With the first of the Adidas-backed race series out of the way, there are now two more races and some 100 days left until the Dublin marathon. Here are a few websites to help with your continued preparations, writes Emmet Malone
In the unlikely event that the miserable weather has kept you on treadmills, it's really time to get outside as you look to extend your runs and build endurance. One problem can be working out where to run and how to accurately record distances. As with so many things, there are people out there who have designed websites to do just this.
The most straightforward is mapmyrun.com, an easy to use site that allows you to mark out, record and share training routes in any location. Other features (these require free registration) include a training log, in which you can record every aspect of marathon build-up from distances and times to calorie intake and weight loss.
At realbuzz.comthere is a similar feature ( also accessed at london-marathon.co.ukwhich offers the option to work off more recent maps that, aside from catering for those in recently developed areas, allow you to plan cross-country routes). The realbuzz site also includes an array of articles and advice for new runners. Registration is necessary but it is free.
Most of the major running magazines have websites and offer decent reading on nutrition, injury and equipment as well local races. Here at home, Irish Runner magazine ( irishrunner.ie) is a decent source of information and good on the local scene but can't compete with the big budget UK and US outfits. Those worth a look at include runningtimes.com and runnersworld.co.uk(both available in magazine form) but particularly interesting is the US version, runnersworld.com. There's a wide array of stuff, and an opportunity to have queries addressed by a variety of experts.
Also worth a mention are Irish chat rooms (boards.ie then follow the links for athletics and irishfit.com/social) where you can make contact with other runners and get queries answered.
We've previously mentioned halhigdon.comfor training schedules but if you're still looking for alternatives then runamarathon.comand runningplanet.comhave been recommended.
A couple of other readers, notably Dave McKernan in Dublin, swear by the book, Ultra Marathon Man, by Dean Kazarnes, whose most recent whiz has been to run 50 marathons in 50 US States on 50 consecutive days. The website ultramarathonman.comis primarily a promotional tool for Dean's books but it should give you an idea if he's the man to help you through the weeks ahead.
For our part, I'm still waiting for somebody to get reluctantmarathonman.comgoing. I'd do it myself, if only I had the energy.