How to Train for a Marathon

A marathon is something that some hold sacred while others toss the word around like it’s nothing, no big deal. The truth, it is a big deal. It is a big undertaking. It is a commitment. I know I’ve talked about the marathon, and what you can expect, in my Interested or Committed post. However, I wanted to revisit it again to put a fresh spin on it since the spring marathon season is staring us down.

mar·a·thon

1. long-distance race: a long-distance footrace run over a distance of 42.195 km (26 mi 385 yds)

2. difficult undertaking: a lengthy and difficult task, event, or activity

3. endurance test: a test of endurance, especially in a competition

If you want to run a spring marathon, or any marathon, you first need to commit. This means registering. If this is your first time, or you “possibly” have had a bad experience in the past, then I understand your ~~fear~~ hesitation but really put your money where your mouth is and all of a sudden it will become real.

$$ Spent = Commitment

After you blew the money on the registration, now get on your favorite social media account and tell the world. Yes, tell everyone you know that you registered for a marathon! Be proud and soak up that moment when everyone says your ~~crazy~~ amazing. This will make you accountable.

Public Announcement = ~~Fear of Public Humiliation~~ Accountability

Now that you are committed & accountable, it’s time to think about training. There are a bunch of plans available. You can spend as much or as little as you want. Some people go directly to a coach but most start browsing the net. Three tried and true options for training plans:

Hal Higdon – By far the most popular source for training plans. Free. Easy to use. Variety of training options. 18 weeks of ~~hell~~ fun. I’ve used a variety of his plans on numerous occasions. I always have the promised outcome, a finish. Win, Win.
Train Like a Mother: How To Get Across Any Finish Line – and Not Lose Your Family, Job or Sanity – Very popular with the #MotherRunners. $9.99 for the book which includes 9 training plans for all distances for beginners and advanced runners alike. Entertaining. Not all about running. Catchy title.
Run Less Run Faster – A Runners World publication. $11-16 for the book. Popular with injury prone runners. Three key runs per week. Detailed training plans for each of the Boston Qualifying times. Challenging. Encourages 2 cross training days and provides specified workouts for various cross training activities. Detailed strength & stretching plans.

Training Plan = Success

You’ve spent your $$, you’ve told your friends, you picked a plan. It’s easy from here on out. Just follow the plan and trust in your training. Don’t freak out if you miss a workout here or there because you do still need to maintain your REAL LIFE. However, for the most part, be a task master and just do what it says. Follow along week by week and don’t peak to far ahead so that you aren’t overwhelmed. Clean up your food intake cuz it’s possible the training will make you ~~feel as if your starving~~ extra hungry. If you don’t have the metabolism ~~or mileage~~ of Marathon Mike, don’t eat ice cream for lunch like he does ….. won’t work for you, or me! Keep your food intake clean by drinking your water, eating your fruits & veggies, and focusing on lean proteins and whole grains. Oh yeah, and alcohol will dehydrate you.

Balanced Diet = Healthy Weight

The last, and possibly most important, ingredient in successfully training for a marathon is rest. Don’t be crazy; get some sleep. Your body will be doing amazing things. It repairs while you sleep. So if you want to be as successful as possible, you might need a few extra ZZZZZZs. Don’t feel bad about it. Sleep.

Rest = Repair