Starter's Orders

Before you even start training for a marathon, there's plenty to consider. Here are some of the things you need to know before you begin.

- LILY CANTER

HOW FIT DO I NEED TO BE?

Anyone in reasonable health can run a marathon. Of course, not everyone can run a sub-3:00 marathon; but most people can get to the finish line through a combination of jogging and walking. That being said, it's important to be mindful of the cutoff time (especially in South Africa) - and that some fitness is better than none. If you have fitness from walking, going to the gym or playing a sport, then this will help you adjust to the training and reduce your injury risk. But if your aim is simply to finish the race, then it's possible to start from a zero fitness base if you give yourself at least 16 weeks.

HOW QUICKLY DOES IT BUILD UP?

The key to training is building up slowly and avoiding doing too much too soon. "I would advise planning ahead if you want to do a marathon - picking one at least six months away - so you have plenty of time to build up some basic running fitness," says author and coach Lucy Waterlow. "Start with a Couch to 5K plan if you're an absolute novice. Then continue by getting into the habit of doing strength work regularly before you start building up to those longer training runs. If you aren't very fit, you're better off trying to walk-run your long runs to begin with, so you still cover the distance and gain time on your feet."

WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TRAINING?

First, think realistically about your training availability and commitments. Most training plans will have four or five runs a week; but it’s possible to run just three times a week, and do one strength session, and successfully complete a marathon. It’s much better to be realistic about what you can achieve, rather than setting yourself up to fail. These runs will vary in length from 30 minutes up to perhaps four hours, so be prepared to block out chunks of time around work and family commitments.

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