Rise up and Run: What you need to know about preparing for the OKC Marathon

News 9's race analyst and trainer Mark Bravo joined News 9 Friday to share tips on preparing for a long run such as the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon, which is coming up in April.

Here are Bravo's tips for preparing for a marathon or half-marathon:

1. Don't stress about missing a day here and there.
2. Half-marathon runners should be running about seven or eight miles by now.
3. Don't worry about doing the whole distance of the goal run when training, adrenaline will carry you through on race day.
4. Don't do a long run too close to an intensity run (more steps per minute) to prevent injuries before race day.
5. Walkers can train on intensity by walking a bit faster four or five minutes at a time. This intensity prepares your nervous system for race day.

The Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon is happening April 25-27, 2025. This is the marathon's 25th anniversary and you can watch the entire race on News 9.

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