Another Run SMART coach comes out against the “magic 20 and 22 milers” for beginner marathoners. We all know Jack is very adamant about his 2:30 hour cap on long runs for beginners and we pretty much rest our case there but in an interview with Run SMART Media, Ann Alyanak says “20 and 22 mile long runs are not necessary” for a first-time marathon runner looking to finish the race.
RS: When you get a client who wants to run a marathon but has never run a race before what do you tell them?
ANN: I would not discourage a client from running a marathon even if they have not raced before but I would encourage them to run some shorter races first like a 5k and 10k and maybe even a half marathon. I would want them just to experience a race environment before jumping right into a marathon.