When I arrived at the London Marathon start line on Sunday to cheer on our Another Round runners, I felt something I didn’t expect: FOMO!
The marathon is such a cool event. It’s a hard distance, more challenging than some ultra marathons due to its flat terrain. It’s built for runners to barrel around without really stopping.
Running a marathon is a fantastic feat, and the energy is electric. So if you’re thinking, ‘should I sign up for a marathon?’ my answer is a resounding yes! Do it – unless you truly despise running (more on that later).
I’ve said ‘a marathon’ rather than the marathon because there are loads. The next London Marathon is a year away, returning on April 21st 2024. Friday 28th April 2023 is the last day to enter the ballot, which closes at 9 pm. If that’s too soon or you don’t get a place, there are many others in the UK and worldwide. Or, like Adam, you could even run a marathon distance without taking part in a structured event.
Inspired? Here’s everything you need to know about training for a marathon.
Your training runway depends on your starting point. You might not need long if you’re a highly trained runner in your athletic prime. If you’re a reasonably consistent runner (10km + per week), you need around four months minimum. For everyone else, I recommend six months or more.
Training for a marathon is not just about your fitness; it’s about getting your body used to the running volume. You exert the equivalent force of 3-8x your body weight through your leg with each stride when you run.
You will need to build up the running volume to handle the distance, or you’ll suffer from IT band syndrome, known as ‘runner’s knee’, or worse. The chances are you’ll pick up a niggle in training, so it’s best to leave yourself enough time to account for a rest or deload week if needed. Even if you’re very fit, if you’re not used to running, you’ll struggle to complete a half marathon without risking injury.
There’s no evidence to support this. Instead, knee injuries through running are more likely a case of people not running often and then running hard (on any surface) for too long or for too many days consecutively after a period of non-running. Build up sensibly, and you’ll have strong, healthy legs.
As with any sport, the practice of the sport itself should form the bedrock of your training. But if you’ve left yourself enough time, then the right strength training program will undoubtedly help you improve your power, speed and coordination.
Your strength training should supplement your running schedule without detracting from it. I advise that you don’t just focus on your legs either, but include your upper body and core to help with rotation (think of the torso rotation with each stride) and bulletproof your back.
Comfortable and streamlined kit will make a difference, but it won’t save your race if you haven’t done enough. Also, you don’t want to be the ‘all the gear and no idea’ runner – someone who has spent thousands on their apparel and gadgets but is unprepared for the race.
If you want to, level up your kit in line with your training progression, rewarding yourself for your good work as you go.
Train! Start now.
You will be shocked at how quickly it comes around, and I’ve seen too many cases of people leaving it til the last minute. And by last minute, I mean less than 12 weeks. If you can give yourself six months - especially if you can get a half-marathon event in that timeframe - you should do great. So start today!
If you really, truly hate running, don’t sign up. There are tonnes of other pursuits out there; leave the marathon alone if you hate running.
You don’t have to love running to do a marathon, but it probably helps. You have to be able to find some enjoyment in your training, or you just won’t put the time in.
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