1. Build a base
The race may still be months away, but now is the time to start building your aerobic base with steady, comfortable runs – focusing on time and distance. See this endurance-based training as your 'cake', on which you will later put the 'icing' of a specific 12-16 week marathon programme.
2. Have a goal
If you've never done a marathon (or even a race) you might think that 'get to the finish line' is as detailed a goal as you need. I disagree. I believe that runners of all levels of experience and ability should toe the line with a realistic finish time goal in mind. This time will be based on what you achieve in your training and racing along the way. Come race day, this prevents you going too fast in the early stages of the race (or, less likely, too slow) but it has considerable training benefits, too – ensuring that you run your sessions at an appropriate pace and reap the full benefits from them.
3. Be an all-rounder
The fitness law of specificity states that the fitness improvements we garner are specific to the type of exercise (as well as the intensity and duration) we do. That means that runners need to run, and marathon runners need to run a lot. But in my experience, ditching all your non-running activities – whether it be yoga, circuit training or mountain biking – comes at a cost. Why? Firstly because running is a single-plane activity – it only uses the body in one direction and uses a limited number of muscle groups at a time. Adding in activities that challenge your body in a different way can help to retain balance and keep you strong, flexible and injury free. Secondly, restricting yourself only to running can make you resent your training and lose motivation.
4. Pasta isn't everything
Runners obsess over carbs. And yes, carbohydrate is the essential fuel for prolonged endurance activity. But that doesn't mean you need to scoff pasta at every meal. Protein is crucial for recovery and repair, which you'll be needing a lot more of during marathon training. In fact research shows that newbie exercisers have an increased need for protein, because the body has yet to become adept at conserving and recycling it. The ideal post-run snack contains around 50g of carbohydrate along with 20g of protein (for example, 500ml of chocolate milk).
5. Don't do weekly long runs
For many years, marathon wisdom has been to include a weekly long run. But recently, many coaches have questioned the efficacy of this, suggesting that it isn't necessary for runners – particularly newer and slower ones – to be out there pounding the pavements week in, week out. It can leave you too fatigued to get the most out of your other training, as well as risking injury. Take a week off every third or fourth week, or go long every fortnight instead. And while we are on the subject – make sure you get the pace right. Typically, your long run should be 30-90 seconds slower per mile than your desired race pace. But as the event draws nearer, practise introducing some miles at race pace into those long runs. Slot these miles in close to the end of your run, when you are getting tired, to simulate how you'll feel on race day.
6. Quality counts
You might think that as far as the marathon is concerned, the only truly important variable is distance. But while on the big day itself you'll be running at a constant, steady pace for a prolonged period, this is not the only way to train. It is important to vary both the intensity and distance of your runs, in order to work on different elements of fitness. Plodding mile after mile at the same speed won't help you reach your marathon potential and will become very dull. "You need to do some of your training faster than your proposed marathon pace," says Olympic marathoner Liz Yelling. She suggests tempo runs (prolonged efforts above marathon pace) and interval training (short bouts of effort with recovery intervals) to push your pace boundaries.
7. Practise racing
If you haven't yet crossed a race finish line, schedule at least one or two races in between now and next spring. Races allow you to practise running in crowds, test out your fuelling strategy and get to grips with pre-race nerves. They are also the best way of assessing your performance and getting feedback on how your training is going. "You could practice the pace you want to run in the marathon in a shorter race, such as a 10-miler or half marathon," says coach Stella Bandu, who works with Kelly Holmes's young athlete mentoring scheme, oncampwithkelly.co.uk.
8. Learn to love the sofa
Rest and recovery are as much a part of marathon training as the running itself. The body adapts to the new demands you place upon it through training during times of rest, so failing to schedule in 'down time' can leave you lacking in energy and more susceptible to illness and injury. Make sure you have at least one full rest day each week and cut back on your training every third to fifth week to give your body and mind a break.
• Sam Murphy is the author of Marathon & Half Marathon From Start to Finish; www.sam-murphy.co.uk.
Did you get a place in the ballot? If you missed out, are you considering a charity entry? And for those that have run a marathon before: what is your top training tip?
