Editorial

Marathon Keeper Issue

2004 offers marathon destinations in all corners of the globe. Here’s your opportunity to explore the world on your skates. ©Disney

 

Have you ever wanted to skate an inline marathon and thought that it was too long, too hard or just plain overwhelming? Well, this is the issue of FaSST for you. Fitness and Speed Skating Times’ staff, writers and photographers have been working hard to create this truly Special Collector’s Edition “Marathon Keeper.”

Among the pages you will be inspired to forget your worries and to actually “Skate a marathon in 2004.” With what to expect, how to prepare, nutrition, stretching and simple training programs all covered, you CAN reach your goals. Online training programs are featured to help you every stroke of the way to the finish line. There are dozens of marathon events to choose from all over the globe. To help you in your marathon decisions, we have compiled a comprehensive guide to marathon events highlighting important information for each event. This guide is divided between North American events and International events to help our readers from all parts of the world decide which event(s) meet their needs.

A neat way to fit a marathon into your busy schedule is to plan a vacation around an event. We’ve included a destination guide giving you background information for many of the cities, countries and events. Area attractions and sightseeing information are also included.

One thing you need to remember is Pre-Registration. I can’t stress this enough. Marathon events are very time consuming to produce and much of the planning happens long before raceday. Very, very few of the marathons listed in this edition honor same-day registration. If you seriously plan to attend, make your decision soon and pre-register! You can do this via phone, fax, mail, website, or email to nearly all of the events. Some of the larger events have field limits and they stick to that number. If you want to skate in one of these events and don’t pre-register in a timely manner, you may miss your opportunity. Pre-registering also gives you a chance to request vacation time from work, and look for affordable airfare and hotel accommodations. Then you can concentrate on your preparations to skate 26.2 miles!

To help you on your journey we cover topics such as timing chips, equipment needs, hydration, packet pickup, transportation, waves, skater expo and the importance of sleep! If you are travelling with others who are not skating, we even include tips for spectators. If you still think a marathon is too long, never fear. Many of the events offer other distances including half marathons to get your feet whet. New among these “other distances” is the Northshore Inline Marathon half-marathon option in Duluth.

With this Fitness and Speed Skating Times “Marathon Keeper” there are no more excuses not to try a marathon. The sheer fun, camaraderie, family-friendly festivities, thrilling memories and pure sense of accomplishment will follow you for a lifetime. Happy marathoning – you can do it – pre-register today!