2019 Cleveland Marathon Training Post 1

2019 Cleveland Marathon Training Post 1

Its hard to believe that it’s almost February. After being an Ambassador last year, I was excited to once again promote this great race and city. With February right around the corner, it means I only have a few more weeks to cross-train and work on some base mileage prior to starting to officially train for the Cleveland Marathon.

With my kids being 2 1/2 and 1, my training pretty much revolves around their nap schedules and early workouts. So far this year, I have been riding the bike before work, which tends to be a little easier than running at 5:15 am. For some reason hopping on a bike to ride is tough, but not as tough as getting my old legs to move early in the morning. On days when I work at home, I will run a few before work and a few at lunch. So far this month, I haven’t hit more than 40 miles in a week. That will have to change once I start training.

Race Discount: Save 10% off any Cleveland Marathon race or challenge with coupon code SLONG2019.

2019 Cleveland Marathon Training Program

I am looking forward to putting together a training plan to get ready for the 2019 Cleveland Marathon. The structure and different workouts make it exciting and challenging. The one thing that is always great to see is progress with the speed workouts.

Below is a list of the activities that I have been doing for the past month or so to cross-train and build base mileage so that I can begin Cleveland Marathon training next month. One thing that has been tough here in northeast Ohio was the weather. While it was warmer in December, the second half of January has been chilly. I fell on the ice last week so will probably run on the treadmill until the roads are clear. I like running in the cold, but when the real feel is below subzero, I will usually stay inside.

Activities to help prepare for Marathon Training

1. Less running. After running the 2018 Indianapolis Marathon last fall, I took a little break from running. All I really wanted to do in Indy was to run a BQ with the new time standards for 2020. Luckily I was able to do this, but only because I’ll be the big 4-0. When I did start running again after the break, I would run a few miles before work, some at lunch, and some at night if I needed. I tried to slowly get miles in when I could. As much as I love the Sole F65 treadmill we bought a few years back, nothing beats running outside.

Image courtesy of Sole Fitness

2. More TRX. 2 years ago my wife bought me the TRX suspension training system. For those who don’t know what TRX is, it’s basically two straps that are suspended from a door or ceiling that allows you to perform a ton of different exercises using your body weight as resistance. TRX is easy to set up, easy to use, and portable. TRX has a great app that makes it easy to learn the different exercises. If you are looking for an alternative to weights, give this a try. There are a ton of videos on YouTube if you want to see how it works.

3. More cycling. As I mentioned earlier, when you have two little kids, you workout when you can. With that said, riding before work was what worked best for me in January and something that I have continued to do in 2019. Last week I hit almost 95 miles which was more than I have done since the summer. If you want to ride indoors, all you need is a bike, a smart bike trainer, and a Zwift account to ride indoors any day of the year.

Zwift is an app that allows you to cycle or run with others in a video game fashion. This is great when you live in northeast Ohio during the winter months. I currently use the Tacx Vortex Trainer with my Cervelo S2 road bike. The improvements to Zwift make this a great option. One thing to note is that Zwift costs $15 per month, but you can cancel at any time. Below are two pictures from my workout room. Nothing fancy but it works.

Related: Tacx Vortex Trainer

4. Improve diet. With marathon training right around the door, one thing I started back up again was to improve my diet. Once training starts, I won’t drink during the week and will continue to add in smoothies packed with fruits and veggies. I used to work at Vitamix and have been lucky to learn how to make a variety of smoothies that not only taste great but are relatively healthy. I usually make green smoothies packed with fruit, spinach, carrots, and broccoli. I love broccoli and carrots and when you mix those veggies with pineapple, its refreshing.

Related: Vitamix Green Smoothie recipe

5. Drink less beer. Last year I didn’t have a single beer in January. This year that did happen, but something I want to do less of as I start training for Cleveland. I enjoy those hoppy IPA’s and appreciate trying all kinds of beers. My goal for training is to drink a little less and run more!

How do you prepare to get ready for Marathon Training?

Leave a comment or contact me if you have any questions about my preparation for marathon training. Hope your year is off to a great start!

About the Cleveland Marathon

The Cleveland Marathon is in its 42nd year and is one of the top 50 oldest marathons in the US. During race weekend Cleveland hosts between 15,000-18,000 runners and walkers in addition to thousands of spectators.

The date for the marathon is Sunday, May 19, 2019, at 7:00 a.m. The full marathon, half marathon, and 10k all start at this time. Plan to arrive around 6 a.m. to allow yourself plenty of time to park and get ready.

RACE DISCOUNT: Use coupon code SLONG2019 to save 10% off any Cleveland Marathon race!

Register for Cleveland Marathon