my field of expertise. I can repeat what I've studied and analyze for you the opinions of running experts, but I cannot coach you based on my own personal experience of hamstring pulls, profound nausea and severe knee pain. It's just not my path.

This is why I turn to Dr. Mark Klion, a sports medicine specialist at Mount Sinai's Department of Orthopaedic Surgery in Manhattan, for today's running tips. Klion walks the talk. Not only does he treat runners in pain, he is one. Or would be, if he weren't so darn clever about avoiding the torn tendons, the mangled ACLs, the injury list is nonstop…

There's no way around it: Marathon running, as I mentioned last week, is a sanctioned form of body abuse. It's a wildly popular, high-injury sport. So is Life, but in running, many of the injuries can be avoided if you train consciously and approach it mindfully.

Klion, according to his bio, has "competed around the world in countless marathons, triathlons and international Ironman competitions." That gives him a huge competitive edge when it comes to giving out useful advice.

(Healthy Lifestyle Tip #56: When in doubt, always choose a doctor with real knowledge of what he's talking about. A doctor who Knows From Experience is far superior to a doctor whose advice about running is based on what he's memorized from the back of a Wheaties box.)

Here is a sampling of Klion's latest tips, all based on thousands of miles of pounding, grueling field research:

— FOLLOW A PLAN. Marathon running isn't a walk in the park. Klion wants runners to follow "a regimented schedule during training with a gradual increase in mileage (no more than 10 percent per week)." Keep a logbook, he dictates, and track your progress. Keeping a journal is a great way to stay on track and focused no matter what sport you pursue, says I, who gave up running for racewalking years ago. Journal keeping motivates, disciplines and inspires.

— LESS IS MORE. It's a big mistake to run, run, run right up to the day of your marathon. "You can do more harm than good by trying to squeeze in that last important workout." Klion asks his patients for patience.

Trust in your training. "Begin a taper phase or a period of 3-4 weeks of decreasing mileage as the marathon approaches so that muscles, tendons and ligaments can heal from the rigors of training." Giving your body enough time to rest and recover in between stressful workouts is a big part of reducing your risk of injury in all sports, not just running. You knew that, right?

— RELAX! "The day before the marathon should be spent off your feet and relaxing," says Klion. Now we're talking. He doesn't suggest specific ways for you to relax, and that's too bad because learning to release tension in your body is an acquired skill, and the sooner you master it, the better. My turn to prescribe: Meditation, visualization and breathing are powerful tools for runners and non-runners alike. Find a teacher or learn on your own.

— POST-RACE PROCEDURES. You can't just collapse at the finish line and head off for a double-cheeseburger and some beers. Well, you can, but it would be wrong. "Runners need to stay hydrated and stick to light, bland food such as bagels and bananas immediately following the race," says Klion. And running from one marathon to another is also a risky, reckless pursuit. "Allow for full recovery, which can be anywhere up to 3-4 weeks, before returning to a normal exercise program." (I doubt Klion and I would agree on a definition of "normal.")

— PREPARE MENTALLY. Sometimes life itself can feel like one big runaround, so Klion's advice on mental preparation is especially useful: "Visualize yourself running the marathon during training. Use positive energy and thoughts to succeed." For more information on positive energy and positive thoughts, stop everything you're doing and run to the nearest yoga class.

ENERGY EXPRESS-O! RUNNING AROUND THE TRUTH

"You have to forget your last marathon before you try another. Your mind can't know what's coming." — Frank Shorter

Marilynn Preston — fitness expert, personal trainer and speaker on healthy lifestyle issues — is the creator of Energy Express, the longest-running syndicated fitness column in the country. She has a website, http://marilynnpreston.com, and welcomes reader questions, which can be sent to MyEnergyExpress@aol.com. To find out more about Preston and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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