Marathon running: know your body, know your ‘why’

The thought of running a marathon is intimidating, but with the right training plan and mind– even the average Joe can run one, according to a local runner.

At first, Steve Schaack just wanted to run a mile. Today, his runner’s resume stretches a lot longer than that. He’s run in three full marathons, a half marathon, a Ragnar Relay Series race and a 10K race.

“I don’t know if it came easy, but I stayed consistent in working at it,” Schaack said.

With the help of a friend, Schaack created a four-days-a-week running routine, gradually increasing the distance each day. For example, on his first day he’ll run 5-miles, eventually leading up to a 20-mile run on his last day.

“You’re always going to feel pain, it’s just a matter of adjusting to that pain,” he said. “(Knowing) when to keep going and when to kind of curtail it.”

As the sports medicine director for the Sports Medicine Institute through Portneuf Medical Center, Brent Faure has seen many people overwork their bodies in high endurance events.

It’s easily avoidable if people listened to their bodies, Faure said.

“We will see a lot of people try to go too hard too fast,” he said. “Then they have a whole bunch of problems that we have to take care of.”

Getting the physical training down is only half the battle, though.

Faure said, “People need to make sure that they know why they’re doing this and to keep everything in perspective. Most of all, have a good time.”

For Schaack, he has his reasons for running in check.

“Maintaining that best shape I’ve been in and the stress relief are probably the two biggest reasons why I run,” he said. “My weight’s the lowest it’s been since I’ve probably been 17 years old.”

Whether you’re thinking of running a marathon for the first time or trying to outdo your last finish,Runner’s World and Cool Running have a variety of plans to try.