Hal Higdon's website

WHETHER YOU ARE A BEGINNER or an experienced marathoner, there is one very important item to consider before embarking on a marathon training program: your health. It's a good idea to get a physical examination featuring a stress test--particularly if you have not had one in several years. Though hundreds of thousands of runners finish marathons each year, please take this precaution.

Second, consider your business, family and social schedule for the next several months. Training for a marathon will take time, not only weekends but midweek as well, particularly as mileage builds toward the end of the program. It will also take energy. If there are other stresses in your life--such as studying for a law school exam or planning a wedding--maybe now is not the best time to run a marathon.

Once you have made the commitment, however, you will succeed! If you're a beginner who can give us your attention over the next 18 weeks, we'll get you to the finish line. If you're an experienced marathoner looking to give 26 miles 385 yards your best effort--maybe qualify for Boston--we can help.

The training programs for The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon follow. The reverse countdown begins with Week 18 and goes to Week 1 and the marathon. (After that, there there's a Post-Marathon Training Schedule five weeks long to help you recover and get ready for your next race.) You'll find that these programs are very user-friendly. Tens of thousands of runners have successfully used them. Follow the schedules faithfully, pay attention to the directions, heed the tips, and you're almost guaranteed a happy marathon experience. I don't promise you that it's going to be easy to either train for or finish a marathon (if there were no challenge, why do it?), but this Marathon Training Guide definitely will allow you to fulfill your own potential as a runner.