Marathon Method

Your Marathon Goal - Taking the First Steps

By Eric Roberts, MarathonMethod.com contributor

A marathon? What, me?
Each year more than a half-million people run a marathon. Of that half-million, approximately 40 percent are first-timers. In some of the largest marathons in this country, the number of people running their first marathon often surpasses veteran marathoners more than 2-to-1.

Many, many people have a secret goal of running a marathon. For some people, a desire to get fit has gotten them to strap on running shoes and start logging miles. For others, myself included, the marathon is a back-of-the-mind goal, something to accomplish “when the time is right.”

In conducting research for my book, I talked with a lot of runners about their first marathon, and the issue of the “time being right” is one that comes up again and again. It seems that for many new marathoners there was a life-changing event that got them to finally sign-up and start training. I can’t tell you how many people I have met who beat cancer and decided to celebrate with a marathon.

What a wonderful and triumphant way to defeat a life-threatening illness. For others the birth of a child, the graduation of a child, the death of a loved one, a divorce, or a marriage encouraged them to accomplish their marathon goal.

For some people, and I put myself in this category, there is a desire to make a healthy change. I simply felt the time was right to make good on the promise I made to myself. What I did not know at the time when I started my training is that my completion of a marathon would have such a positive impact on my life - physically, emotionally and spiritually - and that I should have done it earlier. It is with that knowledge I offer this advice:
If you want to run a marathon and have the time, the health and the wherewithal to do it, do it now. Don’t wait for next year. Do it now.

The marathon as a commitment:
I believe any healthy person who has the desire and the time can complete a marathon. After all, running a marathon is simply completing a series of steps, each step getting you closer to your goal. While the program you follow will provide incremental steps that seem relatively easy, it is important for you to know that you cannot skip steps. You have to take each one.
Training for a marathon requires a lot of (surprise!) running. Running takes time. The amount of time will vary by week, but you should expect to spend between 45 minutes and one hour per weekday and several weekend hours training. Don’t worry, you’ll start slow and work yourself up. The main point is to know training takes time.

In addition, I have always noticed a need for more sleep when I am training for a marathon. Either that or “I’m training for a marathon” is a better excuse and I end up sleeping more as a result. Either way, I spend more time sleeping during my training periods.

Finally, training for a marathon is an added expense. You don’t need to spend a fortune on the best apparel and equipment, but there is a cost for extra shoes, clothing, entrance fees, and travel expenses if your marathon is out-of-state.

Here’s a tip. Training for a marathon takes time and there are added expenses.  If you don’t have the time to progress through the entire program, or the extra cash for the right equipment, wait until you do.

Have a heart-to-heart conversation with loved ones:
Training for a marathon requires a personal commitment on your part. It also requires a commitment on the part of your partner or your spouse, your children and other people who will be affected by your change in schedule and your training program.

It is important to discuss your marathon plans with these people before you decide you are going to complete your marathon. Be honest when explaining the time and the extra expense.

It is also important for you to explain the reasons you want to run the marathon. (Guys, are you listening? This is important.) If running a marathon is a lifelong dream, like it was for me, explain it that way. Speak to the reasons why it is important for you. Allow the people in your life to understand why running a marathon is so important for you, so they can celebrate with you.

So, you’ve had a check-up, you have considered the time and expense involved in the marathon and you’ve talked with people who are close to you. Are you ready to take-on your marathon mission?