(HealthDayNews) -- If you jog regularly and have set your sights on completing a marathon, the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston offers this advice for launching a training program:

• Focus on form, not on time or distance. Pay attention to arm swing, stride and posture.
• Monitor your fluid intake. In hot weather, drink six to eight ounces of fluid every 25 minutes, every 35 minutes in colder temperatures.
• Buy shoes that fit your foot type. For example, if you have high arches, select cushion shoes, and go for stability models if you're flat-footed.
• Do your long runs on the weekend and keep weekday runs shorter, so your body has time to rest.