This marathon running training
schedule is designed for the complete beginner marathoner to train for
their first marathon. If you
want to train for your first marathon then this training schedule
will help you to get the mileage in your legs whilst running during
your training sessions.
As
a first-time marathon
runner, one of the biggest mistakes you will ever make is
over-training. When most beginner marathoners start running and
training for their first marathon they tend to be excited to train.
The
vast majority of
beginner marathoners then go out and run as many miles as they feel
they can. And then they wonder why their muscles get cramps and
little niggling injuries. The reason is because their bodies and
muscles just aren't used to the rigors of what it takes to train for
a marathon.
It
does take at least a
couple of months to train for your first marathon if you want to do
it the right way by following a step-by-step marathon training
schedule.
The
best marathon
training schedules to train for your first marathon offer a
step-by-step guideline to follow on your way to finishing your
marathon. The problem however is finding a marathon training schedule
that is specifically designed for the first time marathoner.
If
you are looking for a
first-time marathon training schedule then there are a few important
points that the program must contain.
Firstly
it should have a
proven track-record to get first-time marathoners over the line.
For
example, the
training program should aim to build-up your mileage slowly. That way
you will avoid most of the debilitating injuries I wrote about before
that can hamper your marathon progress.
By
slowly, what I mean
is that the beginner marathon training schedule you choose to use
should implement the 10% rule. The 10% rule means that you should not
increase your total weekly mileage by more than 10% in any given
week.
If
you do increase your
weekly mileage by more than 10% in any given week then you are
leaving yourself wide open to getting injured.
The
reason for this is
that your muscles and body just aren't used to training so many
miles. You will start to form little tears in your muscles. These
little tears are normal when you start to train longer and longer
distances. However, if you start over-training these little muscle
tears can start to develop into full-bodied training injuries.
The
next component your
marathon training schedule should include is the weekly structure for
your training sessions.
Typically
a good
training schedule for marathon running will include two rest days per
week. It does sound counter-intuitive because most beginner
marathoners want to get as many miles into their legs as possible.
However,
these two rest
days allow your body to naturally recover from the demands of
training for a marathon. It is critical that your marathon training
schedule includes at least two rest days if your want to finish your
first marathon injury free.
Your
training schedule
should also include two shorter training runs per week. The reason
for having two shorter sessions every week is that it allows you to
still get some miles into your legs. And at the same time it allows
you to remain relatively fresh after these shorter sessions.
A
good marathon training
schedule for beginners will also include a semi-long run mid-week. And
it will also
include a long training run during the weekend.
The
idea behind these
long and semi-long training sessions is to actively build your
stamina and endurance levels. It is the sustained elevated heart rate
during these sessions that changes your body's physiology.
It
is this change in
physiology that actively increases your endurance and stamina levels.
This is what increases your fitness levels and allows you to cross
the finish line of the marathon race.
So
when you are training
for your first marathon it is critical that you find a training
schedule that is specifically designed for the first-time marathoner
in mind. That's because it is critical that the marathon
training schedule you choose is proven to get first-time
marathoners over the finishing line.