Here’s a bunch of info to serve as a starting point for your training prep! Note that even if your training block hasn’t started yet, it’s always a good idea to start building miles up slowly and steadily before the training block kicks in. Adaptation, as we call it, happens over time and rushing it will never end well. Ease yourself into the miles, starting now. Even if it’s just a mile or two a day – your form improves as you get rolling, and combined with fitness, will make those eventual bigger runs feel a lot easier than you think they’re going to be.

Training suggestions

Ok, there are a few different approaches to training for a long race. Some go by pace, some by effort, some by distance. I do my training by RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) – which is exactly what it sounds like.

There are A LOT of marathon training plans online: Nike does a good one, Hal Higdon has different plans for different levels (which I used for my first marathon), and of course Runners World has one, too. Here’s some insight into that Heart Zone training, which might be useful as you build up your mileage base before the training block begins.

Honestly, the best advice I can give here is that you should look at all the plans and see which one looks the most “fun” to you. Long blocks of training are nothing if you can’t adhere to the plan, so if any of these plans look confusing or ridiculous, just toss them out. Adherence to the plan is what you’re looking for – and honestly if you’re running a bunch, for weeks on end, you’ll be able to cross that finish line without any problems.

Also – if you want to get faster and stronger, do your workouts uphill. It sucks at first, and obviously you’ll be running slower, but it will pay off over time. I’ve been doing this over the past month and my pace of flat ground took a huge step forward. I would run every route uphill if I could (actually I’m going to try), it’s been so helpful for everything. Once you adapt to that, everything else feels easy!

Don’t be shy to run on trails – they are WAY more fun and interesting! Softer on your knees/ankles/legs, in most cases, too. Not a bad idea to mix in trails from time to time, especially if you start getting bored with your usual routes.

Also don’t forget – REST IS A WORKOUT. Your body needs time to adapt to training stress. Your body builds muscle even when you’re taking rest days, and that is the most glorious part about training!

Podcast suggestions

While you’re running, I definitely recommend listening to something to keep your mind off of what can feel like monotony. I’ve got a Spotify playlist that’s all drum + bass, which I feel like makes me run faster when I really want to send it. But for the most part, I almost always listen to Podcasts. Here are some of my favorites!

• Joe Rogan Podcast (his podcasts from this past week with the nutritionists from different backgrounds are so good, although I usually skip the MMA ones)
• How I Built This (all founders of major companies that you know, super fascinating and like 30 minutes max)
• The Indicator/Planet Money (mostly economics, but like applicable and timely stuff. The Indicator is a 10 minute daily)
• Tim Ferriss Show (one of the biggest podcasts out there, I think. All over the place, but usually good)
• Freakonomics (only if you want to get super nerdy, but fascinating – gives you a lot to think about on long runs)
• Rich Roll Podcast (he’s an ultra-endurance legend – and vegan – some good ones on here, too)
• Bunny Ears (Macauley Caulkin’s podcast!)
• Masters Of Scale (Reid Hoffman, one of the founders of PayPal and LinkedIn, he’s got some great guests)

Footwear suggestions

Try on a bunch of stuff, make sure you get a wide enough toe box – your feet will likely swell a little bit when you run far, and then you get all kinds of issues. Check out brands that are running specific, like Hoka One One. Altra, Brooks, North Face and Salomon all make awesome running shoes. Ginger Runner does a bunch of reviews if you want to get tons of details on anything specific. Weight of the shoe actually kind of matters over marathon distance, so while it’s not the main factor, it could potentially play a role. ALSO – don’t save shoes for race day – start wearing them now and break them in. You want to have a substantial number of miles in on your shoes before you get to the race – my current pair of running shoes (North Face Cardiac 2) didn’t even feel that good until I had like 75-100 miles on them.

Also – socks – depending on the fit of the shoes you’re running in…I absolutely love Icebreaker trail socks, they are a little thicker but wick moisture really well. I just recently got a few pairs of Compressport socks, which are a bit thinner, but have thicker zones where I need it. My process up to this point was to buy one of every kind of running sock, and see how they wear over the course of my training. I still haven’t made the call for my next race, but I definitely have whittled down the list considerably since I started testing them all out.

Nutrition suggestions

Ok, so nutrition is super individual, you have to find out what works best for you. But I guess the easiest way to break it down is pre/during/post nutrition.

For training, you want to eat around your workouts, so have a breakfast or whatever (I do oats with walnuts and apples, flaxseed and chia) and then be sure to have 10-20g of protein post-workout. That’s going to lock in your progress and make sure that your body doesn’t eat away at your muscles while it’s repairing itself post-workout. Before a race, you want to get food going about 45-60 minutes ahead of time, but nothing major – just keep doing whatever you’ve been doing in training. I like to stay pretty light ahead of a race, I’ll have a Clif Bar and a banana with some water, and then let it settle before the race starts. Everyone is different, but that’s roughly what my whole crew of endurance athletes will do. Most of us will do a Red Bull about 15 minutes before the race starts, too, but that’s up to you. I did that a bunch when I first started racing, but now I like to wait until I’m about halfway through my races to drink Red Bull.

During the race, there are actually guides as to how many calories you should consume per hour – and again, you can and should practice this during your training runs. I typically do one bar, gel or gummy every 45-60 minutes during the race. You’re looking for carbs, sugar and electrolytes during the race – protein isn’t going to do anything until it’s over. Honestly this is my favorite part – you get to eat essentially candy for a few hours with zero remorse. There are so many good flavors out there of GU and stuff (caramel machiatto is one of my favorites). This is also why Red Bull is such a favorite, because it’s actually a really dialed delivery system for most of those things during a race. I also discovered salt tablets, which you can take every hour (I think?) during a race – and that helps A LOT to keep everything working. I used these in my most recent Ultra and it made a massive difference in the way that I felt during the back half of the race.

Post race – PROTEIN. Like within the first 30 minutes post-effort, but the quicker you can get it, the better. This will help a lot, even if your stomach is upset or if you’re feeling wiped out. It literally brings you back to life. I always have someone at the finish line with a protein drink (I use this Vega mixture, they sell it in individual packets, and it’s plant-based, so..) – and I would die without it. I usually do either a protein shake or bars or whatever I can do to get 10-20g of protein after big runs, too, but post-race…make sure you’ve got a plan.

Technology suggestions

One last consideration is how you’re going to track everything. I’m full nerd status, with a Garmin watch and (sometimes) a heart rate monitor. But you can download a ton of free apps (Strava and Training Peaks are two that I use) that keep an eye on your progress with each run (and track your location). Nike has a good training app, too, which probably syncs with their marathon training plan. In any case, I highly suggest some sort of tracker as you go along. Just like everything else, use your training runs to prep for the real thing – you’ve got weeks and weeks to figure out what works best for you!

Last thing

It’s your first marathon. Your goal is to get across the line and to have a good time getting there. Training will help you get there easier, maybe a little faster, and you’ll be less sore afterward. But keep in mind that it’s ultimately a fun pursuit, and that as you’re making decisions to prepare yourself for this process, that you should stay focused on the main goal. Pick out flavors of gels that you like, a race kit that looks sweet, good podcasts to listen to, and a training plan that kinda sounds fun to do. All that stuff is going to make this whole journey a lot easier – because, as ridiculous as it sounds to your friends who have never done it, it’s actually a lot of fun and a great accomplishment. You’re going to do great!!

Good luck; have fun!