Your marathon experience will be much more enjoyable if you start at a pace you can sustain the whole way. A 2013 study by Spanish researchers found that among 40 recreational runners who completed a marathon, 18 slowed down by more than 15 percent between the beginning and the end and the remaining 22 runners slowed by an average of 40 seconds per mile.Įven if your goal is just to finish, you’ll want to avoid this kind of deceleration, because it comes with a good deal of suffering. Most runners don’t pace themselves very well in marathons. This means you will run faster for 30-second hard efforts versus 3-minute ones, but you should complete both workouts feeling as though you could have given only 10 percent more. “Hard” is relative, but it means running almost as fast as you can (90 percent of your max). “Moderate” is a pace at which you feel in control of your breathing, but if you went any faster you’d begin to strain. “Easy” is a slow jog that allows you to speak full sentences without losing your breath. If you’ve already completed a 5K, you can start with the 5K to 10K plan (likewise with other distances).Īll four plans involve a three-zone intensity scheme. You’re ready to start when you can comfortably walk/jog for 20 minutes. The following four-part training plan will guide you along your journey. Start with a 5K, move to a 10K, advance to a half marathon-and finally make the leap to the marathon.Ī step-ladder approach will prevent you from taking on too much too soon and keep you motivated throughout.

Instead of going straight from zero to a 26.2-mile start line, we suggest you “climb the ladder” of standard road-race distances. How much running experience do you need before you run a marathon? One year? Five years? Try a mere 24 weeks! As long as you are currently healthy, you can go from couch to marathon finisher in less than six months.īut it’s wise to do so in steps.

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