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MarathonTraining — Mon, 31 May 2010 22:39:39 CDT

If you want to follow a marathon training program for your first marathon then it is critical that you know exactly how to train. The reason for this is that you can damage your body if you start training for your marathon the wrong way.
What most first time marathon runners do is over-train in the initial stages of their marathon preparation. The reason for this is that their motivation levels are usually very high and they think that the way to get fitter is to go out and train a lot of miles.

Training a lot of miles will get you fitter than if you lay around the house and do nothing. However there is a right and a wrong way to get those critical miles into your legs.

If you are like most marathon runners training for their first ever marathon then you will start out running a lot of miles and wonder why you start getting niggling injuries. The reason for this is that your body isn't yet ready to train a lot of miles.

The best way to start training for your marathon is to increase your mileage slowly. To do this you should start to track how many miles you are running each week. Then you should increase your total weekly mileage slowly.
For example if you have increased your total weekly mileage to 25 miles per week then you should aim to run 26-27 miles in the next week. The idea here is to just increase your mileage by around ten percent each week.

If you follow this marathon training schedule to slowly increase your total weekly mileage then you should not get any debilitating injuries in your marathon preparation. However, you should also split your training sessions into long and short runs because this is the most effective way to get miles into your legs.

What most marathon runners do is a long run on the weekend. This is where you will get your greatest fitness levels from. This long training session should then be followed up by a rest day in order to give your muscles the chance to recover from the hard session they have just done.

You should also incorporate a semi-long training session into your marathon training program. Most marathon runners do this session mid-week, typically on a Wednesday. Either side of this semi-long training session you should also do two shorter training runs so that you maintain getting critical miles into your legs.

Most beginner marathoners who get through the first couple of months of training for their marathon also make the mistake of training right up until their marathon race. Then they wonder why they feel tired and lethargic on the day of their race.

A better way is to aim to peak your marathon training approximately three weeks before your actual race. The reason for this is that you can then incorporate a taper period into your training program. If you include this taper period into your training program then you will be fully recovered from the months of marathon training that you have just completed.

Some beginner marathoners think the taper period isn't worthwhile including in their marathon training program. However it is near impossible to get any fitter in the final month before your marathon. That is why it is important to include a taper period into your marathon training. It will leave your legs and body feeling fresh and rested on the day of your marathon race.

By following a marathon training schedule that is specifically designed for beginner marathoners then you are giving yourself the best chance of finishing your marathon race. Obviously it will not guarantee that you will cross the finish line, however if you are careful then you will most likely avoid getting injured in the build-up phase. This is the type of marathon training program that most beginner marathoners tend to incorporate into their training schedule. However it is suggested to follow a beginner marathon training program which has been proven to work.

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