5 Reasons To Hire A Personal Trainer To Help You Finish Your First Marathon

15 January 2016
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When you think about a personal trainer, you most likely imagine someone hanging out in the gym, teaching people how to lift weights or use cardio machines. As a runner, you may not think that a personal trainer will benefit you. However, if you have decided to up your distance and start training for a marathon, there are several reasons why you need to consider hiring a personal trainer from a place like Halevy Life to help you complete your first marathon. 

They Know How to Help You Complete Effective Cross-training

Many runners have difficulty completing cross-training effectively. Cross-training is about more than giving your running muscles a rest while keeping your aerobic activity high. While swimming, cycling, and other aerobic activities are good cross-training activities, your cross-training should also include stability training, a focus on your core strength, and an exploration of various types of muscle movement, such as explosive movement that can help you in your final push. 

A personal trainer can assess your overall fitness and help you shore up weak spots in your physique, which will support you through distance races. For instance, your personal trainer may give you free weight exercises that improve your posture, which will help expand your lung capacity and keep you running longer with less effort. 

They Can Help You Find a Training Schedule that Matches Your Abilities and Goals 

There are many marathon training programs available online and they vary widely. Some programs suggest you run every day. Others suggest only two short runs and one long run each week. Some suggest you train up to the entire marathon distance and others suggest it is unnecessary.

A personal trainer can help you figure out which training program will suit your needs. For example, if you are training for a low time, perhaps a schedule with more recovery periods is necessary. However, if you are training simply to complete the marathon, then maybe your trainer will suggest a schedule with a workout every day. 

They Can Help You Get Through Minor Injuries

Unfortunately, when you increase your distance, injuries can happen. Many runners turn to cross-training to stay fit and keep on schedule while their injury heals. However, cross-training comes with some potential hazards, especially if you are already compensating for a running injury. 

A personal trainer can help you safely work through minor injuries and also encourage you to seek medical attention and know when to put off your marathon goals if your injury is worse than you think. 

They Can Be an Excellent Source of Inspiration and Motivation

While training for a marathon requires an incredible amount of internal motivation, there will likely be days that you do not feel like training or you are unable to see any progress. A personal trainer can help you maintain your motivation by charting your progress and relating stories of other training plateaus and methods that can help you work through them. 

They Can Make Your Marathon Training Benefit the Rest of Your Life 

Although you may have a very specific goal, to complete a marathon, the hours you dedicate to training should benefit your overall health and help you maintain lifelong fitness. A personal trainer can help you develop secondary goals to achieve during your training and make a plan for recovery and continuing fitness after you have completed your marathon. 

If you have decided to train for a marathon, especially if you are training on your own, you should consider enlisting the help and guidance of an experienced personal trainer. Their advice, knowledge, and enthusiasm can help keep you motivated and safe while you undertake a large personal fitness goal.