As a person who used to weigh over 265 pounds, that I found myself in a position to even consider running a marathon, or 26.2 miles, in one stretch represents some kind of a miracle. The name “marathon” comes from the legend of a soldier who ran from Marathon to Athens to announce Greece’s victory over Persia. That the soldier is said to have promptly died after delivering this message is best not considered.
You wouldn’t think that a solitary sport like running would require much gear, but if you want to do it effectively and relatively injury free, there are a few items you should definitely get.
First and foremost you need a good pair of shoes. You can get a decent starter pair for between $80 and $120. Now I realize that this represents a fairly large initial outlay of money, so if you are not a runner at all, and you question your level of commitment, I suggest that you take your most comfortable pair of walking shoes and get in the habit of going on a longer walk at least three times a week. If you can do this much walking consistently, it will be a small leap to running.
It is also important to have the proper clothing. When I first began running, I was content to wear a cotton t-shirt and shorts. As the length of my runs increased, it became apparent that it was time to invest in some clothes made out of a special moisture-eliminating material.
If you are seriously considering running the marathon, there are a variety of sources for training guides on the Internet, as well as in books and magazines. Conventional wisdom suggests training at least three months. A good rule of thumb for training is to run a minimum of three times per week, with one of the runs being a longer one.
The goal is to get the longer run up to 20 miles by going in increments of two miles. For example, if you were to start your long runs at six miles, you would then spend the next eight weeks adding two miles a week until you reached 20 miles. You should plan to hit the 20-mile mark with two or three weeks until the marathon, and then taper off. It is also important to stay nourished and hydrated on runs of more than one hour.
This is the optimal training regimen. I ended up going on four or five longer runs, with my longest being 18 miles, and then only running three times in the four weeks leading up to the marathon. Despite this seeming lack of sufficient training, after serious deliberation, I decided to give it a shot and hope for the best.