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Hi Ali, I am planning to do a marathon in March 2009 and I am hoping to qualify for the Boston Marathon. Along with my resistance and core training what do you feel I should concentrate more on to help obtain my goal, distance or speed? Thanks.

Great question! When you decide it's time to really go after your goal and qualify for that elusive event, some new measures have to be implemented into your training program. In the case of a marathon, speed and distance workouts become of equal importance. Without speed you may miss your time and without distance you may be on pace, but bonk before you hit the 20th mile. I am a firm believer in the Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training (FIRST) which involves 3 quality runs each week instead of the traditional marathon mule training. By focusing on 3 quality runs, your legs are fresher allowing you to focus on your pacing which is key, whether you are doing 400 meter repeats on a track or a 20 mile training run.

Hi Ali, I need help! I work two jobs and have a hard time fitting in exercise and eating right. I would like to lose weight and tone up. What can I do to accomplish both of these goals with my limited time?
Timeless

Sometimes life just seems to get in the way of our goals, doesn't it? But it definitely doesn't have to as long as you remember that you are in control of every situation you face. If you have limited time, start by focusing on your nutrition. Make sure you are eating every 4 hours to keep your energy and metabolism high. Obviously the types of foods you are putting into your body can make or break your whole fitness plan. Try to eat as "clean" and natural as possible. This means cutting out foods that have added sugars, hydrogenated fats, trans-fats and anything else that is unnatural and unnecessary. Instead, fuel up with fruits, veggies, whole grains, complex carbs, lean meats, chicken and fish.

As for exercising, make time for two 30 minute sessions a week of resistance training. This should be a full body resistance training circuit where you include about 5 different compound exercises hitting all your major muscle groups. Perform the circuit twice with a short, high intensity cardio activity inbetween. At least three days a week, do 30 minutes of cardio. Make sure one out of the three days you do an interval workout. Warm up for 5-10 minutes, then spend the rest of the time alternating between high and low intensity for short durations. Be sure to cool down and stretch when you are done.

Dedicated...Driven...Passionate...

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