Grad gives insight into marathon racing

At my old high school, there was a janitor who everybody loved. He was a fixture of the campus and a real joy for all those who knew him. This janitor also happened to be a long-distance runner. During my freshman year on campus, some kids convinced him to run the local marathon. The entire student body supported him and cheered him on. The school newspaper did a huge spread on it.

The next year, the kids seemed to care less, but he kept with it, year after year. The idea that his running could inspire people, no matter how few, steeled his resolve. The school never knew how much he went through. After researching this article, I wish I had cared a little more.

"Most people I know who run marathons train for roughly four months beforehand," said Hopkins graduate student Matthew Moore. "Basically, you slowly build up how much you run for about 13 weeks, peaking with three weeks where you run about 15 miles during the week and 20 on one weekend day. Then you spend the last three weeks "tapering" down, so that you aren't too exhausted to run the marathon."

Moore, at age 31, is currently studying for his Ph. D. in Political Science and has run two marathons. He ran his first, the Northern Central Trail (NCT) Marathon, in November of 2000. Moore's second run was the Baltimore Marathon on Oct. 20 of this year.

"I trained much harder for the first one than for the second. I finished the NCT in 4:15 and the Baltimore in 4:35. One thing worth saying is that training for and running a marathon is a lot easier than many people think," said Moore. "If you have at least four months before the marathon you want to run, you can probably do it, assuming that you don't have or develop any injuries. You can literally start out about five months ahead of time, running only a mile or two a few times a week, and then slowly build up."

When deciding to run the 26 mile, 385 yard race, there are many factors to consider. Marathons of all sizes occur in many different locations. A good starting point for potential runners is http://www.marathonguide.com. The site provides information of various marathons occurring around the country as well as tips for training, nutrition and even a bit of running history.

What prospective runners should keep in mind is the atmosphere of the marathon. You get a lot more pumped up if you're running with a bunch of other people, and strangers are cheering you on at every intersection.

A look at the thermometer might help make the run easier. Moore remembers:

"The NCT was the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and it was about 38 degrees outside. I ran in shorts, and I was really, really cold at the end of the race. In contrast, Baltimore was in mid-October, and it was about 60 degrees for most of the run. That was a lot more pleasant and easier on my body."

Marathons serve as great fund-raising opportunities. Some organizations, such as The National Leukemia Society will provide organized training and a group of runners to support your run.

"You sign up with them, they match you with a group that's training in your area, fly you to the marathon, pay your entrance fees, put you up in a hotel and have some social events planned while you're there." The only hitch is that you have to raise $2,000 to $4,000 - more for marathons that are farther away - for them.

Training and conditioning and support are all necessary to running, but a motivating reason is key. "Running a marathon is one of those big events that some people feel like they have to do at least once in their lives. Having done it twice, I think I'm done. It was fun, but the training just takes too much time, and I don't enjoy running enough to do it that much. I like running 10 miles, but 20 is just work."

And while we may have come to the end of Moore's marathon experience, I can't help thinking about my old janitor. I'm sure he's still there, training every Sunday on the school's old dusty track regardless of any articles in the paper.

He found his reason to run, and he'll be the first to tell you how much it meant to him. You want to run a marathon? Find a reason to run and get out on the road.