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Marathons and Covid: 3 Ways to Keep Running

For people who are serious about running, there is no better satisfaction than being able to prove their worth in a marathon. But Covid-19 has decimated the dreams of many, and according to the Wall Street Journal, there has been a 95% drop in road races between March 2020 and October 2020, compared to the same time last year. So what’s a runner to do? How can you keep up your motivation when your big goals have been taken away? There are a few tricks to keep yourself moving, literally and figuratively!

1. Create a Race With a Friend

Everything’s better with a friend, and running is no exception. Even if you can’t hit the official streets for the New York City Marathon, or travel down south to run with the princesses at Disney, there is no reason you cannot measure out 26.2 or 13.1 and run it with a pal. You can go through the training program, prepare your pre-meal race, and have your spouse and other friends make signs! Who knows, it might be the most fun race you’ve ever run!

2. Work on Your Cross Training Repertoire

One positive that may come from having no marathons to sign up for is that you will have more time to work on your cross-training. Let’s face it: cross-training often gets lost when you are trying to pack on the running miles. With more time away from a running course, you can focus on things like swimming, biking, and weight training. By training new muscles, you will have a stronger body ready for when marathons get the green light after Covid-19 is over. 

3. Get Faster

Even if you can’t make it official and get the medal around your neck, you can still meet and exceed goals that you make for yourself. Try some interval runs that boost your speed and your stamina. These will work to increase your speed whether on treadmill or local track. You could also run hills and improve your stamina for doing so. In both these cases, you will be a better runner when the marathon registration opens.

For people who love to run, the loss of official marathons throughout the year seems devastating. But whether you choose to make your own, work on your cross-training, or get faster, you will be a better runner when the starter gun goes off at the beginning of your next race, whenever that may be!!

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