 Somewhere between now and next April, you're going to have a bad training run (or realistically, probably more than one!) Legs heavy, motivation nowhere, weather doing you no favours. In that moment, the thing that gets you out the door again isn't a pace chart or a heart rate zone. It's your reason.
So before we get into any of the science, the strength work, or the fuelling strategy, I want to start here, because it's the part that actually carries you the furthest. Reasons come in every shape Some of you are running because you, or someone you love, has been affected by a neurological condition, and this is your way of doing something with that. Some of you are running because a place opened up and you said yes before you'd properly thought it through. Some of you have run marathons before and know exactly what you're in for. Others have never run further than for a bus and are secretly wondering whether you've made a terrible mistake. All of those reasons are valid, and over the next several months I'll be sharing training content that works whichever category you fall into, because the physiology of getting round 26.2 miles doesn't actually care why you signed up. What changes is how you carry the days when it's hard, and that's worth thinking about early. A word from someone who's been round a few times I've run this race twice myself, along with Paris and Loch Ness Marathons, and I spent two years organising the Loch Ness Marathon from the other side of the barrier. I also coach and support people doing endurance challenges including marathons. What that combination has taught me, more than any single training plan, is that the runners who finish strong aren't always the fittest on paper. They're the ones who trained consistently, respected recovery as much as effort, and had a reason solid enough to survive a wet Tuesday in February. That's really what this series is for. Practical, evidence-based training content, built for a group with very different starting points and very different reasons, all heading to the same start line. What's coming Over the coming months I'll cover, in roughly this order:
Whatever brought you to this start line, I'm glad you're here. Let's get you to the next one properly prepared.
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 If you've never run further than a bus stop and you're now signed up for a marathon, well, first of all, well done for saying yes! Secondly, you don't need to already be a runner to start this properly. Every single person on this team started exactly where you are now, including the ones who look like they were born in trainers.
This post covers the basics so you can get going with confidence, alongside the main training series. What "marathon training" actually means for a beginner You do not need to already be able to run 10K before you start. A good beginner plan builds you there gradually, usually starting with a mix of walking and running and increasing slowly over several months. The distance takes care of itself if the consistency is there. Nobody expects you to run five miles in week one, and if a plan asks you to, it's the wrong plan. The kit basics You don't need much to begin, but two things are worth getting right from day one: Proper running shoes. Go to a specialist running shop and get properly fitted, ideally with a gait assessment. This matters far more than the brand or the colour. Moisture-wicking layers. A technical t-shirt and shorts or leggings will keep you far more comfortable than cotton, which gets heavy and chafes when it's wet with sweat or rain. Everything else (watches, gadgets, specialist nutrition) can wait. Get the shoes right and the rest are optional extras. Your first four weeks, realistically In the early weeks, the goal is simply to get your body used to moving regularly. A typical starting pattern looks like: Three sessions a week, with a rest or gentle activity day between each Walk/run intervals rather than continuous running, for example a minute of running followed by two minutes of walking, repeated No heart rate zones or pace targets yet. At this stage, just completing the session is the win. Consistency beats intensity every time in these early weeks. Three shortish sessions you actually do will take you further than one heroic run followed by a week off recovering from it. What "easy" should feel like Later in the series we'll talk about why easy running is the foundation of the entire plan, but it's worth understanding from day one. "Easy" means a pace at which you could hold a conversation without gasping for breath. If you can't talk, you're going too fast, even if it doesn't feel fast. This will feel too slow. That feeling is normal, and it is not a sign you're doing it wrong. Most new runners go too hard on easy days and end up not recovering properly for the sessions that are supposed to be hard. Trust the pace, not your instinct to push. The most common early mistake The single biggest cause of injury in new runners is doing too much, too soon. Increasing distance or frequency faster than your body can adapt is far more likely to end your training block than anything to do with your fitness level going in. If something feels off in week three or four, that is not the moment to push through and prove your commitment. Later on we will come onto how to ‘periodise’ your training, but it is worth knowing that you need to have a lighter/recovery week every 3-4 weeks. A nagging niggle that doesn't settle within a day or two of rest is far more easily managed early than it is once you've run another fortnight on it. When to ask for help Most aches in early training settle on their own with rest. It's worth getting something checked by a physio if: Pain doesn't ease within 48 hours of rest Pain changes how you're walking, not just how you're running The same spot flares up repeatedly across different sessions You feel a sharp, specific pain rather than general muscle fatigue There is no prize for pushing through pain in month two of a nine-month plan. Getting it looked at early is what keeps you on the start line in April. You will have questions along the way, and that is exactly what this is here for. No question is too basic, and slow, steady progress is not just acceptable, it's the plan working exactly as it should. |
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