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Training for Your First Marathon or Half-Marathon

8 tips for first-timers from experts who have been there, done that.

By Kathleen Doheny
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

Planning to run your first marathon or half marathon? You're not alone. Participation in marathons and half-marathons is up -- in a big way.

Half-marathon finishers totaled 1 million in 2009, says Ryan Lamppa of Running USA, an organization devoted to the running industry. Marathon finishers totaled 467,000.

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What's the appeal? "People are not as intimidated as before," Lamppa says. That's partly due, he suspects, to easy access to training programs, online and in niche publications that target runners.

The bragging rights are also motivating. "If you walk into your office on Monday and say 'I did a 5k this weekend,' most people would grab a doughnut and leave," Lamppa says. "But if you mention you did a half-marathon or marathon, more people would stick around and ask questions." The longer-distance runs, he says, have developed a hip, fun reputation.

If you've caught half marathon or marathon fever, knowing the secrets of training -- beyond how many miles to do a week, what speed work is, and what to eat -- can help you run your first race.

First, clear the idea with your doctor at a physical exam. And get advice about nutrition -- plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean protein, and enough water.

Next, consider these tips from experts who tell WebMD what they wish they'd known when they were novices and what they've learned along the way.

Spread the Word

As a novice, your first inclination may be to tell no one you've decided to run a half-marathon or a marathon. That way, if your motivation flails, you can back out gracefully, right?

Wrong approach, says Joe Donovan, a Milwaukee runner who wrote the Essential Guide to Training for Your First Marathon. He suggests telling everyone who will listen, just as soon as you've made the big decision. Why?

"Only when you tell other people is it real," he says. "Certainly, some people will think you are nuts."

Some did, he recalls, when Donovan announced his decision to run his first marathon while he was a graduate student, working for a U.S. senator. "At first there was disbelief," he says of the people he told. Next? "There there was this kind of 'Wow, this is amazing.'"

It became a topic of conversation -- and support -- among his fiancé, now his wife, and coworkers, which kept him on the straight and narrow training track.

Know Your Goal

It's not as simple as saying your goal is to finish 13.1 miles, or 26.2, says Cathy Fieseler, MD, a member of the board of directors of the American Medical Athletic Association and a veteran marathoner and ultra-distance runner.

Ask yourself: why are you running the race, she says. "Do you have a time goal?" "Are you trying to qualify for [the Boston marathon]?" "Are you doing it in memory of someone?" "Because you are turning 40?"

Figuring that out, she says, will guide your training plan. Someone running in memory, for instance, may not care about their finishing time, but someone who wants to break four hours -- a very respectable marathon finish time -- definitely does care.

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