Finding the Right First Marathon
Learn What Details to Consider When Choosing a 26.2-mile Run
Mar 20, 2009
Big or small? Winter, spring, summer or fall? Mountains, prairies or rolling hills? These are the last things runners may think of when choosing her first marathon, but they're all details that could heavily influence an athlete's overall satisfaction of a race.
Race Size
Running a race with 1,500 other runners or 15,000 other runners can have a big influence on the satisfaction of a marathon. Large races, usually between 6,000 and 15,000 runners, tend to offer more of a crowd and more camaraderie with fellow runners. With lots of cheering and lots of people to run with, however, it’s easy to let adrenaline take over. For some, adrenaline is a good thing, but for others it means tiring out too soon; this along with preferring to run in solitude is why some runners prefer small to medium-sized marathons, usually between 1,000 and 5,000 runners.
Race size is a personal preference and an important detail to factor in. In order to figure out how large or small a marathon is, check out past years’ stats on total finishers. Marathon Guide is also a very helpful web site when looking up race details.
Training Schedule
Since training schedules are usually 18-22 weeks long, the time of year a marathon is in will determine what season training takes place as well. For instance, if the marathon is in the fall because that's a personal favorite time of year to run, then the training would be during the summer months of June, July and August. If the marathon is in May or June, the training schedule would begin in January or February. So, again, it’s a matter of whether a runner prefers training in the heat or in the snow, but it’s another detail to consider.
Terrain
Once choosing the right marathon and figuring out what time of year to run it in is figured out, then next detail to consider is the location of the marathon. Sometimes the location is not a factor at all, but sometimes the terrain where the marathon is at could be so different from what runners are used to, it could make or break their ability to finish.
For instance, if the runner is from Illinois where the terrain is relatively flat and his or her marathon is in Duluth, MN, where there are lots of hills, preparing for the difference in terrain should play a part in training. Incorporating hill repeats into the run can help prepare for the more intense terrain. It's always a good idea to research the lay of the land before or after signing up for a marathon.
With these details in mind, any runner should be able to find a great first marathon.
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