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When to Run Your 1st Marathon

Posted September 17th, 2006 at 1:00 AM by Jim Fortner

Section: Running & Training, Injury & Rehab, Motivation, Training Tips

A note from TFS: Jim Fortner is a weekly, guest contributor to The Final Sprint. Make sure to also check out “Jim2’s Running Page”, his own personal running and advice site.

Below you will find his latest post about when you should run your first marathon in order to prevent injury and perform your best.

I think it is a mistake for a beginning runner to attempt a marathon too soon. The risk of injury and/or a very discouraging experience is just too great in the first year. Most of the work associated with a marathon is in the training, not the actual running of the race. The race is simply the hardest single day (albeit, also the most enjoyable) of an overall marathon program. The real challenge is to be prepared to handle the training program which precedes the actual marathon before launching into it.

Marathon training places intense demands and stresses on the muscular and skeletal structures of the body. I believe they should be developed and strengthened very gradually….in sequential seasonal stages or phases….to reach a level where they can take on the rigors of marathon training. Pushing them too far, too soon is just inviting injury.

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