Marathon training plans...rjb5February 25 2008, 19:36:31 UTC
Well, what I would recommend is that when you get a chance, go to Borders or some other big book store and camp out for an hour or so and just try out a few of the marathon training books. There's a lot of info, and it's something you probably don't want to go into under-informed, so I'd recommend finding a good book that you're comfortable with. It's easy to get injuries during marathon training, and although there are some who wear those as badges of honor, it's not fun and it doesn't get you any closer to actually finishing, so it's important that you learn how to train and stay healthy throughout. Personally, I like Hal Higdon's style and training programs. He's an older guy, I think in his 80s now, so some people don't care for his writing style, but he has great success with beginning marathoners, and it's hard to argue with success. The book of his that I bought, Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide, is basically what I've followed for the 3 that I've done. You can also get some info and even see his training programs at his website, but for me, reading the book added a lot of other useful information beyond just the miles.
The other thing that has been invaluable for me, although everyone is different on this one, is running with a group. There are a lot of local running clubs here, but I found one that is very laid-back and I'm very comfortable with. The three main reasons I like the group are: (1) motivation -- I wouldn't get up to run at 7AM on a Saturday if I didn't know the group would be there. And on days when I say "I'll get my miles in later", it's too easy to let it slide behind a mound of excuses. Running with the group makes it easier for me to get it done. (2) Support. During our group training runs, we have water stations setup about every 3 miles. This isn't so important on the shorter runs, but for anything more than ~10 miles, I find it essential during the off-season. (During the winter, the water fountains are off here, due to the cold.) Dave, our pres, also has an encyclopedic knowledge of local routes and distances, so he's able to arrange runs for the group, many of whom are on various training programs for various events. and (3) camaraderie. Most of the time, I like having people to run with. Occasionally, I want to run alone, but usually, I like the company. And going out for bagels post-run is a fun time to hear stories from the more experienced veterans, ask questions, swap experiences. So I'd recommend you find a good local training group.
Good luck with it, and remember the single most important thing is to stay healthy and uninjured, followed very closely by getting in your miles. There is no substitute for distance running if you want to be a distance runner.
The other thing that has been invaluable for me, although everyone is different on this one, is running with a group. There are a lot of local running clubs here, but I found one that is very laid-back and I'm very comfortable with. The three main reasons I like the group are: (1) motivation -- I wouldn't get up to run at 7AM on a Saturday if I didn't know the group would be there. And on days when I say "I'll get my miles in later", it's too easy to let it slide behind a mound of excuses. Running with the group makes it easier for me to get it done. (2) Support. During our group training runs, we have water stations setup about every 3 miles. This isn't so important on the shorter runs, but for anything more than ~10 miles, I find it essential during the off-season. (During the winter, the water fountains are off here, due to the cold.) Dave, our pres, also has an encyclopedic knowledge of local routes and distances, so he's able to arrange runs for the group, many of whom are on various training programs for various events. and (3) camaraderie. Most of the time, I like having people to run with. Occasionally, I want to run alone, but usually, I like the company. And going out for bagels post-run is a fun time to hear stories from the more experienced veterans, ask questions, swap experiences. So I'd recommend you find a good local training group.
Good luck with it, and remember the single most important thing is to stay healthy and uninjured, followed very closely by getting in your miles. There is no substitute for distance running if you want to be a distance runner.
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