The marathon – 42.2 kilometres – is taken into account the Holy Grail of operating and a preferred bucket record merchandise, however what does it take to finish one?

Andrea Doney was once a “actual sofa potato”, fighting nervousness and uncomfortable together with her weight.

However in April 2021, she achieved one thing solely a small proportion of individuals do, crossing the ending line of her first marathon after greater than five-and-a-half hours of onerous, however exhilarating slog.

The 50-year-old describes the sensation on the finish of the occasion as “superb – it’s nearly indescribable”.

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In case you can stroll, you possibly can run

Andrea has now been operating for about 10 years, and specialises in serving to rookies – significantly “older, greater and slower” folks – in her enterprise, Run with the Sluggish Coach.

She says she’s by no means recognized with the stereotype of a runner – which she describes as svelte, with an ideal ponytail and crop high.

“I’m simply not any of these issues, so crossing that end line is an actual validation of what an abnormal physique is able to, and an abnormal mind for that matter,” Andrea says.

“It’s additionally a present actually.

“I maintain pondering that in the future after I can’t run, I’ll at all times be capable to do not forget that as soon as there was a time in my life after I may and I did and I treasured it.”

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Why the marathon is so intriguing

Many runners will attest that finishing a marathon is as a lot – or extra – a psychological problem as it’s bodily.

“They are saying that the muscle that works hardest in a run is the one between your ears,” Andrea says.

A examine printed in 2017 recognized plenty of elements motivating folks to problem themselves to bodily demanding duties, together with shallowness, recognition, affiliation, maintaining match, competitors and private purpose achievement.

Andrea believes it’s about folks having a benchmark to measure themselves in opposition to.

“Some folks like to attain a sure stage of promotion at work or have a sure work title, some folks prefer to have a sure sum of money within the financial institution – it’s simply one of many some ways you possibly can benchmark your self,” she says.

“In case you can name your self a marathon runner … it provides folks a whole lot of delight, a way of accomplishment, one thing to talk about barbecues, all these issues.”

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Can anybody run a marathon?

Anybody has the potential to have the ability to run a marathon in the event that they’re able-bodied, free from damage and customarily wholesome, says Andrea.

Nevertheless stable preparation is required.

“It’s not one thing that anyone can rise up and do tomorrow.”

Then there’s the headspace – and time – required for coaching, particularly these “lengthy runs” on the weekend that may take hours.

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The challenges of operating a marathon

Sally Lynch, the coach behind Let’s Run, has accomplished greater than 10 marathons, and says the primary problem is attending to the beginning line.

“Individuals are inclined to undertrain or overtrain, and don’t take heed to their our bodies,” Sally says.

“One thing begins to harm they usually assume if it nonetheless hurts in a month’s time, I’ll go see somebody,” she says, noting you shouldn’t ignore these warning indicators.

The psychological problem of a marathon

Andrea says you’ll must learn to embrace being uncomfortable for hours on finish.

“That takes a whole lot of apply as a result of operating hurts.

“You wish to cease and also you wish to sit down and also you wish to have a beer and also you wish to go to mattress, and you’ll’t.”

Why power is the spine of a marathon

Not all coaching for a marathon ought to be operating, says Sally, stating power work and cross coaching can be an necessary a part of the equation.

“Lots of people assume ‘I’m going to run to get match’, whereas it truly is the opposite approach round,” she says.

“You’ve obtained to get match to run, since you’ve obtained to strengthen all of the muscle tissue and the tendons and even the bones to handle the load you get when operating.”

Ideas for operating a marathon

Together with power coaching, which doesn’t need to contain the fitness center however ought to embrace squats, calf raises and deadlifts, Sally says cross coaching – resembling biking, strolling or swimming – is crucial.

You also needs to combine up your pace throughout coaching, make sure you get loads of hydration, good sleep and persist with a program (often round 20 weeks).

Then there’s diet.

“Don’t exit and do your three-hour run then go have an egg and bacon roll and a few Cokes,” Sally says.

“In case you nourish your physique nicely it would carry out higher and get better sooner.”

Written by Larissa Ham.