Arlington Runners is starting a brand new Marathon and Half Marathon training program at 9:00am on Sunday, May 2 at Trinity Park in Fort Worth.  This is a 33 week training program culminating in the Dallas White Rock Marathon and Half Marathon on December 12.

Facebook Page - this is where you'll find info on the race, photos, and training schedule.
Official Church Page - has additional details, a Map to our meeting spot, and our Hall of Fame.

Email me at Donny AT arlingtonadventist.com or RSVP for the Facebook event so we know to expect you!


-- What will this involve?
The first long run is 3 miles and slowly builds up to 6 miles over the first 12 weeks to build up a solid base.  The next 12 weeks will increase the long run from 6 miles to 14 miles.  The last 9 weeks will take Full Marathoners up to 20 miles, while the Half Marathoners will stay in the 9-14 mile range.  Each week it is also recommended that you run 2-3 workouts totaling your long run for that week (for example: if the long run is 8 miles you should be getting in two 4 milers).

-- Sounds like a big time commitment.
It will take a lot of hard work and dedication, but that's what makes it such an accomplishment.  Running the marathon isn't just about having the guts to run 26.2 miles - it's about having the dedication to run the 500 miles to prepare for it.

-- Wow, how much time each week will I need to spend running?
That depends on your pace and your dedication to the workouts.  At the beginning of the program, the average is probably less than 2 hours a week.  Toward the end of the program Half Marathoners will probably average 5 hours and Full Marathoners will probably average 6 hours a week.

-- What should I do before May 2?
Start getting some walking or jogging in.  The number one reason people don't make it to the starting line is because of overuse injuries.  If you overdo it from the start then you're asking to have trouble the whole way.  The schedule does a good job of building up slowly from 3 miles to 6 miles, but you need to be comfortable with 3 miles to start off with.

-- What do I need?
Shoes.  The only real necessity is a good pair of running shoes.  Trust me, cross trainers won't do it.  With the wrong pair of shoes, you might not notice anything when we start off with 3-5 miles, but as the runs get longer the little pangs can escalate into injuries.  My experience has led me to conclude that the best shoe for most people is a neutral cushioned shoe with a decent arch.  If you need more support then a custom orthotic is recommended.  It seems prevalent in the running shops to overprescribe stability shoes, which often leads to knee pain.

GPS.  My recommendation is a Garmin GPS watch.  The old 205 (blue) model can be bought for about $120.   Once we make it about halfway through the program the workouts become very pace-focused to help us reach our pace goals, and a GPS watch helps you control your pace.  Though the Trinity Trail has mile markers, it can be hard to exactly track your workout when you're supposed to turn around halfway between mile markers.

Energy gels also become useful when the mileage gets beyond 9 miles (or longer than about 1.5 hours).

Arlington Runners is a Marathon and Half Marathon training program.  
Facebook Page - this is where you'll find info on the race, photos, and training schedule.

Email me at Donny AT arlingtonadventist.com if you have any questions or concerns!

Here's the week-by-week 2010 Training Schedule.

From now until September we'll be meeting at 6:30 am.

The "official" running trail for Arlington Runners is the Trinity Trail in Fort Worth.  The trail has water fountains that are spread out with gaps ranging from half a mile to about 3 miles, so bring your own water if you like to have ready access to it.  View Map (when we meet, we will meet where the green arrow is).