You Can Run Your First Marathon After 50—Just Like These Women

For most of her life, Patti Whiteye believed she wasn’t a runner. She thought she was too slow, not athletic enough, or that running just simply wasn’t for her. Then, in 2023, when she was 55, her husband suffered two heart attacks, prompting her to take her health and fitness more seriously. She started walking 10,000 steps a day, and four months later, a casual conversation with her husband about an upcoming marathon turned into an impromptu decision to run it themselves.

With just six months to prepare for the 26.2-mile race, Whiteye had a lot of work ahead of her. On her first day of training, she couldn’t run more than 100 steps. Then she discovered the run/walk method, alternating short running intervals with timed walking breaks, and something clicked. For the first time, she realized that instead of struggling to run continuously, she could build endurance at her own pace. “The first few weeks were really hard, but once I learned to trust that each workout was building toward marathon day, I stopped worrying about the rest and leaned into the process,” she says.

Little by little, mile after mile, the woman who spent decades convinced she wasn’t a runner began to see herself becoming a marathoner. Then, in October 2025 at the Marine Corps Marathon—at 56 years old—she did just that.

Crossing the finish line “changed my life in a way that’s hard to put into words,” says Whiteye. “It was slow, and I did a lot of walking, but throughout the entire experience, I was just so grateful to be able to move my body in this way.” Since then, that feeling of accomplishment has kept her going. Whiteye completed her second marathon last April and is now training for another later this fall.

She isn’t the only woman discovering that a marathon doesn’t have to be a young person’s race.

At 54, Vanessa Lindley is returning to the New York City Marathon after walking her first in 2024 for charity, with no formal training and one simple goal: to cross the finish line. “After I finished, I was on this high and knew I needed to race again, so I entered the lottery [for the 2026 New York City Marathon] and got a spot,” she says.

This time, Lindley is taking a more intentional approach, following a structured training plan she found online that includes three days of shorter run/walk workouts and one day dedicated to a longer session. By gradually incorporating more running into her routine, she hopes to improve her race pace while still embracing the experience.

Still, for these two women, the marathon journey is about more than reaching the finish line; it’s also about discovering what’s possible when they challenge their own expectations.

Mildred Baker, at 80 years old, is preparing to run her very first marathon, using the same run/walk method that helped Whiteye and Lindley find their stride. Baker’s running journey began in 2023, when she joined New York Road Runner Striders, a walking group for older adults, and found a community that encouraged her to push beyond what she thought was possible. Before long, walking turned into run/walk intervals, which led to 5Ks and 10Ks, and eventually, the idea of running the 2026 New York City Marathon.

Baker knew she needed a plan, so she found an online schedule tailored to first-time marathoners her age and began training in May, gradually building her mileage with the run/walk method. Now, with countless miles under her belt and the starting line in sight, she’s confident she can go the distance. “I ran 18 miles the other day and felt great, so I know I can do this,” she says.

That same sense of community is also what drew Karen Guttridge to running. At 50, she had never run a day in her life. But after being diagnosed with low bone density shortly after her 50th birthday, she was encouraged by her doctor to take up running to help improve it. Like many beginners, Guttridge wasn’t an immediate fan, but finding a running buddy who committed to a “couch to 5K” program with her changed the game. “The whole community around running is what kept me going,” she says. “I just kept saying yes to every opportunity and decided that wherever running was meant to take me, I would go.”

Now, 15 years later, at 65, Guttridge is a certified personal trainer and run coach. She has run three marathons and is gearing up for her fourth. “My mantra is ‘let’s see what happens when I try,’” she says. “I thought I was far too late to start running in my 50s, but it was actually the perfect time to try, because there would have been so much of life I missed out on if I hadn’t started.”

What First-Time Marathoners Over 50 Should Know

Inspired to take on a marathon of your own? With the right preparation and a plan that works for your body, you can build the endurance and confidence to go the distance at any age, with any level of running experience. Here’s how to get started.

Build endurance gradually.

If you’re a seasoned marathoner, a 12- to 16-week training cycle may be enough to get you to the starting line. But if you’re tackling your first marathon, it’s better to give yourself at least 18 to 24 weeks for formal training, says Katie Cyrana-Hillery, PT, DPT, CSCS, a physical therapist, RRCA-certified run coach, and strength and conditioning specialist at Evolve Physical Therapy and Performance. “This longer timeline allows your bones, muscles, tendons, and joints to adapt to the increased workload, along with your cardiovascular system,” she says.

But, before you pull up a program, it’s best to begin running more regularly and do what coaches call “building your base.” That ideally consists of three to six months of running a few days per week to improve your cardiorespiratory system and get your joints and bones more familiar with the demands of running.

Patience really is key when it comes to marathon training. “You are asking your body to do something it may never have done before, and adaptation takes time,” says Kathleen Weber, MD, a sports medicine physician at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush in Chicago. “Women over 50 can absolutely run their first marathon; the key is just to give your body enough time to adapt to the demands of training rather than trying to rush the process.”

Embrace the run/walk method.

As the women featured above can attest, you don’t have to run every mile to become a marathoner. The run/walk method is a practical way to build endurance, especially if you’re new to distance running. Cyrana-Hillery suggests starting with manageable running intervals of 30 seconds to a minute, separated by 30-second-to-two-minute walking breaks.

“The objective can either be to gradually increase your running intervals until you’re able to run continuously, or to train to complete the marathon using a run/walk strategy,” she says. “Both are valid approaches to covering 26.2 miles.” The secret is finding a rhythm you can sustain over the long haul.

As for how to keep all those intervals straight? You can utilize an app on your phone, like the Jeff Galloway Run Walk Run App (Galloway is the creator of the run/walk method) or invest in a running watch, where you can create workouts with different intervals. Both ways will give you a buzz to remind you when it’s time to switch between running and walking.

Make strength training a priority.

Strength training is an essential part of marathon preparation, particularly for women over 50. “Running is a repetitive aerobic activity, while strength training helps build the muscular capacity to absorb impact and produce force,” says Dr. Weber. Stronger muscles also support running mechanics, improve stability, and combat fatigue as your weekly mileage increases, she adds.

To set yourself up for success, Dr. Weber recommends two to three strength-training sessions per week, with a special emphasis on building strength in your glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves, and core. If you’re new to resistance training, just be sure to start with lighter weights and focus on good form.

Try the WH+ Strong After 50 Plan.

Treat recovery as part of your training.

More running doesn’t always mean better results. Rest days give your body time to repair muscle tissue and adapt to the demands of training, ultimately helping you build both strength and endurance. “You absolutely do not need to run every day as a first-time marathoner,” says Cyrana-Hillery. “I recommend starting with three days of running per week to allow enough time for recovery and strength training.”

Just as important as scheduling rest days is recognizing when your body needs extra recovery. Disrupted sleep, lingering soreness, an elevated resting heart rate, or declining running performance can all signal that you’re pushing too hard, says Cyrana-Hillery. Prioritizing gentle mobility exercises, dynamic stretching, adequate sleep, and proper fueling can also help maintain range of motion, support muscle repair, improve running efficiency, and reduce injury risk, adds Dr. Weber. Think of it this way: Your body gets stronger not just from the work you do, but from how well you recover afterward.

Listen to your body and adjust your plan as necessary.

“It’s normal for your body to feel challenged as you increase your training load, but persistent or worsening pain is different from normal training fatigue and shouldn’t be ignored,” says Dr. Weber.

If something doesn’t feel right, don’t be afraid to shorten a run, slow your pace, take an extra rest day, or switch to a run/walk approach. If pain affects how you move, check in with a health professional rather than trying to push through. As Dr. Weber puts it, “A training plan is a guide, not a contract. Your job is to adapt the plan to your body, not force your body to conform to the plan.”

Enjoy the process and have fun.

Training for a marathon can be hard, intimidating, and nerve-wracking, but it should also be fun, exciting, and rewarding. So instead of only focusing on the end goal, celebrate the small wins along the way, whether that’s running a little farther than you did last week, feeling stronger on your runs, or sticking to your training schedule when things feel good.

“Training for your first marathon is a big accomplishment in itself, so don’t lose sight of the joy and excitement of the experience,” says Dr. Weber. “The ultimate goal is to arrive at the starting line healthy, enjoy the journey, and discover what you’re capable of.”