You have earned a vacation. The stresses you have put on your body over the past seven weeks are intense. Your muscles have broken down;

When you run short distances this week, time yourself. Is your mile pace faster than when you first started training? If not, you probably need

Even as you are training to run farther, you should also train to run faster. Regular interval training mixed in with your distance running will

After a week of rest, your body is recovered enough to start ramping up your miles again. You should still only run 3-4 times per

This week, allow your muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, and organs to recover. You must understand that the strengthening processes happen while you are resting, not while you are working out. Keep your exercise to a minimum this week. Don’t cheat yourself out of valuable time to build strength and endurance!

By now, you have run a total of 39 miles. You will have had some good, some bad, and some in between days with running. This is normal. Follow the advice of your Yoga instructor: be aware of your bad days, but don’t judge yourself too harshly. If you have not already done so, start a training journal. Record the details of your training and how you feel before, during, and after working out. Take photos as well. This journal will help you keep track of your schedule. It will also help you beat discouragement and boredom when they come.

Now you have been training consistently for several days. It takes 21 days to create a habit; you are about a third of the way there. Follow your training schedule as closely as possible. Don’t get distracted, and don’t get carried away. It is the small things, day after day, that make the biggest difference. Training too much could put you at risk for injury, and training too little will make it hard for you to finish your marathon.

Congratulations! You’ve made a big decision to change your life. As you begin training, you will feel excited for the goal you have made. Your enthusiasm will be contagious as your friends see the changes you are making. At this early stage, it’s possible some of the workouts might seem easy. Even so, don’t overdo anything and put yourself out of the game. Remember, you have a ways to go, and the important thing now is to develop good habits.