AnneAlise:

In an ideal world, a marathon entails a three-to-four-month training regime, but there really isn’t a one size fits all program. Everybody is so different…some people may have never run more than two miles in their life while others might be working towards improving their performance from a previous race. What I can say is that a marathon training plan is a seven-day-a-week, well thought out process varying from endurance, hill, speed, and interval work to strength training, flexibility, mobility, manual work, and best of all – rest days.

This is SO essential! Proper nutrition and hydration goes far beyond race day and is really a part of the training process. Drinking plenty of water and eating healthy snacks and home-cooked meals is key to feeling your best through training and on race day.

I am personally not a fan of the cold. Training through January and February can be brutal, but having proper running apparel and cold weather gear makes all the difference. Also, you need to be prepared to adjust your training based on the unpredictable weather we have here in Boston…or you can always book a trip to somewhere warm so you won’t have any deterrents to hit the road!

I practice what I preach. The reason I built this team and program at FLX Wellness is to provide an all-encompassing approach. Personal and sports-specific training, strength training, fitness coaching, nutrition, core and flexibility, aquatics…it’s so essential to include all these facets to ensure your body is at its peak performance. Having a team work together on a custom program ensures that there will always be a mapped-out approach towards your goals. Knowing that you will in fact face adversities – like fatigue and minor injuries – and having a team there to support you and fall back on is the key to success. I personally have a physical therapist, personal trainer, sports masseuse, and a running coach, when I train.

You can do it!! Follow a plan and know that the mental training is the hardest part of running a marathon. You don’t have to be “built like a runner” to complete a marathon. Marathoners come in all shapes and sizes and if you put your mind to it, you can succeed. And remember to always listen to your body.

This is my tenth marathon, but I’m actually looking forward to this race more than any of my others. I’m running for a foundation near and dear to my heart…The Corey C. Griffin Foundation through Boston Medical Center.

I make a playlist of some of my favorite songs and on Marathon Monday I put it on shuffle. I always find that my most motivational songs come at the hardest parts of the course and push me through it. I listen to anything from country, R&B, pop remixes, and even some throwback 90s hits.