THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO Crushing YOUR FIRST MARATHON

Everything you need to know i to train smart, nail your fuel, and smash through the wall”

Running your first marathon comes with a mix of emotions that tend to swing between excitement and fear. But with the right training and preparation, the marathon should be an exciting and satisfying (if challenging) journey to the finish line.

“Approach the race with joy and gratitude, not as a life-or-death thing,” says Molly Seidel, an Olympic Marathon medalist. “A lot of people are overly serious, but you can still be focused and have fun with it.”

So take a deep breath, and read on for our best tips, tricks, and expert advice to help you sail through 26.2.

The Gölden Rules OF FIRST-TIME MARATHON TRAINING

Give Yourself 20 Weeks to Train Beginners should start training 20 weeks out from the race, says Andrew Kastor, coach of the ASICS Mammoth Track Club in Mammoth Lakes, California.

This 4.5-month-long training cycle builds up your endurance and aerobic capacity-the secret sauce in a marathon.

"A lot of people could go out there and drag themselves through a 5K, but it's much harder to do a marathon if you haven't put in the work," says Rob Watson, ex-pro marathoner and head coach for Mile2Marathon in Vancouver, British Columbia. "The more time you give yourself to do it, the more prepared you will be on race day. You don't want to cram for a marathon."

Get Comfortable Running at Least 18 Miles Long runs accomplish two things, says Kastor. "Number one: gain confidence. And number two: train your body to recognize what it's like to run on fatigued legs-because when you get about 20 miles into a marathon, your legs are like stubs." Slowly build up to 18 to 20 miles for two long runs, Kastor says.