26 miles… Sounds daunting, right?
Well, it’s not as bad as you think.
At least, that is what I kept telling myself when I trained for the LA Marathon.
Training for the marathon does not require you to be in the best shape of your life. Training for the marathon will get you there!
Training for the marathon
Successfully training for the marathon requires consistency.
- Consistent training schedule.
- Consistent foam roll, stretch, and new social life, or lack thereof.
- Consistent training for both long and short runs.
Consistency will get you to the finish line.
Surround yourself with a support system
Finding friends who are training for a marathon can play a major role. They can provide you with emotional support, tips, and they can hold you accountable on those days you just don’t feel like running.
When I was training for the LA Marathon, I would schedule running dates with my friends.
Not everyone is up for running 8+ miles, so I would get a few extra miles in before meeting with them. You can try doing the same.
I did this a few times to build a support system as I slowly trained my body to run more than the previous long run.
Appreciate the solitude
I am eternally grateful to my friend Randy for introducing me to the Beyonce Homecoming Album on Spotify. It was the perfect 2 hours I needed to get a long run in.
I learned to appreciate the solitude of long runs. I would dance and sing, and two hours would just fly.
Fuel your body
Besides good music, you need to make sure you’re nourishing your body.
I learned to eat ALL THE CARBS. Yep, that’s right. Carbs became my best friend. I would have lentil pasta for dinner and quinoa oats to fuel me.
My quinoa oats consist of a 1/2 cup of plain quinoa with 1 cup flax milk, 1 scoop of vegan protein powder, and chia seeds.
It provided me with enough carbs, protein, and energy to sustain me while I rocked out to Queen Bee.
Second-guessing running the marathon?
Never in a million years did I think I would run a marathon. I always saw it as a far-fetched dream.
I HATED running. I would run 15-16 minute miles and never ran more than a mile.
I got into running because my little sister convinced me to sign up for the Camp Pendleton Mud Run. It was all history from there.
Are you interested in running a marathon? Just sign up!
That’s right. It’s as simple as that.
Making the financial decision to sign up will be the accountability you need to start your training.
If you aren’t much of a runner and your goal is to one day run a marathon, sign up for a 10k. From there, sign up for a half marathon. You’ll be surprised at how attainable the goal is.
Remember to keep your eye on the prize.
You got this!
Abby Nava
Guest Author
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Abby Nava is the youngest of three sisters. Her parents migrated from Mexico to provide a better future for their children.
She is a first-generation college graduate from Mount Saint Mary’s University. Working in the hospitality industry taught her to creatively find solutions while embracing the opportunity to meet and develop relationships. She has established her career in Real Estate as a Residential Real Estate agent at The Agency, a full-service elite Real Estate Agency that leads with integrity, innovation, and collaboration. She loves the spontaneity of the business and enjoys the never-ending learning nature of it.
Abby is passionate about health and fitness and enjoys training for Spartan races and marathons.
