Training for a Marathon: Aaron’s Journey

AARON AKIN, Maximum Performance Fitness Director

It’s all coming down to numbers.

Eight weeks, 13.1 miles, 5-day-a-week training schedule and here’s the biggie…whether or not the 206 bones and 600+ muscles in my 41-year-old body will comply while training for the Bill Snyder Highway Half & 5K Marathon May 25. Oh, one more number, I plan to lose between 8-10 pounds during this training period.

I’ve got a lot on my side preparing for this event: I’m the fitness director at Maximum Performance (code for I’m in decent shape) and I used to run (heavy emphasis on ‘used to’). If only the story ended there. I haven’t gone on a four-mile run in 10 years, am a pretty busy guy because I work full-time, coach baseball and am the father of three kids. But when I learned that Maximum Performance’s sponsorship of Coach Snyder’s marathon included a complimentary registration, I was moved to get moving after learning of all the great causes this event supported.

Here’s my plan:  I’m running two days a week (Wednesdays/Saturdays), doing Functional Fitness
Monday/Tuesday/Friday and taking recovery days on Thursday and Sunday. I invite you to join me or find a schedule that works for you. The key to fitness success, or achieving any goal, is making a plan and sticking to it.

I’d like to thank Coach Synder for all he’s done for K-State and the community. We are delighted to put our weight behind this event and support the K-State Johnson Cancer Research Center, Shepherd’s Crossing, Snyder Leadership Fellow and the Matt Snyder Foundation for Troubled Youth.

There’s only one question left and it’s for you: Will you join us?