External goals are the quantifiable, outcome-oriented goals most of us are familiar with, and could include things like a specific finishing time, a place on the podium, or a goal pace. Below you’ll find some strategies for deciding what will make your marathon successful to you.Ĭoach Carrie McCusker recommends visualizing how success will feel to you, then setting both externally and internally measurable goals.
A tight schedule doesn’t necessarily spell disaster for your marathon dreams, but it’s wise to take an objective look at the time you have available and be realistic about the demands of training.Įvery successful endeavor begins with a goal, and how you go about setting that goal can play a big part in whether or not you reach it. Of course, most marathoners deal with logistical challenges, and many still run blazing-fast times. If you’re also juggling work and family obligations, you may need to do some prioritizing to get your training completed. You’ll be building your mileage to about 50 miles per week, and you’ll need time to focus on nutrition, recovery, and potentially even travel to runnable routes. Preparing for a marathon is a serious undertaking. It helps if the race has some personal meaning to you! If you need a good place to start, these are world-renowned marathoner and coach Hal Higdon’s top ten favorite marathons. X-Factorĭon’t forget, you’ll have 26.2 miles to contemplate why you’re running this marathon. It’s your choice whether you want a smaller, more intimate race, or prefer to join a sea of runners. Some races see thousands of entrants while others attract a couple hundred. Will you be bringing your family and friends with you for support? Is the terrain of the race similar to the terrain you’ll have access to for training? Will your marathon be a hot race or a cold one? Will altitude be a factor? All of these are important questions to ask yourself when choosing your marathon.
Terrain and climate can vastly change the character of a race, and travel (while fun) can create logistical challenges.
Location is important when it comes to a marathon. For some runners, the qualification factor makes a race more attractive, but for others (especially newer marathoners), it might be best to choose a marathon without qualification requirements for a more relaxed atmosphere. For example, the qualifying time for men 35 to 39 in the 2019 Boston Marathon was 3:10:00-which means logging at least a 7:15 mile pace for the duration of the race. This serves to limit field sizes, and typically makes a marathon faster and more competitive. Qualifying TimeĮntrants must qualify for many of the “big five” marathons, among others. To feel prepared and strong on race day, it’s ideal to choose a marathon that you’ll have at least four months to train for. Can you train for a marathon in six weeks? It’s possible, but it probably won’t be much fun-and you’ll run the risk of injury by compressing your time frame. The standard amount of time needed to prepare for a marathon usually falls around sixteen weeks, assuming a good base level of fitness. We suggest considering the following factors when selecting your race: Time Frame The first step in starting your marathon journey is choosing a marathon! There are hundreds of marathons held every year all over the world, from the “Big Five” (Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London and New York City) to smaller, local events held just about everywhere.
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