4 questions to ask yourself before training for a marathon

"My life is busy and hectic… should I train for a marathon?" Shockingly, I have NEVER been asked this. It's probably because people know the answer and don't want to hear it. They want to have their cake and to eat it, too.

New job, planning a wedding, taking night classes? Yeah sure, plenty of time and energy leftover to train for a marathon!

Then there's a few other things like maintaining solid relationships with loved ones and the rest of your social circles, eating properly (which definitely takes time), and getting enough sleep.

The good ol' Type-A, can-do attitude.
Our sport attracts this type, that's for sure. With the inherent premium placed on being regimented, the tangible reward of fitness and mood enhancement, not to mention the bragging rights, Type A's often thrive on the running lifestyle.

But where do you draw the line? Everyone is different and circumstances may be unique, but I've found most people, deep down, know the answer for themselves.

In college we learned that you can excel at two of the following three categories:

Academics should be prioritized, leaving one to choose between athletic success or a robust social calendar. With scholarships on the line, it's no wonder most athletes' social circles are comprised of other athletes!

As adults, we have even more responsibilities, but it can usually be boiled down to:

Of course, there can also be other intensive things going on, such as taking classes, planning an event, or travelling for work or leisure.

Sure, you CAN be great at all three.... just not at the same time. And let's be honest, unless you're getting paid to run, training is a hobby and probably should be prioritized AFTER family and work. (I know, painful admission right there!)

So, if you want to legitimately prepare for a marathon, what sort of compromises are you willing to make? For starters, you absolutely MUST have your significant other on board. (Ain't nothin' happening otherwise!)

If you are "all-in" at work and taking on something else significant like planning a big event, taking classes, or developing a insatiable appetite for knitting, it may be best to scale back to short distance training, or even maintenance training.

KEY POINT: There is nothing wrong with that!

Use this time as a great opportunity to work on your strength and speed (you know it needs work anyway) and get better at the 5K distance. Then down the road, you can bring that faster athlete to the marathon and you'll be so much better for it.

The marathon will ALWAYS be there when it makes sense for you to tackle the training. And YOU'LL ENJOY IT MORE!

Realistically, can I make time to properly prepare for this marathon? Not only is there the actual running bit (likely 5-8 hours minimum per week), but also the time required pre- and post-run, not to mention strength training and sleep/recovery to consider.

Is my social circle supportive of this endeavor? If you're hanging with non-athletes, it's TOUGH to be the lone wolf. Also, you really don't want your spouse resenting the fact that you have to get to bed early on the weekends so that you can get up early to train. Trust me!

How many burners do I have set to HIGH right now? How about the forecast for the next 6 months? Don't be stuck in denial about this! You can crush it with TWO set to high, go for 3 and you'll probably be miserable and prone to injury and burnout.

Am I dealing with recurring injuries or do I tend to get hurt when I raise mileage? If this sounds like you, get assessed and work these issues out NOW, versus collapsing in a heap of pain 16 miles into your long run 6 weeks out from the race.

This post originally appeared on fixyourrun.com.

John Goldthorp is the founder of Fix Your Run, a specialized fitness coaching business that helps runners become faster and less prone to injury. Recently named "Philly's Best Running Coach" by Philadelphia Magazine, he currently works with clients at  Optimal Sport 1315 in Center City, online at FixYourRun.com, and leads weekly group speed training sessions at PhillySurgeRunning.com.

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