Marathon training panic!

agomez281

I'm training for the Austin marathon on Feb 15th (exactly a month away) and I'm scared the training plan I've been following from runkeeper isn't getting me properly ready. Everything I read has said I need to be doing about 15 miles more a week than I have been and for a lot longer! I've been averaging 25 miles a week the past three months per my plan.

I've done a half marathon and my long runs have been over 13 miles for weeks now but the farthest I've ever gone is 16 and that's the top mileage of my training plan.
A friend of mine that will be running it with me has me freaked out since his plan is way more intense than mine ever was.
I'm scared I'm not ready but I'm almost not sure if it's just nerves.

16 miles is uncomfortable but it doesn't flatten me. The next day is painful sure but I recover pretty well fast.

I'm having trouble with my quads but everything else feels fine.

I need some discussion on this, like will I be able to finish or am I risking too much injury?

My pace right now, if I do what I normally do and walk/run has me finishing at about 6 hours (that's using the slate calculator that adds on more time than other counters). My splits are very consistent (about 13:10 min/miles) when do steady runs and my heart rate is around 160 (I'm 28) over long runs.

What do y'all think?

lishie_rebooted

Pose your question in the Long Distance Runners group:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/94-long-distance-runners

hill8570

First marathon, I assume?

Biggest issue with the first is overtraining, getting shin splints, etc. If you're targeting "just finish", then it sounds like you're on the right training schedule. Sounds like your friend is targeting a much faster finishing time, setting himself up for injury, or both.

smallerontopthanbottom

I've seen lots of different plans and there seems to be many schools of thought. Some plans say you never need to train more than 16 miles. Some say you should do several 20 mile runs.

Nova had a segment a few years ago called "Marathon Challenge". It was a great show and one of the things that stuck with me was that after you've run 10 miles, your cardio can handle a full marathon and all you have to do is get used to running over three hours at a time.

I have done two marathons. The first one I ran about the same miles per week as you and I was fine. I found that I hit the wall at 22 miles or so and had to walk a lot in the last 4 miles, but I finished it. For the second one, I loosely followed the Hal Higdon Novice 1 plan which put in more miles weekly and did a 20 mile training run as my longest long run. I ended up with a faster finishing time but I've run a bunch of half marathons in between and my finishing time is generally getting faster anyway.

Bottom line: you'll probably be nervous no matter what you do. Take it one mile at a time and take more walk breaks if you need them. I don't see any reason that you're under training. You still have time to fit in an 18 miler before the taper if you feel like that will give you more confidence, but I don't think it's essential.

Congratulations on signing up for your first marathon!

Roxiegirl2008

My first marathon is in 10 days. I know what you mean. I have run many 1/2s and what I have found works for me is one long run day (Sunday), shorter run (Tuesday) and medium run (Friday). I got to the point for training for one of the 1/2s that I was over training and runs became slower and just horrible (mentally) for me if that makes any sense. I have done 20 miler and that is as far as I will run until I do the 26.2.

Good luck!

smallerontopthanbottom

Also, if your quads are tight, you could try using a foam roller on them.

glevinso

Only 1 month out there isn't anything you can change so just go with it. I am shocked the RunKeeper plan only have you running 25mi/week at this late stage in the game. You should be well into the 40s or ideally over 50, with 20 being the long run of the week (next week).

JoRocka

glevinso wrote: »

Only 1 month out there isn't anything you can change so just go with it. I am shocked the RunKeeper plan only have you running 25mi/week at this late stage in the game. You should be well into the 40s or ideally over 50, with 20 being the long run of the week (next week).

never trained for a marathon- wait not- I have - but the BaTa'an Death march is different- but yeah- I'd fully agree with this- you're on a long term program- changing it essentially last min won't do anything for you.

DocGu

I've done 9 marathons and my long run is typically a 30K run, which works out to about 18.5 miles. That has always been enough. 16 does seem to be a slightly on the short side but the miles per week is far more important. 25 miles per week is fine to finish. The purpose of really high weekly mileage is to improve your time but it also puts you at risk for injury.

cheshirecatastrophe

If you can run 16 miles, you can physically run 26.2. Psychologically, the end might be tough.

I agree that a month out, your fitness is in the bank. Taper smart, avoid injury, hydrate well the day before and the morning of. If you are planning to run/walk, stick to the schedule instead of getting ambitious and trying to run too much, too early.

SueInAz

cheshirecatastrophe wrote: »

If you can run 16 miles, you can physically run 26.2. Psychologically, the end might be tough.

I agree that a month out, your fitness is in the bank. Taper smart, avoid injury, hydrate well the day before and the morning of. If you are planning to run/walk, stick to the schedule instead of getting ambitious and trying to run too much, too early.

This. You'll be fine. You're already a run/walker so you'll be comfortable doing that in the last miles of the race at which point you may find that you need to walk more but you'll finish.

I have a half marathon on Sunday, certainly not my first, but I always start to worry at this point that I'm not ready. I always am and you will be, too.

glevinso

DocGu wrote: »

I've done 9 marathons and my long run is typically a 30K run, which works out to about 18.5 miles. That has always been enough. 16 does seem to be a slightly on the short side but the miles per week is far more important. 25 miles per week is fine to finish. The purpose of really high weekly mileage is to improve your time but it also puts you at risk for injury.

Once you are more experienced there isn't much reason to go past the 18 mile mark for your long runs. Most first-timer plans at least get you to 20 though, and once you know what you are doing you can reduce that.

I disagree, however, that 25mpw is enough at the end of even a "just finish" marathon build. Sure you can "just finish" on that, but is "just finishing" >5 or >6 hours really the point here? Also you run the risk of acute injury on the course when attempting to run that far without the requisite long run adaptation. Then again, on such little run training, the last 10 miles will be nothing more than a miseryfest of slow shuffling, so perhaps that doesn't really matter.

Ohhim

If your training plan is time-based, and you are only getting through 16 due to a slower pace than the average runner who uses/trains with it (or starting off at a body weight that won't let you go faster without cramping), you might want to add in an 18 or 20 (after a taper week from the 16) this weekend/next, just to give you 2-3 weeks to taper after it.

I've had that problem with the garmin heart rate/time based plans when training for my first, and did better after switching to a distance based plan (HH Novice 1 worked well for me).

michellemybelll

your top weekly mileage on your training plan is less than the entirety of the marathon itself. that does not seem logical.

mulecanter

I did one so I'm no expert. I did two 19 mile runs and then tapered down. During the race I hit the wall in the low twenties but that was made worse by the warm weather (Houston Marathon). Be careful on how much fluid you drink at all the support stands, I over drank and paid the price. Make sure you shoes fit--things happen to your feet on the long run that don't happen on your normal runs.

_Waffle_

michellemybelll wrote: »

your top weekly mileage on your training plan is less than the entirety of the marathon itself. that does not seem logical.

Boom! Head-shot. That doesn't make any kind of sense at all. The 5 - 6 hour prediction sounds accurate here. Good luck.

glevinso

michellemybelll wrote: »

your top weekly mileage on your training plan is less than the entirety of the marathon itself. that does not seem logical.

I can't even begin to imagine attempting a full marathon on weekly mileage that low. Personally I wouldn't even attempt a half marathon with weekly mileage that low.

Sorry OP but I am not one to sugar coat things. You will be in for a rough time.

ThickMcRunFast

The good news is that at 25 miles a week, you are perfectly set up to begin marathon training.

The bad news is that you have a month until your marathon.

Others have said it, but I'll just reiterate. I'm sure you'll be able to finish. I am not sure about how much fun it will be. I would work up to at least 18 miles before a taper. Other than that, hydrate, take it slow, and don't try to be a hero.

MeanderingMammal

I've just had a look at Runkeeper and even the beginner to completion plan is at 35 mpw by the time the long runs are at 16mi, so something doesn't add up.

That said, 16mi does seem low in the plan, on the day that's barely over half way.

sjohnny

603reader wrote: »

Pose your question in the Long Distance Runners group:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/94-long-distance-runners

Heh. Where Carson will tell her that no one should run a marathon until they've averaged 125mpw for 17 years. :laugh:

brower47

sjohnny wrote: »

603reader wrote: »

Pose your question in the Long Distance Runners group:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/94-long-distance-runners

Heh. Where Carson will tell her that no one should run a marathon until they've averaged 125mpw for 17 years. :laugh:

Oh snap!