Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
GARVOC runner VIRGINIA MOLONEY is preparing for her first Commonwealth Games. She is sharing her journey with The Standard readers.
Many people have asked how my training has changed leading into a championship race.
The truth is, we haven’t made any major changes. We are simply refining a formula according to the challenges of training and life thrown our way.
We have increased our mileage to an average of 150km/week and we will continue to incorporate swimming as a mode of recovery.
In my lead up to a Commonwealth Games marathon, an addition we made to our training was to put more time into strength and conditioning.
I know what you are thinking – pumping iron and smashing protein shakes are generally not the images that comes to mind when people think of marathon training.
One thing I have learnt from being involved in athletics is that everyone trains differently and that strength and conditioning plays a key role in most athletes’ program.
Personally, I work closely with Elizabeth Hewett. Liz is an accredited exercise physiologist, pilates teacher and strength and conditioning coach who specialises in musculoskeletal health.
Liz has over 18 years experience which includes 8 years as the strength and conditioning coordinator for the Australian Ballet School – she definitely knows what she is on about! Liz works with any person who wants to improve themselves as well elite athletes and people returning from injury.
Each week, she provides me with a personalised gym program and one-to-one pilates sessions.
The gym sessions focus on small sets of exercises to improve strength while the pilates focuses on injury prevention, releasing tight muscles and strengthening the weaknesses within my body.
I don’t mind admitting that I have weaknesses. To me, it means there is something to improve and work on. This indicates to me that I haven’t yet reached my potential.
That there is more work to be done. I really enjoy working with Liz. Whilst I don’t always enjoy attempting to ‘engage my core’, I always leave her sessions feeling better about my body and my wellbeing.
It’s a balancing act combining strength and conditioning in a marathon program. You don’t want to do too much as it will fatigue you for your running sessions, but not doing any strength work or doing it on the wrong days, can be when the niggles start to come through.
A typical strength and conditioning program combined with the expertise of Liz, incorporates glute, hamstring and calf muscle strengthening and activation exercises, back stretching, strengthening and rotations, core activation and body awareness.
After the Gold Coast marathon last year, the only sore muscles I had in the days afterwards were my core muscles. I have learnt so much about my body and how it responds to training and so much of this is accredited to my pilates work with Liz. Liam, my coach, also incorporates strength work into my running sessions.
Some of the running strength sessions we complete during the marathon program include 1km hill repetitions, a 37km gradual mountain climb, altitude training and plenty of hills incorporated into the long run.
It’s really rude when they suddenly appear at the end of a 34km run – thanks coach! These are the sessions you call upon at the end of the marathon when your speed is gone but your strength can carry you through to the finish.
Earlier this week, the remainder of the athletics team was selected for the Commonwealth Games.
In the coming weeks there will be more information provided into training camps, arrival into the Village, team expectations, uniform fittings and most importantly, the services available to ensure we get to the start line in peak form.
We are looking forward to what is ahead, both in training and in soaking up the experience of preparing for a championship race in the homeland.
