A marathon isn’t a 26.2 mile race. It’s a 20 mile race with a 10K at the end.
My experience with marathon training – both others and myself – has made me conclude this: 80% of the ability to run 26.2 miles is centered around the decision to do so. The remaining 20% is training correctly (and long enough) and not getting injured.
Once you make the decision and commitment to run a race, the rest is relatively straight-forward. Remember that it’s not speed you’re looking for — it’s actually finishing the race. You’re not Lance Armstrong, Mr. Tour De France and ex-triathlete. Aim to finish, hopefully with a reasonable time. Anything more: gravy!
I recommend the schedules published on the ING New York City Marathon website (link below). There are numerous other schedules, but NYC’s are the ones I used to train for my first marathon, and recommend to clients and patients. I also recommend having a base of at least 20 miles per week for 4-6 weeks prior to starting their schedule.
You need good shoes, from a good running store with personnel who will help you find the right fit. Don’t skimp and by a bargain basement pair. Having two pairs of running shoes is an excellent investment. Switch between them on your runs, to allow one pair to dry out completely before using again.
Get yourself a running partner. When you’re out there, doing 18 and 20 mile runs, having support is crucial! Your partner will help keep you motivated and help you stick to your goal. You’ll also have someone to talk to so you’re not bored out of your running shoes. Be forewarned: on those long runs, you’ll hear more about your running partner (and he or she will hear more about you) than you ever wanted to know. No topic seems to be off limits!
I was lucky with my first running partner. I’d drive the half hour every Sunday morning, and she’d have plotted out the route, planting water bottles the night before. Better yet, we’d run back to her place, shower, change, then spend several hours slowly eating our way through everything in her fridge.
This leads me to another suggestion – map out your long runs in advance. If you can’t carry water, leave water bottles along the route. Just remember to pick them up after your run (don’t leave litter, please).
If you’re new to the running world, and don’t know how to find someone with whom you can run, contact your local running store and explain your situation. Or try a local Meet-Up group. Someone out there is looking for a partner, too. It’s best to seek someone who has a similar pace and goals to you,
I also recommend picking a race that is popular and draws out the crowds. Especially for your first long race. Running alone along an endless, barren road, with no one — no runners, no crowds, nothing but you and your pounding feet — can be downright miserable. A big race with a large crowd along most of the course is motivating and inspirational.
Because of this, NYC is my favorite race. My times have never been that good — just too many runners! But starting on the Verazzano with tens of thousands of other runners, all with the same goal as yours, is an experience that can’t be explained. Along almost the entire course, people watching the race are cheering runners. Bounding off the 59th Street Bridge and bombing up 1st Ave through a canyon of cheering fans can’t be beat!
A marathon sage once told me ‘a marathon is two races. It’s a 20 miler which has a 10k tacked on the end.’ Running twenty miles seems daunting, but that last 10K can make or break you. Remember the race ends at 26.2, so pace yourself, hydrate, and eat if you can at aid stations. And psychologically, it’s better to jog than to walk!
Finally, absolutely do NOT wear new shoes, socks, or clothes the day of the race. Do NOT try new foods, sports drinks, or hydration systems the day of the race. Tried and true is the key.
Eat well, rest well, run well. You CAN do it!