Want to complete a marathon?

Let's be blunt about this – there is no easy way to train for a marathon! To begin with, there are the crucial factors of determination and discipline. For beginners who are not already regularly training, a minimum of four months, running four days a week, is advised, but most authorities recommend a training programme over five to six months.

The following12-week training programmes are designed to suit three different levels of experience. Please remember that if you're not well into your training by now, it's too late to start for June.

Marathon training BEGINNERS

Marathon training IMPROVERS

Marathon training ADVANCED

Websites

If you are already running regularly or taking part in some regular physical activity and want to train for the Bord Gáis Energy Cork City Marathon, there are dozens of websites offering marathon-training programmes. For novices, please take the time to browse through these sites and find a realistic programme to suit your needs. Don't forget to read the health advice given on these sites and please be wary of any sites that make running the marathon sound too easy.

The training schedules offered at sites such as runrepublic.ie, halhigdon.com, or coolrunning.com seem particularly well thought-out and geared towards different levels of fitness. Take the time to read their health advice and warnings too.

For advice on what to do before and after a run, chartered physiotherapists Karen Coughlan and Sinead Murphy have devised a stretching routine that you can view at http://www.iscp.ie/content/view/29/428/. 

If you're looking for training routes around Cork City (and, indeed, elsewhere) mapmyrun.com has several options posted by local runners. This wonderful on-line route-mapping site also gives you the option of mapping your own training route. Another valuable website for those running locally is corkrunning.blogspot.com.

Clubs

Does your local athletics club have a running meet to suit you? If not, maybe now is the time to establish one? But it's not just running clubs that will be invovled in the Cork City Marathon. Remember, you don't have to run the marathon, you can walk or jog it too. There are a growing number of walking groups throughout the country. Ask around in your locality. You might well find one that suits you. With the Team Relay Event, clubs of all sporting disciplines will be entering teams, so check out your local sports club and see what they are doing.

Health & Leisure Clubs 

If you are a member of a local health club, or if you are considering joining, your club should be able to offer you professional advice on training.

In the wider Cork area, LeisureWorld Cork will help to plan suitable programme for its members at its state-of-the-art Bishopstown and Churchfield centres.

LeisureWorld Cork is also organising a Buddy System for the team relay. Contact the Team co-ordinator Shane Simcox at Bishopstown on 021-434 6505 or John Hegarty at Churchfield 021-439 7868, who will match runners into teams of similar ability, and with runners that want to cover a similar distance. Teams can then meet at the Leisureworld venues to train, or take part in some of the advice workshops that will be helping runners prepare for the big day.

Libraries

Don't forget that, in Ireland, your local library provides access not only to a wealth of books on training, health and fitness, but also to the internet. In Cork, you have access to the internet at any branch of your city or county library, and the staff there will be more than happy to help you with your search. For further information, log onto corkcitylibrary.ie