Marathon running help?

Question

How can i train to run a marathon? whta should my routine be?

Answer 1

Sounds like you need one of two things: either a coach/team or a book. Check local running stores in your area for clubs or groups who run together. Ask about coaches if you want one. Go to the bookstore and get a book on marathon running (they make them for all levels from couch to marathon to ultimate marathoners!). The books will have all the details and training plans you need to run at your optimal level. Join a running club and get the mileage up! Make sure you pay close attention to your nutrition too.

Good luck!!!

Answer 2

Its a good challenge to take and at the end of a marathon, well, you can say that you have done it - run over the line punching the air shouting "Yes, I did it", or saunter over it nonchalantly, shrug your shoulder and say "Yeah, did that" - however you do it, its a great thing to do.

You can go to a web site like runners world, running fitness, cool running and download a training schedule but I don't like that, it makes you feel that you have to run when it say and for the distance it says, and doesn't take into account your life (you have to have a life as well, fit the running round your life, not the other way round).

I'll give you some basic ideas.

First off you might want to find a marathon to aim for - at least 3 months away, so realistically for a UK marathon you are looking at next March or April (not too many winter marathons). That will give you some focus. While you are looking for a run, you might like to find a half marathon about a month or 6 weeks before and a 10km race before that as little goals to go for.

Right I guess you want running ideas?

Well you have to start running. Depending on your level of fitness at the moment, you want to start running for half an hour 3 or 4 times a week (or if the marathon isn't too close, perhaps 2 or 3 times a week). You can do this by run-walking to start with. Run until you need to walk, then walk to recover and set off running again untill you need to walk etc. Next session do the same but try to run further and walk less untill you run the whole half hour.

Try to get to this level of fitnes in about a month, and aim to cover at least 3 miles, or 4 if you can, or more.

When you can run a constant half hour then you want to start changing your training. At the weekend (or when you have most time) make that a day to go on a long run - slower than normal but 50% longer than your weekday runs (so if you run 4 miles ion a tuesday, then on the saturday or sunday run 6). Slowly lengthen your training sessions. A week before the 10k (6.2 miles) race you might have entered you should be doing 4 miles during the week and it should be fairly easy - this might be 2 months in your training schedule (as a complete beginner, shorter if you allready canrun or are a bit fit). The week before the half marathon, try 7 miles in the week, 11 at the weekends. Then build on that, adding a mile each week for weekday runs to give you 10 to 12 miles weekday runs, 18 at the weekend.

From doing that you should have built a level of fitnes to run the marathon. The races will give you some race experience and help you relax for the marathon end enjoy it more.

So thats the idea, just go out there and run, gradually increasing the mileage untill the week before. Week before the marathon decrease the mileage and recover so you are as fit as you can be. During your training have a rest day or 2 each week.

Oh, get new trainers, the amount of running you will do will make this worthwhile (go to a specialist running store)

Hope that helps to get you going, any more info come back and ask!

Answer 3

That's a big question that will take alot of time to answer.  You want to get your longest run up to at least 20 miles.  You don't need to run 20 miles a day either.  You do need to run often.  I suggest you go to the library or search online for free marathon training programs. Before deciding look them over will you be able to follow it? There are many different ways to tackle the marathon so there are many different training programs out there.

Good Luck

http://yourmetamorphosis.blogspot.com/

Answer 4

Check out Runner's World website.  You will find training plans.

Cool Running also has training plans.

The book suggestion is a good one.  There are books geared for beginners (John Bingham).

You should try to join a training group.  You will get help and feedback from your fellow runners.

And while training plans can be elaborate the principle is simple:

you must train your body to run 26.2 miles and for us mortals that means 4 to 6 hours of running.  It is a daunting task not to be taken lightly, but the reward is a sense of accomplishment you will carry forever.