The Blog

How to Train For a Marathon

In this guide, we've put together some useful tips to help you achieve your marathon goals

Whatever your running goal, training is the most important aspect. Training will help to build up your stamina and improve your cardiovascular health. We have put together a beginners guide to finishing a marathon, you don’t have to beat a record to be able to run a marathon, you just have to cross the finish line.

Molly Woollett

16/12/23

The Blog

How to Train For a Marathon

In this guide, we've put together some useful tips to help you achieve your marathon goals

Whatever your running goal, training is the most important aspect. Training will help to build up your stamina and improve your cardiovascular health. We have put together a beginners guide to finishing a marathon, you don’t have to beat a record to be able to run a marathon, you just have to cross the finish line.

Author Name

16/12/23

Introduction

Which Marathon Do I Pick?

This year the London Marathon is held on the 14th April, so you need to get your applications in quick if you intend to run! But that’s not the only marathon you can compete in, all over the country there are marathons and half marathons taking place for a number of different causes and prizes. Whether you want to beat a personal best or you’re just starting out, there are many kinds of run you can choose from. If you love being in nature, then a trail run might better for you than a road run. If you really want a challenge, there are even night runs. Marathon Eryri (also known as Snowdonia Marathon) is a demanding and spectacular route which has been voted Best British Marathon twice.

Give Yourself Plenty of Time to Train

It is much harder to run a marathon when your body isn’t prepared for it. You could probably go and drag yourself around a 5K, but it would be uncomfortable, and you definitely wouldn’t enjoy it.

Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to train, we recommend at least 20 weeks. This should build up your endurance. The more time you give yourself to do it, the more prepared you will be when the race comes.

Be Aware of Your Limits

One of the most common causes of injury is going too fast too soon. 26.2 miles puts you at a higher risk for injury, so you need to be extremely careful that you don’t push yourself beyond your means. Start by running a few shorter races, 5Ks, 10Ks or even a half marathon is a great to get yourself into the mindset of running your first marathon.

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Elements of Marathon Training

The main elements of marathon training are base mileage, the long run, speed work and rest and recovery. Each of these sections are important as they will allow you to develop different strengths so you can work on your weaknesses and have variation in your training. Nobody likes a dull run!

  • Base Mileage – If you are training for your very first marathon you should aim to build your weekly mileage up to 50 miles over the period leading up to race day. Three to five runs per week is more than enough and the majority of these should be done at a relaxed pace.
  • The Long Run – Once you feel comfortable you should add in a weekly long run, this should be done once every 7-10 days, extending the run by a mile or two each time. Doing these runs at a slower pace than usual will help build your confidence and teaches your body to adjust for longer distances, burning fat for fuel.
  • Speed Work is only necessary to include is you really want to challenge yourself or are wanting to achieve a specific time goal. The benefits of this are increasing your aerobic capacity and helping your runs to feel a little easier. You can do this by having intervals on your run where you run at a significantly faster pace than usual for a designated amount of time and then recover in between with jogs.
  • Rest and Recovery – Arguably the most important part of training, rest days mean absolutely no running. During training you are pushing your body to taxing limits and you need to let your muscles recover to help prevent a burnout. The most common injuries among runners are often due to overuse so it’s important to use this time to rest. Your body needs time to adapt.

Find a Support System

On those days you feel like you need a bit of extra support, it’s a good idea to have either a running buddy or a group that you consistently run with. Not only will it give you a sense of comradery, working with other people can give you accountability, structure, and confidence.

Fuelling Whilst Your Run

You have probably heard of the phenomenon many runners experience called ‘hitting the wall or ‘bonking’. This usually occurs after the 18-mile mark and is often the result of not fuelling your body enough. It earned its namesake because it’s been described as feeling like you’re running into a brick wall. This happens when your glycogen (stored energy) within your muscles is depleted. However, it is possible to avoid it. There are things you can do before your marathon such as adding an 18-20 mile run into your training and doing weekly long runs.

During the race it’s important not to go out too fast, you’ll burn through your stored energy too quickly and your muscles will fatigue faster. If you’re not worried about your timing, you could take walking breaks, a short strategic walk can help preserve some energy for a bigger push later.

You will need to consume some calories during the race, consuming carbs will help prevent you from hitting the wall and increase your performance. Sports drinks, gels and solid foods all have their advantages and disadvantages so it’s important to practice beforehand to see what works best for you.

Remember to get plenty of sleep, eat well balanced meals and take care of any injuries or ailments that may develop during training. It’s easy to get carried away with training so it’s important to check in with yourself and look after your mental wellbeing.

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