Advanced training for the marathon: the right mix makes all the difference

A safe house can only be built on a good foundation – or, as the Linz marathon organization manager Günther Weidlinger puts it when preparing for the running highlight on April 7th: “Only those who lay the foundations now will be able to do so in the spring then harvest too.” For many people, preparation for the short (5 km) or long (marathon) competitions is already well underway. You should pay attention to the right mix, because running training alone is not enough, as many experts believe.

• Also read: Linz sports doctor: This is how you prepare for running

Basic work: The longer the distance run in the Linz Donau Marathon should be, the longer the endurance runs have to be. These should be run consistently once a week; increasing the distance is possible. “In addition, during training in the lower pulse range, the capillary vessels are formed, which are necessary for blood flow to the muscles, because only well-supplied muscles are efficient,” says Weidlinger.

Adrian Mirtl, a specialist in internal medicine in Linz, has a good tip for anyone who travels with a heart rate belt and watch: “Use the Maffetone rule: 180 minus age. Subtract another ten if you are bad at training .” An example: A 40-year-old who is not very fit should not have a training pulse of more than 130 per minute (180 minus 40 minus 10 equals 130). With this formula you can roughly determine your personal aerobic threshold without a much more complex performance test.

Variety: But it’s not just running sessions that help you build shape, alternative training such as cross-country skiing, swimming, cycling, snowshoeing or ski touring also strengthens the body and trains the cardiovascular system.

Pulse driver: Interval training, in which the pulse goes higher, is also recommended. Once or twice a week is ideal. Here too, the focus is not on the very high tempo, the focus is on the short breaks. It is sufficient if the tempo routes are completed just faster than the competition pace, although the length of the intervals can vary. An uncomplicated form is the driving game. Intervals in preparation for Linz can also take place under expert guidance. Austria’s former marathon record holder Gerhard Hartmann offers regular, free running sessions.

feat of strength: The entire supporting system has to withstand the many thousands of steps, and the body needs a certain amount of time to adapt to this. Which is why strength training and mobilization should never be neglected. The stronger the muscles around the joints are, the less susceptible they are to injury, and the more mobile and flexible the body is, the more relaxed the muscles will be able to do their work. Focused 20 to 30 minutes twice a week can work wonders here.