Spring and summer means many marathons.
Some avid runners plan for this every year while newbies consider entering just one marathon in their state as a major goal for the year.
Whatever your reason for wanting to run in a marathon, the secret is lots of advance planning.
That is key to running safely without injury.
First, you must understand the training process.
The Facts About Training
It takes anywhere from 12 to 20 weeks to properly train for a marathon.
Beginners should plan for training for four months before race day.
The training can’t slack either.
You must build your weekly mileage up to 50 miles before you go to the starting line.
You can do this with three to five runs each week.
The runs are relaxed rather than competitive because you want to build endurance.
The rule of thumb is to run at a relaxed pace so you could talk in a conversation the whole time.
Also, don’t push the mileage increases.
The maximum you should increase your weekly mileage is 10 percent.
Safety Advice
There are three important elements to staying safe while training for a marathon.
First, be aware of your personal limits.
Marathons are more than 20 miles and that can be hard on the body.
Talk with your doctor before you start training.
Give yourself time.
Most of those wanting to be a professional marathoner run at their base mileage for a year before going into a marathon training program.
Make sure you have several months in advance of a race so you don’t push yourself beyond your body’s limits.
Most injuries are piling on too much weekly mileage too quickly.
It’s more important to be consistent in running 20 to 30 miles a week before signing up for a marathon.
Don’t make the first marathon a big one. You should start with smaller, shorter races to see how you do.
That includes the 5Ks and 10K.
A half-marathon is a good way to see what a marathon is like and whether you can handle it.
