How to train for a marathon

This is the total number of miles you run each week, over the course of 3 to 5 runs. You’ll want a base mileage of 50 miles before you get to race day, building up to this over the course of your training. N.B. never increase your base mileage by more than 10% from week-to-week.

One long run every 7-10 days will help you gradually build up your endurance over time, increasing by a mile or two each week. Over time, this will help you gradually adjust to running longer distances, without it initially feeling like a huge shock to your system.

This is an optional element to increase your cardio capacity, for example by doing practice intervals and tempo runs.

A vital part of any training programme, ensuring that you don’t overexert or hurt yourself.

This term refers to the way your foot rolls when it hits the ground, so as to distribute impact and reduce shock on the lower leg. Some people (supinators) don’t roll (or pronate) their foot enough when it hits the ground, causing a large amount of shock to the leg, while others (overpronators) roll their foot too much.

The more you weigh, the more impact there will be on your legs when your feet hit the ground. Typically, a heavier runner might want to look for a shoe with more cushioning, and a lighter runner might want less.

If you have a time target for your marathon, then you may want to opt for lighter shoes to optimise your speed.

Will you be running in the warmer months or the cooler months? You’ll be generating a lot of heat by running as well, and you won’t want to overheat, so if your marathon is during summer then you may want to consider shoes that incorporate a breathable mesh.

The overarching rule is to run the marathon in whatever shoe you’ve been training in. If you’ve been running in a heavily-cushioned shoe, for example, then stick with it, because this is what your form will have adapted to.

It’s easy to forget how important it is to stretch after your run, helping to improve your flexibility so that you’re less likely to injure yourself. Here are some recommended exercises.

If running is your only form of exercise, you will only reach a certain level of strength – meaning you’re more likely to injure yourself when you commit to something more demanding like a marathon. Doing some strength training will reduce your risk of injury.

Your body has to adapt gradually to the increasing demands you’re making on it during marathon training – that’s why you should increase your base mileage by no more than 10% per week. Rather than speeding your progress, doing too much too soon is likely to set you back through injury. This is also why you need to vary your training sessions with different exercises and different lengths/intensities of runs. Mixing in a few ‘easy runs’ will help keep your fitness levels high without overly straining your body.

When you’re putting your body through the considerable strain of marathon training, it’s all the more important to ensure that you give yourself plenty of recovery time. This is hugely beneficial in helping your body heal and reset before the next session.

You need nourishment to produce the energy that powers your muscles, and you need to stay hydrated to keep your body functioning properly. Eating too much, too little, or the wrong foods can all contribute to poor performance, as can not getting enough water.

As a runner, you’re going to need protein and plenty of it – around 60g more per day than the average non-runner. This would be the equivalent of 200g of chicken, for example. If you’re vegetarian or vegan, soy beans, tempeh and lentils also pack a hefty protein punch.

This is vital, both when you’re running and while you’re resting. You need to make sure you drink when thirsty while on the move, but – generally speaking – not exceeding 600ml of water per hour. When not training, it’s still important to stay hydrated to aid your recovery.

It’s a good idea to eat 30-60 minutes before you head out for a run – ideally a small, easily-digestible snack that provides a combination of carbs and protein; something like a whole grain bagel, some banana with nut butter, or oatmeal. Avoid fatty foods, or snacks that are high in fibre.

When you’re running a marathon, you’re going to need to get used to the idea of fuelling as you go. You should fuel early and often, and practice eating every half hour or so during your training – with a goal of eating roughly 30g of carbs per hour; bananas, carrots or energy bars can be good choices.

It’s important that you have another carb/protein snack in the 30-60 minutes after you finish a run; your body is crying out for nutrients during this period, using them to refuel and heal your aching muscles.

Generally achy legs are normal, but a sharp pain that causes you to recoil if touched could be an indicator of something more serious, as could any pain in your legs that is causing you to alter your running form. Anything like this should be checked by a doctor or a physio.

Any pain that you suspect might be ‘unhealthy’ – especially one that is causing you to limp or alter your form – means you should stop running. Trying to push through could make any injury worse, while running with an altered form could lead to even further injuries.

A week or so resting from your training schedule is not the end of the world, and is unlikely to have any major impact on your aerobic fitness. Meanwhile, you can incorporate some cross-training and low-impact exercises into your schedule instead.