Planning For Your Next Big Event

You've got a spot in your next big running event, but now what?

Getting an entry in one of the big marathons, like a World Marathon Major, can feel as much of a challenge as actually running it. But what happens when you do get a spot? What do you do next? Panic or plan? We talk you through the next steps and help you prepare for the experience of a lifetime! Planning for your next event is crucial.

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If you've grabbed yourself an entry in a big half or full marathon through a ballot and you weren't expecting to get one, or you've just entered an event without really thinking about next steps then you're in the right place. Here's the guide on what to do next!

Get yourself checked over before planning for your next big event

Before planning for your next big event it's a good idea to have a medical check up. This is particularly important if you haven't exercised for a few years and if you're planning to do a marathon. If you are carrying a few extra pounds you will be putting yourself under some pressure for the first few weeks of your training, so it's essential that you let a medical practitioner have a look at you to give you the all clear.

Talk it through with family and friends

Running a marathon, or a half marathon, can be a life changing experience: not just for yourself, but also for those close to you. You need to understand that it is going to impact many people's lives and it is essential that you talk it through with them at the earliest opportunity. You will be spending many days and evenings training and this time has got to come from somewhere. Most people now lead busy, hectic lives and it is likely that the time you need to train will have to be taken from time that you would ordinarily be spending with those closest to you. Both you and your friends and family need to understand this at an early stage to avoid any misunderstanding or confusion later. You don't want a 'it's me or the marathon' type of conversation in the middle of your training programme. You are going to need as much support as you can get when the training picks up, so take them with you throughout your journey. Getting confirmation of your event spot is a big moment, but don't leave them behind. Celebrate together and plan ahead together.

Pick a training plan and stick with it

We'd love you to use one of ours, but if you don't make sure it's from a reputable site and that it's right for you. There are now so many options and lots of them aren't of the quality you need. Plans should be built on the four principles of training; progression, specificity, individualisation and overload. Stick with it, you do not want to change to another in a few weeks. If you think you may struggle with committing as much time as you'd like then select the 'get you round' option rather than a specific time like 3, 4, or 5 hours. The faster the target time then generally the more time you'll have to invest in your training. Be very cautious when forecasting your potential finish time and remember that this will be used to decide where you start the event from. The faster the predicted time, the further up the start area you'll be starting from. Get it wrong and your race day experience will be seriously impacted. Four hours for a marathon might sound easy when you're sitting on the sofa, many months out from the event, but after a few weeks of training it might seem a distant dream. To get across the line in four hours you'll need to be very committed to your training schedule and be prepared to run at least five times a week for the last two or three months before the race at a pretty decent pace. It also means being able to run a half marathon in at least 1 hour 45 mins. A three hour marathon is a whole different ball game!

Decide how you are going to fit it all in

Training for a distance running event isn't the type of activity that you can just squeeze into an already full schedule; you will need to make some adjustments to your current way of life to make it all work. Most of us have the time to make it work, we just might not know it. Think about the TV shows you could do without or how you could change your work schedule, especially with the growth in working from home. Could you run before work, or during lunch? If you work in an office then being able to run after work can be difficult if you're back late. Can you run from the office and then head home? Think carefully how you're going to make it work.

This also goes for the long runs at the weekend and the events that will form an important part of your build up to the big day. If your weekends are full with another sport or hobby then you might need to put it on hold for a while. Once you are well into your training plan your long runs will be anything from an hour to well in excess of three hours and when you add in the time that it takes to get ready, stretch, cool down and then grab a shower you're looking at potentially five hours. This will be one day of your weekend and while the other day will likely be a rest day. it's possible there may be some cross training, so don't make many plans outside of your running!

Make a diary of short, medium and long term targets

Your training consists of a number of key milestones, with the end game of actually completing the event being just one of them. There are a lot of important stages in between, including running your first 5k, a 10k, a 10 mile event, a half marathon (if you're training for a marathon) and potentially one more if there is a longer event near you. you will need to allocate at least 3 weekends for these events. As soon as you get your spot in your main event and you've decided on your training plan you need to plan in these build up events. Your training plan will tell you when you need to be doing long runs of certain distances so make sure you book in your build up events to match up with those long runs. Most of these build up events will be easy to get into, but the sooner you enter and get your spot confirmed the better. Don't leave it too late or you could be travelling much further than you need to if your preferred option fills quicker than expected.

Another reason to get these build up events in the diary early is that it's great mentally to have goals to aim for along the way. Rather than worry about the big long term goal your short term focus is on the shorter distance. Many beginners lose heart early in their training because they are thinking about the long term goal and how hard it might be. Don't do that. Focus on the 5k race and tick that off, before moving on to the next one.

Keep a training log

Motivation is the key to your distance event training and one of the biggest motivators is to keep a training log so you can see how well you're doing. There are now so many ways of doing this. You can use Instagram, Facebook, TikTok where you add comments and let your followers know what you're up to, or Strava, or Garmin if you use one of them to actually record your runs. A blog is also a good way of recording your progress and of course if you're fundraising you need to keep your supporters up to date on your fundraising page, so don't forget updates on there. You could also keep notes offline, but this can be a bit hit and miss. Make sure you interact with others going through the same challenges. Our forum is a great place to do that.

Start thinking about your kit

Now is the time to start thinking about your running kit. If you're a beginner or someone who just runs now and again, chances are you won't have the gear you need for what lies ahead. You don't want to start your challenge with the wrong gear either, so get down to your local running specialist and get your feet measured properly and get advice on the right shoes for you. They'll also help you get everything else right. Because running is seen as a relatively simple sport and not requiring vast amounts of equipment, many underestimate the importance of getting the right kit. it's right that you don't need too much to get started, but make sure what you do buy is the right gear. It can be easy to make poor choices early on, especially with shoes.

What lies ahead may well challenge you in ways you've not been challenged before but imagine the feeling of satisfaction when you cross the finish line. It will have been as a result of hard work and dedication and those achievements are the best ones! Planning for your big event is a major part of this success.