One of the best ways in which to get motivated and improve your fitness is by aiming towards a goal. Rather than focus on something generic like “lose weight” or “get fit”, you can instead set your sights on something more specific such as completing a marathon.

Whether you’ve decided you’ll run or walk or complete a full or half marathon, here are some helpful fitness tips to prepare you for the journey ahead. You are sure to find reaching the goal is that much sweeter when you know how much effort you’ve put into preparation.

1. Give Yourself Plenty of Time

Complete fitness is not something that happens overnight. You don’t go from being able to walk as far as 100 metres without getting puffed one day, to being able to run 42 kilometres the next. Therefore, if you’re looking to complete a marathon and you’re only just beginning, you want to give yourself at least a year. It may even take longer if you’re new to the entire world of fitness.

2. Find a Suitable Event

Once you know that you want to improve your fitness, get healthy, and eventually complete a marathon, it’s not a bad idea to start hunting for suitable events. Often, marathons and charity runs take place on the same day or week every year. Find one that you feel might tick all the boxes, then write it down. That is the date you want to be able to reach your goal by.