Coaching runners in the last ten years has taught me that a successful marathon experience isn't about a magical pill or program.
I have given the same training plan to ten runners and seen 10 totally different effects.
It's not so much about what you do to practice as how to deal with the impact of training for your life, body, and mind.
Instead of talking of mileage each week, it's more essential to talk about the ideas of marathon training - what I will refer to here as the Key Six Phases of the marathon life cycle.
Phase One: Commit It's the one thing to put a race on the bucket list, it's another to decide on a race and drop the money on an entry payment.
Signing up provides you something to show for your family and friends; it's a gathering that you can mark as a milestone in your personal calendar.
You never know, maybe you might convince some of your crazy pals to sign up with you! Phase Two: Connect Now you are technically "in" in the race, it's the perfect time to start building a little community who'll support and keep you going en route to your finish line.
While you might have your own pre-existing team in place, here's a few activities to do if you begin from scratch.
Look for a local running shop where one can take a seat and chat (even if briefly) with a fellow runner about the right footwear for you.
This shop will probably provide the important information on the local run.
Phase Three: Conspire With the event kept in together with a team to run with at least part of the time, you can now turn your focus on your marathon training program.
Choosing the suitable method has less to do with the plan itself, and more to do with you...
so always place yourself first when you make your decision.
Phase Four: Consistency Whatever plan you do end up picking, your main aim is get stick to it as closely as you can.
The most effective training plans are "Easy To Do," in that there isn't any super-hard sessions or not easy to comprehend guidance.
The greatest goal of the marathon plan is to help you get prepared to deal with the rigors of 26.
2 miles - and the fastest way to achieve that is to get you running as often as possible for as long as you can handle during that time.
Phase Five: Doubt Nobody is ever honestly ready for competition day.
Speak with any person on the starting line on race weekend and you'll hear plenty of awesome reports of overcoming obstacles like injuries, scheduling, health, etc.
It's just part of what we do as runners; do your very best to stay focused and don't be afraid to request for support from the networks you've built in early phases of your training.
Phase Six: Conserve Once you're in a running groove, you'll find that running is actually effortless.
You like it, it's empowering and it's transforming who you are.
So if 40 miles per week is good...
then 60 or 80 must be better, right? If the 20-miler is good, a 24-miler should be better, right? Wrong! Remember our mantra of Consistency above; getting aggressive with all or part of your training is a major roll of the dice.
The gamble might help some, but they are frequently within the minority, and it's not worth it this early in your running career.