If you’ve just made the decision to start marathon training, or are consider half marathon training as a starting point, it’s going to be very essential to have a good schedule in place.

A marathon training schedule will take your current fitness level into account and properly periodize the workout sessions so they get more intense as time goes on, but not so intense that they begin to overwhelm you.

Training to run 26.4 miles is definitely not easy feat to accomplish but with the proper marathon training program you can feel confident that you will reach your goal.

Let’s take a bit of time right now to go over a few of the important points that you should remember when selecting a marathon training or half marathon training program.

Allow Sufficient Time Prior To Race Day

The very first thing when looking through half marathon training schedules or full marathon plans if you decide to go for the long haul is that you must allow for sufficient time for preparation.

For example, if you’re brand new to running, don’t set a date to run the race one month in advance and think that you can do a half marathon schedule in this time period. Ideally you should allow at least two to three months to prepare for a race, unless you are someone who is highly advanced and has a few races under their belt.

Always allow yourself slightly more time than you think you’ll need to prepare as this will ensure that you aren’t feeling rushed at any point in the marathon training schedule.

Take Other Activities Into Account

Moving on, another must-do as you get started with marathon training is to be sure that you also factor in other activities that you’re doing.

If you are involved in weight lifting or team sports, you need the schedule you choose to accommodate to this. Different marathon training plans will have you running different amounts throughout the week, so choose one that’s most appropriate to you.

Just do keep in mind that marathon training is a very intense goal and you may have to give up some other workouts in order to make room for it.

Get Your Diet In Gear

Finally, the last important point that you must do as you start up your half marathon training is to get your diet in gear. You’re about to start performing a very high amount of exercise each week so if you’re not fueling your body to do this, you’re going to suffer from fatigue, burnout, and very likely will end up injured.

Now is not the time to be dieting or cutting back on your food intake. You want to perform as well as possible with your marathon training so be sure that you’re getting sufficient calories in. Many people involved in marathon training will consume upwards of 3000 calories or more per day, so feed your body what it’s asking for.

So there you have the main points to remember as you get started with marathon training. Keeping these in mind and making sure you select a marathon training schedule based on your current skill level will ensure that you get hooked on racing for life.

 

Danny Kettoola