For many runners, the desire to do a marathon is about personal challenge. You might want to test your limits or prove that you can go the distance. Maybe you'd like to lose weight, get healthier or raise awareness for a charity.

Whatever your reason, hold on to it and remind yours...

• Be aware of your limits. Consult with your physician before embarking on any training program.
• Start early: as an aspiring marathoners, run a consistent base mileage for at least a year before embarking on a marathon training program.
• Start small: Running...

A common cause of injury is building weekly mileage too soon, too fast.

So don't underestimate the importance of consistently running at least 20–30 miles a week regularly before committing to training for a marathon.

1. Base mileage. Build your weekly mileage over time, running 3-to-5 times per week.
2. The long run. Do a long run every 7–10 days so your body can adjust gradually to long distances.
3. Speed work. Practice intervals and tempo ru...

Nearly all marathons include water and aid stations along the way. But if you plan to carry some of your own water on race day:

• Buy a hydration pack or belt, or carry your own water using with handheld bottles.
• Do long runs on a short loop c...

For any run over 2 hours, aim to take in about 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour.

As glycogen (primary source of energy during the marathon gets depleted over the course of your marathon, your muscles will begin to tire and feel heavy. Wh...

No new shoes, new shorts, new shirt, new hydration pack/belt or new foods.

Don't drink 3 cups of coffee if you usually have one. Your long training runs are when you should be fine-tuning your clothing, gear and fueling strategies.

• Hydrate well for several days leading up to your marathon.
• Eat a simple, high-carbohydrate breakfast several hours before the start of the race.
• Lather up with a little Vaseline or BodyGlide in any areas vulnerable to chafing.
• Th...

• Start slowly - starting too fast is a big rookie mistake.
• Don't blaze by every aid station or try to drink from a cup while running full blast.
• Bathroom lines are longest at the first few aid stations. If you can wait ano...

Race day:

• Drink several cups of water or sports drink. Walk a little, if you can, to let those muscles cool down. Do gentle stretching. Eat some simple carbohydrates, whether you feel like it or not.

After race day:

• Take ...