Preparing For Your First Marathon: Your First Marathon

The prospect of running a marathon is intimidating, to say the least. Although it looks rather heroic, many people don’t realize the amount of work that goes into preparing one’s self for the daunting task of literally going the distance and, finally, crossing the finish line.

They see people preparing and eventually participating in such a race, but they don’t get that people who do run in marathons choose to do so after months of fitness training and proper conditioning.

And yes, anyone can do that, too.

Preparing for Your First Marathon ~ Why Do You Want To Run?

Running a marathon isn’t an unbeatable challenge—it’s a personal challenge. It’s something that practically anyone can do if they have the drive to accomplish it. In fact, there are various reasons why someone would choose to run a marathon:

  • To overcome a personal challenge, such as testing their physical limits.

  • To start getting healthier or losing weight.

  • To raise awareness for a cause or charity.

  • To participate alongside friends and family who may have already participated in a marathon.

  • To encourage yourself to become more active in group events, such as a marathon.

As you can see, there are plenty of reasons why people choose to run in a marathon—and, funnily enough, those aren’t the only reasons why people choose to run marathons. Everyone has their own personal reason for choosing to run.

So, why do you want to run a marathon? No matter what you answer, any answer’s a good reason to get started preparing for your first marathon.

Preparing for Your First Marathon ~ Choosing The Right First Marathon

Before you run a marathon, it’s a good idea to know what you’re getting into before it’s too late.

As you would think, many types of marathons exist. Location is usually a major factor. Say for example, you’re located in Arizona. Logic would dictate that you pursue some Arizona marathon & half marathon such as the Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Half Marathon. There are low key races to urban races that attract thousands of runners. And, not everyone’s going to feel comfortable running their first marathon in a large urban race, likewise with those who prefer a bigger and livelier environment than that of a back country road.

If you’re not entirely sure about the type of environment you like, why not check out local marathons to see for yourself. Go to an urban race and see how you like the big crowds and rows of runners. Check out a low key marathon on familiar roads to see if you like being in a quieter environment.

You might also like being local, as in running a local marathon. Lots of people do. So, if you feel like you don’t want to travel far to run, participate in your local marathon—you’ll probably like it. Keep reading on for the next part of our First Marathon articles.

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