Marathon season is upon us and I, Monica Sehgal, am running my third consecutive Chicago Marathon this year, but the first time as a seasoned personal trainer. Two years ago, I had no clue what I was doing and just followed some random posts and trained for five weeks. I finished, but not without a plethora of issues.

Last year, I was more focused on correcting my mistakes from the year prior, instead of focusing on what my body needs. Since then, I’ve been training clients and working on nutrition plans on a weekly basis. I’ve learned so much about my own body and what it needs, which led to me creating my own 14-Week Marathon Training Plan that incorporates not only a running plan, but also a huge emphasis on cross-training and nutrition. Since I can’t share the whole plan with you on this post, I thought I would narrow down the five most important things I look at while preparing for a race… ASIDE from the running.

Top Five Tips of Marathon Training:

• STRENGTH—Build total body strength, don’t just focus on your legs!
• STRETCH—Stretching, soaking and foam rolling your muscles not only speeds up recovery, but also releases toxin build-up!
• SUPPLEMENT—Not only is what you eat and drink before, during and after a race important… knowing WHEN to eat and drink is even more crucial!
• SALT—It’s not just a condiment or a spice, it’s an electrolyte source your body relies on more than you think! Pickle Juice? Bloody Mary’s anyone??
• SUPPORT—This is not just about running shoes and sports bras, this is also about those people that hold you up and keep you steady throughout training!

Monica Sehgal is a personalized fitness and nutrition evolution coach. She works with clients throughout the greater Chicago region helping them reach their wellness goals through personal evolution.