Run Your First Marathon with Confidence

You will get warm, you will sweat, you will chafe. Prepare for it with the right running gear.

How to choose shoes and socks for running

Avoid chaffing

Don't let bad weather prevent you from training. Challenge yourself to stick to the training plan by preparing bad weather clothing for your runs.

Your running gear should build confidence and reduce friction (in every sense).

The training plan for this course will focus on building your distance so you can finish your first marathon. Here's how to decide which version of the plan to follow.

Enter a marathon for motivation in starting and sticking to the training plan

How the training plan works

Plan your training run routes ahead of time to make them more interesting.

Schedule your runs to make sure they happen

Focus on the plan and the results will take care of themselves

Running should feel easy

Run faster, further, and more efficiently by improving your leg movement

Make it easier for your legs to carry your upper half when running

Gradually improve your pace by focusing on individual body parts

Running uphill and downhill is good practice for the marathon, but also good training for running in general

Simple bodyweight training exercises and sample routine with progression. This is optional (like everything in life).

Getting enough sleep is the only way to make positive fitness gains from your training. During the day, try to move more.

When to stretch, and why rolling is better

Your belief or doubt will determine your ability to do something

Own the Suck... Don't let the Suck own you

Reduce the complexity and quantity of decisions by simplifying decisions. Avoid re-deciding whenever possible.

Only boring runners get bored while running :)

Willpower is required to stick to the training plan, here's how to increase yours

You need to build real Confidence through training and good gear which you can spend during the race.

Consistently following the training plan will develop your physical body, practice decision-making, and build confidence

Negative thoughts are inevitable with long-distance running, but you can choose how to respond to it.

Running will make you more aware of what you eat. Cleaning up your diet will make your runs feel different

Eating and drinking during long runs take some practice. Eating and drinking after long runs is important to progress recovery.

Do your experimenting during the training runs, stick to what you know works well on race day.

Apply your practice with planning training runs to plan your race day logistics

Visiting the registration event is a good way to check where the race start is

Your training is done, so relax. There is nothing more you can do to prepare, only things to avoid which could hurt you tomorrow.

Control your energy, you will need it later

Playing games is the best way to get through the middle of the race

Good decisions prevent bad things from happening, but sometimes the race does not go to plan. Here's what to do.

The real only starts after 32km (20mi) and is against yourself

You can do this. You are more capable of greatness than you think.

There are some important things you can do after the race (and tomorrow) to recover quickly.

Regular life can seem dull after your first marathon. The fight back starts before the race is over.

How soon can/should you run another marathon?

Did you enjoy overcoming your self-doubt? Push your boundaries even further.

Training for a marathon is a meta-exercise is achieving big crazy goals in life.

Stay in touch. Forever.

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Strava: Simon Scotting
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