Maratathon Training Schedule

Developing A Marathon Training Schedule

Your Marathon Training Schedule is the single most important thing to do if you want to finish all 13 or 26 miles! Just going out and deciding to start running, without a plan, is the quickest path to failure. You have to start slowly, and build your way up with gradual progress. This way, you know you'll be able to do it, and you won't be killing yourself everyday trying to run as fast and as hard as you can. Only the true masochist among us could continue to do that for weeks at a time :-)

Don't get discouraged. You'd be amazed to know how many people's first actual road race is a marathon! People do it all the time. You just need to have a plan.

Some key points:

* You don't have to run 7 days a week. Just 3-4 days that stick with your plan are enough
* You can be ready in as little as 16-24 weeks
* You should make small incremental increases in distance. Something around 10% (again, according to your marathon training schedule). You won't be doing 5 miles and then jump to 10!
* Do NOT be on the Atkins or South Beach diets. You can eat those carbs! You'll need them
* You need to incorporate other training such as weight training to keep your body in shape and ready for the stress of a marathon
* If you feel a slight injury...pause your training. You MUST stay healthy
* 2-3 weeks prior to the marathon, you must taper your training down. Your body has to be ready.

The key to all of this is to have a great plan! Get a good Marathon Training Schedule and start running today.

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Maratathon Training Schedule

My name is Jeff Simmons, and I've run at least one marathon a year for the last 10 years. The key to running these events is having a comprehensive Marathon Training Schedule that guides me through the weeks before a race.

The biggest secret to my success has been Julian Dean's excellent Marathon Training Schedule. Check it out here.