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2009 World Championships (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)
The Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon will be held on March 28, 2010. In 2009, 477 athletes finished the entire 26.2-mile race with an average time of 4:24.47. The race attracted runners at all levels from first-time marathoners to world-class athletes. Registration is now open for the 2010 race and athletes are already training.
What does it take to be a great marathon runner? Studies of successful marathoners published in 2007 by the American College of Sports Medicine found that:
1. Both men and women are very light in proportion to height. It's about developing legs and lungs, according to Dr. James Pavarnik.
2. High per-week mileage is not only necessary to finish the race, greater training mileage increases aerobic fitness and usually leads to faster race times.
3. Years of running experience do not determine success. Why? Experienced marathoners are not necessarily fast runners, and fast novices may not have learned the most effective strategies for running their best races.
4. Minor injuries and physical symptoms during the race, such as nausea, do not influence best performances.
5. The fastest marathon times are run in cool conditions of approximately 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Cooler temperatures may allow for sufficient dissipation of body heat, helping maintain an athlete's thermal equilibrium during a race. Since weather during a marathon can be unpredictable, runners should be prepared for all weather conditions.
Time to get started! To learn more about the Knoxville Marathon and how to train for it, see:
Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon's 2010 new website
Knoxville Track Club website
Top Knoxville Running Locations
Runner's World Marathon Challenge
Marathon Rookie for beginners
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