Would like to run a marathon!

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  • lottie_28
    lottie_28 Posts: 26
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    Also good luck to everyone training for or running a marathon! I am aspiring to be you :D
  • sufikitkat
    sufikitkat Posts: 596 Member
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    Hal Higdon's training app is great...its not free (9.99 from what I hear) but his training plans are really effective and I have pulled advice from him that has helped!
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    I'll add my voice to the chorus of ambitious but attainable.

    The key is to train consistently and progress slowly (keep it to a maximum 10% in overall volume week after week) and take your recovery days / lower volume weeks. Strength training will also help considerably.

    As the others have suggested, get some shorter races in along the way & have fun!
  • Aperture_Science
    Aperture_Science Posts: 840 Member
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    OK I'm going to throw my thoughts into the mix:

    Yes it's possible. With determination and the training you have enough time and at 20 - 21 you should respond to the training well, increasing fitness progressively. Running is brilliant and despite the anti-cardio brigade's moaning is great for you and good for weight loss.

    But, do not underestimate the commitment required to get through a marathon. On the day it is hard: Very, very hard but that is NOTHING compared to the months of running you need to put in to get to the level required to contemplate over 4 hours of running. Most training programs have long runs scheduled for the weekend, over three hours of running towards the end. This means that not only are your Sunday mornings spent running but your Sunday afternoons are spent on the sofa recovering and your Saturday nights are spent sipping cocoa tucked up in bed. If this doesn't fit in with your lifestyle or that of your significant other's lifestyle you may have some arguments in store.

    Also, as great as running is, and as hard as training for a mara is, it is much, much harder if you are trying to lose weight at the same time: Not impossible, but much harder. Many people put on weight whilst training for distance events. Why? During training your priorities change from eating and running to lose weight to eating to fuel your runs. If during mara training your cals dip too low you can get ill and/or injured so many choose to maintain for the last two to three months of training.

    I don't want to sound down about it all, it really is a brilliant thing to do, but you need to go into it with your eyes wide open.

    Best wishes.
  • lottie_28
    lottie_28 Posts: 26
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    Thank you for the advice! To be honest I hadn't really considered how hard the actual race would be... it always looks so easy on the TV :P Haha, no I know it would be hard so I'm just going to take it as it comes!
    I'm doing my degree at the moment, and next year will hopefully only have about 5 hours of lectures a week, so actually this could be the perfect project to keep my mind occupied! And significant other?! Don't be silly :P Haha, forever alone :D

    And I'm not trying to lose weight so that should make things easier :) When I get into serious running I think I'm going to try and find meal plans designed for runners, so that will help as well!
  • mznisaelaine
    mznisaelaine Posts: 2,262 Member
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    I think you can definitely do it! I'm about to start training for a half marathon very soon just in case! I have this one half marathon/full marathon I'm tempting to sign up for that is in October. I ran track all my life until I was 18 (I'm 22 now) but I never ran a marathon so I know the ins and outa of how to train but I never ran that log of a distance before (although I was a long distance runner back then lol) so hopefully this training helps me get bak in running shape. You can definitely run a marathon in a year, just remember to fuel your body!
  • Smuterella
    Smuterella Posts: 1,623 Member
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    Golly, I'd love to be able to do this. I'm going for the 5K then bridge to 10K this year, hopefully I can then build from that.
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
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    I'm going to jump in here are the voice of reason. I think that, if you want to run a marathon and actually enjoy the experience, you shouldn't start training for one (meaning a typical 16 week program) until you have a base of at LEAST 25 miles per week for 12 to 18 months consistently. The marathon is a completely different animal from a half marathon, which can be done on much less base and far fewer training miles.

    There are a few different things that can happen if you try to run that marathon before you body is truly ready for it.

    1. You get hurt and never make it to the starting line and vow to never do another one.
    2. You hate the training because it's too much too fast and never make it to the starting line and vow to never do another one.
    3. You make it to the start and have to DNF the race because you are under-trained and vow to never do another one.
    4. You make it to the start, but slog your way to the finish in gut wrenching agony because you are under-trainedand vow to never do another one..
    5. The least likely to happen, is you run the race, finish, and have enjoyed the experience.

    Take your time building up. Don't rush it. Fall in love with running before you take on something as huge as the marathon. You don't have to do a marathon to be a "real runner". There are many intermediate goals that will require just as much dedication to training as training for a marathon, but without the huge mileage. Maybe try for a 25 minute 5K or a sub 2 hour Half Marathon. There is a lot of joy to be had in running. Find it first before you make that leap.
  • Dragonfly1996
    Dragonfly1996 Posts: 196 Member
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    I am running VLM this year!! My first marathon!! Two years ago I took up running on a regular basis & going to the gym. It was really hard at first but it soon stopped hurting as much & I could run further for longer. I didn't follow any program just did it myself & on advise from running friends. Before this I couldn't run more than two lamp posts distance!! A year would be possible but make sure u enter a few races over the year ie 5k, 10k & a half marathon. Don't just do the training & go straight into a marathon - it's good to get some experience of races of 10k & over.

    Also the mental side is very important & you have to make sure you will be able to dedicate a least 16 weeks to a proper training plan which for London means running in winter weather during training!!! All I have thought about since Xmas is "marathon" - first thing when I wake up & last thing before going to sleep & I read EVERYTHING to do with running!!! It is all consuming & very addictive!!! Once in your training plan you also have to rethink what you eat & your social life!!!

    Would also advise you don't try & lose weight at the same time by cutting calories. Since my mileage has ramped up I have gone onto maintenance as you can't run long distance if your body isn't fuelled right!! I have put on 4lb since January & I have a stone left to lose but I will go back to weightloss at the end of April now. TBH I really haven't worried about my weight since training as marathon thoughts take up too much brain space!!

    Make sure you get trainers fitted to match your gait by a proper running store & west running sox. Just a pointer as I have had knee pain during this latter part of training which the physio thinks is not having trainers for over pronation!! Too late to change them now!!

    Would definately go for it & apply you will know in October!! Just keep up the running in the meantime & increase your mileage & pace SLOWLY!!!

    Wish you the best of luck with it all!! :flowerforyou:

    PS of course I may have a less positive attitude once I finish my marathon in a week & a halfs time - I hope I don't say "never again"!!! :wink:
  • ktbia
    ktbia Posts: 118 Member
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    Totally doable. My sister started from nothing.. trained last summer (in june ) for a Sept half.. kept on training and did a full in March. And she kicked *kitten*, she did it just around 4 hours!
  • tenunderfour
    tenunderfour Posts: 429 Member
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    It sounds like it might be doable.... but don't plan on it being a great race unless you happen to be a very talented runner.

    And for those comparing a half to a full...... they are completely different animals. They say your first 20 miles is the first half of the race..... and the last 6 is the second half which separates the men from the boys so to speak. A half is long, tiring, etc. But, a full is absolutely grueling and drains you physically and mentally in a way you can't imagine unless you've been there. LOL

    I'd say enter a half marathon then see if you still have the bug to go another 13.1
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    I'm going to jump in here are the voice of reason. I think that, if you want to run a marathon and actually enjoy the experience, you shouldn't start training for one (meaning a typical 16 week program) until you have a base of at LEAST 25 miles per week for 12 to 18 months consistently. The marathon is a completely different animal from a half marathon, which can be done on much less base and far fewer training miles.

    There are a few different things that can happen if you try to run that marathon before you body is truly ready for it.

    1. You get hurt and never make it to the starting line and vow to never do another one.
    2. You hate the training because it's too much too fast and never make it to the starting line and vow to never do another one.
    3. You make it to the start and have to DNF the race because you are under-trained and vow to never do another one.
    4. You make it to the start, but slog your way to the finish in gut wrenching agony because you are under-trainedand vow to never do another one..
    5. The least likely to happen, is you run the race, finish, and have enjoyed the experience.

    Take your time building up. Don't rush it. Fall in love with running before you take on something as huge as the marathon. You don't have to do a marathon to be a "real runner". There are many intermediate goals that will require just as much dedication to training as training for a marathon, but without the huge mileage. Maybe try for a 25 minute 5K or a sub 2 hour Half Marathon. There is a lot of joy to be had in running. Find it first before you make that leap.

    What he said

    yes its doable, but the risk of having a not good experience is high.

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