Steps on How to Train for Marathon or Half Marathon

Training for a half marathon or full marathon is not always something easy to do if you are new to marathon running. There is a lot of confusing information on the internet on how to train for a marathon or half marathon and it is advisable for beginner runners to be conscious when using them. This is not meant to scare you as a novice marathon or half marathon runner, but rather to guide you. In this article I will give you some simple steps to follow on how to train for a marathon or half marathon.

Plan Ahead for Your Marathon or Half Marathon Training

Planning is the most important step in marathon or half marathon training and most beginner runners miss this step only to find themselves frustrated weeks or even months into their marathon training. Planning involves setting your goals and trying to answer the question why. Before even thinking about how to train for a marathon or half marathon, you need to ask yourself why you want to run marathon in the first place. It may sound obvious, but I can’t tell you as a marathon coach and former professional athlete how many runners I have asked that question as I design marathon or half marathon training schedules for them and are not able to tell me why. Remember it is one thing to talk about running marathon and totally a different thing to actually train for a marathon or even run one. As you think about training for marathon sit down and set some reasonable goals before you even look for a marathon or half marathon training plan. It is easier to find a reliable marathon training program if you have a clear
plan.

Setting goals include important factors such as:

  • Which marathon or half marathon event you want to run
  • What kind of experience you have i.e. are you a beginner or experienced marathon runner
  • Are you running for time, course, fun, socialization, or just to finish
  • What do you hope to achieve from the marathon or half marathon event you choose to run

These are just some of the guiding questions I often ask my athletes or marathon runners before I design a training program for them.

Choose a Marathon or Half Marathon Event to Train for

Though this can be considered part of planning discussed above, I like to consider it as a separate step in learning how to train for marathon or half marathon. The main reason for that is because the event you pick will determine the type of marathon or half marathon training schedule you will need for your training. It is advisable to pick a marathon event that is at least four months ahead; the further ahead the better for you. Due to unforeseeable problems such as marathon running related injuries giving yourself more time between the beginning of your marathon training and the big competition day will ensure that you can recover and still compete. For beginner marathon runners more time for training is advisable. Additionally, most of the good marathon or half marathon training plans are at least 16 weeks. Of course longer programs are better.

Find a Good Marathon or Half Marathon Training Schedule to follow

Marathon training plan is one of the most important tools that you will need for your training. As I mentioned before, there are several sources of marathon training information on the internet which include training programs, but not all of them are reliable. If you have knowledgeable marathon coach onsite I would recommend that you ask him or her to design a good marathon or half marathon training schedule based on your goals. However, if you don’t have a coach, you can easily find a reliable training program online. You can read on another article what to look for in a good marathon training schedule.

Start Training and Stick to Your Marathon or Half Marathon Training Program

This may also sound obvious, but I have seen several runners who follow different training programs at the same time. Please stick with the one marathon or half marathon training plan that you have chosen or that you coach has designed for you. Believe in it and follow every small detail in the program. Remember it is the little things that make the difference between achieving your marathon running goals and not achieving them. Also remember to follow other marathon training tips discussed in related articles on this site.

Training for marathon is wide topic to cover in one article, but these are just a few steps to help you on how to train for a marathon or half marathon.

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