How to Know If You Are Ready to Start Preparing for a Marathon
There’s nothing like an ambitious goal of focusing on your training, and a marathon definitely fits the bill. Many mortals have completed the 26.2 mile race, but it takes time, planning and, of course, an appropriate level of fitness. Here’s how to find out if a marathon is a realistic goal for you.
If you can run three to five miles, then you are ready to start.
Believe it or not, marathons aren’t just for super athletes. Many politicians and actors have run marathons. Sean Combs’ goal in 2003 was reportedly to beat Oprah’s time in 1994. Meanwhile, a course at Northern Iowa University teaches beginners to run a marathon in one semester of serious training. The people who teach in this class have published their program as Marathon Coach, Not Runners , and this is a great guide for anyone starting from scratch.
Most beginner marathon programs start with the assumption that you can run two to three miles several times a week and that you can handle a five-mile run as your first long run. If that’s not where you are, you need to back up and create a fitness “base” to build on.
The 5K Sofa program is ideal for this initial phase. If you’re new to exercise, do this. While you can go straight to marathon training after that, most coaches will recommend that you first make sure you can maintain that level of fitness for at least a few months.
However, if you’re already an athlete, the fast track isn’t all that far-fetched. You have strong muscles and lungs, but running puts some stress on your bones and tendons that other sports don’t. Thus, you do not need to exercise; you just need to get used to running. Then you can move on to your workout plan.
Training takes at least four months
Marathon workout plans are structured programs that gradually prepare you to tackle the challenges of 26.2 miles over a period of approximately four months. Even people who have run marathons before will use a structured program for each racing season. Nobody stays in marathon uniform all year round.
You can find a series of reputable marathon programs for free at HalHigdon.com . They’re pretty typical of plans you’ll find elsewhere, including those built into training apps like Runkeeper and Nike + Run Club .
On any program, expect to run at least four times a week. In a typical program, there are at least three shorter cycles and one longer cycle. As you get closer to race day, your runs increase to 20 miles or more, but you won’t be doing 20 miles for every run this week – no one has that amount of time, and it will ruin your body. Instead, you might be doing a five-mile run on weekdays and one grueling 20-mile run on the weekends. There is usually also a day in the middle of the week when you do either a mid-length run or other tasks such as a day of speed work or hill jogging.
This is a serious time commitment. At 10 minutes per mile, the first week of Hal Higdon’s beginner plan 1 is 2.5 hours of running: not bad. But the maximum week you can do 20 miles is almost seven hours. Half of them are one long run that will eat up your entire Saturday morning.
If this sounds too much, stick to shorter races. You can train for a half marathon with much less time, or just stick to 5K where you never have to run more than three to five miles if you really don’t want to.
But if you’re ready to take on the challenge and have cleared your calendar, then there’s no reason not to continue. It’s time to choose a marathon.
Before you start training, select a race
You want your training program to end on race day, so it’s best to sync your choice of marathon with your training schedule. Most cities only have one marathon, so you can choose a date or leave it. If you need more options, you may need to take a trip.
When to register depends on which marathon you choose. For example, if you want to run a marathon in New York , you must apply in January, even if the race is not earlier than November. The organizers run the lottery and you have very little chance of getting into it: in 2016, only 23 percent of applicants were accepted. On the other hand, if you are following the Pittsburgh marathon closely, all you have to do is fill out a form and pay the fee. In 2016, all tickets were sold out three weeks before race day .
This means that if you want to run New York, you need to figure out if you hit it and then start thinking about when and how to train. If you don’t, you can watch other marathons that could be your second or third choice.
On the other hand, with an easier entry into the race, such as in Pittsburgh, you can start training based on race day and then not actually pay the registration fee until you are sure the training is going well. A delayed approach will mean no early pricing, but it can make sense if you’re not feeling confident. Refunds for registrations for a marathon can be difficult or impossible.
Expect a physical and emotional roller coaster
A marathon itself is a lifelong experience, but training will feel like a grueling part-time job. You have to show up even if you don’t want to. It takes a lot of time. You will come home sick.
In the process, you will learn to take care of your body. You will need to eat well in order to recover, and you will find yourself sleeping more. If you work with training partners, you get to know them pretty well. If you don’t, you will spend a lot of time thinking.
You will give up Saturday morning. You will miss the nights, but you will also feel great when you come to brunch with a fifteen-mile man already at the bank. The day will come when you will run further than ever before, and each step after that will be a new achievement throughout your life.
As the weeks and months go by, your runs will get longer and longer. About three weeks before the race, you will do your last really long run – almost never 26 miles, but rather 18, 20, or 22. That’s because long runs are hell for your body and you need time to recover.
Those last three weeks are called the taper when you run less and less because you are allowing your body to heal and regenerate so it is in its best shape for race day. Your body will feel great, but your brain may go into what runners call ” crazy .” Have you exercised enough? What will you do in your newfound free time? Haven’t thought of your outfit for race day yet?
After all that, you will go to the marathon, you will run the marathon – assuming you weren’t injured during your workout – and you will finish feeling agitated and exhausted. Then you will know that it was all worth it.