Thursday, April 15, 2010

Training Tip Thursday

"Research suggests that runners often catch a cold or the flu the final week before the marathon, or the week after the marathon. That's because in building to a mileage peak, they often overdo it and temporarily suppress their immune systems. Marathoners thus are more vulnerable to any viruses they might encounter. To avoid colds, try to avoid people who have them. And get plenty of rest."

From Hal Higdon's Marathon Training Guide, Intermediate 2 Program, Week 16.
http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/Oint2-16.htm

2 comments:

Barbie said...

Hey Vern: it is so hard to find the right combination of rest and exercise. When I'm resting I feel like I should be exercising and vice versa. Haven't quite got this one figured out.

Vern said...

I've struggled with the same thing, Barb! Left to my own devices, I sometimes have a tendency to overdo it. That's been a good thing about following an established marathon training program. It's designed by experts to provide ample amounts of both. Then, after following it and seeing how my body responds to the cycles of stress and recovery helps me understand why the program is structured the way it is and gives me a better feel for how I should be training year-around.