Coopah How To: Train for the TCS London Marathon

With just under six months to go until the TCS London Marathon, it might seem like there’s plenty of time to prepare, but now is actually the perfect time to get started and lay the foundations for your marathon success.

The next few months are crucial for building the strength, endurance, and consistency needed to tackle the big day. And the good news is, we are here to help you every step of the way! From now, until you cross that finish line in April.

We also totally understand that the idea of training for a marathon may seem a little overwhelming right now, which is why Jordan Foster, Head Coach at Coopah has put together her top tips to help get you started.

Forget About the Marathon (for now anyway)

Nope, that’s not a typo. I want you to forget about the marathon, and instead focus on where you are at right now.

Having long terms goals is a great way to stay motivated, but it can also feel really overwhelming, so instead I want you to focus on smaller, manageable goals that you can work on between now and December. Think of these next few weeks as ‘the prep phase’, as you are essentially preparing your body for marathon training.

Whether you are a complete beginner, or have some running experience under your belt, it’s really important to not jump in head first and do too much too soon (as this is what can lead to injury + burnout!).

Consistency Is Key

Over the years as a runner + a coach, one thing I am asked time and time again is ‘what is the one thing that can improve my running?’ and my answer is always the same – being consistent with your training!

And look I get it – it isn’t the most exciting answer, it isn’t a quick fix and it certainly isn’t always easy, BUT being consistent with your running, really is the best way to improve + train for a marathon in the long term.

Now just to confirm, being consistent does not mean you need to get out for a run every single day (in fact, please don’t do that!) but instead aim to get out 2-3 times a week to start with + get your body used to regularly pounding the pavement.

Not only will this help you prepare physically for the marathon training miles, but also mentally too. As you will be used to running regularly, it will already be a part of your weekly routine, so that step up to marathon training won’t feel quite so scary!

Ignore the noise, and focus on you

In this day and age with social media + the whole of the internet at our fingertips, it can feel like we have an unlimited access to information. And sometimes, that can feel pretty overwhelming!

Now, don’t get me wrong – social media can be a brilliant place to find hints + tips, follow motivating accounts and connect with other runners, but it can also make it very easy to fall into the trap of comparing to others, especially if you are a newer runner at the start of your journey.

My reminder to you – do not compare your marathon journey to anyone else’s. And remember that everybody will have their own starting point, their own goals + their own reasons for running the marathon, which means that everybody’s training will look different too.

So, just keep focusing on your own journey and let Coopah be your ultimate guide to the start line.

I am so excited to be on this journey with you, and over the next 6 months I will be helping you cut through the noise (along with a team of experts who will cover all the key topics you need to know!) to ensure you not only have the best training experience, but the absolute best race day experience too.

Let’s go Class of ‘25!

Coach Jordan 🧡