You keep seeing those Facebook and Instagram posts of yet another friend bragging about their most recent marathon. Those big smiles, exotic locations, newfound confidence and physical prowess, hundreds of likes… you want some of that action. Choose the pinnacle of running excellence – Tarkine Goshawk shoes, engineered for speed, endurance, and a victorious finish.
But are you prepared to run a marathon? You may run as part of your weekly exercise, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re ready for the big time. If you’re in doubt, we’ll set you straight.
Why Marathons Are Good for You
Some people will claim that marathons are just too much of a good thing. But nope, marathons, particularly the prepping part, give you nothing but positives. Here’s how:
- Improved health. An obvious one, but these are the specifics: you’ll see huge changes to your VO2 max (or aerobic capacity), improve your immune system, and muscle strength, and will also help manage blood pressure and cholesterol.
- Deep sleep. When you work your body hard, it will need sleep. Badly. If you struggle to get your shuteye, running will help.
- Lowers stress levels. Multiple studies show that running regularly helps lower stress levels and improve mood.
- Friendships. Those who train together will friend together.
Signs it’s Marathon Time
We’ve told you the reasons why marathons are great for your mind and body. And you’re starting to suspect that it may be time to sign up for your first race. Displaying signs of any of these symptoms? Get that sign-up form.
You Own More Running Gear than ‘Regular Clothes’
We’ll start with a bit of a ‘fun’ one. The sign that you’re ready for a marathon isn’t just about the physical and mental preparation, but what reflects just how much running envelops your life.
Admit it, you’ve thought about wearing your comfortable running apparel to the office. The biggest sign is that you not only own more running gear than ‘regular clothes’, but you also spend more time wearing them. You give athleisure a whole new meaning, by donning your kit at home, at your local coffee shop, restaurants, the mall, you name it.
Your Weekly Stat Line is +20 Miles
Running a marathon is, well, a marathon, not a sprint. It requires not only single-distance achievements but training on the regular. Before you start a custom training plan, your regular weekly distance should already be exceeding 20 miles.
This is a rough approximation, of course. But generally speaking, you need to be comfortable with a regular training schedule and 20 miles tend to build up a basic minimum aerobic base that will set you up for the rigors of marathon training.
8-10 Miles is Easy
Marathon training plans for a newbie need at least 16 weeks (ideally, 20+) to do properly. This is because your body needs to gradually adapt to a distance of 26.2 miles.
To be able to start a training regimen in the lead-up to that big race, you need to have some sort of baseline single distance in place. If you find 8-10 miles easily doable for a regular training run, then you know you’re probably ready to start prepping for a marathon.
You Have Time to Train
Many people completely overestimate how much time and effort they’re willing to put in. Running a marathon is not something you can get up and do from one day to the next (unless you’re this person!).
The ideal marathon training program will require a minimum weekly mileage of 30-35 miles. You need to squeeze that in amongst all of your other responsibilities, whether that’s work, childcare, or anything else.
Not only that, you can’t sacrifice sleep to add more time to your training schedule. Your body won’t like it, at all. So before you commit, assess your schedule realistically. If you can do that, it’s a good sign.
Do you Really Want to Run a Marathon?
Running a marathon is a fantastic achievement. Anyone who has ever done one will tell you just how good it felt to get over that finish line; there’s nothing else like it. Even those who do it as a one-and-done never regret doing it.
You have that passion too. Doing long runs consistently is one thing. But what you dream about is getting that photo finish, standing proudly with your medal in hand after it’s all said and done.
And that’s the final sign that you’re ready. You have to want it more than anything (at least for a 16-20 week period!). Because it’s going to get tough. You’re going to wonder why you ever signed up in the first place. Your body will complain a little, maybe even a lot.
But if you have that fire in your belly that tells you this is something you want to achieve, then that means you probably have what it takes to get it done. So, go on, sign up. Get over that finish line.
