How to Prepare for a Marathon
Contributed By Sandy | Published: Oct 21, 2005
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by Author Violet Mardeza
http://www.firstrunning.com
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Almost anyone can run a marathon if they have the right
motivation and the appropriate training. Of course, your
success rate during the race will vary depending on your
level of skill as an athlete and your practice schedule.
Everybody is different, after all.
In past, marathons were thought to be reserved only for
the elite among athletes. It's easy to understand why.
The first marathon runner, an ancient Greek messenger
who raced from Marathon to Athens to deliver a warning
about an approaching enemy, dropped dead just after
finishing his run.
Today, however, many people compete in marathons. The
New York City marathon is one of the most popular events.
It started in 1970 with a mere 55 runners, but today
there are almost thirty thousand participants yearly. A
similar number of runners get involved in the other major
marathons in London, Tokyo, and Chicago.
It is not easy though - it takes hard work and dedication.
Some people, when they decide to train for a marathon
already consider themselves fit. They might play some
regular sports or eat and live healthy. Other people will
happily admit to being out of shape and set a marathon as a
goal to get themselves fit.
Certainly, training for a marathon is a serious endeavor,
and it's a hard way to get back into shape. In a marathon
you run for 3 to 7 hours straight, which is very difficult
considering that most people have trouble running even an
hour at a time. It takes training--at least six months of
it--to get to the point where your body can actually run
for such a period of time.
Six months is the minimum for people who are already in
reasonable shape. If you are out of shape, you will need
to start training much more than six months in advance.
A couple years is actually a much better timeframe.
Throughout, stick to a training schedule, which will
provide goals to keep you motivated. The marathon is the
furthest goal, but also come up with some targets to
work for in the meantime. Set goals such as running ten
miles at one go, for instance.
And no matter whether you're already very fit or if you
haven't worked out in ages, consult your doctor before
embarking on your extreme new program. You probably should
not expect any training suggestions from your doctor,
but you can ask for more general advice: are you ready to
start working out, is it safe for you to train to
intensively, etc.
Above all, running a marathon requires a lot of advance
training. You'll need to find a schedule to follow; there
are many great schedules for marathon training on the
internet as well as in fitness or running magazines.
Pick one that is tailored to your own situation--there
are schedules for new runners as well as for seasoned
athletes. Once you set up a schedule, don't give yourself
any excuses to skip training days--stick to the plan!
The only time you should drop from training is the two
weeks right before the main event. Give your body a rest
and allow it to recover so you're in optimal shape for
the big run. This rest period should be part of your
schedule.
And on the day of the marathon itself, be sure to pace
yourself. Don't start off too fast because then you'll just
get tired too quickly. Keep drinking water to stay hydrated
and run at a pace that's right for you. The feeling of
accomplishment that comes with crossing the finish line
will be great motivation to keep you moving forward!
Author Violet Mardeza has now run 17 marathons around the
world as well as numerous road races. She divulges her
running experiences for the benefit of all other athletes at
First Running.
See what Violet recommends at
http://www.firstrunning.com
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