Confirm You Are Ready for the Distance
Distance training begins with the ability to absorb ordinary weeks, not with one heroic long run.
Choose a half marathon or marathon from evidence, not enthusiasm alone.
Check the base
Look for several months of consistent running, repeatable easy volume, and normal recovery before adding a demanding race-specific block.
Choose the distance honestly
A half marathon and a marathon do not create the same fueling, durability, or recovery demands. Use current training history and available time to choose.
Define the performance goal
Separate finishing, racing well, and chasing a time. Each goal changes the amount of specific training and risk that is reasonable.
Put it into practice
- Review the previous twelve weeks of training.
- Choose half marathon or marathon based on stable volume and available time.
- Write whether the goal is completion, execution, or a time.
Several ordinary weeks are repeatable and the chosen distance does not require a sudden jump in load.
Do not use one unusually long run as proof of marathon readiness.