How to train for a marathon
Professor of Applied Health Science Doug Miller has been a runner since high school, with six marathons under his belt. His marathon PR is 2:56. (For the couch potatoes out there, that means his personal record clocks in at two hours and 56 minutes.) Here’s how that happens:
- Tip #1: Run early, run often. It takes beginners six to seven months to get ready, running five times a week.
- Tip #2: Do speed work at your 5K to 10K pace, over distances of 400-1,000 meters.
- Tip #3: Gradually build up to a maximum weekly mileage of 40-50 miles, progressing 15-20 percent each week.
- Tip #4: Listen to your body. It often speaks loud and clear.
- Tip #5: Run your long runs SLOW and follow them with a rest day.
- Tip #6: As the marathon approaches, gradually cut mileage. The goal is to be fully rested by race day.