11 weeks to train for a 26.2-mile run

So your New Year’s resolution is to run the Los Angeles Marathon on March 19. Congratulations.

But if you spent the better part of last year anchored to a sofa eating pizza rolls, please abandon that dream and settle for a brisk walk around the block.

Stick to that resolution if you’re already a reasonably serious runner -- covering, say, about four to eight miles four or five times a week, with a long run of at least 10 miles once a week. With 11 training weeks to go, you’ve still got a pretty good shot at crossing the finish line, says Pat Connelly, coach of the L.A. marathon.

And stick to your plan if you’re doing comparable amounts of other cardiovascular endurance activities, such as cycling.

Connelly says it’s something of a New Year’s ritual for many runners to sign up with the L.A. Roadrunners, the official L.A. Marathon training program. “It’s amazing,” he says. “That first Saturday after the holiday weekend, they’re lined up at the registration, and so many of them say it’s their New Year’s resolution.”

It will take dedication, sweat and a good pair of shoes to run the 26.2-mile course that tests even the toughest of athletes.

Training groups such as the Roadrunners or the L.A. Leggers can assist late-starting runners by providing them with a schedule of how much to run, plus training tips. Runners can join pace groups that train together on a regular basis at a set speed, including those who choose to run and walk the marathon, or just walk it.

For those going solo, here’s advice from marathon coaches for the regular midweek runs and long weekend sessions that a training regime should include.

* Increase your mileage by about 10% a week. Gradually work up to an 18- to 22-mile run, to be done approximately two weeks before the marathon. Doing the math shows that a runner starting this week with a long run of 10 miles should have enough time to get to that point before March 19.

* Take one or two days off a week; running every day increases risk of injury and burnout. “You need to get away from it for one or two days,” says Tom Walsh, head cross-country coach at USC. “You’re not only dealing with the physical battle, but the dedication battle as well. You need to re-energize.”

* Cross-train between runs. This is important, Walsh says: Taking too many days off can lead to more soreness because muscles can get stiff from underuse. A non-running day can include a moderately paced low-impact cardiovascular exercise such as swimming or cycling for about 30 to 45 minutes. Other coaches recommend light strength training or yoga for the same amount of time.

* Don’t overtrain. Pushing beyond the recommended mileage isn’t suggested, no matter how fantastic the runner’s high. It can lead to injuries such as sore knees, hip flexors and Achilles heels, as well as burnout.

“The worst thing is overtraining,” Walsh says. “You always want to finish a workout feeling like you could do more. If you get to your car and your hand is shaking trying to get the key in the door, you know you’ve overextended.”

Listening to your body can be a good thing, says Art Liberman, a South Carolina-based running coach and author of “The Everything Running Book.” But “it’s a double-edged sword,” he adds. “You can have a 10-mile run that went so well you do 14 the next week,” or skip a rest day. “The damage might not show up for four or five days. You’ve got to be fairly disciplined and restrain yourself when everything is going great.”

* Consider interval training. Opinions are divided about how runners should structure their midweek runs. Some trainers advocate sticking with a reasonable pace that passes the talk test -- being able to carry on a conversation while running. Others suggest incorporating interval training, in which the pace during a run is increased intermittently.

Fans of interval training say it enables the cardiovascular system to handle tougher loads by making the heart work harder. “When you improve the heart muscle,” says Connelly, “that gives you more strength and endurance.”

* Replicate the actual course as much as possible during training. The L.A. Marathon is among the hilliest of the major marathons around the country, so incorporating those is paramount, says Bill Lockton, a board member of the L.A. Leggers. “If you just run flats, you won’t do yourself any favors,” he says.

Running hills, adds Connelly, develops mental discipline as well as physical. “Don’t race uphill,” he advises. “Take it at a relaxed pace. Coming down, lean into it and let gravity take you down. It’s free mileage.”

* Mimic racing conditions in other ways too. Practice using water bottles and nutritional supplements on long runs, and run in the clothes and shoes you’ll race in to make sure they don’t chafe or feel uncomfortable. Evening runners should switch to mornings -- at least for long weekend runs -- to get used to running at that time.

And, adds Walsh, “don’t skip runs because of rainy or windy weather. One year, it rained the entire marathon.”

* As you train, concentrate on clean living -- eat well, get enough sleep and don’t stay out late several nights a week. Your body needs rest and nourishment during this time.

“You don’t have to become a monk,” says Liberman, “but you need to look at your commitments and be a good time manager. If Saturday is when you do your long run, then maybe Friday night will be your chilling out night at home. I don’t look at this as being a sacrifice, but as being dedicated.”

* Taper off training about a week to two weeks before the marathon, after your final long run. Walsh suggests cutting mileage in half and perhaps taking an extra day off to avoid overtraining and being too exhausted and sore to run on the big day.

* The day before the race, consider a light 3- to 4-mile jog, and some stretching: “It’s better than doing nothing,” Walsh says. Otherwise, “your muscles will get tight.”

* Don’t try out anything new on race day, be it food, clothes or an iPod. Surprises on race day -- like struggling to open a water bottle -- can derail what should be a crisis-free event.

Runners who make the marathon their Everest and resolve to race it only once may be in for a pleasant surprise, trainers say. The experience may change their outlook. “There’s always a new influx of people who are excited about this,” Brockton says. “Our hope is to structure the experience so it becomes a lifestyle change. In a lot of cases it seems to work out that way.”

Of course, if the couch is still a little too comfy, there’s even more time to train for the San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll marathon in June. Just put the pizza rolls down and slowly step away from the remote.

For more information: www.lamarathon.com, www.laroadrunners.com, www.laleggers.orgwww.rnrmarathon.com.