Did my first one last November. It definitely takes a toll on your body. As for training, invest in a high quality foam roller and get "The Stick". Learn to

Did my first one last November. It definitely takes a toll on your body. As for training, invest in a high quality foam roller and get "The Stick". Learn to enjoy the pain you inflict on yourself with these devices. They will help, and it hurts less the more you do it. Don't try to run through pain, well, most pain. That's your body telling you something is not right! Could be a muscle imbalance that can be fixed by stretching and some simple exercises. Find a good massage therapist and let them introduce you to a new world of pain. A good one can read your muscles like a book and tell you that your ankle pain is actually being caused by an unhappy muscle in your butt. Remember, the foot bone is connected to the leg bone, leg bone is connected to the hip bone. If something is wrong in one of those spots, it will propagate to other areas. Probably the most important thing, don't be concerned about time. Just learn to enjoy running, and the faster times will come.