Couch to Marathon: Good, Bad or Needs Improvement?

I may or may not get emails on this but here goes....

A running friend of mine and I were discussing the recent increase of injuries, deaths and drop outs at marathons due to "heat" or other factors and canceling of a marathon. OK, any experienced runner knows that heat affects your performance and especially in a marathon. A marathon is not a 5K, a 10K or a "walk in the park", just ask anyone who has done one. Now, with that to start things off, the heart of the conversation we had; are the teams that are putting out couch to marathon programs good for the sport of running? I would have to say yes AND no! 

Let me start with the "Good". 

I think anything that gets people off the proverbial "couch of doom" is a good thing. Getting people out running and experiencing the joys of moving their feet little by little towards a goal of exercise and healthy living is positive. We have way to many people that are sedentary, eating cheesy poofs and watching way to much television that U.S. health risks are climbing on a yearly basis. I could jump off on another tangent here but I wont, I'll save it for another time. So yes, these programs can be a good thing. Before getting into the "Bad", let me say I am NOT anti- Team In Training or any other program collecting money and providing entry into a marathon. I think they provide a great service but let me go on and present the other side to my thoughts.

Now the "Bad". 

I guess first is, what is the goal or purpose of these groups? One is to raise money for research and assistance. Second is to use the medium of a marathon or half marathon challenge to motivate people to push themselves for a worthy cause. I really have no problem with these motives because most races raise money for a worthy cause or charity. But, here is where I change my tone. How many of these people continue in the sport of running?  I would venture to say a good many of them but there are also large numbers of those that don't. You ask how do I know? I don't have any true hard stats in front of me and most likely they would be hard to find but I know that I have seen many people over the years train for their first, their one and only marathon only to never be seen or heard from again. If you do hear from them it's only to say it's just too hard ... well no kidding Sherlock .... who told you going 26.2 miles would be easy. I know, I know, you see all those smiling faces and think gee, I can do that. So they try to hook up with some organization for a worthy cause, they get a coach, envelope (to raise money) and the training plan. Let me back up a second and say I know a coach and that person does not tell you it's easy or anything like that, so I'm not knocking the coaches. What I do think is the people should be put on an 18 month plan (maybe less) not an 18 week plan. "Why?", you may ask. First, to jump off the couch and start running is an enormous task. You must be motivated to do so - self motivated. You should have a physical or at least a VERY REALISTIC idea of your fitness level and condition. If you haven't been active, you should begin small and work your way up. Side note: It took me nearly 15 months before I ran my first marathon and I did it without a coach. I learned a lot in those 15 months and I continue to learn. I've learned how to be in-tune with my body. I may not always use my common sense, hence, an injury by trying to push BUT I also know that I'm taking a risk. I can tell when it's hot and I'd better slow down and drink more fluids. I know when I have certain aches that I also need to pay attention. I know where it hurts and usually tell what happened or why (not always but usually). I've learned how to dress in hot or cold weather, how to stay hydrated and when to fuel. I am not an expert at these things because I'm still learning, I continue to learn all the time. I don't think you can discover enough about the effects of running on your body in a short 18 weeks or even 6 months. I've talked with many runners and they are always looking for ways to improve their performance, whether elite or a back of the pack athlete. Each persons body reacts to training methods in different ways. I may be able to do certain training methods, drink certain fluids or be able to handle certain fuels that you can't and visa-versa. I'll not labor the point, we are different and we learn about our body, what we can and can't do. Enough said! I think 18 weeks is way to short to gain proper race experience for a race. 

Should a race (marathon) be cancelled due to heat because they don't want another "Chicago or Nashville or whatever"? You know, the ones that make headlines because a number of people fell out due to heat exhaustion or dehydration, or yes someone even dies. There is a risk involved - read the waiver you signed. Hey, they can't control the weather no more than you can. They can however, make sure there are enough fluids on the course for ALL runners. Provide ways to spray people if the temps are really high and have extra medical personnel with communication devices to rescue services along the course to monitor runners. I mean, do you stopped driving your vehicle because people are killed every day on our streets and highways? I doubt it. Look, if I train for a marathon, pay money, make my trip plans - I want to run it. Now if the weather changes, I have to make adjustments in MY plan and performance expectations but I still want to run it. The race director does their part and planning, I do my part and planning. You can't make people take on fluids but you can make sure there is enough to go around. It still becomes an individual choice. You don't penalize everyone because someone pushes themselves beyond their limits. Elite's do it just like the the average runner. And it's not always the distance of a race that tragedy can strike. Ryan Shay died during a 10K race, as tragic as that is, do they cancel 10K's because someone may die, no. The news hounds love stuff like this. Non-runners love to shove this stuff in your face. They love to talk about how bad running is for your joints, as they complain about there joints hurting - because they're overweight ... etc., etc. You know how it is and I'll not go on.

And finally "Needs Improvement"?

I personally think there could be some improvements, nothing major but here's food for thought. How about an 18 month plan, give or take. I'd like to see people stick with running rather than drop out after a one time experience. They may never do another marathon but they can at least continue to run. Running is good for the many reasons: mental, health and social to mention a few.

I think the 1st 6 months should be base training and running some 5K and 10K races near the end of that period. They don't have to be fast but do it for the experience. If you're a "gifted person" then you may bounce along fine and begin to really excel. After this period of time the person should evaluate their motive and like/dislike for the sport of running. Do they want to continue? If not, they can at least maintain this fitness level and go no farther ... that's absolutely fine, not everyone has the body, desire or drive to go farther. You may actually do very well at this level and distance, GREAT you've made a major accomplishment and have joined the sport of running. You are a healthier person for choosing such a fantastic sport. If this isn't for you, then you may pick up another sport and I hope you do. Just stay active!

The next phase of training would be working up to the 1/2 marathon. Most of the major marathons also include the 1/2 so this would be the next logical step. Your mileage will need to increase. You may find that this is your ideal running distance. In many ways it could be the perfect distance. Not too long but long enough for the challenge. You may decide you don't want to go any farther than this. That's fine. As anyone that has done a marathon, the longer the distance of the race, the more mileage and time you have to commit. You had better decide if you like running and the physical strain it can put on your body. Not to mention everything else in life, like family, work, and down time. I really think that many people running for these charities should be running at this distance. From the entry limits, it seems this is where a lot of people choose to spend there time.

If you so decide to move on to the next phase, you continue building mileage for the marathon. Mind you, all of this training for the average person should be based on just finishing - NOT FOR SPEED or TIME, that can come later if they stick with running and so choose. Some people have no desire for speed or time but just to finish because they like the fellowship of being associated with a group of runners. You continue to learn about hydration and fueling. You learn more about the way your body reacts to the distance as you increase mileage. This is the time to glean information from more experienced runners. Runners are full of advice, some good, some bad so you learn to sift through this advice with what works best for you. As marathon day approaches, you should have a game plan, check weather, make adjustments and be mentally prepared for this event. Remember, this is your first marathon so enjoy it! Don't go out too fast, stick with your pace - run YOUR race. Many marathons have pace groups, these are good place to hang out, they will usually keep you honest.

Again, I think there is good, bad and some needs improving in these programs. These are my opinions and observations. I'm not against any of these programs, lets just make sure it is truly a win-win situation for everyone involved. I would hope that everyone that decides to get off the couch of doom and start exercising would stick with it. There are great friendships to be made while running. The benefits far outweigh the dangers, even though there are always risks involved in anything you attempt. You may eventually migrate to ultras or trail running, maybe move into triathlons or whatever, again, just stay active, that's the healthier goal.

Happy running.