6 WAYS TO STICK WITH YOUR TRAINING PLAN FOR A MARATHON Your training plan for a marathon isn’t just a mind-and-muscle commitment, it requires lots of your time too. Here’s how to ensure you stick to your training plan and rack up the mileage that will help you hit your goals. PENCIL IT IN: The best way to ensure that you stick with your plan is to training plans for marathon racing is schedule scheduling all your workouts in your calendar, like you would any appointment. Seeing that time blocked off when you’re looking at the week ahead will help you avoid scheduling conflicts and feel proud once the week is done and you’ve crossed everything off your marathon to-do list running schedule. GO IN THE MORNING: Often, using the hours before work is the best way to ensure that life doesn’t get in the way of your mileage goals. Setting your alarm and your intentions and actually waking up for a workout are two very different things, however. Help yourself make your morning workout by preparing what you need like your workout outfit, your breakfast, and your running playlist the night before, so you dont feel rushed and overwhelmed in the morning. ENLIST FRIENDS: A workout buddy makes almost any workout seem more doable, especially if you’ve got a double digitlong run on the horizon. Even if you aren’t marathon training with anyone, having someone along on even just a few miles on any part of your run can be the encouragement you need to hit your overall goal. Plus, having a running date with a friend is a great way to catch up while also crossing off your workout for the day! TAKE A CLASS: Marathon training isn’t just about the miles, strength workouts and cross training with other forms of exercise are important for your well-being and race-day performance too. Sign up for a studio cycling class, a circuit class at your gym, or a weekend yoga session on your non-running days. Having that commitment on your calendar (or through your bank account) can help ensure that you don’t skip this important aspect of training.