WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT “Before you jump into marathon or half-marathon training, it’s important to honestly assess whether you’re ready. If you’ve never run a step before or you’re just starting out, jumping into a 25-mile-a-week training program is a surefire way to end up hurt and burned-out. That is not to say that you have to wait until you reach some ideal weight, or you get perfect running weather. Or until you get some stress-free, four-month chunk of time at work, the kids are self-suficient, and you have so much free time that you can train whenever you want, as much as you want. (That day likely will never arrive.) But by taking a few critical steps before you start training for a big race, you’ll save yourself a lot of time, hurt and heartache down the road.” “The Runner’s World Big Book of Marathon and Half-Marathon Training,” by Jennifer Van Allen, Bart Yasso and Amby Burfoot
