How long will I need to train for a marathon?

I ran the Paris Marathon in 2005. It took about a year of training to get there because I hadn't run for quite a few years due to an old knee injury.

I found that I was OK until I hit the 5 miles a time point and then I was getting quite a lot of knee pain. I spoke to an Army PTI who advised me to spend at least 10 minutes before and after each run stretching. This solved the problem.

Just start off slowly. If you can run a mile then do that every other day for a week, if you can't then walk it and slowly add a little bit of running each time until you can run the mile.

When you can run the mile, then add 10% and do this everyother day for a week and so on. It will feel like you are not achieving very much, but you will get to the point where you are running 5 miles in 17 weeks. This sounds like a long time, but keep going with that slow progression and you will get to running half marathons in week 27.

I never ran more than half marathons every other day. Once I got to that point I started running most days, some times only a couple of miles but as fast as I could without stopping, sometimes sprinting up hills and walking down them half a dozen times and long (15 to 20 miles) runs at the weekend.

Make sure you visit a running shop, not a sports shop, for your shoes. No matter what a regular sportrs shop will tell you, trainers are no good for running in. If you buy the wrong ones for you running action you will destroy your knees and ankles. With the amount of training you need to do for a marathon, you'll probably need a couple of pairs in that time. Don't scrimp on the cost, but you can save money by buying the last years style and colours.

Make sure you drink lots of water before, during and after a run. On a long training run during the summer I used to sweat-off almost 2 kilos, ie 2 litres of water. Go to a health food shop and buy some high energy drink mix and drink that before and after the run. I also used to take small energy gel packets with me.

Don't be afraid to cut a run short, if you think something is wrong, it probably is. I was on schedule to run between 3 hours and 3:15 but I carried on with a run after a bit of an injury a month before Paris. During the race I was running at 3:10 pace until about 20 km and then my right achilies tendon locked up and I was lucky to finish taking 3:54. After the race my doctor told me not to run again for 3 to 6 months. In hindsight, I should have missed Paris and run one a few weeks late.

My doctor advised me that as long as you train carefully, stretch fully and work slowly up to long distances then there should be no problems with the distances. People will tell you that it's bad for the knees, this is only true if you have an existing problem or damage them through over training. BUT, always seek your doctors opinion before you start any excercise routine.

The weight will slowly come off and as you build more lean muscle mass in your legs you will burn more calories. It takes roughly 3500 calories burned to remove 1 pound of weight so don't expect overnight results.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

1. I'd say running a full marathon is too much, all that happens it that you get cheesed off with yourself for not sticking it out. I'd got for a 5 mile run or so and then increase them steadily, until you are in shape for a full marathon. Never forget: Finishing is what counts, not the time you do it in.
2. How long it will take you to get into shape depends on where you start out and how much you put in. If you don't run at all now, I'd run for a minute, walk for two, run for one, walk for two, and steadily increase the running and reduce the walking. Also, extend the distance. Also find out, when it's easiest for you to run, early in the mornings, afternoons, or evenings. I find running early in the morning best but my partner runs in the evenings.
A good site is:
http://www.marathontraining.com/marathon.html copy
Wish you best of luck!
And - you won't be able to lose weight off a particular body-part. Whatever anybody tells you, it's simply not possible. What you can do, is increase overall muscle-mass, to boost your metabolism and thus reduce fat. Eat protein, don't train every day (you'll only increase muscle mass when your muscles have time to grow which is only during periods of rest), take it easy but work constantly. Alter your routine and do something "non-runny", ie Pilates, weight-training, badminton, tennis, swimming.
Best of luck!