first marathon any tips.

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curlsintherack
curlsintherack Posts: 465 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm running a marathon in less than 3 weeks. I haven't trained for it because up until 5 days ago I didn't know I was running it.

My wife's friend asked me to run it with her and didn't accept no as an answer.

I just finished a half marathon a few weeks ago on equally short notice and ran a PR.

I will run it.
I will finish it.
I will not fail.
Whatever I run is a PR.

The course is flat. Much flatter than any of my regular running routes and with about 1/4 the elevation gain of the half I ran.

Since I clearly don't have the time to properly prepare is there any tips anyone can offer?

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Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    whats your current weekly mileage?
  • curlsintherack
    curlsintherack Posts: 465 Member
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    20ish these days because I was training for another half in October. I wanted to see what I could do with actual training in place.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    I had a friend that ran a marathon without training, actually far less than you. While it destroyed his legs & feet for days, it somehow got him hooked & has since gone one to train a bit more properly and just finished a 70.3 tri. His next goals are to properly train for a marathon & eventually spring board that into a 140.6 iron man.
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,676 Member
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    Best way to finish it at this point is to run/walk - run 4 minutes, walk 1, run 4, walk 1, etc. Start that from the beginning and you'll save some wear and tear on your legs. Just don't run the running portions too fast. Is there a time limit on the race? Chances are you'll be walking the last several miles. Try to walk as briskly as you can.

    Your mileage is really low for a half, much less a full marathon. There's a reason they say to 'respect the distance'. A marathon is much more difficult than a half, especially in the last few miles. Good luck.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    Best advice is to just find a comfortable pace (slower than what you ran for the HM) and settle in for the ride and if you feel the need to take some walking breaks do so. There may be some suffering involved........
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    untrained marathon...yikes - I honestly don't know if I would recommend that...but probably too late for that

    I would go with @spiriteagle99 idea of run/walk intervals - you'll find lots of people do them - even some of the pacer groups have established r/w intervals

    I'd probably start in the back with a slower pacer group (5ish hour) and then adjust at the halfway point
  • curlsintherack
    curlsintherack Posts: 465 Member
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    thanks everyone for all the advice. I started running last year and I thought all runners were nuts. I ran day 1 of week 1 of the c25k plan at nearly 290 pounds. I remember my heartbeat pounding in my ears and a metalic taste in my mouth at the end. I never would have considered attempting a marathon until she signed me up.
  • cbeutler
    cbeutler Posts: 667 Member
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    Run for fun not for time.
  • curlsintherack
    curlsintherack Posts: 465 Member
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    cbeutler wrote: »
    Run for fun not for time.

    The lady I'm running with has ran several marathons she tends to run between 4:20 and 4:30 she's been told to just leave me in the dust when I can't keep up anymore.
  • ROBOTFOOD
    ROBOTFOOD Posts: 5,527 Member
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    Doable: definitely. Painful: definitely. Run slower than usual and don't be afraid to take walking breaks. Don't eat too much pre run. The real race starts at mi 20. Enjoy! B)
  • amtyrell
    amtyrell Posts: 1,449 Member
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    Walk it.
    You are doing only 20ish miles a week now that's about what I am doing training for a 10k. Seriously a marathon is insane now.
    Walk it or maybe about half walk. I would run walk maybe run 2 min walk 2 min. But really walk at least half the time.
  • curlsintherack
    curlsintherack Posts: 465 Member
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    wow again thanks for all the advice and moral support?

    I'm not stupid I know this is a dumb thing to do but when you have friends sometimes dumb things are required. She knows fully that at some point she's leaving me behind and we are both ok with that. at a 4:20 to 4:30 pace its a reasonably easy pace for me to maintain for 13 miles so I'll have at least the first half covered and would expect to have a few extra miles in the tank based on the way my last half marathon went. I understand the full is much different than the half but intend to give it my best shot.

    For the past few days I've been experimenting with run/walk doing hilly terrain in the hottest part of the day I can to best simulate a fatigued state. Since I'm going in without the huge training base and therefore not beaten up by training I'm gonna run as many days as possible next week then start a 1 week long taper with shorter easier runs every other day or so.

    Looking back at my logs it was only a couple months ago that I was running 30+ miles a week but I backed off a bit for summer heat.


    played around with gels and sports drinks in the past and have found that as in the rest of my life I have a cast iron stomach while running so I'm hoping this holds true in the marathon. I plan on using 1 every 40 minutes or so.

    Hoping I am successful and I'll pop back in here to let you all know how it went reguardless of how I did or didn' do.
  • AudreyJDuke
    AudreyJDuke Posts: 1,092 Member
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    What great advice!

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