Local fitness expert and personal trainer Breda Barrett has complied the following useful information for experienced and not so experienced runners.

The very first place to start is in your mind. Every day I meet people who that say ‘I’d love to do a marathon or long distance road race but I can’t run’. It is important that your mind more than any other part of you is fit and up for the challenge.

It is a personal challenge for you to change your belief that you cannot run for longer than one minute and then step into a person who can run for 15 miles. That person is you. “Yes, I can do the maxi marathon”

Now that you have a commitment to you personal growth as a runner, it is vital that you start slowly and build your stamina and strength at a steady pace. Always be aware that you want to finish the race with all body parts still intact and not spun out.

So for first time runners, just remember to take small steps, ease yourself in and enjoy your running.

We can never stretch too much yet all of us (including myself) don’t stretch enough.

So start with a light jog, then a few gentle stretches and then after your run take 10 minutes to do a nice long deep stretch for your hamstrings (back of legs) thighs and lower back.

Don’t run every day as this leads to overtraining and injury. On the days that you are not running why not try cycling or swimming, this will be of great benefit to your overall fitness.

Injuries can come when you least expect them. On one of my training runs last year, I was talking to my friends and I wasn’t looking ahead of me and I ran into a stop sign! Ouch! So when you are injured be sensible, listen to your body and take a sufficient break from your training schedule.

Water running in the pool is ideal to keep you fitness levels up while you are injured, as you are avoiding the impact and strain that you would apply to your injuries, if you were running on the road or treadmill.

Consult regularly with your physiotherapist on what is best to do for your specific injury. Regular deep tissue massages will also prevent injury.

The area to hydration is an area where we all fall down, especially in Ireland as we don’t always think of drinking water when we get so much of it falling on top of us from the sky!!

It is important to drink 3 litres a day when we are training as you burn more energy and this in turn uses up our water supply.

All our organs need hydration – so think to drink! Fill up a 2 litre bottle of water and sip steadily through the day and after a long run (over an hour) rehydrate with an isotonic drink like Lucozade sport and follow it up with water.

The following training plans might not suit everybody and for absolute beginners to running, it is advised to do 4 weeks light training before starting the training plans.

For more information and guidance on training and preparation for the event, contact Breda Barrett on 086 1623103