To run or to roll?!
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WinoGelato wrote: »This sounds like a really good way to injure yourself either before or during the event. If you were looking for cheerleaders to say "atta girl you got this" I don't think you'll get a lot here. And if you do, I don't recommend listening to them because that seems like reckless advice.
A marathon is not something you can just show up for. Is there a shorter race that same weekend that is part of the overall lineup of events? Many of the marathons here include half marathon events, 10K, 5K or fun runs.
Have you trained for a marathon? Are you a long distance runner? I don't know, but the internet seems to be full of 3 month training programmes. Sure, it is not ideal but why not shoot for the moon. If the op doesn't complete the distance then that will be a shame - but at least she gave it a shot
Jake, how many marathons have you trained for? You talk like you're a pretty experienced runner, so how realistic do you think it is to go from a zero training base to 26.2 miles in three months? If you've done it yourself, maybe you have a training program you could share with the OP and what your experiences were in completing it.
I am not a runner at all..hence not given training advice. Some are giving negative opinions with no experience so thought Id clarify that.
Most of the people who give opinions in threads like this are runners with relevant experience. Not sure why you assume otherwise.Is it possible to start a decent running schedule without injury? Im sure it must be
Yes, of course. Do you understand that decent running schedule does not mean a schedule that will allow me to go from non runner to marathon in 2 or 2.75 months? (Remember, the original claim was that the marathon was March, which still makes me think this thread was intended as a joke on us, as I have never known anyone who signed up for a marathon not know the month it is in.)1 -
Eddie Izzard did 27 marathons in 27 days for charity. He didn't run competitively. Sometimes people can achieve the amazing. I'm sure he was told not to do it but he raised millions. An comedian in his 50's
and Sir Ranulph Fiennes ran 7 marathons in 7 days on 7 continents, only four months after a double heart bypass (after his heart was restarted thirteen times on an airport runway). That doesn't mean anything unless you look at the level of training a person has done.
Recently Ben Smith ran 401 marathons in 401 days. He has since spoken of a feeling of loss now he is NOT running. Again, it's about training.
None of the above got through their marathon feats without injury. Smith had to add miles to his daily total from an eleven day break due to a back injury, Mike Stroud who accompanied Fiennes suffered kidney problems during the race and muscle wastage, and the pair had to carry a defibrillator in case Fiennes had another heart attack and he was told not to let his heart go over 130 beats per minute.
so yes. doing a marathon with just attitude is possible, but maybe not one that is injury free. Having said that, we now know that the OP has done plenty of training historically and is not a beginner runner. So as long as they follow a sensible training plan ( there are fifteen weeks until the London Marathon) they'll be fine. Ish.3 -
Despite not wanted to carry on I've been sucked back in.
To address a few points:
Yes people die in endurance events, I actually work in cardiology and most who do have an underlying condition which they are unaware of. An army captain died, someone who is probably fit. Most if you as runners will of seen and know that usually the people getting medical attention are young fitish guys, mainly because of poor training yes but also as they aren't sensible, they go all out and also don't take on the right nutrients and fluids.
Also most professional fitness experts will tell you, as much as runners may not like to think it, that endurance running is bad for us all long term. There are a few genetically blessed exceptions of course. My dad ran over 50 sub 3hr marathons when I was a child and stopped due to injuries, he would also certainly had better joints now had he not done this sport for years. None of my PT friends (bar 1) who ever suggest anything longer than a 10k to clients because of the damage it does to your body, not to mention the deminishing gains.
As I said previously I'm new to mfp and posting, I didn't think I needed to put every detail in my first post, as I stated I was merely looking to connect with people doing a similar distance. I never asked for words of support or 'go at it girl'. As that was my objective I saw details as irrelevant, I've since learnt the these forums aren't what I expected hence stopping on it.
I said I was annoyed I hadn't started sooner, I know I should have. I signed up in May and found out in October, to get over feeling guilty I pushed it to the back of my mind while pushing to much food into my face instead, hence not being focused on when it actually is.
It baffles me as to why someone who want to put a fake post like that up, what would they gain?! I also gave my details for those who believe oddly that I'm a 'troll'.
I never thought that someone like me could run a half marathon, but I did without stopping (I even cried while doing it). The first few miles were actually the hardest and it was only mental strength and a fear of failure which kept me going. I know had I not signed up on a wim I would still think I couldn't. It was once believed no human could run 26.2 miles but the views changed. A few of my friends are doing half this year after I did one, as if I did anyone can!
As I said constructive options are fine but you never know who you are talking to or how they are feeling so please just think how you phrase things.0 -
chinupsforchinese wrote: »Hi all,
I am the least natural runner, and am not light enough that anything about running is good for me. As such I can't remember the last time I ran... However... I'm signed up to run the London marathon in March!! I currently think I'd be quicker rolling in after all the Christmas insurgence
This is why people are concerned and have offered the criticism they have. You alluded that you haven't ran in a long time and that nothing about running is good for you. This is why people responded they way they did. If you don't like the way people responded, maybe your original post should have been worded differently.3 -
@chinupsforchinese you might want to try this group:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/94-long-distance-runners0 -
There is a saying that goes: "Train hard...easy race. Train easy...hard race."
I think the reason a lot of people get bent out of shape over post like these is that many of us spend the majority of our free time training for endurance events. Our lives are a constant cycle of train, race, repeat, all in the name of improving our performance and pushing ourselves to the limits. We get so caught up in this mind set that it is hard for us to admit that some people may be able to pull themselves off the couch and accomplish what appear to be the same thing in a matter of a few months. But the truth is, it can be done and I have seen it happen.
But then again, this all goes back to the saying above. You can get out there everyday and train hard and prepare and have an enjoyable race. Or you can put in the minimal training effort and suffer through the 26.2 miles. You can still cross the finish line and, in the end, is the accomplishment of completing 26.2 miles any different? That comes down to a matter of opinion. I myself think that anyone who can get out there and will themselves through that distance, regardless of how it was done or if it took 6 hours or 3-4 hours, has made an admirable achievement.
I think that if the OP has made her mind up that she wants to do this, it's not our place to discourage her. I think enough points have been made regarding the risk of injury from over training, that she would be foolish not to keep that in mind as she progresses through her training. A few other bits of advice that I would give to the OP:
1. A marathon is not quite the same as two half marathons put together. Fueling requirements and pace strategy play a far more important roll. Definitely educate yourself on these and practice them throughout your training.
2. Have realistic expectations on how long it will take you to complete the race and how hard it is actually going to be. You will not likely finish anywhere close to 2 times your half marathon time and it's very doubtful that you will be able to complete the race without having a plan for walking some of it. You may want to check out the Jeff Galloway method of run/walk. I am not trying to be negative here, just realistic if everything you have said thus far is true.
3. Good luck and have fun! Please don't forget to check back and tell us how it went. It would be nice to finally see one of these threads where the OP returns to prove all of the naysayers wrong.
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lporter229 wrote: »There is a saying that goes: "Train hard...easy race. Train easy...hard race."
I think the reason a lot of people get bent out of shape over post like these is that many of us spent the majority of our free time training for endurance events. Our lives are a constant cycle of train, race, repeat, all in the name of improving our performance and pushing ourselves to the limits. We get so caught up in this mind set that it is hard for us to admit that some people may be able to pull themselves off the couch and accomplish what appear to be the same thing in a matter of a few months. But the truth is, it can be done and I have seen it happen.
But then again, this all goes back to the saying above. You can get out there everyday and train hard and prepare and have an enjoyable race. Or you can put in the minimal training effort and suffer through the 26.2 miles. You can still cross the finish line and, in the end, is the accomplishment of completing 26.2 miles any different? That comes down to a matter of opinion. I myself think that anyone who can get out there and will themselves through that distance, regardless of how it was done or if it took 6 hours or 3-4 hours, has made an admirable achievement.
I think that if the OP has made her mind up that she wants to do this, it's not our place to discourage her. I think enough points have been made regarding the risk of injury from over training, that she would be foolish not to keep that in mind as she progresses through her training. A few other bits of advice that I would give to the OP:
1. A marathon is not quite the same as two marathons put together. Fueling requirements and pace strategy play a far more important roll. Definitely educate yourself on these and practice them throughout your training.
2. Have realistic expectations on how long it will take you to complete the race and how hard it is actually going to be. You will not likely finish anywhere close to 2 times your half marathon time and it's very doubtful that you will be able to complete the race without having a plan for walking some of it. You may want to check out the Jeff Galloway method of run/walk. I am not trying to be negative here, just realistic if everything you have said thus far is true.
3. Good luck and have fun! Please don't forget to check back and tell us how it went. It would be nice to finally see one of these threads where the OP returns to prove all of the naysayers wrong.
Thank you for your post and suggestions. I completely agree.
We all have different goals and different reasons for running. I'm sure I will be no where close to those that dedicate all year to this and for them shaving a few minutes off an already amazing time will be a great achievement. For me doing it, ideally with little walking (although thanks for the reference I will check it out) would be a massive personal achievement. Just the same as a 10k is a massive achievement for some.
I will be sure to check back in :-)
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chinupsforchinese wrote: »I have stopped posting as this has turned into something I wasn't expecting, I was mere looking to connect with people also training. I appreciate the concern and also those who wished me luck.
As I said last year I did races in 10k, 10 mile and half marathon all fine within a few months of starting training. A marathon seemed like a logical step, not to mention getting caught up in the momentum.
I'm sure a marathon is a different ball game and yes I planned to start training earlier, I'm annoyed at myself I haven't. I may injure myself, as will a substantial percentage of people training, and if I do then I will be gutted to of not achieved it.
[Edited by MFP moderator]
In your OP you said you couldn't even remember the last time you ran...the above is about 180* from your OP.1 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »chinupsforchinese wrote: »I have stopped posting as this has turned into something I wasn't expecting, I was mere looking to connect with people also training. I appreciate the concern and also those who wished me luck.
As I said last year I did races in 10k, 10 mile and half marathon all fine within a few months of starting training. A marathon seemed like a logical step, not to mention getting caught up in the momentum.
I'm sure a marathon is a different ball game and yes I planned to start training earlier, I'm annoyed at myself I haven't. I may injure myself, as will a substantial percentage of people training, and if I do then I will be gutted to of not achieved it.
[Edited by MFP moderator]
In your OP you said you couldn't even remember the last time you ran...the above is about 180* from your OP.
I can't remember a date no, all those were the first half of last year. Also as I said I didn't realise people would pick on each detail, the objective was to meet people also training not demotivate myself.
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chinupsforchinese wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »chinupsforchinese wrote: »I have stopped posting as this has turned into something I wasn't expecting, I was mere looking to connect with people also training. I appreciate the concern and also those who wished me luck.
As I said last year I did races in 10k, 10 mile and half marathon all fine within a few months of starting training. A marathon seemed like a logical step, not to mention getting caught up in the momentum.
I'm sure a marathon is a different ball game and yes I planned to start training earlier, I'm annoyed at myself I haven't. I may injure myself, as will a substantial percentage of people training, and if I do then I will be gutted to of not achieved it.
[Edited by MFP moderator]
In your OP you said you couldn't even remember the last time you ran...the above is about 180* from your OP.
I can't remember a date no, all those were the first half of last year. Also as I said I didn't realise people would pick on each detail, the objective was to meet people also training not demotivate myself.
It's not picking on "each detail"...there's a huge difference between someone who has experience and someone who doesn't...your OP made it basically sound like it's been ages since you ran...I don't think anyone would assume, "I can't remember the last time I ran" to mean you couldn't remember a specific date...
Anyway, have fun...don't hurt yourself. In the future, think about the way you phrase a question and what kinds of responses you'll get...if you really can't see that people are just concerned given the way your OP was phrased then I don't know what to tell you...6 -
WinoGelato wrote: »This sounds like a really good way to injure yourself either before or during the event. If you were looking for cheerleaders to say "atta girl you got this" I don't think you'll get a lot here. And if you do, I don't recommend listening to them because that seems like reckless advice.
A marathon is not something you can just show up for. Is there a shorter race that same weekend that is part of the overall lineup of events? Many of the marathons here include half marathon events, 10K, 5K or fun runs.
Have you trained for a marathon? Are you a long distance runner? I don't know, but the internet seems to be full of 3 month training programmes. Sure, it is not ideal but why not shoot for the moon. If the op doesn't complete the distance then that will be a shame - but at least she gave it a shot
It's full of 3 month training programs for people who already run!! If she's currently running with a strong mileage base or has to run significantly for a sport, then she should be fine, but most everything I've read about running a SUCCESSFUL first marathon says you should have been running for at least a year before attempting a marathon.0 -
I can't remember a date no, all those were the first half of last year. Also as I said I didn't realise people would pick on each detail, the objective was to meet people also training not demotivate myself.
You have to understand, this website is all about the 'details' because that is usually where people fail, not logging properly, no training properly. Something as specific as macro %, number of reps, training cycles can be (and will be) scrutinized at length because we are all trying to get better, and offer proper sound advice.
When I hear "can't remember the last time I ran", I am assuming its been years. Honest assumption.
This is a supportive community, and don't stop using it because I am certain if you are honest with yourself, you have to see that the advice was excellent based on the information we were given.
Good luck though, I am sure you will find the motivation and push ahead. Let us know how the training goes.
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Okay , you guys have a good point. Maybe it is not 100% safe and I should not have said anything since I am not a runner and I have never actually done a marathon
I apologize ! But my point was that no one should give up on something they truly want
No one was saying 'just give up'. It was mentioned over and over that lack of proper preparation (by those who have actually completed marathons) was bad idea.1 -
chinupsforchinese wrote: »
I can't remember a date no, all those were the first half of last year. Also as I said I didn't realise people would pick on each detail, the objective was to meet people also training not demotivate myself.
People aren't picking it apart, the OP was very misleading. Probably not on purpose, but still. You made it sound like you were a complete novice at running, you don't like it, and you had little or no experience. If people had known you ran a half last year and other races the responses would have been very different.
With a decent running base you can train for 3 months and finish a marathon. It won't be fun if you are planning to run the whole thing, but you can probably do it without being injured, though it's still risky. 26.2 is very different than a half. It's twice as long but more than twice as hard, IMO. Weird things happen to your body after about 20 miles you just don't see in other races.
Good luck!0 -
STILL no mention of how you're going to run an April marathon in March?
You intentionally wrote a post full of false information and intentional exaggeration, then got upset when people acted accordingly.7 -
cerise_noir wrote: »Okay , you guys have a good point. Maybe it is not 100% safe and I should not have said anything since I am not a runner and I have never actually done a marathon I apologize ! But my point was that no one should give up on something they truly want
No one was saying 'just give up'. It was mentioned over and over that lack of proper preparation (by those who have actually completed marathons) was bad idea.
Exactly...nobody ever said "give up"...but there's a right way and wrong way to go about things.
I very much wanted to ride a century in March...while I'm an avid cycling enthusiast, I have had a couple of injuries over the last six months or so and it has really hampered my mileage...I'm just getting back to things and I can tell you from just the first few rides, I'm no where near the kind of base I would need to do a full century safely...at minimum, I'd be absolutely miserable and having to push through a lot of pain...
So instead of March, I'm doing a different one in September...not giving up...just doing a different one for which I'll have plenty of time for and that I'll be much more likely to enjoy due to being properly trained for the occasion.1 -
deluxmary2000 wrote: »STILL no mention of how you're going to run an April marathon in March?
You intentionally wrote a post full of false information and intentional exaggeration, then got upset when people acted accordingly.
This. All of this. Even now that I've managed to sleep and reread this thread (and note the sarcasm I missed earlier hah), I'm still not buying this thread. Realistically it matters none to me, but now curiosity has sprung as to the clear lack of acknowledgement to this important detail. Then again, it seems details are irrelevant apparently.
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Plz just admit that this whole story is fabricated srsly.1
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Well the London Marathon was last month... how did it go??
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deluxmary2000 wrote: »Well the London Marathon was last month... how did it go??
OP won didn't she?!1 -
TavistockToad wrote: »deluxmary2000 wrote: »Well the London Marathon was last month... how did it go??
OP won didn't she?!
Yep, and smashed the world record too.0 -
BruinsGal_91 wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »deluxmary2000 wrote: »Well the London Marathon was last month... how did it go??
OP won didn't she?!
Yep, and smashed the world record too.
Her time was about 21 minutes wasn't it?!0 -
Hope she is alright after it. Let us know how it went OP.0
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deluxmary2000 wrote: »Well the London Marathon was last month... how did it go??
Yes but the OP ran it in March.1 -
WinoGelato wrote: »deluxmary2000 wrote: »Well the London Marathon was last month... how did it go??
Yes but the OP ran it in March.
Perhaps the plan was to start in March and finish April 23rd. At least that'd be eminently doable.4 -
WinoGelato wrote: »deluxmary2000 wrote: »Well the London Marathon was last month... how did it go??
Yes but the OP ran it in March.
Perhaps the plan was to start in March and finish April 23rd. At least that'd be eminently doable.
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