By Robert Weiss, DPM

It’s time for some serious thoughts on marathon training as the Boston Marathon coming up and the New York City, Chicago, Washington-Marine Corp, just to name a few popular ones, are not far off in the future. One must realize that the training session is 25 percent perspiration and 75 percent determination. The hardest part of the session is to get out the door and to get started. This will give you the full potential to strengthen the body and to relax the mind. The following guide is for the successful, goal-oriented person who has taken charge of his or her destiny.  

1. Ask yourself if you are really cut out to be a marathoner. The marathon distance is not for everyone.

2. Plan out exactly what you want to achieve.  Is it the desire to just finish or to run a sub-three hour marathon?

3. Make sure you are willing to make the commitment and all the sacrifices needed for a successful marathon.

4. Visualize yourself in perfect harmony every day.

5. Map out your training program as the goal to a successful marathoner.

6. Establish many different distances and times as goals, working up to the ultimate distance and respected time.

7. Be ready to adjust your lifestyle for the increased schedule in the training program.

8. Enjoy and take with pleasure the movements of release that are found with a hard training session or you may burnout early.

9. Be ready to take necessary risks and have the confidence to overcome the dangers in hard all out training.

10. Learn to discipline yourself with control, so that you strengthen your goals. 

The Marathon, one long distance, been there, know it well, and will never forget it- one of the ultimate challenges in body & mind. GOOD LUCK!!