Your First Marathon

So, you're thinking about making the committment to do your first marathon

It's a big step, well, not literally. Literally, it's about 10,000 steps, but figuratively, it is giant, momentous, admirable, and most of all, DOABLE.

Yes, just about anyone can do a marathon; it's been proven again and again.

This page of Mojo for Running is devoted to helping you get there by providing information and links to information that will help you achieve that goal.

Some people will start thinking about that first marathon as soon as they cross the finish line of their first 5k. Nothing wrong with that. I progressed a bit more slowly, myself. I decided to run a marathon after I had been running for six years, but it wasn't just a marathon, it was the last leg of the Ironman World Triathlon in Hawaii.

Yes, back then I was heavy into triathlons, and my brother was doing that race every year. We trained together sometimes, although he was exponentially more advanced than I was at that time. He was doing the Ironman race every year back then. In fact, he participated in it when it was just in its infancy in the early 80's.

He was my inspiration, and I began doing sprint tri's. Well, after my injury, I never resumed training for the marathon segment of the Ironman or any other marathon for many years. I was too involved with raising my family and with my career.

Zoom ahead many years to just three years ago. By that time I had an empty nest and 25 years of running experience, including hundreds of races from 5k through the half marathon. It was only natural and logical that I graduate to the marathon.

It's always struck me as odd, though, that, in general, the race distance jumps from a half marathon to a full. That's such a big jump. Why not a 20 mile race? Well, there are 20 mile races, but they are not a standard. There are also 20k's, but again, the standard are the 5k, 10k, 15k, half, and whole. Next most common distance is probably the 5 mile.

Anyway, a few years ago, after doing many halfs, it became clear to me that I needed the challenge of doing a full marathon. Whether you arrived at that decision after many years, like me, or whether you knew when you finished your 5k, the decision is still a big one and should be considered with great care.

I do think it helped me that I had had so many years of running and racing experience. By that time I knew very well how my body responded to various workouts and races. I had had very few injuries, and only one, in all that time, that sidelined me for a while.

If you are newer to running, and you probably are, then there will be more to learn and greater room for error. I hope I can help you maximize your efforts and decrease or eliminate your margin for error.

Now, I am by no means a marathon expert. This website is aimed at beginning and middle of the pack runners, not elite runners; however, you certainly don't have to be an elite runner to do a marathon.

It's not for beginners, either, which brings me to this point.

How long should you run before you have run enough to consider doing a marathon?

Well, I would say it's realistic to start to think about it after you have done just one race, and it's even acceptable to put that out there as a long term goal, but, if that is you, make sure you put that date way out there, like a year out at the very minimum. Seriously.

I know there are movies about people doing a marathon in less than a year, but it's probably not wise at all. In fact, I think, if you've just finished your first 5k race, the shortest reasonable, sensible timeframe is two years. That's right. It just takes a while to get your body accustomed to that kind of mileage, and if you try to do it faster, the risk of injury increases dramatically.

Age and fitness level are major considerations as well, of course. If you are middle-aged, I would give it several years. If you are in your twenties or thirties and otherwise fit from other forms of exercise, not overweight, and have always been athletic, then a year is reasonable.

The longer training time you give yourself to build up your conditioning level, the greater your chance of success because you will have a much less likelihood of injury. When it comes to marathon training, it's all about moving toward your goal, gradually and sensibly.

Ideally, I would say to take a full three years to build up to your first marathon. That is ideally, but I know some people will not be happy with that, and that's okay, but just be careful, and follow a very sensible marathon training plan, pay attention to your body, and when the need arises, work with a team of professionals that includes a massage therapist, podarthist (if possible), podiatrist, physical therapist, chiropractor, and certified running coach. If at all possible seek out professionals who specialize in working with marathon runners. If you don't know the names, go to your local running specialty store and ask them. Also, if you find one trusted professional, ask that person to recommend others. This can go a long way in helping you get through inevitable bumps in the road.

Really, virtually anybody can do a marathon, barring a prohibitive health problem. And let's take a moment here. Everyone considering any distance running, particularly a marathon, should get a cardiological workup - everyone. People die running marathons and even shorter races every year. In one race in 2009 - and this was a fluke - three people died.

I have actually participated in two races in which someone died. One was a marathon and the other was a 15k. Almost always, these people die because they have unknown, undiagnosed heart problems. It's completely possible to run quite a lot for quite a while without such a problem affecting the runner, but when it does, the result can be deadly.

See a cardiologist. Tell him what you want to do, and ask tell him or her that you want to make sure you have no heart problems that would be a danger. Is it an aggravating step? Maybe. Is it expensive? It might be, depending on whether insurance covers any of it. But the expense of not finding out that you have a problem may be the greatest expense you ever pay. It's not worth the risk.

Did I do it? Yep. You bet. In fact, I've had a full cardiac workup a couple of times. I am extra careful because my sister had a massive heart attack at age 48.

My cardiologist said my heart was a-ok. I believe he said that in my treadmill test I outperformed the 28 year old that he had checked out a week before.  That made me feel good, but what made me feel better was knowing that I had his approval to run.

Hopefully, you've already taken this step, no matter what distances you've been running. It's the smart thing to do.

Some people work up to a marathon in less than a year after starting running, but that is very rare; most people who try this end up injured, and as a result that first marathon gets moved back considerably.

The NOVA Program
On PBS watch NOVA's hour long program "Marathon Challenge." This will give you a good idea of what it's all about.

Choosing a First Marathon: Considerations

If at all possible, go to a marathon and participate as a spectator or volunteer. This will help you by giving you a better idea of what it's like. The more times you do this, the more relaxed you will be on race day, although, let's face it, no marathon runner is ever really relaxed on race day. A little anxiety is probably good, anyway.

Location.
Expense - Food, lodging and transportation are much more expensive in some cities.
Weather - You may want to choose a marathon with weather that is like the weather where you train. Otherwise, you will have to find a way to try to prepare for it, and that is not particularly easy to do.
Course elevation - Again, you probably want to choose a race with elevation similar to the area where you will be doing your long runs. A flat course is probably always preferable for your first marathon. Most of the marathon websites have elevation graphs.

Course.
Loop or out and back
Topography
Obstacles, width
Surface
On road or off road
Opportunities for viewing by friends/family
City or rural

Time of year.

• Weather - What is the weather likely to be on race day. Most marathon websites tell you the average temperature on race day, the high and low. Ideal weather for a marathon is in the fifties, but a huge consideration for you may be what kind of weather you are accustomed to running in. I live in Florida, so I am fine running when it's a little hotter, and humidity isn't a concern, but a runner from a dry climate would suffer running a marathon in a humid locale. Check out the likelihood of rain at that time of year in that location as well.

• Scenery - A New England race in October promises to be beautiful. Consider this. A run along the waterfront is always pretty as well. Whatever scenery floats your boat, you can surely find a marathon that will make you happy and keep you at least somewhat distracted from the mileage you're doing. When I did the Marine Corps Marathon last year, the colors of the changing leaves held a new breathtaking sight with each turn of the road.

• Personal constraints - You probably don't want to plan a marathon around the winter holidays or soon after if you will be tied up with lots of entertaining around that time. And, if you are tax accountant or in some occupation tied to tax season, then you don't want to plan a spring or ealy summer marathon.

Size

• Small - If the size is under 3,000 participants, you may not have runners anywhere near you for much of the race course, and there may be few supporters to cheer you on during the race.

• Medium - Around 10,000 participants. Plenty of people around. Always someone to follow if you worry about going off course. Sometimes these provide the opportunity for best times; however, sometimes there can be crowd issues,etc., because race is not organized well. Read reviews, research, ask other runners who have done the race.

• Large - Lots of complicated logistics, crowds at start and finish. May be hard to do a good time; however, much smaller races sometimes cause waiting in line and crowd problems because they don't have adequate volunteer support, not enough port-a-potties, food. On the other hand, some massive races handle the crowds amazingly well because they've been doing it for years and have ironed out all the kinks. Best to read reviews of races and talk to people who have done the race.

How long is the course open?
If it's your first marathon, no matter how hard you train, no matter how well you expect to do, you want to plan for the best but be prepared for the worst. The worst scenario would either be dropping out or walking a lot. I know you don't want to think about this, but you must. If you end up doing much walking, the race could easily take over six hours; therefore, be sure to pick a marathon that doesn't close the course at six hours. Some marathons welcome first time marathoners; they will state on their website that the course will be open seven or even eight hours. Be sure to choose one of these for your first marathon. If things don't go well, no matter what, you'll want to finish, and if that means walking a lot, then you won't want to have to worry about the course closing before you finish.

Other Simultaneous Races
Many marathons also offer a half and a 5k. These can complicate everything, but some races, many races put on all three distances without a hitch. Again, do your research. Also, consider that this could make the beginning of the race (assuming they start together) much more crowded. When you look at the number of participants in a race, make sure you also check to see how many people will be in other simultaneous races on the same course.  

Availability/Can you get in?
Some races are so popular that registration closes within a few hours after it opens, and other races, Boston for example, require you to qualify. You can get in some only via a lottery.  

Friends.
It's more fun to do anything with friends, so do consider this when choosing a race. Can you get any of your running buddies to join you for the adventure? That way you can all train together as well, and the excitement as the race approaches will be amplified. Don't let that be the deciding factor, though, because things happen and you may end up being the only one going. When I planned a marathon last year, two of the people who planned to go with me, in the end, were unable to go. Be prepared for this. And take it into consideration when making hotel reservations. If you plan to share a room with several people, and they end up not going, will you be able to afford the room? 

Lodging
Check out the location of the various hotels. If it's an out an back course, do you want to stay near the start or the finish? If it's a loop course, all the hotels near the start/finish will fill up fast; they may also be much more expensive. If there is good transportation to and from the race, you can save money by staying a couple of miles away. But DO study the transportation options. Last year when I did the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C., I thought if I stayed at the host hotel, I would be guaranteed easy access to the start/finish area. I assumed the host hotel would be nearby, and, even if it wasn't I would have assumed it would provide transportation . . . WRONG! It was miles away and provided no transportation. The race was fantastic, very well organized, but returning to the hotel afterwards was a nightmare. Long, long, long lines to get on the Metro to get to any lodging that was not nearby, and there were few hotels nearby. This meant a half hour wait to get on the Metro. That's a long time to stand in line on tired legs. And the walk to the Metro from the finish line was half a mile. All these things are considerations.
Expense - This is self explanatory. In general, the closer you stay to the start/finish line, the more it will cost. However, some hotels offer very good rates for race participants, so take that into consideration. The race website usually provides links to these hotels.
Availability - The best prices and locations will fill up fast for popular marathons, so make arrangements early.
Convenience - Besides proximity to the start/finish line, consider whether there are affordable restaurants nearby, and always check out transportation. If you rent a car, will you have to pay to park somewhere? And if you plan to leave on race day right after the race, will there be traffic problems due to road closures, crowds from the race?

Amenities
Medals
Swag
Aid stations
Transportation - Some races and some hotels offer shuttles to and from the start/finish line (s)
Quality/reputation of the race's expo
Convenience/organization of packet pick-up
Race shirt - let's face it, when you do your first marathon, you want a good, technical shirt, one you'll enjoy wearing with pride 

Transportation Issues
Investigate flights, mass transit, car rental, trains, etc., before you even register for the race. That may be a deciding factor. 

Destination Races
Consider making a vacation out of the marathon trip. If you want to do any sightseeing, make sure you plan your trip so that you have several days for that after the race. You don't want to do any sightseeing before the race. Even if you think you'll only be on your feet a little while, you may be surprised. Somehow a quick trip can turn into an ordeal that leaves you tired, physically and mentally. You want to be tip top on race morning.

Reputation/Organization
Check out the reputation of the race. Ask other runners. Go to online forums. Read reviews.  

Other Considerations
Some people are members of organizations of runners who do a marathon in every state. If this is your first marathon, it doesn't matter, but keep this in mind for your second one, etc., you may decide to join the 50 Marathons in 50 States group later. Also, consider other races you plan to do before and after. When selecting a marathon, pick one that will be far enough after other races and before other races that are important to you. Consider holidays, birthdays, work hours typical for that times of year. Consider not only the weather at that time of year at the marathon, but consider your local weather in the two or three months leading up to the marathon when you will be doing your long runs. If it is extremely cold or hot, that may impact your decision.

Ten Best Marathons for First-Timers

Tip for your first marathon: Enjoy it. You will set a PR. This time, just try to finish, and train appropriately, so you don't suffer during the last few miles.