Are you prepping for the Rotterdam marathon 2022 race? If so, welcome to rundreamachieve.com. I am glad you have made it here. I have run 2:19:35 for the distance. So, do understand what it takes to run fast over the marathon distance. My goal is to share some of the strategies I used to improve from 2:43:36 to 2:19:35. Rotterdam is a race that is held below sea level. In addition, it is pancake flat.
So, if you are going to go after a fast time, this is the race to achieve that at. One of the biggest mistakes I see a lot of runners make though is doing long runs that are too slow. You need to start mixing up the pace of your long runs. Of course, there is still a place for easy, relaxed long runs. That being said, training at, near or far below your goal marathon race pace is what is going to make the difference.
Remember, it isn't just about putting in volume. If your mileage is conducted too slow all you will be is a strong, long, slow distance runner. My goal is to help you use leverage and get your across the finish line in record time. I always recommend running a faster, varied pace long run with a slow, relaxed long run the following week. So, it is critical you pay attention to your easy days. There is only so many times you can push the body anaerobically. You have to allot sufficient time so you get the highest return on your investment.
Is Rotterdam Flat?
Yes, the Rotterdam marathon 2022 race will be held on a completely flat course. So, training on both hills as well as on flat road will help you significantly. Again, you have to start training at, near or far below your goal marathon race pace. The reason for this is you want to get that marathon race pace to feel more in control and less taxing on the body. I have built running courses and training plans here built with this philosophy in mind. Again, the goal is to help you to use leverage. Leverage means working smarter by doing less. So, it isn't about the volume but the quality of the volume you are running each week that counts.
What percentage of your weekly volume have you been training at or around your goal marathon race pace? 5%? 15% The best middle to long distance runners put in about 40 to 45 percent of their weekly volume at these intensities. Rotterdam is a highly competitive race. The runners you see running fast times on it have prepared properly. In addition, they have also paid attention to other areas perhaps their competition fail to pay attention to. For example, mental training. Mental rehearsal and seeing yourself perform well is essential if you want to run a fast marathon. Of course, you still need to do the physical training. Mental training in and of itself is not going to help you run a fast marathon time. Mental and physical training most certainly will.
CHECK OUT OUR RUNNING COURSESWhat Time Does the Rotterdam Marathon Start?
Wave 1 of the marathon will start at 9:15am on Sunday, 10 April 2022. Please be mindful of how much you are going to eat prior to the start of the race. The last thing you need is to lose time by having to jump in a porta john. I would recommend eating breakfast at a minimum of 2 and preferably 3 hours prior to the start of the marathon. I made this mistake at the 2011 Monumental Indianapolis marathon. My goal was to break my personal best time of 2:19:35 there. That being said, I was running with the leaders and had to jump in the Porta john at mile 17. I ended up running 2:26:43 for 5th overall. So, I lost anywhere from 3 to 4 minutes off of my finish time due to having to do that.
Always eat breakfast with plenty of time for your body to digest and get rid of it. I certainly do not want you to have to experience what I went through. Also, make sure you start running longer tempo runs. We race at or just above our anaerobic threshold in the marathon. So, the longer you train at this intensity the better prepared you are going to be when it comes time to race. Again, pace sustainment is the end goal here. We want you to be able to run more efficiently during the race than your competition.
Rotterdam Marathon 2022 Date
The 2022 Rotterdam marathon will take place on Saturday, 9 April (expo) and Sunday, 10 April 2022 (race).
So, training longer at the point where lactic acid begins to build up in your muscles, the better. The goal is to improve upon your body's lactate tolerance. The best marathoners make it look easy for a reason. They have trained at speeds that far exceed the pace they are planning to run at in the race. So, marathon race pace is not as intimidating to them and they slow down less.
How Many People Run in the Rotterdam Marathon?
There were over 10,000 runners that ran the Rotterdam marathon in 2021. The Rotterdam marathon 2022 race may even be bigger. The great thing is that you will certainly have runners to feed off of in this race. Rotterdam is highly competitive. So, there will always be a group to focus on running with. I want you to start practicing drinking in training rather than just sipping. A major mistake I see many runners make is they don't hydrate well enough in their marathons. Remember, you may be able to get away with that in a 5K but not a marathon. So, you have to think strategically and prepare like a pro.
The running courses and training plans I have created here focus heavily on this. In addition, heart rate monitor training. HR training is great in that we focus more on training the heart rate zones rather than worrying about mile or kilometer. Remember, the fitter you get your heart will not have to work as hard. So, your paces per mile or kilometer will drastically speed up. No, it isn't an overnight process. Yes, you will start getting big PRs if you start training like a professional. I also recommend subscribing to the RunDreamAchieve YouTube channel. I create new content each week to help runners like you get to the next level in their training and racing.
Rotterdam Marathon 2022 Registration
Registration for the 2022 Rotterdam marathon is now open. So, definitely get signed up now and your hotel room booked. It is much better to have this out of the way early to ensure you don't spent the highest amount. Save money by getting the logistics of your race completed. I mentioned above longer tempo runs. I recommend starting first at around 3 to 4 miles. Of course, tempo runs are short when you are not as anaerobically fit. Once you get in better shape the aim is to lengthen them out to around 7 to 15 miles (25 kilometers) in length. Again, the better prepared you are to race over 42.16 kilometers or 26.2 miles the better.
We focus on periodization with the training plans. The running courses I teach are much more in-depth. So, if you are seeking to break the 4 hour marathon, 3:30 marathon, 3 hour marathon or 2 hour and 30 minute marathon barriers you may want consider a course. Our training plans are just the plans themselves without the online coaching and mentorship with me that the running courses provide.
Closing Thoughts
I hope this post on preparing for the Rotterdam marathon 2022 event has been helpful to you. Definitely check out our running courses and training plans if you want to take your racing to the next level. I am looking forward to hearing about your future personal bests at Rotterdam and other events in 2022 and beyond.
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