How To Walk A Marathon Without Training?

For most participants, a marathon isn’t just the huge distance of physical endurance but several months of arduous and painstaking preparation. You may notice an upcoming 10K or a half marathon and wonder if you could just jump in and complete it without any prior training. Sometimes, you have a friend or a family member who might urge you to join them despite knowing that you don’t even walk regularly for fitness.

VerywellFit opines that a person could walk 5 to 7 miles if you are a healthy individual without health conditions like diabetes, heart diseases, or arthritis. People can survive 9-11 kilometers or walk about a couple of hours at a steady pace without any ill effects, experts say from walking clubs who host 10K walking events.

Here are a few tips for untrained individuals to attempt their first-ever marathons successfully:

1. Take baby steps

Experts recommend that you begin with 15 to 30-minute walking sessions every day and, gradually, increase the duration from there. Such a beginner’s walking schedule can add 5-10 minutes each week. Gradually when you develop endurance for a 30-minute walk, try to walk for a complete hour.

2. Prevent blisters

Most people get blisters by 10-12 miles when they walk without prior training. So, when you are going to walk more than 6 miles, you should steadily increase the longest mileage by a mile per week. The ideal thing to do is increase your distance by only 10% per week in order to lower your risk of getting injured.

3. Develop good walking posture and technique

An ideal walking posture lets you take full breaths, use your muscles of your leg and buttocks and engages your core muscles. Use such a posture for a natural walking stride which can prevent aches after walking. Take a few seconds before every walk to set your walking posture right.

4. Aim for a brisk walking pace

Not only to participate in the marathon but also to get the best health benefits of walking, try to achieve a moderate-intensity pace. Try to walk a mile within 20 minutes or less and a target heart rate of 550-60% of your maximum heart rate. Brisk walking is such that your breathing will be heavier than normal but you will not run out of breath. And you will still be able to speak full sentences while walking in that speed, says Verywellfit.

5. Avoid the following mistakes