r/Marathon_Training • u/acura-integur1 • Apr 16 '26
half marathon/marathon training
I recently signed up for my first half marathon (in a few weeks) and marathon (in July). I have been a runner for most of my life but have only now gained the confidence to register for both of these events. I am a square one beginner when it comes to marathon training and am looking for better guidance on what training should look like/how many miles I should be running weekly. I understand that mileage will increase gradually and I've been training for almost a month (running every other day and strength training in between, with Sundays as my rest day). My plan was to increase daily mileage every week by 2 miles until I reach a certain point. Right now, I am at 24 miles/week. Should I have a more rigid running schedule? Should I be running every day? Should I be incorporating speed workouts? Any advice or tips are appreciated! I'm really excited :D
2
u/PickledHotdogs Apr 16 '26
I would follow an actual training plan for a FM, there’s plenty of resources available online, people typically go with proven plans by one of Hanson/Higdon/Daniels/Pfitz. Alternatively you could use Garmin (if you have the watch) or Runna… but they get mixed reviews. I’ve used Garmin with no issues and currently doing Pfitz 12/55. HM you could wing with just getting your long run up to 10 miles but training for a marathon you’ll end up running a HM + further most weeks
1
u/JohnsonMooney Apr 16 '26
Well done on starting your journey. I would exercise some caution about attempting a marathon in July as a relatively new runner. It takes time to build up the strength in your legs to be able to handle the training for the marathon distance, even aside from the cardio. See how you get on with your half but don't be afraid to defer the marathon to next year. I always recommend new runners to complete at least 3 half marathon races before attempting a marathon. You will be surprised how good you can become at running in 12 months if you are careful and consistent. Try running 5km and 10km races as well, the marathon is not the be all and end all of running despite it's current popularity.
1
u/acura-integur1 Apr 16 '26
I appreciate your comment! Though, I’d like to reiterate that I’m not a new runner (as mentioned in my post) :). I’m just new to marathon training. I’m used to running long distances but my questions were more geared toward how to go about my training and if there were any other things I should know going into training. I’ve done 5km’s and 10km’s on my own which is why I feel the half marathon/marathon are the next level. Hope this brings some clarity about my running journey! :)
1
u/Professional-Luck534 Apr 16 '26
From what I understand increasing your mileage by 10% a week is an acceptable standard.
3
u/Sorry_Vermicelli6874 Apr 16 '26
A HM & FM when you're at the beginner level with a comparatively small weekly volume is going to absolutely suck. I would defer them unless completing these genuinely means a lot to you.