Three steps to prepping like a pro

NO ONE, except perhaps Forrest Gump, attempts a marathon without preparation.

Whether you’re a first-time runner or an experienced athlete, sports science can help you prep like a pro.

Training and pacing are two areas where the advice of sports scientists can be gold.

According to Dr Chris Stevens, a Southern Cross University senior lecturer in sport and exercise science, runners should do three types of training sessions.

These include long, slow distance; threshold; and interval training.

“Long, slow distance sessions are when you aim to run for a long duration at a slow pace,” Dr Stevens said.

“These sessions increase your body’s capacity to transport and use oxygen for energy.

“Then there are the threshold or tempo sessions where the aim is to get comfortable with running at the race pace.

“These sessions increase the lactate threshold, which allows you to run at a higher intensity for a longer period without fatigue.”

Lactate is the by-product of muscles using glucose for energy and increasing your lactate threshold can affect performance and recovery in endurance sports like marathon running.

Interval training is the third important type of session.

“The aim is to run faster than usual in these sessions, by alternating fast running with periods of rest. These sessions allow a runner to increase their maximal aerobic running pace,” Dr Stevens said.

“It won’t make the race a walk in the park, but it will make race pace more comfortable.”