With spring on the way, now is the time to prepare for another season of long-distance running. Whether you’re planning your first 5K or a marathon, thoughtful training is the key to reaching the finish line without injury.

“There’s nothing that substitutes for good old hard work,” says Dr. Earl Han, a sports medicine physician with Tidelands Health.

That hard work can help runners build the endurance, muscular and joint strength and lung capacity to make it all the way to the end of the race, regardless of the length. It’s also important for runners to stretch before and after their workout to keep their muscles loose and flexible.

“For a novice runner, I say build up the mileage,” says Dr. Han, who has completed marathons and ultra-marathons.

Inexperienced runners have a variety of options to train for their first run. One option is to join a local running group, many of which conduct weekly informal runs of different lengths. If you don’t have a local running group, some smartphone apps offer programs designed to help you reach your desired running goal over a period of weeks.

“Apps can be helpful, especially for those people who need accountability,” Dr. Han says. “They can be beneficial to keep your drive up.”

Apps can come with a virtual running group of other people who are training at the same pace and can encourage each other.

For experienced runners, consistency is an important part of training.

“It’s critical to listen to your body and avoid overtraining,” Dr. Han says.

Overtraining can be a common problem for distance runners, Dr. Han says. Doing too much too quickly and too intensely can result in hormonal changes, burnout and injuries that can upend your race before you even get to run it.

The closer you get to race day, the more you should taper your training. Starting about three weeks out, it’s time to slow down and reduce your training mileage from the peak of 20 to 24 miles.

It’s also the time when you should pay close attention to your diet and food intake. In a nutshell: Don’t make any drastic changes, Dr. Han says.

“Three weeks out from the race, your base training should be done,” Dr. Han says.

Regardless of which race you’re training for, recovery should also be part of your plan.

That means staying hydrated and getting plenty of rest.

“And don’t forget to stretch,” Dr. Han says.