Check out our How to Start Running guide to get you going. It’ll get you used to a big race event and allow you to set a more realistic goal. You are brave and bold, but sign up for a few 5K or 10K races before the main event. If you haven’t run a race before and are planning to run a marathon, good for you. If you ran a 28 minute 5K (roughly a 9 minute mile pace) you probably can run a 4 hour 33 minutes marathon (which is roughly a 10 minute 25 seconds per mile pace.

Previous race results can give you an idea for a goal, however, especially if you use the McMillan Running prediction calculator. A marathon may look like it’s two half-marathons or just over four 10Ks, but that’s not how running math works. What is your 5K and 10K race pace? Analyze your previous race performances, but don’t assume you can just multiply previous race times to predict your full marathon time. Were you cruising until the 20-mile marker until you smashed into the Wall? Did a mid-race port-a-potty break add too many minutes to your time? Pick a reasonable pace that is better than your previous race and do the math to generate a new time goal. Also consider your pace at the various stages of the marathon. What was your last marathon pace? Before committing to a time goal, calculate your average mile pace during your last marathon. That doesn’t mean you can’t do them, but the plan you choose is less important than if you were setting out to conquer your previous time.

But if you’re simply looking to finish the race with your head held high no matter what the time or you’re doing this specific marathon more for the experience (a lot of runners do the New York City Marathon for just this reason), then you don’t need a plan loaded with speedwork and hill repeats or fartleks. Do you want to set a personal record or just finish? If your goal is to beat your previous time, qualify for the Boston Marathon, or hit some set time goal, picking the right plan is crucial, and the sections below are for you.

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