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Training for a marathon is no small task. Pushing your body to new distances and speeds is a months long commitment. You owe it to yourself to treat yourself to running a marathon. Carving out time each day or each week to take good care of your body so you can train well is very rewarding.

TEN TIPS TO RUNNING YOUR BEST MARATHON

1. Get out of your head. Yes – stop that internal voice right now that is listing off excuse after excuse after excuse. You CAN run if you WANT to. Marathon running is very mental. Don’t over think it. Do train.
2. Pick a goal race. Setting big goals and small goals during marathon training is vital to getting across 26.2 miles. Select a race that excites you! Maybe it’s the Nashville Music Marathon because you’re a music lover. Perhaps the Disney Marathon excites you because you love Disney. Or you might love big cities like the New York Marathon or Marine Corp Marathon. Sign up! Now you are committed and will make it happen!
3. Make a training plan. Find a beginner, intermediate, or advanced training plan that suits your style of running. Some folks love running 7 days a week, other’s can get by with as low as 3-4 days a week of training. Pick a training plan that incorporates a realistic amount of weekly mileage. Give yourself at least 3 months to adequately prepare for a race. 4 months is more ideal if you are starting from zero miles per week.
4. Train any time of day. Get those workouts in! Whether it’s 5am for a solo run, a lunchtime break run, a run with the baby stroller, a 5pm social run, or an 8pm before bedtime run – you must get the runs in. Do what feels best for that day.
5. Run the right speed. A good training plan will mix up the speeds at which you run. Yes, there’s a method to the madness. An easy run is a speed at which you can have full on conversations with your friends. An interval run will bring you to speeds where you can just get 2-3 words out at a time. Stick to the speeds recommended in the training plan.
6. Quality or Quantity? Both types of training are important! Quality miles in workouts such as tempo or interval runs that bring your heart rate and speeds up are very important in building strength in running. Quantity miles build up your endurance and help your body become efficient at running long distances. You need both!
7. Don’t run back to back hard days. A good rule of training is to alternate easy-hard when training. For example, don’t run an interval workout on a Tuesday, followed by a long run on a Wednesday. The interval workout should be proceeded by and followed by easy days of running or training, or rest days.
8. Train for race day conditions. Will it be sunny and hot? Cold at the start and warm later? Freezing? Hilly? Flat? Trail? Raining? Don’t let the weather stop you from finishing a race – unless it’s dangerously extreme condition. Practice what you’re going to compete in.
9. Train with others. Running is a zillion times better with friends. Join a run group or meet a friend for a run. The miles will go by faster and it’s a built in accountability system to your training plan.
10. Stay healthy. Adding mileage and time spent exercising burns lots of calories and energy. Balance it out with hydrating well, eating a small meal within 30-60 minutes of running, and most importantly – getting enough sleep.
11. Bonus: Reward yourself! At the end of a hard workout, few weeks of training, and after the race is completed. Massage? Starbucks treat? Pedicure? New running outfit?