Here is a recent article from the New York Times about upcoming fall marathons. The author mentions The Portland Marathon happening October 4th as well as several others across the country and around the globe.
For most of these races you need to sign up well in advance and training coaches like Jeff Galloway recommend between 20 – 30 weeks of training leading up to a big race. Jeff suggests combining running with walking whether you are a beginner or a race veteran. His website has specific breakdowns of the run/walk ratios.
I have been practicing this along the Springwater Corridor this week. There are mile markers every half mile, so I run for one half mile, then walk the next.
What are your favorite training tips?