I want to begin by thanking all of you who took time to respond to my last message. It’s always such a treat to hear from you. Keep the questions coming!

I am happy to report that the weather finally feels like spring where I live.  The snow is gone, the ground is drying out and there are runners, bikers and walkers everywhere.  I love spring in Wisconsin!

Part of what I love about spring here is that it follows a very long winter.  While I try to get some real running in over the winter, the fact of the matter is that the snow and ice tends to reduce my running to treadmill training for months at a time.

So this is the time of year when I can finally get out and do some road running.  Its terrific.  But it is also the time of year when I am reminded by how much I have lost, or in the case of my weight, how much I have gained, over the winter.

This year I plan to run the Chicago Marathon.  The marathon is in the fall so I will use the summer to train.  If things go well, I will also run the New York City Marathon a few weeks later.  But as I begin my training in earnest, I am reminded of how far I have to go before I even get to the starting line of those races.

When I wrote my book and training program, I had no idea how it would be received.  I simply didn’t know if anyone would ever read it.  I am shocked at how wrong I was.

I proud to say that literally thousands of runners, some new to running entirely, are using my program to train for their marathons, including, by the way, for today’s London Marathon.

So while I am proud of the success of the book, the real gift to me has been all of the email messages I have received from runners all over the globe.

• I have heard from a mom in Ireland who beat breast cancer and is celebrating by running the Dublin Marathon with her daughter.

• I heard from Steve from the U.S. who informed me that he would be running the New York Marathon on a prosthetic leg.

• I’ve heard from a couple in Australia who are raising thousands of dollars for charity through their training.

• And I have heard from a man who will finish today’s London Marathon after losing more than 100 pounds and beginning a new and healthy life as a runner.

But mostly I hear from people like me: people with normal jobs and normal lives who are changing their lives in a very positive way by running a marathon.

I use a quote at the beginning of the book that hits this point directly:

“The running of a marathon is proof that ordinary
people — people with jobs, families and worries — can
do something extraordinary.”

As I begin my training and take the first steps in my marathon mission, I am reminded of the voices of people I have heard over the last year.  These gifts of inspiration are greatly appreciated but should not stop with me.

I have documented my training in a very public way through my website (www.MarathonMethod.com) and now through Twitter.  As you train for your marathon, I urge you to so the same.  Not only will it help you stay focused and engaged in your training, but it will encourage others to follow your lead.

You can set up a free Twitter account at Twitter.com and there are lots of free blog sites.  I use WordPress.com.

Remember, just as with the actual marathon, when training for a marathon, we are all in this together.

With that, I hope you have a great day.

As always, keep running!

Joe Donovan
MarathonMethod.com

P.S. Don’t forget to let me know about about your blog and Twitter account so I can follow your training.

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?

Marathon Method: Essential Guide to Training for Your First Marathon

The running of a marathon is a very special accomplishment. At 26.2 miles, the marathon distance seems vastly out of reach for most runners. In this book, Joe Donovan prepares you mentally and physically for the challenge and helps you condition and train for your first marathon. With his advice and encouragement, you, too, will learn how amazing it feels to finish a marathon.

Click here for purchase information

From a reader:

If you are training for a marathon, this book will get you to the finish line. If you are considering running a marathon, this book will inspire you to strap on shoes and to start running. Very few authors write books that change lives. This book will.