Watching the athletes at the Olympics can be very inspiring – and when it comes to running, the marathon distance is one of the most impressive. As a viewer (check out ) you will be amazed by the speed the Olympic marathon runners maintain for the full 26.2 miles of the race, but this running event is still achievable for many more “ordinary” runners.
It just takes some focussed training, the right kit and footwear and the best choice of marathon race for you. We bring you a guide to getting started with your marathon running goal. The right marathon training programme for you will depend on your fitness and racing experience so far.
Ideally, you will have already run a 10k race and hopefully a half-marathon event, and now have the aim of the 26.2-mile marathon. You could start right at the beginning and build up to a marathon but allow more months for this to happen.
Realistically, if you have run a 10k and you feel ready for a half-marathon distance, you could probably . It could also be a good goal to aim for a . There are plenty of training schedules to follow, whether online or in a variety of books.
Many runners find a coach is very useful when training for their first marathon. It’s not simply a case of running further because you need to build up the distance incrementally to avoid injury. It is also a good idea to include and recovery sessions, such as or , so that you maintain the best physical health.
Runners who build up the mileage too quickly and focus o.