Essential Preparation for Running a Marathon

As you probably know, it takes plenty of hard work and a lot of training to participate in a marathon. Once you have made the decision to run in this race, you must find the best possible training program to get you in shape. Giving yourself enough time to train is essential as you will need to gradually build up the length of your runs. What follows are some key principles to keep in mind when training for a marathon.

One of the first things you must understand is that you must not get into the habit of running exact distances each time that you run. It's best to vary your training schedule, getting in at least one long run in per week. Not only that, but you can also vary your training from week to week, alternating between easier and more difficult sessions. Whether you are training on a treadmill or running in the great outdoors, you need to change up the distance you run, as well as your incline and speed. Running in a marathon requires that you do many different types of workouts to prepare your body properly and to build endurance. When you add strength training, biking, or even jump rope to your workout you are in essence doing cross training that can help you train more effectively.

For those of you that have ran in a marathon, or watched one on television, you may have noticed that an assortment of people are walking and running toward the end. Getting in shape sometimes requires a little bit of walking during your runs to build up your endurance. While you're running and training, it is okay to walk for a little while especially if you are just starting to get in shape. Make sure that you never stop during the run and that you keep moving, even if it is a slow walk, to the end of your run.

A large portion of your everyday schedule will be taken up as you train for this marathon. Whether or not this will fit into your busy schedule is a careful consideration you must make. Stress is a major factor to consider especially if you have other responsibilities such as a family and a career. For instance, it may be very hard to focus on your marathon training if you have sick children or have just started a new job. Once you have determined that marathon training, which will last several months, is something that you can do, then go ahead and proceed.

If you're new to running, it will not be easy to train for this marathon. Having a strong mental attitude and it physically in shape body are key to succeeding in this race. Make your main goal to finish the race, and don't worry about your time. When it comes to training, the most important thing is to be consistent, so you'll be well prepared on the day of the actual event.

For those of you actually want to run in a marathon, you need to begin your training as soon as possible.

Desire half marathon training tips? See 1/2 marathon training schedule. You will find half marathon training tips.