How to Prepare for a Marathon

True runners consider the marathon as the ultimate endurance test. Every runner dreams of competing in a marathon, and most of the time it’s not for the glory of winning but for the personal challenge. However, preparing for a marathon can be both exciting and disgusting. When the weather is fine and you had great sleep, everything is perfect. But not every day of training is always like that.

Running for a marathon is a demanding, high-risk sport. You have to be absolutely fit for this. Even highly trained and experienced runners get injured on the track. This is why you have to be absolutely careful and disciplined.

Have realistic expectations.

Runners are not made the same. Some just have better genetics than the others. Some runners are built for competing. Others are just for recreational marathons. The latter can always work harder to try to get their goals. Know what you are capable of at the moment. Also, picture yourself amid different runners you know. Don’t try to compete with someone who has been around on the tracks for years. Try to use them as an inspiration to get better.

Know this is a high-risk sport.

Thousands of runners get injured each year. Some luckily survive their injuries and get back on training just fine. Others are not so lucky enough. Running for a marathon is so much different than the daily jogging you do in the neighborhood. It is so much more physically demanding. It puts so much stress on your entire body, not just muscles and joints. Many runners have collapsed during the competition due to dehydration or hypothermia.

Check your health.

People with heart problems can’t run on a race. You best hope your heart is in absolutely great shape before training for a marathon. Running demands so much cardiovascular work. If your heart is not up to par for the demands of a race, you are probably better off finding a less strenuous sport. Needless to say, people recovering from injuries may have to spend months in rehabilitation before getting back to training.

Build your endurance.

This is both fun and difficult. No famous runner ever started with superior endurance. Everyone had to train. Everyone had to start somewhere. You too have to start where the winners once did. Jogging may be boring, and you are probably itching to sprint. No! Start slow. Take it easy. Don’t be carried away by your enthusiasm. Your muscles, tendons, bones, joints, heart, and lungs all have to adapt slowly to a step-by-step increase in demand. So you start with jogging. Then you move to running, and you slowly build mileage and speed. This takes months and years. Be patient.

Run 3-5 days a week.

Once you feel that your muscles and joints are strong enough, start incorporating weekly runs into your training. Mileage and speed are two important factors. Aim to increase mileage and speed by a max of 10% each week.

Join in low-key races.

Once you have built endurance, once you can run 10 miles without feeling like you’re going to die at the end, then start joining local marathons. Local marathons are great for amateurs because of the familiarity of the track. See how you fare against other local runners.

Continue with your training.

Challenge yourself. Increase mileage and speed. Join more competitions.