The heat of summer is letting up and cooler temperatures are just around the corner.  It’s a perfect time to hit the heart of your marathon training schedule. And with my next marathon coming up in October in St. Louis, I’ve been getting into a much more disciplined training routine over the past several weeks.

I love getting outdoors this time of year, running along the trails near the river, and enjoying the fall colors.  The display makes the miles fly by, and reminds me why I love getting out into nature.  Even though being out on the trails is my favorite part of running, I also need to be flexible if I’m going to meet my fitness and training goals.

Through the winter I average running about 12-15 miles per week.  My strategy for marathon training is to start with that base in the spring and increase by roughly 10% mileage per week.  I have seen this system work extremely well.  If you attempt a more rapid build, you could be setting yourself up for injury.  If you try a slower build, you may not improve as quickly as you could and therefore don’t reach your goals.

The weekly miles add up as follows:  a weekend long run that is 40-50% of my weekly total, a midweek semi-long run that is about 25% of my weekly total, and two shorter runs to make up the total miles I am shooting for that week.  So, for example, on a week that I plan to run 40 miles, I may run 18 miles on Saturday or Sunday, 6 miles on Monday, 10 miles on Wednesday, and 6 miles on Friday.  I like the system of alternating easy and hard days, and even taking a day off after a longer run to let the body recover.  That seems to become more important the older I get.

Four weeks before the marathon I start to taper, running about 25% of my peak mileage the week before the event.  Those weeks also are good times to do a little more speed and hill work to get the legs turning over faster.

I’m a big believer in weightlifting or calisthenics and stretching.  By staying strong and flexible along with the cardiovascular fitness that comes from running, we can further reduce the risk of injury and make sure that we have overall fitness that will serve us in other physical activities, such as cutting firewood or lifting heavy objects. It is also important to maintain a nutritious diet and make sure you have the proper gear for a healthy training regimen, such as the clothing and shoes you wear and the type of eyewear you choose. Before a long run outdoors, whether on a trail or in a marathon, I always make sure to prepare by eating a healthy meal, drinking lots of water and dressing appropriately for the weather. Wearing Transitions® lenses also helps me to see clearly and comfortably when light conditions change, so that I can follow the trail and keep up with the marathon route, all while enjoying the scenic views around me.

This all sounds like a big commitment of time, and it is.  But how often do we watch an entire football game on a Sunday afternoon?  Just think how many miles you could run in those three hours!  My record is 20 miles.  Maybe I am a little crazy for saying so, but my opinion is that you might as well get some exercise during the game.  Then even if your favorite team doesn’t come out on top (like my Minnesota Norsemen last year) at least I get some exercise out of the deal.

It’s always a good idea to see your primary care doctor before you start an exercise program to make sure you feel your best, and to visit your eye doctor regularly for comprehensive eye exams to make sure your vision is healthy, too. The benefits of exercise are immediate and lifelong.  Create a vision of yourself being fit at any age and go for it.  Let me know how it goes.

I write a lot about running marathons. While I enjoy running and plan to run a marathon in every state, it’s also nice to participate in other outdoor activities and sports to have some variety. Soon enough the Minnesota weather will turn cool, so I make sure to get outdoors to go fishing as often as I can during the summer.

It has been a family tradition for about the past 50 years to take a trip to the Lake of the Woods on the US/Canada border in the middle of May for the Minnesota Fishing Opener. That trip is always interesting. The lake is so large that the wind and waves can complicate things. Also, even though it’s the Spring, the temperature can still drop to below freezing and it can even snow or rain to make you wonder if warm summer weather will ever arrive and just why this outdoor trip seemed like a good idea. 

When I was 12 years old, I was allowed to participate in the Fishing Opener for the first time—a very big deal in my family. On that weekend, we share stories of past fishing trips, hear the old stories of World War II in the South Pacific, and see a side of our older relatives that we’d never seen before. We always eat several great meals of fresh walleye, and each of us brings home a limit to share with the rest of our families. The packaged fish also serve as proof that we were actually fishing.

Through the summer we usually go fishing in area lakes and rivers, knowing that sometimes the fish will cooperate, and sometimes they won’t. On a recent summer evening I had the opportunity to go fishing with my sons in the river that runs behind our home. I had gotten a tip from a friend that there were so many walleye they were practically jumping into the boat. Unfortunately, the fish eluded us that day, but that took nothing away from the enjoyable time we had.

The trip started on a clear evening around suppertime. By the time we were done fishing and had the boat back on the trailer, it was dark outside. A tip I can offer for fishing, as with other outdoor activities, is to make sure you wear proper eyewear that improves your visual experience, such as adaptive lenses that automatically adjust to changing light conditions, so you have comfortable, quality vision throughout the day and into the night.Which reminds me of another story--a few years ago I was wearing a pair of glasses with a sun clip while fishing after supper. When it turned dark, I removed the clip and set it on the console of the boat. When we were done fishing, we fired up the boat motor and headed for home. As we got up to speed, I felt something glance off my right arm and fly into the water. Back at the dock I discovered—you guessed it—my sun clip was at the bottom of the lake.

I make sure to wear adaptive lenses, like Transitions^® lenses every time I leave home for an activity where I know the light conditions will change, whether I’m running a marathon in the daylight or fishing with my family into the evening.