[header] How to prepare for a marathon (novice ) [title] Make a plan. [step] Keep your current abilities in mind when making a schedule of practice runs. If you're considering running a marathon, you should already be able to run for at least 30 minutes without stopping. 
Your schedule should include what types of training exercises you want to do, how many miles you want to do in a single run, and recovery exercises. [substeps] Give yourself plenty of time to accomplish your goals.