How to Train for Marathon – Our Best Tips

So you’ve decided to take the plunge and run a marathon, tackling a long-distance race of 26.2 miles that will test everything you have physically and mentally. The feeling of crossing the finish line is one of the most satisfying an athlete can experience, but there is so much preparation to be done beforehand – particularly if it’s your first time.

The word ‘marathon’ comes from the Greek town of the same name, site of the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC where Greek messenger Pheidippides supposedly ran all the way to Athens to announce victory over the Persians before collapsing and dying. The modern marathon was created by French philologist Michel Breal and was one of the original Olympic events. In this guide we will explain everything you need to know on how to train for marathon so you can join the pantheon of runners who have completed this great race.

• How to Choose Your First Marathon
• Marathon Training Plan – Base Training
• Marathon Training Guide – Full Program
• Marathon Race Day – Food, Hydration and Gels
• Top 10 Marathon Tips

How to Choose Your First Marathon

Before you put a marathon training plan together we recommend you book your place on a race, so you know how much time you have to prepare. The New York City Marathon and Boston Marathon are two of the most widely-followed in the USA and are covered by online sportsbooks, but there are so many to choose from all offering different elements. You may even want to run a shorter road race to get a better feel for what is to come, or watch a friend run a marathon before you do.

For your first one it may make sense to pick a race close to where you live – ensuring you are familiar with the roads you will be running on, can sleep in your own bed the night before and have a host of friends and family cheering you on. Some people prefer to go for a destination marathon that would require you to travel there beforehand, which can provide extra motivation in the build-up to it.

Whatever your angle, make sure you research the history and reputation of a marathon before signing up. Some are better for runners who are new to marathons, while others aim to be more inclusive to runners of certain backgrounds, so do your homework and learn everything you can about the race and its course. Factor in when the race is due to take place and historical weather conditions as well as logistical details about how to get there and back.

Marathon Training Plan – Base Training

Once you have selected your marathon of choice and had your place confirmed then it is time to start thinking about how to train for marathon. There are so many different ways to put your running preparation together and tons of resources online that you can use to build the right guide for yourself. For first-timers it will really help to have a timeline to work to, as this can help calm any nerves or anxiety.

You will usually see marathon plans listed at around 16 weeks long, but this is only advisable if you are already running a fair few miles a week. Those who are lacing up their running shoes for the first time in months or if you are completely new to long-distance running you will need to build up your base mileage before the serious marathon training even kicks in.

Base mileage refers to the average number of miles you are running in a typical week and we advise first-time marathon runners to get around 20-30 miles a week under their belts before proper training starts. It is worth saying that the amount of time you need to prepare for a marathon totally depends on what your aims are for the race as well as your starting fitness.

If you are just looking to finish and not worry about times, you may get away with less preparation, but if you want to get the best time possible, you should give yourself between six and 12 weeks for base training. Not only will this acclimate your body with running but it will help prevent any injuries.

Your first goal will be to feel comfortable running at least three times a week and you can start small with just one or two mile runs in the first few weeks if you aren’t ready to take on more yet. Also if you need to stop running and walk at points during your early runs, that is totally fine too – remember the aim of the game is to gradually build up your time and distance.

After about a month you want to be looking at logging three to five runs a week, with your longest routes clocking in at five to seven miles. Don’t worry too much about the pace of these runs or push yourself excessively as that could cause an injury, just focus on building from week to week. Running 10% quicker and longer each week is a good attainable target.

Marathon Training Guide – Full Program

Once you have completed your base training you are ready to start your full program, which should be around 16 weeks long. That gives you around four months before race day to increase the mileage of your long run as well as incorporate strength training and speed work. Now you are regularly hitting 20-30 miles a week, you can build in a longer run once a week. This will make up about 20-25% of your total weekly mileage and will be increased by a mile or two every week.

After three or four weeks you will scale this long run back a little bit to give your body time to rest, before upping it again. So you might run 14 miles as your longest run one week, then 15 miles the next and 16 miles after that, before dropping back to 14 miles the following week and then upping to 17 miles.

As you are forging into unknown territory with each new run you embark on, make sure you start at an easy pace and just focus on feeling comfortable so you can finish strongly and build your confidence for the next long run. While these runs are super important to your marathon training, the aim of them is to set you up to run 26.2 miles on race day. If you pull a hamstring pushing yourself too fast here you will kick yourself, so just focus on setting yourself up for success.

You will find that many marathon training plans top out at 20 miles, completed roughly three weeks from the race day. You may wonder where those final, crucial 6.2 miles will come from? The thinking is that your accumulated fitness will be good enough to reach the distance. You will have rested sufficiently in the build-up and have the boost of adrenaline on the day.

Working on your speed is a crucial part of marathon preparation and will help you keep your training interesting by mixing things up. They allow you to practice good form and increase power in your stride, with intervals and tempo runs some of the most popular forms.

Intervals see you run shorter distances than your normal runs at a much faster pace, punctuated by recovery jogging or even walking. You could do four shuttles of one mile each at a pace more suitable for a half marathon, giving yourself five minutes to walk or jog slowly between each shuttle. It is good to challenge yourself but never overdo it where you can’t recover after a day or two.

Tempo runs are longer than intervals – usually around five to 15 miles long – and see you run at a challenging pace but one you can handle as you don’t have rest like you do with intervals. This is to train your body and brain to get close to your marathon pace over a longer distance. Warming up and down after every run is pivotal, as is dynamic stretching to help prevent injury.

Strength training is another way to prevent injury but also build muscle and tune up your body to be able to complete longer runs easier. We think it’s best to do strength training after you’ve run and ideally on speed training days as they are easier. This builds your overall fitness and can come in the form of lifting weights or using resistance machines in the gym or doing bodyweight exercises at home.

Rest and recovery are absolutely crucial to your training for a marathon and can be just as important as the running itself. Having at least one full rest day – sometimes two – per week means no running at all and allows your body to recover from the punishment you’ve been putting it through as well as keep you fresh mentally. If you feel like you have picked up a small injury, rest is best advised so you don’t exacerbate the issue.

You will want to start to taper back your total mileage about three weeks out from your marathon race day, which means dropping about 10-15% every week. You’ll also drop the length of your long runs and speed sessions, but ensure things remain intense so you aren’t lacking any energy when the race comes around.

Marathon Race Day – Food, Hydration and Gels

You will probably have heard that many runners ‘hit the wall’ around miles 18, 19 or 20 as their body’s supply of glycogen runs out. To avoid this you can lean on gels, chews and sports drinks and it will definitely help if you get into the habit of using these during your training. General marathon training guides aim for 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour, while you can also take supplements to help maintain your energy levels.

It is important to eat well in the days preceding the race so your food consumption is ready to be used as fuel, with protein like lean meat, chicken or fish great options. On the day before the marathon go lighter on protein though and make sure to avoid any food that could upset your stomach like curries or spice, and drink plenty of water. The night before you’ll be best off with carbohydrate-heavy foods like bread, pasta or potatoes, while on the day of the race try and eat your main meal three hours before you start running.

How much you drink during the race is key and although most marathons will have drink stations on the route you may prefer to carry some of your own fluids or wear a hydration vest. Most marathon training guidelines suggest you try to drink about 5-10 fluid ounces every 20 minutes and this can be just water if you are getting carbs and electrolytes in other ways.

As soon as you finish the race be sure to drink plenty of water or sports drinks to help you rehydrate as well as tucking into snacks, while you should make sure to eat a substantial meal within about three hours. To warm down walking and stretching is fine, you don’t need to jog at all.

In the weeks following the race you shouldn’t be doing any running or structured exercise to give your body sufficient rest to recover. Do ensure you get plenty of sleep, consume healthy meals and remain well hydrated, as well as looking after any injuries you may have picked up during the process.

Top 10 Marathon Tips

In this section we have provided our top 10 tips so you know how to train for marathon effectively:

• Stick to your plan and don’t do anything new on race day – routine and familiarity will be your friends.
• Test out all your gels, hydration packs and any special running clothing or shoes so you don’t have any surprises on race day.
• Check out the weather forecast going into the race and plan your kit for all eventualities.
• Don’t feel the need to overdo it with sleep the night before your race, just follow your usual body clock.
• Mentally preparing for the race itself by using mindfulness or positive self-talk are great ways to get confident beforehand.
• Hatch a plan for what you will reward yourself by eating after the race, whether that’s pizza or Chinese or whatever, as this can help drive you on during hard points on the course.
• Be prepared with vaseline or body gels in case you suffer from chafing.
• Check you are allowed to run with headphones if you want to listen to music along the way, although that might temper the experience by blocking out the crowds and other runners.
• Start slower than you think you need to and don’t try to keep up with any other runners, just focus on yourself.
• Don’t think of the run as one long 26.2-mile race but break it down into smaller chunks and keep your focus on each one as you go.