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training and spending my free time prepping and training, didn’t check the date or how many miles they would have
and scheduling training”. to run. Don’t be that person who loses there money just
because of a simple mistake. And if its just because of the
Whereas you do need to be physically prepared for a miles, still do it. You’d be surprised of how far you can
marathon, you should also mentally prepare yourself push yourself ” said Cortez.
for your long journey. In SoCal there are so many places
you can go for a light jog or run that you can make your There is a fee to enter the marathons so you’ll definitely
training relaxing. A gym or a treadmill isn’t the only place need to put some money aside to pay for entry. “There is
to run, you can run outdoors and with others. not a set price for marathons but you can generally assume
you'll be paying between $100 - $200. The prices of the
Jennifer Lopez is a newbie marathon runner and is races have many variables. If it's a popular race in a big
currently training for her first marathon in Southern city, you'll be paying more” said Bradley.
California. Here in SoCal, the environment is always
relaxed. When training for a marathon you need to have Choosing a marathon is one of the decisions you have
a different mindset. “One piece of advice I would give to make. Some people run marathons based on personal
to anyone participating in a marathon is to take training reasons. It could be to run for a cause that they support,
seriously and make it routine” said Lopez. like cancer. If you are looking to just have fun when
running a marathon, Cortez suggested doing a small race
To train, you need to start off slow. Your body will not in SoCal that has other activities during the race. You can
adjust to running excessively if you are not a runner do 5K run, which is only about three miles, give or take.
already. “Humble yourself, start slow, set a goal, and Some of these marathons have themes attached to them,
gradually work to it. Eat well, sleep enough, and stay like a mud run or glow in dark marathon.
consistent”, said Lopez.
Always remember when training for a marathon to have
Be careful with existing conditions or injuries that you fun. Take Bradley’s advice: “Try not to get too nervous, if
may already have. Consult with a doctor before actually you put in the work to train, you'll finish and it will be such
starting a marathon to assure that your body is healthy a special moment. Only 1% of the Earth's population run
enough to get you through training and to reduce any a marathon in their life so soak up every second! It's a
injury that could be possible. lot of work and dedication, but there is no feeling like

Food is an important part of training for a marathon. running over that finish line”.
Consuming enough calories is important since you are
burning a lot more than usual because of the training.
The calories you consume must be healthy. “I actually
found that I have to eat a lot more food throughout the
day as well as drink more water but also cut back on things
like empty calorie foods, energy drinks and alcohol” said
Lopez.

Clothing and accessories is something that should be
taken into consideration, especially shoes. You will start
training at least 4 months prior to your marathon so you
will be going through a few shoes and shirts. Since we do
live in SoCal, the weather is constantly changing, the type
of clothes you wear will also change. Sometimes a light
sweater will be needed on your daily runs, but always go
for a dry fit material.

“The piece of advice I would give someone interested in
running a marathon is to make sure you get fitted for a
pair of shoes at a run shop” said Bradley when choosing
shoes for the actual race.
There are many upcoming marathons that Rebecca
Cortez is guiding people to train for. “When choosing a
marathon, really do your research. You’d be surprised
how many people cancel their entry because they either Starting the marathon at night! Photo by
Rebecca Cortez

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