Training for a marathon can be a massive commitment, but not every marathon runner can rework their entire life around a training plan. There are physical roadblocks like injury and illness (which can be difficult to handle, but which aren't insurmountable). But you'll also face mental obstacles, like the difficulty of giving up your precious free time. (I skipped a run last week because of a surprise FaceTime from an old friend. I'm happy to have heard from her. I'm stressed to have missed a run.)
Here are my mental hacks to strategize a running plan when you're short on both time and motivation.
Even if you need to deviate from your training plan, or you need to skip straight to week four to cram everything in, you still need to have a plan in the first place. Here's my guide to properly choosing a training plan suited to your lifestyle, running experience, job commitments, and race goals. But after picking your plan comes the hard part: Sticking to it, even when nothing is going right.
Start with a base. You should be able to run 3 to 5 miles comfortably before beginning a plan. If you can't, spend a month building up to this level. You can try jumping into a training plan weeks ahead of your current fitness level, but then you might hurt yourself or burn out before making it to the marathon starting line.
Squeeze in training runs whenever you can. Aim for two more runs per week at a minimum. One should be a medium-long run (starting at 4 to 5 miles and building up to 8 to 10), and one can be an easy 3 to 4 miler.
Invest in proper running gear
If you're going to try to eke out a marathon, you don't want to sabotage yourself with worn-down shoes or chafing-related setbacks. Here's the basic gear you'll need to help be the laziest marathon runner possible:
A running belt. You'll have a more enjoyable run if you're not stuck holding your phone or listening to your keys jangle. The two big names in running belts are the SPIbelt and FlipBelt, and you can't go wrong with either one.
A fitness trackers or GPS watch. I've run plenty of races without a smartwatch, but during training, they can make a world of a difference—particularly when it comes to pacing myself. Serious runners benefit from advanced metrics in $300+ GPS watches, casual runners can opt for a no-nonsense budget option like the Garmin Forerunner 55.
Garmin Forerunner 55 GPS Running Watch $169.00 at Amazon $199.99 Save $30.99 Shop Now Shop Now $169.00 at Amazon $199.99 Save $30.99Keep prioritizing long runs. If you're going to skip some runs, you cannot afford to skip your long run.
Focus on time over distance. On busy weeks, focus on time spent running rather than distance. A 30-minute run is better than no run at all. Thinking "time over distance" will help you strategize runs across the board, especially when you have to shorten individual runs to squeeze
Don't overdo it. While you need to prioritize your weekly long runs, it's still unwise to increase your weekly mileage by more than 10% at a time. If you have to skip a long run, you may want to shuffle long runs around so you aren’t jumping from 10 to 18 miles (for example) on back-to-back weekends.
A final piece of advice
Even if you had planned to stick to an ambitious training plan, sometimes the bare minimum is all you can manage. If so, don’t sweat it. Listen to your body. If you're feeling pain (not just normal soreness), take a break. It's better to arrive at the starting line slightly undertrained than injured. Now lace up those shoes and get moving. Or don't—there's always tomorrow, right?
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