18-Week Training Programs Begin This Week

CHICAGO (June 8, 2004)--First off, you're not going to win this fall's LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon and the $125,000 first prize. But if you can count to 26 and like to run, it's time to put your foot down and make your move to the marathon. But here's the catch. You need to start getting ready now - as in this week.

The Chicago Marathon is very cool - picture a full house at Wrigley or U.S. Cellular Field running around the city with another million or so people cheering them on - but to get it right for all 26.2 miles, you need 18 solid weeks of prep work.

There's no use coming up with euphemisms. The word really is training, whether you're a casual jogger or a seasoned 10K racer. To succeed on your aerobic judgment day, which in this case is Sunday, Oct. 10, you need to bite the bullet, slow down the nightlife and begin a systematic 18-week marathon training program right now. If you count back, this (June 7-13 - Monday through Sunday) is the week.

You don't need to train? Runners from more than 90 countries and all 50 states and the District of Columbia are coming to Chicago. They'll be ready. Will you?

Here's where to start. First, can you run five or six miles right now? If so, log on to www.chicagomarathon.com and sign up for the race. There is a participant cap of 40,000, which will be reached well before race day. You've got to be in it to run it. But back to training.

There are two ways to do it: with a group or by yourself. And there are three keys to success: gradually building up your mileage, including a long run each week and taking days off each week to allow for recovery.

The Chicago Area Runners Association (CARA) LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon Training Program begins this week at many sites and times. The program includes guest speakers for motivation, coaching, pace groups for almost any speed, information galore and most important, people to run with. Learn more about this program, which has a 99.9 percent completion success rate over the past 15 years, at www.cararuns.org.

Group training also is available through many charities that work with the marathon.

Fund raising is involved in many cases. You can achieve the group camaraderie this way, too. To learn more about the Marathon Charity Program, click on the Charity page at www.chicagomarathon.com.

If you want to go it alone, training information is readily available on the Web. The most popular and time-tested plan is provided at www.halhigdon.com. Hal Higdon, a nationally known author, writer and runner, has done more than 100 marathons and knows the subject well. His program is followed by many runners and organizations, including CARA.

Summer hasn't even begun, but you need to start training for this fall's LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. It's time to get it on. Look at it this way - 18 weeks to go.

For complete information, go to www.chicagomarathon.com or call 312-904-9800.