If you have been running for some time, you might be approaching the point where you have your sights set on training for a full marathon. Running a marathon is a super exciting goal and well worth the time and effort of preparing properly.
However, when looking into whether or not you are ready to begin training for a marathon, natural questions arise, such as, “Am I ready to run a marathon?”, “Can I run a marathon?” or even “Should I run a marathon?“
In other words, how do you know when you are ready to run a marathon?
In this guide, we will discuss signs indicating when you are ready to take the plunge and begin training for your very first marathon!
Should I Run a Marathon?
Before we discuss how to tell if you are ready to run a marathon, it’s helpful to answer the common question that many runners have: Should I run a marathon?
With “should“ being the operative word, it is important to establish that no law or rule states every runner needs to run a marathon or that you must run a marathon to be considered a serious or “real“ runner.
Whether you choose to run shorter races, triathlons, ultramarathons, Spartan races, or never sign up for a single race in your life, or you aspire to qualify for the Boston Marathon, any approach to running is completely valid and says nothing about your merit or worthiness as a valued member of the running community.
However, if you want to run a marathon, then by all means, you should begin to assess whether you are ready to take on this awesome challenge.
Can I Run a Marathon?
The questions “Can I run a marathon?“ and “Am I ready to run a marathon?“ seem similar, although their nuanced differences can yield different answers.
“Can I run a marathon?” is akin to “Can anyone run a marathon?“
Answering this question involves assessing whether you will be physically and logistically able to run a marathon at some point.
Am I ready to run a marathon? This question speaks to your ability to begin marathon training now and run one in the near future.
Let’s start with “Can anyone run a marathon?”
Beginners might be unsure whether they need to be at a certain current fitness level or be able to run a certain speed to run a marathon.
Except for a handful of marathons that require a qualifying time, almost any marathon is open to anyone who wants to run, and about 1.1 million runners finished a marathon in 2019.1Anderson, J. (2019). The State of Running 2019. Athletic Shoe Reviews; RunRepeat.com. https://runrepeat.com/state-of-running
Note that some marathons do have cut-off times, so you may not be considered an official marathon finisher if you are slower than the established cut-off finish time.
However, theoretically, anyone can find a marathon that they can enter and run based on their ability level.
Now, on to: “Can I run a marathon?”
Most runners can run a marathon at some point in their running journey with proper training and the motivation and desire to do so.
That said, if you have a chronic health condition, a history of running injuries, a diagnosis of osteoporosis, or some other physical limitation that may make the grueling demands of running 26.2 miles unsafe for your body, running a marathon may not be in the cards for you.
If you aspire to run a marathon but are unsure whether your body is up to it or if you have other potential contraindications, you should speak with your doctor about your goals of training for a marathon and see if it is possible down the line, and how you can get there.
Aside from the physical considerations of whether you will ever be able to run a marathon, you also need to consider the logistics in terms of the time you have available to fulfill a complete training schedule full of workouts.
Am I Ready to Run a Marathon?
There is no official rule book or flowchart that will definitively determine whether you are ready to run a marathon or not.
Different running coaches, personal trainers, and experts suggest that runners must satisfy different criteria before being physically ready to take on marathon training and prepare for that starting line.
As a certified running coach myself, here are some of my suggested guidelines for determining if you are ready to run a marathon:
#1: You Have Been Running For At Least Six Months
Running a marathon is extremely demanding on the body. Covering 26.2 miles by foot takes even the fastest runners at least two hours, and most runners run a four —or five-hour marathon.
Marathon training is also very taxing, so it is best to have at least six months of consistent running under your belt, if not a year, before you even begin training for your marathon race.
You want to ensure you have the muscular and aerobic capacity to begin stressing your body by adding more volume and intensity to your training.
#2: You Can Already Run 8-10 Miles
Generally, it’s best to wait to start training for a marathon until you can do an eight- to ten-mile run continuously without stopping.
A marathon is 26.2 miles, and almost all marathon training plans will build up to the longest run (long run) of at least 20 miles if not 22 miles or so.
This means that you need to be able to build up from your current long run distance to the 20-mile long run and then taper for several weeks before race day.
If you have run a half marathon, which is a 13.1 miler, you are absolutely ready to begin marathon training.
It will still take quite a number of weeks to build up to the marathon distance gradually to decrease the risk of injury, but depending on your goals and how much running you have been doing, you can probably follow a 16-week marathon training plan to get there.
#3: You Are Running At Least 20 Miles Per Week
Before beginning marathon training, you should be running at least 20 to 25 miles per week, or 32 to 40 kilometers per week, consistently.
Again, if you are not yet hitting this average weekly mileage, take some time, depending on your current training volume, to build up to this level before beginning a marathon training program.
#4: You Have the Time
This one comes back to the question: Can I run a marathon?
Training for a marathon takes time in terms of a weekly investment and the number of weeks or months before the slated marathon date.
You need to slot out time just about every day for all of your training runs, such as easy runs, tempo runs, long runs, speed work sessions, warm-ups, cool-downs, etc., as well as your cross-training and strength training sessions.
It is also important to consider other important pieces to the marathon training puzzle, such as sleep, healthy nutrition, hydration, and physical therapy (if needed, such as sports massages).
When running longer distances, your daily decisions can greatly impact you and your performance.
When deciding if it is a good time to begin marathon training, look at your schedule moving forward for the next several months and ask yourself the following questions.
- Will your job and living situation be relatively stable, or do you anticipate moving or switching positions?
- Will you have the necessary childcare, or are you expecting a new baby?
- Do you have a big trip planned or a lot of work conferences coming up that will make it difficult to fit in your training on the road?
Thinking through these logistics and the number of weeks you have available to train for your marathon will help you determine whether it is a good time to start marathon training.
#5: You Have the Desire
Last but certainly not least, you should have the desire and motivation to run a marathon.
Marathon training is very physically and mentally demanding, and you shouldn’t feel like you have to do it. Rather, it should be an exciting adventure that stokes your desire to get out there and train every day.
Of course, there will be days when even the most enthusiastic marathon runners struggle to feel motivated to train, but you should definitely assess whether your heart and head are saying, “I WANT to run a marathon!”
Ultimately, you know your own body and your own life best. If you feel ready to run a marathon and you want to run a marathon, and there are no glaring red flags as to why you shouldn’t run a marathon, by all means, begin training.
Be honest about your fitness level and choose an appropriate marathon training plan that will allow you to get to that finish line.
At Marathon Handbook, we have an entire database of marathon training plans for all different levels and timetables. Browse through, see which one is best for you, and then grab those running shoes and get to it!
