How to Train for a Marathon

"We are different, in essence, from other men. If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon."

Emil Zatopek, 1952 Olympic Marathon gold medalist

There is no two ways about it, training for a marathon is not easy. It requires time, effort and dedication.

However, it doesn't matter whether you run 20 miles a week or haven't been for a jog in a length of time you'd rather not admit, you can successfully train for a marathon.

To make it more simple, I have split the training into the following three categories; exercise, nutrition and motivation, each as important as the other.

As said it my previous fitness article, Lean, Ripped & Stripped, it is important to create yourself a realistic workout. Don't plan to run five miles every night if you go to work every day or haven't trained in a year or so. Realistic work outs achieve results and more likely to be stuck to.

When training for a marathon, the key is to have a rather easy training session throughout the week and one heavy run on a set day.

I've created a rough 28 day schedule which a beginner could base his/her marathon work out on.

Nutrition is something people easily forget when it comes to training, whether it be for a marathon or just getting a good body.

Food; carbohydrates are what provide runners with energy, so particularly on work out days, carbs should be about 60% of your calorie intake and protein and unsaturated fats should take up the rest. Foods such as pasta, dried fruit and nuts, fresh fish and lean meats are all good options.

Drink; everyone knows water is vital in maintaining a healthy body. When you run, you'll undoubtedly sweat, so you'll need to drink more than you would on an average day. Consume at least two litres of water a day. Green tea is also beneficial to the system, try starting your day with a cup.

Vitamins; grab yourself a bottle of multi-vitamins and take one each day. Iron helps transporting oxygen in blood, vitamin C is good to maintain healthy bones, joints and skin and calcium maintains strong bones. All of these are good for marathon trainers.

I know how easy it is to lose motivation when it comes to working out. "I'll just have tonight off, I've had a long day" or "Well I don't want to miss Eastenders...".

I've got something very unfortunate to tell you, missing one work out will lead to another, and another, and eventually you'll give up. 

It is important to try and maintain your motivation, keep your eye on the goal. Set a picture of previous marathon winner as your phone background, make a poster of the best ways to train and put it at the end of your bed, let your friends and family know what you're doing and make sure they keep check of what you're doing... all these things help.

There are some motivational quotes that may just help you make that work out session you don't really want to do:

"Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever." - Lance Armstrong

"Mental will is a muscle that needs exercise, just like muscles of the body." - Lynn Jennings

"To uncover your true potential you must first find your own limits and then you have to have the courage to blow past them." - Picabo Street

"If you aren't going all the way, why go at all?" - Joe Namath

"I hated every minute of training, but I said, 'Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life a champion.'" - Muhammad Ali

Marathons are on regularly, to see upcoming marathons and half-marathons, have a look at the full list.

Lean, Ripped & Stripped

Lean, ripped and stripped is all about creating a desirable figure and maintaining a healthy lifestyle in various different ways.

PART 1

Workout Schedule

The most important factor in creating and maintaining an effective workout regime is to fit it around your daily chores such as work, education and regular commitments. If you are motivated to succeed in your mission to have a good body, the gym will eventually become a regular occurrence in your life, just like brushing your teeth, it will become second nature. All you need to do, is ensure you don't try to bite off more than you can chew and make your goals SMART; specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-sensitive.

Many people feel as if every time they go to gym they have to focus on one particular muscle group, such as chest, arms, abs, legs and back. However, realistically, you should be working each main muscle group twice a week. If you were to only focus on each muscle group once a week, you'd still be going to the gym five times a week but only hitting each muscle group 52 times a year. If you were to double up within a workout, for example, chest and triceps or back and biceps, you could be doubling up your workout whilst still only going to the gym five times a week. This equals a massive 104 hits a year per muscle group whilst still going to the gym the same amount of times.

Realistically, some people can not go the gym five times a week, but don't less this deter you. If you aim for three workouts a week, it should maintain and improve your figure. Don't worry if you miss a session and it's a bonus if you do any more.

The following a three work out regimes. Use which you feel is most appropriate for you.

FAT BURNING REGIME

This is a workout schedule for those that wish to lose a few pounds to get that perfect summer body.

Try to aim to workout three times a week for 45 minutes to an hour with a rest day in between each.

The types of training you will encounter will be;

Interval training; in cardio, you will work out at various different speed, differentiating from one to the other in an unorganised fashion. For example, on a treadmill, you would walk for a minute, sprint for 30 seconds, jog for a minute, then walk for 30 seconds and so on. On a cross trainer, you would increase the level and pace and drop it down in a random fashion. If on a rower, you could go at a normal pace for a minute and then complete 5-10 hard blast strides then go back to a normal pace and repeat.

Endurance; with the same intention through cardio, you will simply complete a regimental workout of a set time and speed. For example, on a treadmill, you would jog for 20 to 30 minutes at a moderate speed. On a cross trainer, it will be very similar, you would set yourself a specific resistance level and a set time and complete. Rowing is just the same in terms of time and pace.

A weekly schedule template:

Monday: 30 - 45 minutes of interval training

Tuesday: REST

Wednesday: 45 - 60 minutes of endurance training

Thursday: REST

Friday: 15 - 30 minutes of interval training and 15 - 30 minutes of endurance training

Weekend: REST

NOTE: The Friday session is followed by two full days of pure rest, therefore, it is the perfect opportunity to push yourself in both areas of cardio training.

MUSCLE TRAINING REGIME

This is a workout schedule for those that wish to either gain muscle mass or simply tone up and get ripped.

Try to aim to workout three to four times a week for 45 minutes with a rest in between each.

The types of training you will encounter will be in forms of reps and sets. Reps are the amount the amount of times you will complete the exercise and sets are the amount of the times will complete the allocated reps.

MG: Muscle gain

MT: Muscle tone

An example of one exercise per muscular group is;

ARMS: Triceps and biceps; tricep kick backs and standing bicep curl

MG: Two sets of 10-12 reps (heavier weight i.e. 80% of what you could lift.) 

MT: Three sets of 12-15 reps (lower weight i.e. 60% of what you could lift)

Stage 2

Stage 1

Stage 1

Stage 2

SHOULDERS: shoulder press

MG: Two sets of 10-12 reps (heavier weight i.e. 80% of what you could lift.) 

MT: Three sets of 12-15 reps (lower weight i.e. 60% of what you could lift)

Stage 1

Stage 2

ABS: crunches 

MG: Two sets of 15 reps

MT: Four sets of 20 reps

Stage 1

Stage 2

BACK: one arm row

MG: Two sets of 10-12 reps (heavier weight i.e. 80% of what you could lift.) 

MT: Three sets of 12-15 reps (lower weight i.e. 60% of what you could lift)

Stage 1

Stage 2

LEGS: alternate lunges

MG: Two sets of 10-12 reps each leg

MT: Four sets of 12-15 reps each leg

Stage 1

Stage 2

A weekly schedule template would be;

MONDAY: Back, triceps and abs

TUESDAY: Rest

WEDNESDAY: Chest, biceps and abs

THURSDAY:  Rest

FRIDAY: Legs, shoulders and abs

WEEKEND:  Rest

NOTE:

Again with such a good break over the weekend, the body needs to be worked out well throughout the week. This will begin to allow the body to reproduce muscle fibres, which will leave your muscles in good stead for the week ahead.

THE BEST OF BOTH REGIME

This is a workout schedule for those who wish to tone up their entire body and maintain good fitness levels all in one work out. 

This regime will include both of the above exercise training types; cardio and muscular including interval training, endurance training and muscular tone.

It is important in this workout to have a cardio start and a muscular finish.

Try to aim to workout four times a week for roughly an hour each with a rest day in-between every workout.

MONDAY: 10 minutes interval training, 15 minutes endurance training, 30 minutes muscular training (chest, biceps and abs)

TUESDAY: Rest

WEDNESDAY: 15 minutes interval training, 10 minutes endurance training, 30 minutes muscular training (back, triceps and abs)

THURSDAY: Rest

FRIDAY: 20 minutes interval training, 20 minutes endurance training, 20 minutes muscular training (legs, shoulders and abs)

WEEKEND: Rest

NOTE:

Again with such a good break over the weekend, the body needs to be worked out well throughout the week. This will begin to allow the body to reproduce muscle fibres, which will leave your muscles in good stead for the week ahead.

To be continued…

The above article was written using the expertise and understandings of a young man, in an average life with an extraordinary goal.

Alex Gard is a 21-year-old fitness fanatic who is currently training to make it big in the field of physique modelling. Currently working within the fitness industry as a one-to-one trainer, Alex is dedicating a large majority of his life to achieve his goal through learning and training.

Student's Guide to Procrastination

Being a university student, I think I have successfully discovered the best ways to procrastinate. In fact, right now I'm meant to be writing a philosophy post, however, I feel this is more important. Let me share my knowledge...

1. Google pointless things. When you have a huge assignment in, it is the perfect time to Google those random things that come into your mind that you have never found the time to research before. For instance, what do llamas look like in sombreros? (Amazing). Does bread go mouldy quicker in the fridge? (Yes). Is there anything Chuck Norris cannot do? (No).

2. Do a cheeky bit of online shopping. It doesn't matter if you have no money in your bank account, you definitely need to do some online shopping. It'll be the perfect way to get you motivated. 

3. Start watching an addictive TV series. To save you time, I suggest you start watching Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad or The Walking Dead. When you watch the first episode, you definitely need to watch every episode in every series. Plus, it means by the time you get round to doing your work, you'll be older and therefore wiser.

4. Continuously check the fridge for good food. Just a heads up, it doesn't change and the mouldy onion doesn't get more appetising. Perhaps you shouldn't have spent all your money on alcohol but instead done some food shopping. HA.

5. Start an argument but pretend it's an educational debate. Ah your ex is online, perfect time to discuss the merits of commitment and likelihood of getting sexually transmitted diseases from his new girlfriend, the harlot.

6. Decide you haven't seen your friends in too long and it's probably time for a good night out. Call them all, get them round yours for pre drinks and say you'll be back be 11pm. Maybe 12 at a push. Maybe a week later because you ended up on a booze cruise to Mexico in search of llamas in sombreros.

7. Start a blog. Enough said really.

8. Suddenly realise the importance of family time and call your mum. It is vital that she hears how much work you have so she gives you the much needed sympathy you deserve... and hopefully she'll send you some money to refill the fridge... with booze.

9. Nap, we both know you can't work to your greatest potential if you're tired. Just get into bed, turn the lights off and close your eyes for an hour or seven. You can do your work afterwards.

10. Have an emotional breakdown. This is at the bottom of the list because it's least preferable but almost a certainty to happen for any university student. It will, however, take up a good couple of weeks; a perfect way to put off your dissertation.

You're welcome.

Lust in Red

The below is written by a good friend of mine, Matt Rose.

Have a look at his blog; www.theamericanrose.blogspot.com

Her thin frame dressed in red, she was a vision of youthful lust and innocence wrapped up in the trimmings of black ribbon. My gaze and smile both swelled with pride as I watched her dance among the others, who, for some wordless reason, could never touch her grace. It wasn't only that she was beautiful. There was a freshness about her, an unspoiled wonder left unknown to a world that would seek to exploit it. And still, there was a strangeness about her. The way in which she was able to preserve herself was uncontrived, void of the common trickery of her fellow debutantes. There was no smoke and no show, and she was a bare stage with the curtain drawn. In nearly every thing that she did this could be seen: the way she talked, the way she sipped her sangria, the way she danced, the way she looked at me and held my hand; in all of this, there was something unseen that protected her, something that prevented the outside from getting in. It was only in the many hours of her presence that my fear became known to me: I wanted desperately for her to stay that way, a nameless treasure. She was like finding fresh water after months at sea, her skin quenched and smooth next to mine. And so sweet was the taste of her purity, so profound the knowing of her breath, that I may never go back to sea again.

HCJ: Kant

Immanuel Kant was a German philosopher that sought to reject the epistemology of Hume. He rejected Hume's idea that people were irrational and thought it was essential that humans should be rational, so that they could be moral and free.

Kant believe he had a stronger form of Hume's a priori knowledge, named synthetic a priori; knowledge that can be gained independently of experience. For example, if there was 1,000 living people in a football stadium and this is fact, you could also derive from that knowledge the minimum capacity of the stadium must be at least 1,000 people, you would also know the stadium could support human life and that time elapsing.

Through this, Kant has established the existence of both space and time. An object cannot possibly exist outside of time and space, they are the pre-conditions of all experience.

Kant supposedly saves science and metaphysics from scepticism, such as Hume's, in observing that every change has a cause and effect to nature. 

He rejects previous ideas that things exist if they are perceived, claiming they have to exist in order to perceive them; existence is a predicate of perception. Although Kant suggests reality is shaped by our perception, his theory is not solipsist as he believes the universe exists independently of the mind.

Kant believes we perceive the world by processing raw data into 12 innate categories; unity, plurality (or not), totality (or not), reality, negation, extension (substance), cause and effect, community (likeness to other objects), possibility (or impossibility), existence (or non-existence) and necessity (or contingency).

Anything in the world that is observed fits into at least one of the above categories. Kant argues that our perceptions only exist in our minds as phenomena.

Phenomena; real objects in the mind as we perceive them.

Noumena; the object itself, rather than as it is perceived.

Any object has a dual nature; the way it is naturally and the way it is when we perceive it. We can never know the noumena as once an object it is perceived by us, it is the phenomena.

Kant's moral philosophy was called the Categorical Imperative. It was a set of maxims that should be lived by, regardless of the situation. Any action could only be justifiable moral if it could be universalised without contradiction. For example, stealing a loaf of bread to feed your starving family may seem justifiable, but stealing a car is not. However, as stealing is not acceptable in every situation, you have a contradiction, so in Kant's view, it would never be acceptable to steal.

Ten Top Tips for Video Journalism

1. At the start of your VT, use your best images; it'll entice the audience and make them want to watch on.

2. Shoot in thirds. This is very important for decent shots. Imagine your shot has a grid of nine squares, all equal sizes. Use it to guide your shots, for equal proportions and professional shots.

3. Be aware of lighting. Make sure if you're interviewing someone, they're not stood directly under light as it could make them look like a silhouette. If possible, use your own lighting and set it up to make the lighting exactly as you want it.

4. Check the white balance on the camera before you start shooting. It's purpose is to bring attention, naturally, to the interviewee. Get the interviewee to hold a white piece of paper when setting the white balance.

5. Try to use a tripod when possible, particularly in a sit-down interview, rather than using a hand-held camera. The shot will seem more still and professional. Balance the tripod by putting a spirit level on it.

6. Interviews look better if the interviewee is standing up, especially when the VT is news instead of feature.

7. To focus correctly on the interviewee, zoom in on their eyes and focus, then zoom out. This will then ensure the entire shot will be focussed perfectly on the interviewee. Avoid putting the camera on auto-focus, particularly during a sit-down interview.

8. The best cutaway are sequences (three shots of the same thing from different angles) and should always make sense. They should last for roughly four seconds. Make sure there is no NATSOT during a cutaway.

9. To get a GV, hold the camera next to your shoulder for roughly five seconds. The more footage you get, the better, as it gives you more options when editing.

10. Make sure your interviewee is comfortable; the best interviews are those that seem natural. Speak to your interviewee for a bit before you start recording so that they're relaxed and have an idea of what to say. Film them doing something too, rather than the entire VT just being them standing or sitting still. Ensure the background is as interesting as possible, rather than just against a plain white wall.

For terminology references, CLICK ME which explains it all.

HCJ: Empiricism - Locke to Hume

Hume is a very important philosopher to know in journalism; he's interesting and fearless. Locke fits in nicely with this as Hume based his ideas on those of Locke.

Empiricism is the complete opposite of rationalism. A rationalist believes he can gain knowledge about the world simply by thinking about it, Descartes being an example, whereas an empiricist believes knowledge comes from experience, Locke being an example.

A prior is knowledge from reason, a posteriori is knowledge from experience.

John Locke

He is considered as one of the first Empiricists. He believes knowledge is derived from experience.

Locke is against the concept of innate ideas; he believes that at birth our minds were simply blank slates. The concept of innate ideas wasn't needed anyway, as God gave us the ability to discover knowledge and morality known as "God given faculties". 

David Hume

Hume was known as 'The Great Infidel' due to his attacks on religion.

Although his ideas were based on Locke's, he disagrees with Locke's idea of God given faculties. He believes experience is processed into thoughts naturally.

Hume has been criticised and called an anti-rationalist due to his skepticism about the pretensions of reason, however, he is pro-science and anti-superstition.

Locke mainly speaks about ideas, which is sensory data acted on by reason, and Hume speaks about perceptions, which is any content of the mind. This refines Locke's ideas.

Perceptions can be impressions or ideas. They can be anything you see, hear, feel or think. Beliefs can be separated into either relations of ideas or matters of fact. A relation of ideas is a priori bond between ideas. For instance, 5+5=10 or all bachelors are unmarried. Matters of fact are to do with experience, a posteriori. We know these through a process of cause and effect. This does, however, rely on a belief in causation and induction. Hume believes that all matters of fact are fundamentally non-rational.

Logic

There are two different types of logic.

Deductive; this is when if all the premises are true, it means the conclusion must be true also. For instance; all men are mortal, Socrates is a man, therefore Socrates is mortal.

Inductive; this is when a conclusion is established which is presumed to be true with some degree of probability.

Induction
As a general, it is considered that what has happened in the past will happen again in the future. For instance, the sun rose yesterday morning, therefore it shall rise again this morning, and tomorrow morning, which is what the whole of science is basically based on.

However, the question is raised of how can we know history will repeat itself... and so begins the search for natural laws.

The scientific method for finding the natural laws is to carry our experiments, make observations and from this information, build up general laws using induction. It is then that induction becomes the demarcation between science and non-science. Hume argued a problem with induction as it is not reliable and cannot be definitively proved but it is human nature to presume what happened in the past with happen again in the future. You can not observe what will happen in the future, as you can not observe the future.

This presumption isn't secure, however it is what we base our entire lives on. It is custom and habit that set out our decisions and ideas for the future. Hume doesn't want us to abandon this but simple states that it is our confidence in the uniformity of nature that might let us down.