When you sign up to run with Team Alzheimer’s Society, you’ll have access to expert training guides and advice by professional coaches at RunningWithUs. Together, we’ll make sure you are race ready on that start line, and will make sure you have lots of fun getting there.
Check out our 10 point fool proof guide to prevent making those age-old mistakes when training for a marathon. This is just a taste of the support you will receive when running as part of our team.
We are also offering £10 entry into the ASICS Greater Manchester Marathon when you sign up through our website using discount code UKRunChat.
1. Get the right kit
Invest in a proper pair of running trainers from the word go to
prevent injury and make running comfortable. Go to a proper running store and ask for a ‘gait analysis’ so your trainers are chosen to fit your foot and running style.
It’s worth investing in running kit made from technical fabric. This aids comfort and will help wick the sweat away from the skin, feel less heavy and support the correct areas. Alzheimer’s Society offers a free technical running top to anyone running for them.
2. Avoid going from Zero to Hero
Starting with 3-4 runs a week is great if you’re just starting out, with rest days between. Be patient and be prepared to walk/run to build fitness and gradually reduce the amount of walking in the weeks ahead.
3. Planning, patience and progression
Remember these and apply them to your running at all times! Plan your running, how many times a week, where, when, long term, mid term, short term goals. Be patient, improvement will come but it is a progressive process! Any of the training plans with Alzheimer’s Society will give you this but you need to get those runs ring-fenced in the diary.
4. Set intermediate goals
12-14 weeks of solid training can seem daunting so we strongly recommend adding some intermediate targets by entering at least one half marathon to check your progress and focus your training. Check out the Alzheimer’s Society website to see which half marathons they have places in.
5. Training plan
Get yourself a training plan to support your goals. The plans at Alzheimer’s Society are specifically design to not only get you fit, but to get you marathon fit. Just running faster and harder alone won’t get you there. Follow a plan with the key elements to cope with the physical demands of running 26.2 miles such a weekly threshold running, hills to build strength and marathon pace and effort towards the end of your key long runs.
6. Invest in a simple stopwatch
Whilst a GPS watch can provide you with useful information about your training, a very simple stopwatch will help when structuring lengths of runs or blocks of run/walking. You’ll see our training plans are based around time and perceived effort to help you with this.
7. Make it social
Look into local running groups to join in order to run with others. Try checking RunTogether for local running set ups along with many of the leading retailers such as Sweatshop and Runnersneed who all host runs from their shops for all levels of experience.
8. Safe, sensible, interesting
Choose routes that are all of the above: Safe, sensible and interesting. Incorporating lots of ‘off road’ such as grass or trail alongside tarmac running is most desirable as this is kinder to the body and joints. Don’t be afraid of keeping hills in your route – hills act as ‘speed work in disguise’ and can provide crucial strength you’ll need in the final 10km of a marathon.
9. Pace yourself…the tortoise was right!
Whether you’re a new or experienced marathon runner, learn to ‘run at the speed of chat’. It can be tempting to always push along at a steady effort – never quite getting the full aerobic benefits of an easy, conversational paced run and leaving you tired for your harder sessions.
10. Basic core exercises
These are vital as a strong body will support your running and 
prevent injury. These only need to be very simple exercises that can take minutes in your living room. The training guides with Alzheimer’s Society detail some of the key exercises to complete – they don’t take long and will make you a stronger, less injury prone runner.
Alzheimer’s Society are offering £10 entry into the ASICS Greater Manchester Marathon when you sign up through their website using discount code UKRunChat.
