It's National Running Day, the perfect time to kick off marathon training. Pushing your body to complete a 26.2-mile run can leave you with the awesome sense of personal glory and satisfaction. But getting to that glory and actually being able to finish said marathon is another story. So whether you're gearing up for a mid-fall run or on the tail-end of your training, it's normal to have a moment -- probably while hobbling up stairs or icing a sore knee -- when you ask yourself, "Is this even good for me?" Good question.

Well, it's no comfort to know that Phidippides, the first person who ever completed a marathon in ancient Greece, dropped dead directly after. But he sprinted the entire 26-mile run from Marathon to Athens, so there's hope.

"Deaths are very rare, but it does happen," says Dr. Edward McDevitt, spokesman for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Most notably, runner Ryan Shay collapsed and died in Central Park during the United States Olympic marathon trials in 2007. During these rare but terrible incidents, autopsies typically show underlying congenital defects. In Shay's case, it was an enlarged heart.

"It's just bad luck -- something that's like a time bomb in your body," says McDevitt. "There's nothing you can do to predict it or stop it. It's just one of those things."

More commonly, most marathon runners suffer from injuries related to chronic overuse, such as foot problems, shin splints, iliotibial (IT) band issues, stress fractures and lower back pain. "Those issues are attributed to lack of flexibility or lack of strength," says Fabio Comana, an A.C.E. spokesman.

More serious injuries, such as stress fractures or IT band issues, can present themselves during the race, and the biggest problem with runners is that they often ignore or push through pain. "People don't want to stop -- it's a sign of weakness -- and those are the ones that get into trouble," says McDevitt. "When you start feeling something's not right or you're hurting, you have to listen to your body and stop so you don't get a problem that can linger."

The best way to prevent injuries is to get a full medical evaluation by your doctor and to train properly. For a full 26.2 mile marathon, Comana suggests training for six to nine months at minimum and building distance by a mile per week. "Within the month before the marathon, you're going to run that full 26.2 miles," he says. "A lot of track coaches will take you for 22 miles. The other four miles, they say your adrenaline is going to carry you through. I disagree. You need to simulate the real event as much as possible so there are no surprises."

Comana also suggests easing into marathons with shorter distance races, such as a 5K, to get a feel for your personal race speed and experience running with a group. "When you run a race, you're going to run a bit faster. You're going to push yourself, and that's dangerous. You've got to deal with navigating through people, competing through water steps and people getting in your way."

Properly balancing weight training in the lower as well as upper body with distance running is also key. "You don't want to pack on too much mass because you have to carry it." Training with the correct footwear as well as proper hydration are key elements to running a successful race.

"People who only drink water while training and drink Gatorade during a race are going to get diarrhea," says McDevitt. "We usually recommend that people alternate their water stops with carbohydrate drinks like Gatorade." Additionally, whenever training for more than 60 minutes at a time, include a carbohydrate-laden drink to prevent blood dilution and hyponatremia, which can cause brain swelling, says Comana.

Post-marathon, McDevitt and Comana recommend at least one week of rest. "Your body has gone through hell -- a complete depletion of energy stores, muscle breakdown, hormonal stress. You need the opportunity to let your body go through adequate recovery and rest," says Comana. "My recommendation is to take the whole week off. Then you can start introducing some very short distance, low-energy runs."

While recovering from the marathon, try light walking or swimming to reduce the tremendous amount of lactic acid the body creates during the race, says McDevitt.

If you're interested in marathon running or need suggestions on ways to train, Comana recommends reading "Lore of Running" by Dr. Timothy D. Noakes for examples on what methods may work best for you.