Anyone can do it, but before running a marathon, comes a marathon of preparation.

You'll need proper gear, proper training and proper nutrition.

"Get started now, it's a lot faster than you think it is by the time you get there, be committed," said Rogue Running's Ruth England.

With the Austin Marathon just four months away, now is the time to start training, but make sure you start slowly to avoid injury.

"Number one thing, too much too quickly," said physical therapist Ryan Stukel. "And they put their body and stress out their tissue and end up with some injuries."

There are steps to take to avoid injuries. A regular routine of various stretching drills can be preventative. And slowly increasing mileage as the race approaches is key.

"Usually most of us use a 10% rule," England said. "Not more than 10% more mileage per week."

That's where a proper training group comes into play. Coaches can guide you through the training process and you can team up with other runners.

"Most important thing is accountability," England said. "It comes from a coach and also from the people you train with."

England recommends eventually building up to an 18 mile long run. Make sure you're equipped for the distance.

"Most important for you is not that you go and grab a shoe that your friends all know and love, but getting a shoe that is most important for you and your biomechanical need," Hill Country Runnin's Jamie Cleveland said.

Any Austin running store can get you in the right shoe and the right gear for the race.

"Technical fabric is going to help keep you dry cut down on chafing," Cleveland said.

It doesn't stop there, when you're running a distance like a marathon, you need to keep fuel in your body with products like this.

"They offer some electrolytes," Cleveland said. "Most importantly they offer carbohydrates. What it comes down to is consistency and it comes down to taste. This is something that you should be practicing and experimenting with along with your training to find something that agrees with your palate."

With all that down, you're ready for the best part of all, the race.

"It's a big sense of accomplishment," England said. "Lots of people out there saying you can't do it, you're not ready. It's an amazing sense of accomplishment to come across that finish line and say, 'Wow, I did that.'"