Health and Me

Ishita Srivastava

How to Build a Marathon-Ready Body Like a Pro Athlete, Runners Reveal

As marathon season commences across India, many runners have begun to warm up to set and beat their personal records. However, many also wonder: What does it take to get ready for a marathon?

According to <span>Sanjana Rao</span>, a Mumbai-based nutritionist who recently participated in the <span>Tata Mumbai Marathon</span> 2026, the first step to training well is to focus on efficiency. 

Rao exclusively told Healthandme: "<span>Running</span> a marathon is not just about clocking miles, it’s about teaching the body to sustain effort efficiently. Having run the Tata Mumbai Marathon twice and worked with distance runners as a nutritionist, I have observed that <span>endurance</span> improves when training focuses on efficiency rather than exhaustion.

"Running volume should increase gradually, with one long run each week to build aerobic capacity. Easy runs form the foundation, while tempo runs and controlled speed sessions help runners sustain faster paces without early fatigue. Consistency matters more than intensity, especially for new runners."

"Endurance is not built by doing more, but by doing the right things consistently. When training and fueling align, runners feel lighter, stronger and better prepared for race day."

<h2>Which Exercises Can Help You Build A Marathon-Ready Body? </h2>

<span>Cherry Aggarwal</span>, a clinical nutritionist at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital tells Healthandme: "Runners should include structured and compound lower-body strength training exercises such as squats, lunges, step-ups, hip thrusts, and calf raises to improve muscular endurance, joint stability, and running efficiency.

"Single-leg exercises are particularly important as they help correct imbalances and reduce the risk of overuse injuries common in long-distance running. Building strong marathon legs goes beyond just clocking mileage, requiring a combination of smart strength training, progressive running, and targeted nutrition."

And Rao agrees, citing that strength training that focuses on improving full-body movement and power, rather than increasing muscle size should be prioritized while getting ready for a marathon. 

She told the publication: "Strength training is often misunderstood in endurance preparation. Many runners rely heavily on heavy back squats and leg presses. While effective for general strength, these lifts can promote quad and adductor hypertrophy, making the legs feel bulky and reducing running economy. 

"For marathon runners, strength work should support movement quality and power transfer, not muscle size."

Talking about how long runners should be working out, Rao revealed: "Most runners benefit from at least one complete rest day each week, with 24–48 hours between hard or long runs. In the final week before race day, reducing training volume allows muscles to repair, glycogen stores to replenish and the nervous system to reset."

<h2>What Should You Eat To Build Running Stamina?</h2>Both Rao and Aggarwal note that eating well is as important as building strength in the gym. Without proper fuel and hydration, the body as well as the mind begin to experience fatigue and disarray which paves the way for serious injuries mid-run. 

Rao explained:  "A less known yet crucial factor for new runners is gut training. Many runners experience fatigue or discomfort during long runs not because their legs fail, but because the digestive system struggles to absorb fuel while in motion. Like muscles, the gut adapts with repeated exposure.

"Practicing carbohydrate intake during long training runs through sports drinks, bananas or gels helps the intestine improve glucose absorption under stress, which improves sustained energy output. Hydration and electrolytes are critical in India’s hot and humid conditions to prevent cramps and premature fatigue. 

Talking about the exact foods you should be eating, Aggarwal said: "From a nutrition standpoint, adequate carbohydrate intake is essential to maintain glycogen stores for long runs as it is the primary fuel, while sufficient protein supports muscle repair and recovery. Iron-rich foods play a crucial role in oxygen transport and endurance capacity, especially for regular runners. 

"Foods like whole grains, bananas, potatoes, lentils, lean meats or paneer, nuts, seeds, and leafy greens play a key role. Including healthy fats like omega-3s can help manage inflammation from repetitive impact, while calcium and vitamin D support bone health. 

"Hydration and electrolytes are often overlooked but are critical for muscle contraction and preventing cramps. Consistent training, nutritional recovery and sleep together determines how well the marathon legs perform on race day.”

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As marathon season commences across India, many runners have begun to warm up to set and beat their personal records. However, many also wonder: What does it take to get ready for a marathon?According to Sanjana Rao, a Mumbai-based nutritionist who recently participated in the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2026, the first step to training well is to focus on efficiency. Rao exclusively told Healthandme: "Running a marathon is not just about clocking miles, it’s about teaching the body to sustain effort efficiently. Having run the Tata Mumbai Marathon twice and worked with distance runners as a nutritionist, I have observed that endurance improves when training focuses on efficiency rather than exhaustion."Running volume should increase gradually, with one long run each week to build aerobic capacity. Easy runs form the foundation, while tempo runs and controlled speed sessions help runners sustain faster paces without early fatigue. Consistency matters more than intensity, especially for new runners.""Endurance is not built by doing more, but by doing the right things consistently. When training and fueling align, runners feel lighter, stronger and better prepared for race day."Which Exercises Can Help You Build A Marathon-Ready Body? Cherry Aggarwal, a clinical nutritionist at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital tells Healthandme: "Runners should include structured and compound lower-body strength training exercises such as squats, lunges, step-ups, hip thrusts, and calf raises to improve muscular endurance, joint stability, and running efficiency."Single-leg exercises are particularly important as they help correct imbalances and reduce the risk of overuse injuries common in long-distance running. Building strong marathon legs goes beyond just clocking mileage, requiring a combination of smart strength training, progressive running, and targeted nutrition."And Rao agrees, citing that strength training that focuses on improving full-body movement and power, rather than increasing muscle size should be prioritized while getting ready for a marathon. She told the publication: "Strength training is often misunderstood in endurance preparation. Many runners rely heavily on heavy back squats and leg presses. While effective for general strength, these lifts can promote quad and adductor hypertrophy, making the legs feel bulky and reducing running economy. "For marathon runners, strength work should support movement quality and power transfer, not muscle size."Talking about how long runners should be working out, Rao revealed: "Most runners benefit from at least one complete rest day each week, with 24–48 hours between hard or long runs. In the final week before race day, reducing training volume allows muscles to repair, glycogen stores to replenish and the nervous system to reset."What Should You Eat To Build Running Stamina?Both Rao and Aggarwal note that eating well is as important as building strength in the gym. Without proper fuel and hydration, the body as well as the mind begin to experience fatigue and disarray which paves the way for serious injuries mid-run. Rao explained:  "A less known yet crucial factor for new runners is gut training. Many runners experience fatigue or discomfort during long runs not because their legs fail, but because the digestive system struggles to absorb fuel while in motion. Like muscles, the gut adapts with repeated exposure. "Practicing carbohydrate intake during long training runs through sports drinks, bananas or gels helps the intestine improve glucose absorption under stress, which improves sustained energy output. Hydration and electrolytes are critical in India’s hot and humid conditions to prevent cramps and premature fatigue. Talking about the exact foods you should be eating, Aggarwal said: "From a nutrition standpoint, adequate carbohydrate intake is essential to maintain glycogen stores for long runs as it is the primary fuel, while sufficient protein supports muscle repair and recovery. Iron-rich foods play a crucial role in oxygen transport and endurance capacity, especially for regular runners. "Foods like whole grains, bananas, potatoes, lentils, lean meats or paneer, nuts, seeds, and leafy greens play a key role. Including healthy fats like omega-3s can help manage inflammation from repetitive impact, while calcium and vitamin D support bone health. "Hydration and electrolytes are often overlooked but are critical for muscle contraction and preventing cramps. Consistent training, nutritional recovery and sleep together determines how well the marathon legs perform on race day.”