Five Tips for Your Marathon Training Schedule
January 72009
If you’re interested in running a marathon, there are some important things you need to do to prepare. In theory, marathon running seems easy - just put one foot ahead of the next, and then do it lots of times. Unfortunately, there is a lot more to it than that!
Successful training is based on knowing how many runs a week, how far, how long, how fast or slow, and what is too little or too much. The great thing about running is that all runners can benefit from an appropriate marathon training schedule. Just follow these tips for getting started.
“The will to run is not as nearly as important as the will to prepare”
#1 - Get proper shoes
This is critically important, especially if you’re running. Don’t just buy what’s on sale at your local department store - the best thing you can do is to be properly fitted in a specialty running store.
#2 - Pick a race
You don’t want to just think to yourself “oh, a marathon would be fun to do sometime”. Pick an actual event, put the date on your calendar, and sign up for it. You don’t want to lose your registration fee, now do you? Tell people.
#3 - Create a Marathon Training Schedule
The best advice here is to start easily. Don’t just put on runners and decide that you’ll start out easy - you’ll only do a half marathon today, and the next day, and the next day… Give yourself some recovery time! Before starting your training specifically for a marathon, though, you should build a mileage base. You should be easily running 3 to 5 days a week, for about 25 miles (40 kilometers) as a weekly total. To avoid your chances of injury, only increase your mileage by no more than 10% a week.
#4 - Get back to the Marathon Training Schedule
Unless you’re a super human, you won’t stick with the marathon training schedule for all days. Life will get in the way at times - it does to all of us! The important thing is to go back to the training schedule - start again. Jump in again, and do your best.
#5 - Do the marathon
Now you’re ready! Have a great race - and remember, by starting you’re succeeding!
Now if you are going to win any battle you have to do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do. The body will always give up. It is always tired morning, noon, and night. But the body is never tired if the mind is not tired. When you were younger the mind could make you dance all night, and the body was never tired…You’ve always got to make the mind take over and keep going.”
- George S. Patton, U.S. Army General and 1912 Olympian
