How to Train for a Marathon: 7 Important Training Concepts

Working up to the distance of a half marathon or full marathon can require time, effort, and proper planning. Here are six training concepts to take into consideration when you’re building a training strategy for any distance, including a personal marathon training plan:

1. 1. Frequency: Training plans usually recommend between three and five training days of running per week, with the majority of your training runs at a relaxed pace that allows you to carry on a conversation. Conventional running wisdom is that once you begin increasing your distances, each week’s total mileage should never be more than a 10 percent increase over the previous week’s total mileage to help limit your risk of injury.
2. 2. Intervals: Some marathoners choose to incorporate speed workouts, called intervals, into their training sessions to increase their aerobic capacity (the body’s ability to use oxygen efficiently). This training method involves alternating between running at a faster pace than usual for a short distance and jogging at a recovery pace.
3. 3. Long runs: Marathon training plans incorporate long runs to acclimate your body to exertion over increasingly longer periods of time. Usually marathon runners in training execute a long run on a weekly basis—or every seven to 10 days—to extend their weekly mileage by a mile or two each time. You should execute these long runs, typically considered easy runs, at a slower pace than your goal pace or other training runs to help you build confidence and adjust your body to longer distances.
4. 4. Program length: Consult a running coach (or another reputable resource) who can provide training tips and help you zero in on a training program that will work for your personal needs. Experienced long-distance runners might suggest that beginner runners build up a consistent base mileage (for example, 20–30 miles each week) for at least a year before beginning a marathon training program—especially for your first marathon—to avoid overuse injuries. Common lengths of marathon training schedules are 12, 16, 18, or even 20 weeks long.
5. 5. Rest days: As with most running training concepts, runners have different preferences and beliefs about how to incorporate rest days (days off from running) during marathon training. Usually, training plans will dictate that you take off at least one day per week to provide your body with a chance to recuperate and help you avoid repeated-use injuries.
6. 6. Tapering: You might plan to scale back your overall mileage in the two to three weeks leading up to the full marathon. Similar to the concept behind taking rest days, lowering the mileage and difficulty of your runs can help your body feel capable of peak performance on race day.
7. 7. Tempo runs: Longer than interval distances but shorter than long runs, tempo runs are generally up to 10 miles long and executed at a challenging but sustainable running pace that will closely align with your projected race pace. These types of runs can help adjust your brain and body to the challenges of running at a high level of exertion.

You can improve your body’s overall fitness for a marathon by alternating your training runs with cross-training, such as other forms of cardiovascular exercise or strength training. Low-impact aerobic exercises can elevate your heart rate, contributing to your cardiovascular conditioning—examples include walking, hiking, biking, swimming, rollerblading, and aqua jogging.

Additionally, strength training sessions will help you build muscle, increasing power and resiliency in the primary and auxiliary muscles you use while running. You can perform strength training with hand dumbbells or use only your own body weight. Some runners may also consider certain forms of active stretching—such as doing yoga that works your core, hips, and glutes—a good way to cross-train.

Depending on your personal fitness level, you may decide to incorporate one, two, or three days of cross-training into your marathon or half marathon training plan. Just as with your training runs, it’s important to always bookend your exercise with warm-up and cool-down minutes—movements that are not necessarily strenuous and will let your heart rate elevate or decrease gradually, easing your body into and out of the workout.

The food you eat and your ability to remain well hydrated can impact both your energy levels and your race time. Here is a brief overview of nutrition considerations before, during, and after your runs.

1. 1. Before you run: Some runners experience lightheadedness or nausea if they run on an empty stomach, while others feel sick if they eat too close to the start of a run. As with all aspects of marathon training, you must learn what works best for your own body. Regardless of which approach you take, your body does need stored energy to perform well. About 30–60 minutes before your workout, try eating a light meal high in carbohydrates and easily digestible fats that can provide your body with fuel. It’s also important to drink water in advance of your run, such as the evening before the morning you plan to train.
2. 2. While you run: Marathons will include aid stations with water and sports drinks, but you have to plan for your own hydration and energy assistance during training runs. You can carry your water using a hydration belt or a handheld bottle; leave a water bottle in a secure spot (such as your car) if your training route loops back on itself; or plot your run along a route with water fountains. On very long runs, you might carry with you energy gels, energy chews, energy bars, or small pieces of fruit that you can consume every few miles to restore your body’s glycogen levels. Practice with mid-run fueling to test various foods and discover how many grams and what kinds of carbohydrates sit well on your stomach so there are no surprises on race day.
3. 3. After your run: Consider consuming a recovery snack of carbs and protein within 30–45 minutes of your run to help your body begin repairing its muscles. Also, it’s crucial to continue hydrating, as running depletes fluids, such as through sweat. Take regular sips of water until your urine is light-colored, indicating you’re well-hydrated.

If you have a previous or pre-existing health condition, consult your physician before beginning an exercise program. Proper exercise technique is essential to ensure the safety and effectiveness of an exercise program, but you may need to modify each exercise to attain optimal results based on your individual needs. Always select a weight that allows you to have full control of your body throughout the movement. When performing any exercise, pay close attention to your body, and stop immediately if you note pain or discomfort.

In order to see continual progress and build body strength, incorporate proper warm-ups, rest, and nutrition into your exercise program. Your results will ultimately be based on your ability to adequately recover from your workouts. Rest for 24 to 48 hours before training the same muscle groups to allow sufficient recovery.

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