Marathon in September...help!

I would be reasonably fit, do 5km and 10km runs, do the odd half marathon in training, on the road. But furthest I've ever run is 15 miles, so bit daunted by what might be needed to make that very very big jump.

I presume I will need to get proper runners, do gait analysis etc. At the moment I do everything in off the shelf Asic Gels, but one knee starts giving me problems after a long run so think some analysis is a must. Any particular brand of runners more suitable for a marathon?

After that, what should one be aiming for in training. At the moment I go for a long run once a week, and then usually a long hike at the weekends. Presume that once I hit 20 miles or so adrenaline will take me the rest of the way in the event itself. Should I try the full distance any time? Should I perhaops just ease up to 20/21 miles as the weeks go by?

Krusty_Clown

Hi Conor, sounds like you're very much in need of a training program. Have a look at Hal Higdon's training programs. They're a great starting point.

RayCun

and join in on the novices mentored thread. Most people are aiming at Dublin, but the discussions should be useful for anyone training for their first marathon.

Your best bet on runners is to go to a decent shop, let them analyse your stride, and make sure they know it's for marathon training.