Once you’ve made the decision to run a marathon, you’ll need to start training.
Make sure you’ve read through your Marathon Training Schedule for beginners and understand what’s involved. This is a serious comittment and will definitely require some lifestyle changes over the next few months. It’s important to be prepared for what lies ahead.
There’s a lot to think about and planning is absolutely key. Even if you’re relatively fit, a marathon training program will probably take around 6 months to get you fully prepared for the big day, so don’t put it off.
A good marathon training schedule should:
- help you set realistic and achievable goals.
- teach you how to build up your fitness and endurance levels using advanced training techniques.
- provide a detailed step-by-step schedule of what to do and when, including rest days.
- teach you exactly how your body changes from the start of your training to race day. You’ll then understand when and how to change your training to boost your progress.
- help you spot the signs of overtraining, so that you can avoid debilitating injuries.
- provide detailed nutritional advice to help you boost energy levels, so that you can run further and faster.
- give advice on the correct clothing and running shoes.
- prepare you for race day by explaining what you should do and when, to ensure peak performance.
If you don’t have a running partner, your marathon training schedule also works to motivate you when things start to get tough (and believe me, they will!). Most importantly, it will help you to focus on the job in hand and give you a structured plan to work with.
Every time you feel your motivation and energy levels are starting to dwindle, refer back to your Training Manual for a much needed boost!
Remember that perseverance is absolutely key. The better prepared you are for the big race, the more you’ll enjoy the day.
My name is Kay Stevens and over the last few years I've developed a passion for running.
