First Marathon Tips?

adawn09

I'm running my first marathon at the beginning of 2014. I'm currently able to run a half-marathon. I'm looking for some useful tips, training schedules, etc. ? Thank you!

JMLenart

adawn09,

One of the nest ways to train for a marathon is to get involved with a training group. There are a lot of great charity running groups you can join that provide coaching, a schedule and sometimes even travel to a cool destination race. Team in Training (part of the Leukemia and Lymphoma society) and Team to End AIDS are two such organizations. You get a schedule, coaching and even a group to run with a few times a week.

If you're looking for a plan to do on your own look at Hal Higdon and Jeff Galloway plans. Both are great.

If going outside of these suggestions I would say to make sure the longest run on the schedule for the entire season is no longer than 20 miles as incidents of injury increase significantly above that. You also don't want a long run of the season below 18 miles as I don't think thats enough of a long run.

Also you'll be looking for a schedule that doesn't increase total weekly mileage by more than 10% per week and includes a cutback week every three weeks. The cutback should be in the 30% of the total mileage range.

Good luck and happy training.

scottb81

Build the biggest aerobic base you possibly can before you start the training program. You are probably capable of running more in training than you believe is possble.

Read the e-book below and scale the base training in it to what you can do now. Aim towards doing more over time. Ideally you want to build to 10 to 12 hours a week of running with 2x2 hr runs, 2x90min runs, and 3x60 min runs.
Athletic Training by Arthur Lydiard, available free at http://www.lydiardfoundation.org/pdfs/al_training_eng.pdf

The marathon is around 99% aerobic. The bigger aerobic capacity you can develop the better you will race. You have a year to build and a lot can be done in that year.