HUNTSVILLE- The 2019 Rocket City Marathon is still months away, but now is the time to actually begin a training regimen to prepare for the grueling 26.2-mile race scheduled for Dec. 14 through parts of Huntsville.

A new training program for any age runner or level of talents is set to begin this week. Hosted by Fleet Feet of Huntsville, the 16-week course is designed to guide runners to accomplish their first marathon finish or improve their current marathon time. The first training date is Saturday, Aug. 24 at 6:00 a.m. at Fleet Feet location in Jones Valley in Southeast Huntsville.

The program is set up with two coached training sessions each week on Tuesdays and Saturdays and will last 16 weeks. The Tuesday sessions will be held at 6:00 p.m. while the Saturday sessions will begin at 6:00 a.m. The fee for the course is $200.

The two training sessions will feature speed work and a long run. Experienced coaches and mentors will support each program participant along the way and will include education on proper running form, pacing, fueling, stretching and even nutrition.

In addition to the face-to-face training sessions, each participant will receive a weekly newsletter from the coaches with helpful tips, advice and motivation/encouragement. The training program will assist any runner to prepare for the Rocket City Marathon, which is regarded as one of top events in the South and has been a fixture in North Alabama for over 40 years.

The race course winds through downtown Huntsville, past historic homes and sites, out through the grounds of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center and Botanical Gardens and back to an exciting finish inside the Von Braun Center. The Rocket City Marathon is a qualifying race for the Boston Marathon and will be the host marathon for this year’s Road Runners Club on America’s State Marathon Championship. Prize money is awarded in both male and female open and masters divisions.

Program organizers recommend participants check with their doctor before starting this or any fitness program. Entry fee does not include race entry fee.

For more information on the program open to anyone age 14 years and older, visit fleetfeethuntsville.com.