How to go
What: Air Force Marathon, Half Marathon and 10K (All races are sold out. Spectators are welcome to cheer on their family and friends at the start and finish lines.)
When: Saturday, Sept. 15; The start time is 7:25 a.m. for the Wheeled Division Race (for participants in push-rim and hand-crank wheelchairs), and 7:30 a.m. for the Full Marathon and 10K. The Half Marathon starts at 8:30 a.m.
Where: Participants will start and finish at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, located at 1100 Spaatz St., at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
Parking: Free parking will be available at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.
Other events: The Air Force 5K, hosted by Wright State University, will take place on Friday, Sept. 14. The start time is 6:30 p.m. The start and finish lines are at Wright State University's Nutter Center, 3640 Colonel Glenn Highway, in Dayton. The Air Force Marathon Sports and Fitness Expo will take place from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 13, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 14, at Wright State University's Nutter Center.
More information: www.usafmarathon.com
Why I run …
Kevin Cox: Air Force Half Marathon participant
Kevin Cox, 24, of Tipp City, will run the 2012 Air Force Half Marathon with his father and brother. All three are independent insurance agents at Royal Crest Agency, a family owned and operated insurance agency. This will be Cox’s fourth year running the race.
“It gives us something to look forward to every year,” Cox said of the Air Force Half Marathon. “It’s an annual event. And it’s local. And it is a very fast course and a fun course with lots of bands out there and people cheering. I think it kind of came down to staying healthy every year and training for something we can do as a family.”
Cox, who began training around May, said the biggest challenge he faces while preparing for the race each year is trying not to over-train. Training too hard at first wears our the legs and makes the muscles sore, so it’s important not to build up your mileage too fast, he said.
Cox suffered a knee injury while preparing for the half marathon this year, and had to take close to a month off to recover. Taking time to heal is crucial, he said.
Here is Cox’s other advice for training for a half marathon:
- Do shorter runs during the week and longer runs on the weekend when you have more time.
- Run longer miles in the morning when it's cooler outside.
- Don't push yourself too hard until after mile eight or nine of the half marathon. You don't want to burn out.
Why I run …
Tanya Baldwin: Air Force 10K participant
Tanya Baldwin, 36, of Kettering, will run the 2012 Air Force 10K. This is her third year running this race. She is an accounts receivable administrator for The Lorenz Corporation.
“I ran it the first time because my dad was in the Air Force,” Baldwin said of the Air Force 10K. ” … He was a crew chief for the B-52. It’s just been so fun that I continue to do it.”
Baldwin, who started training about six months ago, said she has asthma, which sometimes interferes with her training. Scheduling time to run also can be tough, she said.
Here are Baldwin’s tips for training for a 10K:
- Create a written training schedule.
- Use phone applications that have a GPS to keep track of your mileage.
- Run even when you don't want to. You will be happy afterward.
Why I run …
Ruben Garcia: Air Force Marathon participant
Ruben Garcia, 50, of Fairborn, will run the 2012 Air Force Marathon. Garcia is a program manager at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
This is his first time running the full marathon. He has run the Air Force Half Marathon twice.
“It’s tied to turning 50,” Garcia said of his decision to run the full marathon. “… The two half marathons prior were building up to this point. I wanted to run my first and only marathon, probably, at the age of 50 just as a challenge, to say that I can do it.”
Garcia, who started training in March, said the two main challenges he has faced while training are finding the time to run, and trying not to train too aggressively, in order to avoid injury.
Here are Garcia’s marathon training tips:
- Download an application on your phone that helps you to structure your training and that keeps you from overextending your run. This will help you avoid injury.
- Good quality shoes are important and will help you avoid injury.
- Find somebody to run with, who runs at your speed and helps you stay committed to training.
Why I run …
Kathleen Palahniuk: Air Force Marathon participant
Kathleen Palahniuk, 20, is from Chicago and is a junior at the University of Dayton. She will run the Air Force Marathon for the first time this year.
In January, she ran a half marathon at Walt Disney World as part of the UD service organization, Distance 4 Dreams.
“The Air Force Marathon was the next step up from my Disney half,” Palahniuk said. “ … I was looking for a good challenge. It (Air Force Marathon) gave me something to train for during the summer.”
The main challenges Palahniuk faced while training, beginning in May, have been dealing with hot temperatures during the summer, and balancing training and the beginning of a new school year.
Here are Palahniuk’s tips for training for a marathon:
- Make a running playlist on your iPod. Listening to music will make running easier.
- Tell your friends and family members, and tell people using Facebook, that you are preparing for a marathon. Their support will motivate you.
- Make sure you buy both proper running shoes and shorts.
Why I run …
Michael Tuf Ferguson: Air Force 5K participant
Michael Tuf Ferguson, 9, of Dayton, will run the Air Force 5K race for the first time this year.
He is in the fourth grade at Pathway School of Discovery.
Ferguson is sponsored by Team Fisher House, and will run with others including Captain Ivan Castro, who is blind.
Ferguson has trained for two months, and said it has been “a little challenging,” especially when it is hot outside and he gets tired.
Ferguson offers these tips for kids training for a 5K:
- Practice by running in your backyard.
- Play other sports like hockey to get in shape.
Why I run …
Nathan Armstrong: Air Force Marathon participant
Nathan Armstrong, 27, of West Alexandria, will run the Air Force Marathon for the third time this year. He is a contract negotiator at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
“It initially was the challenge of running a marathon,” Armstrong said of why he runs the race. “It’s turned into me trying to beat my personal and best time. And also, the event is a very encouraging event. There’s a lot of support from the local community.”
Armstrong, who started training at the beginning of May, said the biggest challenge he has faced this year is finding the time to train.
Last year, he suffered from a bone contusion on his foot, and some knee pains from previous injuries.
Here are Armstrong’s tips for training for a marathon:
- Follow a routine. Plan your complete training schedule before you begin.
- Stay on schedule. If you miss a week of training, you can get behind fast.
- Maintain a solid, healthy diet. Make sure you know what and how much to eat while training.
Thousands of runners will put months of training to the test when they race at the Air Force Marathon, Half Marathon and 10K on Saturday, Sept. 15, with the race starting and ending at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
The weekend of events also will include the Air Force 5K, hosted by Wright State University, on Friday, Sept. 14, at Wright State University’s Nutter Center.
The 2012 Air Force Marathon will be the largest ever and was the quickest to sell out completely, according to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The Air Force Marathon has grown from 7,400 people running in 2008 to the record 15,000 participants this year, WPAFB said.
It’s no secret that training for a marathon is a lot of hard work. We asked three local experts for their advice on how to start getting ready now for next year’s big race.
Two-time winner and medical consultant
Dr. Mark Cucuzzella is the medical consultant and two-time winner of the Air Force Marathon.
Cucuzzella uses a plane analogy to explain these four key principles you should keep in mind when training for a marathon:
- The engine: Training for a marathon should be a comfortable, progressive process. Many people should start with a run-walk training program. Gradually add more time to your runs, and increase the time of your once a week, long run to two to three hours at a comfortable pace. Ultimately, you get faster by starting slow.
- The chassis (the supporting frame of a plane): A strong engine with a weak chassis is a ticket to injury. About 70 percent of people training for a marathon get hurt. To prevent injury, your body structure must be strong. People can do simple exercises to increase their hip and foot strength. They also can find a therapist or athletic trainer to conduct an assessment of their joint strength and mobility.
- The aerodynamics: A lot of people land "heel to toe" when they run, which is not proper technique. Instead, your movement patterns should be a series of springy hops (Think about jumping rope or watching an animal hop). Study proper movement patterns to become more elastic in your running technique. Learn not to overstride, by using a more midfoot landing with your foot under you, rather than reaching your foot out in front of you, which has a breaking impact. Moving in an efficient pattern means you can run faster with less effort. Improving your movement also will reduce injuries and help you to recover better after each run.
- The fuel: Eat "real food." Avoid processed sports supplements and products, which tend to be loaded with simple sugars. A healthy diet consists of healthy fats and proteins, mostly non-starchy vegetables and some fruits. Eliminate simple carbohydrate items — which include sugar loaded drinks like sports drinks and processed white flour foods — from your diet.
For more information and advice from Cucuzzella, go to naturalrunningcenter.com. In addition, Cucuzzella will speak at 3 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 13, and 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 14, at the Air Force Marathon Sports and Fitness Expo, at Wright State University’s Nutter Center.
Running club leader
Jeff McPherson is the president of the Ohio River Road Runners Club, a group dedicated to promoting running and supporting the local running community in and around Dayton since 1966. He has run more than 20 races of marathon distance or greater. Here are his tips:
- Remember the "double rule." If you can run one mile, you can run two miles. If you can run a 5K, you can run a 10K. If you can run a half marathon, you can run a marathon. The more you train, the better you'll perform.
- Face the fact that injuries happen. The biggest key is to take several days off to recover. A few days off will not affect your fitness.
- Cycling is your friend. Adding just two stationary cycling or biking sessions each week to your routine will help prevent injuries.
- Break up long runs. Long runs are stressful on the body. Break long runs up into two runs in the same day. For example, if your training plan requires 13 miles, run eight miles in the morning, take some hours off, and then run seven to eight more miles later in the day.
- Take advantage of a variety of local resources. Run on local trails, consider joining local running groups and participate in local races. Check the ORRRC calendar online for more than 400 race opportunities. Most of the club events are $9 for non-members and free for members.
- Remember, the marathon isn't the hard part. The training is much more challenging than the marathon itself. The effort you put into training is key to success.
For more information on the ORRRC, go to www.orrrc.org.
Fitness shop
Susie Stein is the owner of Up and Running, a fitness shoes and apparel shop with locations in Dayton and Troy.
Up and Running’s staff includes two Olympics Trials participants, two Ironman World Championship participants, high school coaches, trainers and marathon runners, along with “average” people who run or walk marathons for health reasons.
Stein and her staff members offered the following tips for training for a marathon:
- Leave yourself plenty of time to train. Following a 16-week plan for next year's race is not enough. Instead, start training now.
- Get the right gear. Don't just go to a big box store and buy a shoe that is labeled as a running shoe. Also, if you plan to walk, don't buy a white leather "walking" shoe. Shoes, along with socks, are your equipment and should be fitted for you by a professional. And for women, a sports bra is just as important as your shoes are.
- Run with a group. A running group will teach you how to run, will hold you accountable and will provide security for early morning runs in the winter and spring.
- Study up on nutrition information. In addition to everyday eating, know how to fuel yourself on training and race days.
- Listen to your body. Your body always will tell you what to do or what not to do. Aches and pains will happen. Know when ice is all you need, and when rest and a day off are important.
- Don't over-train. This is a common issue among runners. They get that "high" adrenaline rush in training and keep doing more. Three to four days a week of training are plenty for most people.
- Enjoy the ride. You are one of a small percentage of people that will ever run or walk a marathon or half marathon.
For more information on Up and Running, go to upandrunningindayton.com.
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