What are you training for?

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  • heidi4649
    heidi4649 Posts: 18 Member
    I'm training for my first full marathon in August, something I never imagined a couple years ago. But after seven half marathons, I feel like I can take this challenge on now. I also have half marathons in May, June, July, and October, plus other shorter races. My training plan starts May 2. Is anyone else on a similar timeline this year? Feel free to add me!
  • JustSomeEm
    JustSomeEm Posts: 20,261 MFP Moderator
    I'm strongly considering signing up for the Navy/Air Force Half in DC again this September. May train for 18 miles though... I'm trying to decide if I'm crazy enough to sign up for a full. Sadly I think I just might be - but we'll see how the extra long runs go. :) May also run the Army 10 miler in October.

    @lemurcat12 - way cool that your dad is up to such a run, and it's really neat that you'll be doing the same race with him. :) I love hearing about things like that.
  • MobyCarp
    MobyCarp Posts: 2,927 Member
    @JustSomeEm - I've been where you are, running longer than needed for a half but not sure when I'd run a full marathon. Funny thing, when the training runs got up to 16 miles the last 4 miles of the half stopped being the mental challenge they were when I was only running 13 to 13.5 miles in training.
  • JustSomeEm
    JustSomeEm Posts: 20,261 MFP Moderator
    edited March 2016
    MobyCarp wrote: »
    @JustSomeEm - I've been where you are, running longer than needed for a half but not sure when I'd run a full marathon. Funny thing, when the training runs got up to 16 miles the last 4 miles of the half stopped being the mental challenge they were when I was only running 13 to 13.5 miles in training.

    @MobyCarp - that's really good to hear... After my last half, I swore I'd never do another one because the last couple of miles just absolutely sucked... and here I am, probably going to do it again. :) Do you recommend going that route, or is there a reason or two I shouldn't?
  • MobyCarp
    MobyCarp Posts: 2,927 Member
    edited March 2016
    JustSomeEm wrote: »
    MobyCarp wrote: »
    @JustSomeEm - I've been where you are, running longer than needed for a half but not sure when I'd run a full marathon. Funny thing, when the training runs got up to 16 miles the last 4 miles of the half stopped being the mental challenge they were when I was only running 13 to 13.5 miles in training.

    @MobyCarp - that's really good to hear... After my last half, I swore I'd never do another one because the last couple of miles just absolutely sucked... and here I am, probably going to do it again. :) Do you recommend going that route, or is there a reason or two I shouldn't?

    Everyone is different, and you may find that what worked for me doesn't work the same way for you. THBS, I can give you a summary of 2 runners' thoughts.

    A guy I talked to before a shorter race doesn't do any races longer than a half, but trains to 16 miles. He sees a benefit from training to 16, but no need to train any longer for a half.

    My experience was that running all the long runs easy, having multiple 16 mile long runs and one 18 mile long run before my January 2015 half made the distance No Big Deal. There were other issues that were inconvenient, like the single digit temperature, the 25+ mph wind, and having the nozzles on my water bottles freeze up; but distance wasn't a problem.

    If you enjoy the long easy runs, I can't think of any reason why stretching them to 16 or 18 miles would hurt you for a half marathon. Most training programs are designed to get you to peak out at the target race distance; if you run longer, you're training for more endurance than just running one target race half as fast as you can. You're training for being able to run multiple half marathons without time for a full training cycle between them. That's where I was when I started running longer distances, because I signed up for a package of 4 half marathons in January, April, July, and September 2015. It was just kind of an accident that I ended up running the 2015 Buffalo Marathon when I hadn't planned on running a marathon in 2015 at all. My running buddies talked me into it after a 20 mile run in March.

    But the January and April 2015 halfs weren't a mental challenge at the end like the April and September 2014 halfs had been. The major difference was, I was doing more miles on my long runs.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    JustSomeEm wrote: »
    I'm strongly considering signing up for the Navy/Air Force Half in DC again this September. May train for 18 miles though... I'm trying to decide if I'm crazy enough to sign up for a full. Sadly I think I just might be - but we'll see how the extra long runs go. :) May also run the Army 10 miler in October.

    I couldn't believe I was crazy enough for a full, and yet I ended up glad I was.

    After my first one in '05 I said never again, and then somehow I signed up last fall and trained through the winter and enjoyed it. Well, I was miserable the last 6-7 miles (as with my first one) and thinking "why do I think these things will be fun? I must be crazy", but for some reason immediately after I finished my thought was "that was fun!" and I meant it (which is 180 degrees from how I felt even though I had a better finishing time in '05). Now I'm excited about doing it again and feel like having the experience more recently will help with the mind games in the last 10K or so.

    But who knows.

    It's funny because in a running group I was in I was talking to this woman who did her first full when I did mine and said she somehow ended up doing it the following year even though she had also hated it, and after the second one she started enjoying them (sort of). I wish I had done that--maybe there is something about a second one. After New Orleans I was talking to a young woman who said she'd never do it again and I said "that's what I said, but I was wrong -- of course, it took me 11 years." She said "11 years sounds about right!" Heh.

    Anyway, train for 18 and see how you feel.
  • alikonda
    alikonda Posts: 2,358 Member
    I'm recovering from a broken shoulder, so I'm just building up mileage again after 3+ months off and too many extra pounds packed on.

    I'm registered to run the SF Marathon on 31 July. I'm not racing it, but using it as a base-builder and proof to myself that I can run a full without walking. (I walked some of my first marathon and wish I hadn't). The real target is CIM this December, where I'll actually be going for speed. I have a friendly competition with a coworker for that race and he's targeting his BQ time, so we'll see what happens!

    My husband just registered for Chicago and I need to decide if I want to join him. We are both time-qualified, so I don't have to worry about the lottery, but I have <2 weeks to figure out what I want to do.
  • Daisy471
    Daisy471 Posts: 409 Member
    I have two half marathons coming up. Gazelle Girl (Grand Rapids, MI) on 4/17 and Casper, WY on 6/5.
  • 4leighbee
    4leighbee Posts: 1,275 Member
    I just decided to train for my *first* marathon! So 'cited! I'll be running the Richmond marathon ("the friendliest marathon") in November! :smiley:
  • gorple76
    gorple76 Posts: 162 Member
    4leighbee wrote: »
    I just decided to train for my *first* marathon! So 'cited! I'll be running the Richmond marathon ("the friendliest marathon") in November! :smiley:
    Great stuff. I'm signed up for my first marathon in October. Friend request sent! Knowing others are in the same boat may well be what I need to stop me fresking out.
  • Gouldy_locks
    Gouldy_locks Posts: 10 Member
    gorple76 wrote: »
    4leighbee wrote: »
    I just decided to train for my *first* marathon! So 'cited! I'll be running the Richmond marathon ("the friendliest marathon") in November! :smiley:
    Great stuff. I'm signed up for my first marathon in October. Friend request sent! Knowing others are in the same boat may well be what I need to stop me fresking out.

    I'm training for my first marathon in October too! Training starts June 4th! My 1/2 is May 7th! Yay for training for practically all year!!!
  • cw106
    cw106 Posts: 952 Member
    re-started half marathon plan due to weight gain.july 21.
    will then upgrade to a full marathon plan to attempt distance again in late autumn.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Daisy471 wrote: »
    I have two half marathons coming up. Gazelle Girl (Grand Rapids, MI) on 4/17 and Casper, WY on 6/5.

    How was Gazelle Girl? I did Sly Fox in St Charles IL on 4/23, and am going to do Sunburst half in South Bend on June 4.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    4leighbee wrote: »
    I just decided to train for my *first* marathon! So 'cited! I'll be running the Richmond marathon ("the friendliest marathon") in November! :smiley:

    I did my second in Feb, but am doing my next Thanksgiving weekend in Seattle. My 73-y-o dad is doing the half (and training way more than me).
  • kc_lea
    kc_lea Posts: 65 Member
    Hey everyone! I'm new to the group and find the posts very motivating, and helpful. I've recently started running again after not really running at all for 2 years. I'm scheduled to run a 10K in Ottawa on May 28. It's coming up quick! I mainly signed up to help motivated me to stick to a training plan. While I'm certain I can handle the distance, I worry that I'll be very slow. I know that people that run 10K races are usually working on their pace, whereas I'm just working on creating a solid base. Still, I'm staying positive that I can manage it in 60 minutes or less :persevere:
  • LynGrahamKemp
    LynGrahamKemp Posts: 32 Member
    4 Half Marathons...
    Diva Peachtree 9/10 (GA)
    RnR Brooklyn 10/8 (NY)
    Red Ribbon 11/12 (FL)
    Hillsborough River 12/10 (FL)

    And my 1st Full Marathon Disney (1/8/17)
  • julianniebananie
    julianniebananie Posts: 19 Member
    Hi everyone! I'm new to this forum, considering that I'm also new to running-- right now I'm working on a run/walk program to get me to a point where I can run 30 minutes straight without having to stop and walk, which is big for me because a few weeks ago I could only run for three minutes without having to walk. (I got very out of shape during my first year of college, but this week I'm at just under six minutes!)

    So anyway, I hope I can find support here, even though I may not be running as far or as long as running veterans.
  • rightoncommander
    rightoncommander Posts: 114 Member
    I'm signed up for the Black Country Half on 2nd July - it's a p2p along canal towpaths from Wolverhampton to Birmingham. I'm also planning to run the Chester Marathon on the 2nd October, as long as I stay injury-free up to the half. So far so good.
  • codename_steve
    codename_steve Posts: 255 Member
    I have my second half tomorrow morning! It's a Boys Chase Girls challenge, so the girls start 30 minutes earlier and try to finish before the first boy. Then I my second full in September. Hoping to PR on both races!
  • katharmonic
    katharmonic Posts: 5,720 Member
    I don't know which one yet, but I'm starting training on Tuesday for a half marathon TBD - probably in October.
  • Vladimirnapkin
    Vladimirnapkin Posts: 299 Member
    I'm just starting to train up for late summer & fall cross-country. I do plan to run a marathon in December, assuming I'm running injury free. I'll probably run a half marathon or three in the fall, but not gunning for a personal best.
  • runbabarun
    runbabarun Posts: 89 Member
    Tomorrow, I start training for the Wineglass Marathon, on October 2. It will be my first.
  • WhatMeRunning
    WhatMeRunning Posts: 3,538 Member
    I guess I am now training for a 50k that I signed up for. Not sure what the heck I was thinking...but I am signed up now. No looking back, I guess.
  • MNLittleFinn
    MNLittleFinn Posts: 4,271 Member
    I guess I am now training for a 50k that I signed up for. Not sure what the heck I was thinking...but I am signed up now. No looking back, I guess.

    and I'm Jealous @whatmerunning

    Here's what I EVENTUALLY want to run: http://www.superiorfalltrailrace.com/26-mile-info/
  • greghenley1
    greghenley1 Posts: 90 Member
    @whatmerunning i also had a moment of stupidity and signed up for a 50K. Problem is its in Arkansas in July, which usually equals 100 degrees and 100% humidity. The only saving grace is the start is at 7:00 pm.
  • ka97
    ka97 Posts: 1,984 Member
    Currently training for triathlon - Nashua sprint tri in two weeks, one TBD in July, and Title 9 in Hopkinton MA in early September. Only sprint triathlons this year as I pretty much hate the bike and motivation is lacking. Meanwhile I'll be looking to maintain a running base in order to jump right into half marathon training in August/September.
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
    After my first two 5 K's (29:09 & 28:28) I've entered another 5 K in July, a 4 Miler in August and a Half Marathon in September. This is what I'm training for, plus, just to be in better condition.
  • BCinDenver
    BCinDenver Posts: 10 Member
    Pikes Peak Ascent (13.3 miles, 7800' elevation gain) - 8/20/16
  • simmoner4
    simmoner4 Posts: 131 Member
    Just finished my first marathon at 3:39:21!! Have relays and 5ks this year but now training to get faster and hopefull qualify for Boston! (I'm a big dreamer I know)
  • Aine8046
    Aine8046 Posts: 2,122 Member
    I officially started training for a half in September! I have 15 weeks and use a 12 week plan. Just did a first 3 mi run! :)