Getting started

If you’re new to the Virgin London Marathon, read on to find out how you can make your training run as smoothly as possible.

Ready?

Before you begin your training for the big day, we recommend you pay your doctor a visit for a once over. They will be able to offer advice tailored to you, taking your medical history into account. Although we’d advise all runners to get a medical check, if you’re a smoker, ex-smoker, are overweight or have a history of heart disease in your family, it’s particularly important.

Take things steady

Once your doctor’s given you the go ahead, it’s important not to overdo things and train too hard, too fast in the first few days. Jumping straight into a rigorous routine is a common cause of injuries and sore muscles – it’s far better to go for a few walks and gentle jogs first.

Find out more about common injuries and how best to avoid them. And, should you need one, you can search for a physiotherapist here.

Get going

A great starting point is to take up 30 minutes of walking or jogging, 4 times a week. When you feel comfortable with this, start setting yourself distances or times as goals to work towards – for example, running for a mile without stopping, or running at the same pace for 20 minutes.

Check out the rest of the training centre for more suggestions on how to kick-start your programme, including routes to run in your local area.

And keep going

From a gentle start, your training routine will begin to develop at a natural, healthy pace. By teaming up with other runners in your area, you’ll also benefit from added support and motivation to keep your training plan going strong – even on cold mornings and dark winter evenings!

And lastly, remember to keep up to speed with our online marathon community. Here you can set up your own profile to share your progress, goals, training tips and experiences with other runners.