Ron Hills Marathon
Training Tips and Advice
When it comes to marathons, Ron Hill
is a legend. A Gold Medal winner at the European Champions and Commonwealth
Games, he’s also the second man ever to break 2:10 in a marathon. So, who
better to talk to about preparation and techniques for getting to the top?
As you’d expect, we caught him after a run – he’s run everyday
since December 1964 – and this time
he’s preparing for the
It’s going to be a big race for him for many reasons, not least
because its 41 years since he won Gold
on this course…
On running this year:
“This will be a real celebration for me. Its 41 years since I won my Gold. I actually never realised it was
such a big anniversary this year, so it really is a once in a lifetime
opportunity. I’m running the 10k and nowadays I take part in race to enjoy the
occasion, there’s no need to kill myself, just have fun.”
On the course:
“I think the weather should be good in October, perfect running conditions
really. When I ran it was over 90 degrees, which was tough, particularly as the
course is very hilly. The big tip here is keep hydrated and when you’re running
uphill, look at the ground in front of you. If you keep your head down you
won’t be intimidated by the size of it. That said, I’m
sure they’re not as steep as they were in 69!”
On the start:
“You should already have an idea of what pace you’re going to run at. The key
is don’t get carried away and shoot off too fast. You
need patience. It’s better to set off slower than your target pace, rather than
quicker, so you’ve still got something in the locker.”
Top Tips:
“The biggest tip is to go off carefully. Be
aware of your capabilities and carry on within that pace.”
“For
On Winning Gold in the European Games
marathon,
“I think I paced myself really well in the
race. I was second, behind the Belgian
Gaston Roelants and when I got to the top of the hill he was out of sight.
So, I just kept at my own pace because I was happy to win silver.
“Then I saw these lights ahead and realised
it was the lead vehicles around Gaston and I started getting closer. To be
honest, by that time I was so tired, I was almost willing him to go quicker so
I didn’t need to sprint at the finish, but then with 1km to go, I went straight
past him and won Gold.
“It
was the best moment of my life. My whole family was in the stadium and apparently
I hadn’t been mentioned in the commentary, so they were wondering what had gone
wrong, until I got to the stadium.
“I’m doing the 10k this year, so at the 9k
mark, it will be a significant time for me.”
Hydration:
“It’s really important to stay hydrated and keep taking on liquids.
“I probably shouldn’t tell you, but during
the ’69 race I never had a drink – I don’t recommend that! With 5 or 6km to go
though, I saw some empty water cups on the ground and thought: ‘the Belgian is
weak and I’m strong’ and it spurred me on. That said I was in a really bad way
at the end!”
Training:
“I always say the more running you do, the better you will be. 60 miles a week
is better than 30 or 20 miles, but if you get to say 100 miles a week that can
be counter-productive.
“I’d recommend
running shorter distances in preparation and actually a race is the best
training you can do, so try a half marathon 3 or 4 weeks in advance.”
Eating:
“I used to eat a really good meal the night before. I can understand that pasta
is logical for stores of carbohydrates, but don’t miss out on meat either as
your muscles need to be repairing themselves all the time.”
“Good luck to all the marathon runners.”
Written by Ron Hill for
Sports
Both Ron and Sports International gave their
permission for me to use this for our magazine for which I am extremely
grateful.
Ron has
also a regular blog on www.hillyclothing.co.uk
Agreement given on 31st January
2011