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How to Train for a Marathon?

In the world of constant changes, rushing, and business, very often people forget about their personal growth, their development, and in general their satisfaction from life. The point is that apart from the daily work, meetings, and the household, each member of society is in search of the means to train themselves, to try something unusual and see the results. Everyone would like to challenge their strength, to set a certain goal, and to ruin the particular stereotypes created by their imagination and lack of confidence. In many such cases, a marathon can turn into a perfect idea to overcome fear, to observe one’s victory, and to ensure others that you can do more. Still, participation in a marathon is not an easy task especially for those who are not professional runners, and it takes time and effort to become ready.

The first point to make is to state that running a marathon means something different for everyone. To be more precise, some people do it to lose weight, while others do it to get out from their comfort zone, and the rest may not even pursue the individual goal and just do it for the pleasure and support of their friends or family members. They might say, “If I can do this, I can do almost anything!” Still, frequently people consider a marathon as the ability to prove one’s sporting skills and capacity and do not take into consideration such factors as personal traits, fears, and psychology. That is why the person who is perfectly trained in the physical dimension can fail because of unpreparedness from others.

It is important to be conscious of all the rules and principles to know what you can count on and whether you feel the readiness to overcome all of the difficulties. In this case, future marathon runners need to try their abilities, to challenge their stamina and health in general. What this means is that it is critical to start running from the minimum mileage and to raise it continually, observing how it impacts your body and well-being. Moreover, it is recommended not to rush in your training; the attentive and careful runner must begin the training a year before the marathon. Human health and the body have to be challenged gradually with the notes which will contribute to the proper analysis and avoidance of irreversible mistakes. Those who feel they can not understand the specificity of the preparation by themselves should rely on the professional trainers who will give unbiased advice and will prevent serious injuries (Murphy, p. 13).

People who decide on running the marathon must be involved in the sporting world. They must realize the importance of being competent in different types of marathons, in terms of different distances and rules. What is more, to better recognize the process, the beginners can try different short marathons first to find the type suitable for their needs, preferences, and abilities. It is interesting, but there also exist marathons on familiar roads which make it easier and more comfortable to run before taking part in more challenging and unfamiliar marathons.

After you feel that you are ready to train professionally for the marathon, you can start training specifically for the result and not for pleasure. This means that the running schedule must be followed strictly, and the runner has to note their showings and achievements. It is advisable to train five days per week and to run in a relaxed pace to prepare the heart rate and be able to increase the challenges with small steps. When the runner realizes they are good with a short run, the runner needs to go on with the long run. The intervals and speed in these cases will change within each training week contributing to the stability of heart rate, the ability to breathe freely, and on the whole, to build endurance.

Many of those willing to take part in the running marathon make the huge mistake of running every day. It is rather crucial for the results and prevention of damaging health to have some rest days. To say precisely, these are the times or days the runner does not run at all because during the time of relaxation, the runner’s muscles recover, and there is no risk of injury. Still, it is not forbidden to do the other kinds of sports which help to remain fit but do not disturb the health (Murphy, p. 66). These sports are like walking, cycling, yoga, or hiking. It is interesting but essential advice to get used to drinking water during the marathon. There are always water stations available, but it is better to keep a water bottle for running and start running with it from the first training.

Professional runners consider a proper breakfast to be important before the marathon. They advise drinking a glass of water the night before the running day and in the morning. What is more, the runner’s breakfast must exclude heavy products, and on the contrary, consist of meals or fruits several hours before the race. “Have a high-carb meal 2 or 3 hours before you run, or have a small high-carb snack or drink about 30 minutes beforehand” (Allen, p. 93). Another critical preparation is without a doubt the runner’s outfit. Many would say that if you are a professional and trained athlete, it does not matter what clothes you wear. This is a massive mistake in thinking, because having shoes and a jumpsuit that are both comfortable and fitting for the occasion is half the battle.

Apart from the physical preparation, runners need to be confident in their psychological readiness. It is about the ability to feel the body and to use the mind, which must be prepared for the stress and challenges. Moreover, the psychology of running is not about the different tag lines in your mind, but the preparation of it to overcome the physical hurdles with the strength of the brain, which can withstand frustration or even depression caused by failures (Murphy p. 84).

To sum up, getting ready for a marathon is a tremendous amount work, which includes the efforts and preparations for the inside and outside parameters. Only a proper attitude and thoughtful advice can contribute to the positive outcomes without health aggravations and disappointments. The person should decide first on their marathon goal and to work it out until victory; particularly, this does not mean to win first place, but to break the prejudices concerning their body, health, and abilities. In this case, the marathon proves to be not only for professional running, but the race for overcoming a person’s fears, stereotypes, and errors.

Works Cited

Higdon, Hal. Marathon. 4th ed., Pennsylvania, Rodale, 2011.
Murphy, Sam, and Sam Murphy. Marathon and Half Marathon. 2nd ed., London, A. & C. Black, 2009.
Van Allen, Jennifer. The Runner’s World Big Book of Marathon and Half-Marathon Training. Emmaus, Pa., Rodale, 2012.