Getting first marathon tips are one way to toe the start line ahead of your competitors. Welcome to rundreamachieve.com. I am glad you have made it here.
How? Are you running your first marathon soon? These tips will get you to the start line with the added knowledge of what to do and what not to do.
I know exactly how you feel. How on earth do I run 26.2 miles?
Are these people nuts? Who would want to run 26.2 miles and then actually enjoy the distance.
I ran the 1500m and branched out to 5000m when I was in college.
I never had any interest in running the marathon distance when I was in college.
What is a Good Time for First Marathon?
I think a good time for a first marathon is anything under 5 hours. Of course, there are runners out there who will run much slower or faster. So, it all depends on the maturity level of the athlete. In addition, ability level of the runner.
My first marathon was the 2002 New York City Marathon.
I learned from trial and error, not from running magazines like RunningTimes or RunnersWorld.
There was no running magazine that ever motivated me to get out the door.
I wanted to know what I had to do to run 26.2 miles consecutively, without slowing down.
Obviously, this is an unending battle for us all.
We all want our first marathon to be great and an enjoyable experience. I valued tips given to me from those that were around me that truly cared about my success. In addition, I read books and researched what the best runners did. So, I implemented that into my attack plan.
The most important first marathon tip is believe in what you're doing.
Elite athletes are a wealth of knowledge. In addition to that, a sport consultant can help you create major changes in your racing and training. How? They can implement strategies to help you leverage your fitness and race results.
CHECK OUT OUR RUNNING COURSESSome would consider me elite, but I still have a lot to learn and to me being elite is less about times you run, but how many lives you impact from your ability.
I want to help people and hopefully God gives me more opportunities in the future to run faster than 1.07 for a half-marathon and 2.19 for a marathon.
I value those who are trying, not specifically on how fast they have run a race.
As for the critics, tell me I don't get it, everybody can tell you how to do it, they never did it – Jay Z
How Do I Survive My First Marathon?
Watch your pacing in the early stages of the race. Also, make sure you are hydrating well in the race. A major mistake many runners make is not taking in enough calories. In addition, they run too aggressive in the early stages of the race. Below are a few additional first marathon tips to keep in mind.
#1 Visualize Daily
Get into the habit of seeing yourself, mentally, completing the distance and getting to the finish line with a smile on your face knowing you have just accomplished something amazing.
#2 Surround Yourself With Positivity
Friends, family, good books. Negative people are a drain to your enthusiasm and not worth your energy, avoid them.
A genius! For 37 years I’ve practiced fourteen hours a day, and now they call me a genius!” –Pablo Sarasate (Spanish violinist)
#3 Get A Heart Rate Monitor
A personalized training partner right on your wrist. I have used these for years and cannot recommend these watches
more to aspiring marathoners. Investing in a heart rate monitor is one of the best first time marathon tips I can share. Why? Well, it will ensure you are training at the right intensities during your build up.
I would highly recommend investing in a heart rate monitor like the Garmin 245. I use this tool to ensure I am not running too fast on easy days. In addition, too slow during tempo runs and long runs.
How Many Miles a Week Should a Beginner Run a Marathon?
I would focus on a minimum of 25 miles per week. Of course, higher mileage will make you stronger and better prepared. That being said, higher mileage is not a guarantee you will set a new personal best. Remember, you also need to work on your speed development.
#6 Practice Running Longer
It is very difficult to train for the last 6.2 miles of a marathon but a great first marathon tips. Remember, do not run long and slow every single weekend. I would start doing faster, varied paced long runs every other weekend. So, run faster one weekend followed the next weekend with an easy, relaxed long run.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PRIVATE, MEMBERSHIP COMMUNITY#7 Have Fun
If you can't find joy in training for your first marathon.
You owe it to yourself to enjoy the experience.
The last first marathon tip I can suggest is ensure you are paying close attention to your diet as you prepare for your first 26.2 miler.
I never knew it but after a blood test that my professional coach, Lisa Larsen Rainsberger, suggested I get, I was found to be severely anemic.
Closing Thoughts
Find a balance between ingesting a large amount of carbs. Lastly, do not neglect foods that are high in iron. i.e. nuts, spinach, red meat.
Be mindful of your iron/ferrtin levels. Remember, if your body runs low on iron you will not get much from the training you are doing.
Good luck and keep the faith. I hope this post on first marathon tips has been helpful to you. Make sure to subscribe to the RunDreamAchieve YouTube channel. I create new content there each week to help runners like you get to the next level in their training and racing.
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