Marathon Runners Share Expert Advice for Racing Your Best 26.2

Pro runners may have impressive times and accolades, but they also face similar challenges as amateur runners. To gain insights into optimizing their training plans, diets, and recovery strategies, a writer spoke with top American marathoners Clayton Young, Susanna Sullivan, and CJ Albertson.

## Trust Your Training

Young emphasizes the importance of believing in oneself and one's training program. With so many training plans and information available, it's easy to get caught up in questioning what you're doing. Young advises staying confident in your buildup, especially when training in unpleasant conditions. Sullivan agrees, stating that trusting your training is critical, especially when you're preparing for a fall race. She advises staying confident that you'll be ready for a great race when you taper and conditions improve.

| Athlete | Marathon Personal Record | | --- | --- | | Clayton Young | 2:05:41 | | Susanna Sullivan | 2:21:56 | | CJ Albertson | 2:08:17 |

## Commit to Strength and Mobility Work

Sullivan believes that being consistent with strength and mobility workouts has the biggest effect on performance. She emphasizes the importance of injury prevention, stating that being 90% fit and 100% healthy is better than being 100% fit and 90% healthy. The writer scaled back their strength workouts but continued to prioritize mobility routines, which included moves like 90/90 hip openers and calf stretches.

## Inject Some Speed

Albertson suggests adding short sprints to your training to train your neuromuscular system and muscles. He recommends adding two to three strides or 100-meter accelerations to the end of two runs per week. The writer's training plan already included speed workouts, but they focused on making those sessions high-quality.

## Master the Recovery Basics

Young emphasizes the importance of nutrition and sleep in recovery. He advises focusing on the basics before adding extras like massage guns or nutritional hacks. The writer prioritized sleep by winding down earlier and asking friends to meet for dinner earlier. They also worked on getting enough carbs and salt during training.

## Recruit a Training Partner

Young believes that training with a partner is essential for a better quality workout and social benefits. The writer committed to running a 20-miler with a friend, which made the miles fly by and set them up for success.

## Expect the Unexpected

Sullivan advises thinking through what you'll do if something goes wrong during a race, such as dropping a gel or getting a blister. The writer created a list of potential issues and how to handle them, which gave them confidence and reduced anxiety.

## Sharpen Your Decision-Making

Young advises being more assertive in mid-race decisions, such as whether to stick to your pace or alter it. He suggests practicing making decisions quickly and efficiently in training runs to make them automatic on race day. The writer made a swift decision to pull back and run their trained pace, which helped them avoid hitting the wall at mile 20.

## Find Your Calm

Albertson advises staying calm and positive amidst potentially discouraging times. The writer remembered this advice during a shakeout run two days before the Sydney Marathon, which helped them stay focused and confident.