Field Guide 21 — First Marathon

42.195 km. Not a 5K. Not a casual upgrade.

The marathon is a project that disrupts your life for sixteen to twenty weeks and one of the most genuinely transformative things a runner can do; both are true. This guide is honest about prerequisites: a half-marathon already done, a thirty-to-forty-kilometre weekly base, a year or two of running behind you. Do not make a marathon your first long-distance race. Expect around 700 km across the cycle, plus chafing, lost toenails, deep fatigue, and deep satisfaction. The training is the achievement; the race is the test. Written to get a first-timer to the start line in one piece and to the finish still standing.

Includes the complete audiobook (MP3, AI-narrated).

Nelson Sequeira is a certified fitness professional with 15+ years of experience across Portugal, Bahrain, and the UAE. He is not a licensed nutritionist, physician, physiotherapist, or psychologist. Nothing here replaces qualified medical or clinical advice. Consult a licensed healthcare professional before starting any new training, nutrition, or recovery program.