…is something I never thought I’d say. I’d never been a long distance runner, sticking with 5ks and 10ks at a push. Both my brother and dad had run the London Marathon and having watched them train for weeks and then run for hours and hours, I always thought NO way. But not because I didn’t want to…there are probably few keen runners who wouldn’t want to run the London Marathon…I just didn’t think I could. I researched how long it takes to train for a marathon…and quickly put that thought back where it came from, believing it would never surface again. 

However…after joining the Coopah Running social runs last year I got to know a lot of local runners, and a common question I heard people ask was “Are you training for anything right now?”. There were people training for 10ks, half marathons, and even multiple marathons mere weeks apart, and this INSPIRED me.

So I signed up for the Vitality Big Half, started my training and I was loving it. Then I got offered a place at the 2021 London Marathon…and I said yes. Something had switched, my confidence had been boosted by finding a community of runners who were all training for races too. A few weeks later I did my longest run of 8 miles and I didn’t collapse, nothing bad happened…I just felt GREAT.

I won’t lie, training for a marathon is hard and there might be moments of doubt but the feeling you get when you cross that finish line is like nothing else.

Tips for your first marathon

·         Invite lots of supporters: invite everyone you know and ask them to space themselves out around the course. If motivation is low or you’re tired, seeing friends and family is a huge boost.

·         Put your name on your running top: you have no idea how motivating it is having strangers cheering you on. Stranger: Go Tash you can do it!; Me: YEAH I CAN.

·         Consider running for charity: training can get tough. So knowing you’re running for yourself AND to support a charity can really get you through.

·         Use a personalised marathon training plan: find a training plan that suits your ability and goals. The Coopah app creates a personalised training plan which adapts to how your training is going. This means you don't need a generic 'Beginners', 'Intermediate' or 'Advanced' plan but one which is yours and only yours. Download it now and take a look!  This also means you won’t need to spend time searching for a running coach near you…your coach is right there in the app.

·         Don’t get too fixated on a time: that doesn’t mean don’t have a goal, but running your first marathon is entering into unknown territory and you don’t want to put unnecessary pressure on yourself. Aim for a Plan A, Plan B and Plan C – then you’re covered! If you need to find out your marathon target time then have a look at our marathon target time guide.

·         Pick the right marathon for you: if you don’t like hills, don’t choose a hilly course, if you prefer training in the summer then pick an autumn marathon – help yourself out as much as possible. If you don’t fancy London Marathon or you’re unsuccessful in the ballot we’ve got a guide to the best alternative marathons you can enter! 

·         Get some decent running trainers: your legs are going to go through a lot so get yourself some comfortable running shoes that are right for your feet. Consider getting a professional to fit your shoes and check out our tips for finding the right running shoes!

·         Don’t neglect Strength and Conditioning: again, your legs are going to go through a lot, so help yourself stay injury free by keeping those legs strong. The Coopah app provides weekly strength sessions and exercise ideas.

·         Practice your race day: work out what time you will need to get up, eat, and when you’ll likely start running. Practice that routine so you can get used to that race day feeling.

·         Wear that medal with PRIDE: time doesn’t matter, you’ve crossed that finish line, now show off that shiny medal. Lots of restaurants and bars do discounts if you bring your marathon medal along!

Remember, it takes around 16 weeks to train for a marathon, although with the Coopah app it’s never too late or too early to start training with our plans ranging from 6 to 24 weeks. That’s a few weeks/months of hard work. Marathon day is just your victory lap. 

DOWNLOAD THE COOPAH APP TODAY

The Coopah app is supported on both Android and iOS devices.

You can download the Coopah app for Android devices from the Google Play Store. Users of iOS devices can find it in the App Store.