How much harder is a full marathon compared to a half?

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  • halejr23
    halejr23 Posts: 294
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    Great information here. I am thinking about a full as well. I have completed 2 half events as well as a few half's on my own time. In March I ran 18 so I know I can continue to build. Thanks to all responders as you have confirmed what I was already thinking ... that I want to complete 26.2 on my own before trying an event. 1 - because then I am mentally prepared and 2 - I need to get the feel for the pace before I am amongst other runners (always start out faster than my normal/planned pace in events).
  • missyfarr
    missyfarr Posts: 22 Member
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    Started running in February of 2009 (couldn't make it to the end of the block without stopping to walk) and finished my first marathon yesterday!! I have run 5 or so half marathons and was ready to take the next step. I have 2 kids ages 3.5 and 9 and my hubby really stepped up his game to allow me time to train properly. (I probably won't do another full for a while because of the time commitment). Anyways, being rigorous about your training schedule is super important. I really watched my diet and hydration in the days leading up to the full. I had decided I wanted to aim for finishing in 4 hours, 45 minutes (my fastest half was 2:00:42) and so found the 4:45 pacer and stuck to them like glue!! The pacer(s) were so helpful in helping me maintain a very steady pace so I didn't burn out and was able to cross the finish line under my goal (finish time 4:42:37). The pacers were also great about reminding me to stay hydrated or eat some gu and also seemed to know when they should just keep rambling on about whatever so I could make it up that hill at mile 23!! I am walking around today with minimal hobble!! I have done a half marathon trail run (twice) that was so tough and left me completely hobbled up for days so I guess it is all relative! I say if you have any desire at all-go for it!! I feel so proud I completed the full!!
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
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    Great information here. I am thinking about a full as well. I have completed 2 half events as well as a few half's on my own time. In March I ran 18 so I know I can continue to build. Thanks to all responders as you have confirmed what I was already thinking ... that I want to complete 26.2 on my own before trying an event. 1 - because then I am mentally prepared and 2 - I need to get the feel for the pace before I am amongst other runners (always start out faster than my normal/planned pace in events).

    I would not go out and do 26 in training for a marathon. The difference required to recover from 26 vs 20 is huge. You will set your training back 2 to 3 weeks if you do that. That is why most training plans max out with a 20 miler and a few with a 22.
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
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    Started running in February of 2009 (couldn't make it to the end of the block without stopping to walk) and finished my first marathon yesterday!! I have run 5 or so half marathons and was ready to take the next step. I have 2 kids ages 3.5 and 9 and my hubby really stepped up his game to allow me time to train properly. (I probably won't do another full for a while because of the time commitment). Anyways, being rigorous about your training schedule is super important. I really watched my diet and hydration in the days leading up to the full. I had decided I wanted to aim for finishing in 4 hours, 45 minutes (my fastest half was 2:00:42) and so found the 4:45 pacer and stuck to them like glue!! The pacer(s) were so helpful in helping me maintain a very steady pace so I didn't burn out and was able to cross the finish line under my goal (finish time 4:42:37). The pacers were also great about reminding me to stay hydrated or eat some gu and also seemed to know when they should just keep rambling on about whatever so I could make it up that hill at mile 23!! I am walking around today with minimal hobble!! I have done a half marathon trail run (twice) that was so tough and left me completely hobbled up for days so I guess it is all relative! I say if you have any desire at all-go for it!! I feel so proud I completed the full!!

    Good job! Just a note, you will probably be more sore tomorrow. :wink: :smile:
  • Maridelsol82
    Maridelsol82 Posts: 90
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    Bump for later :)
  • seekingstrengthX2
    seekingstrengthX2 Posts: 771
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    I am so amazed by all the responses here. Thank you!!!!

    You all are convincing me that i should do it. :smile:
  • ATT949
    ATT949 Posts: 1,245 Member
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    If you are trained for the distance and race it you can finish a half feeling tired but still good. After the full you feel like somebody beat you with a bat and dumped you on the side of the road.

    That's great - thanks for the chuckle!
  • ATT949
    ATT949 Posts: 1,245 Member
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    I am so amazed by all the responses here. Thank you!!!!

    You all are convincing me that i should do it. :smile:

    Congrats on doing the half. That's a good time, BTW.

    If you're into running and have the time (and money), go for it.

    I started running in June 2011 and did a half in August 2011. It went very well and started training for the full. Didn't get to the starting line 'cause of injuries. Yes, I have two $100 shirts. It is very frustrating to sign up for a marathon, train for the race, over-train or get injured, and then having to watch the race instead of running it.

    The difference between a half and a full? As someone on Runner's World said - "People forget that a marathon is a 20 mile warm up followed my a 10k race at the end."
  • ebaymommy
    ebaymommy Posts: 1,067 Member
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    If you are trained for the distance and race it you can finish a half feeling tired but still good. After the full you feel like somebody beat you with a bat and dumped you on the side of the road.

    Not necessarily true. I did feel that way after my first marathon, but with each subsequent marathon I have found it easier and easier to recover. After my 4th marathon (last spring) my girlfriends and I walked around, got some food & drinks, went back to our hotel to shower & clean up, went out for dinner, walked around some more. We felt really good the next day, too....even stopped by an outlet mall on our drive home to shop for a couple hours. Sure we were a little stiff but nothing miserable.
  • Masterdo
    Masterdo Posts: 331 Member
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    Bump :) I like the info in this thread.
  • mikeyrp
    mikeyrp Posts: 1,616 Member
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    I think its all here already by my opinion:

    Its much, much harder than a half- physically and mentally.
    The training is massivly time consuming - not just time on the road but recovery after training runs

    On the other hand- you know the elation you got from the half? Well, that increases proportionally to the effort.

    Since completing my first and probably only marathon my weekly long run is 12 / 15 miles alternating: halfs dont feel like an effort anymore (distance wise) - thats a great feeling too!
  • seekingstrengthX2
    seekingstrengthX2 Posts: 771
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    Thanks Mikey. My original plan when I finished the half was just to start doing more of them. I thought, Well, I ran the whole time, I feel great, I'm not miserable and I could have kept going. Maybe this is my race! LOL. It was about 3 weeks post race that I got the idea in my head to do a full. I think I might... just once... just for the feeling of accomplishment. You know? Then I will go back to halves and try to improve my time. I think I could get better at them with more practice. :)
  • missyfarr
    missyfarr Posts: 22 Member
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    **Meant to attach this to my post above**"Actually started running in February of 2010! Oops!"
  • grinch031
    grinch031 Posts: 1,679
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    I ran a full two days ago and finished with a temp in the 80s I believe. For the first 15 minutes or so, I was unable to think clearly enough to send a TXT msg to some friends to share that I finished....I kept botching the attempt to generate the message. Also as soon as I stopped moving and sat down, all of the muscles in my legs stiffened and felt like any sudden movement could result in a muscle cramp. I felt an aching soreness from my thighs to my toes for probably the first 60 minutes. After that point I was able to walk but had to keep my legs straight and walk with a gimp because my quads were so sore. Two days later my quads are still very sore and I'm slow to stand up and sit down and still walk with straightened legs. However my knees and below feel 100% recovered at this point. I will probably go to the gym tonight and do some upper body lifting, but will probably start doing some easy cross-training tomorrow if the quads improve some.
  • DianeinCA
    DianeinCA Posts: 307 Member
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    It is true that the more marathons you do, the easier it is to deal with afterward (even though you still feel like you got beat up by a street gang): after my first marathon, I walked back to my hotel completely stiff and sore, took a cool shower, and then slept for two hours. After my third marathon, i came home to find my DH and son asleep on the couch after a hard afternoon of video games, so I let them sleep while I did laundry and cleaned up the kitchen. :)
  • pandafoo
    pandafoo Posts: 367 Member
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    I've been wondering the same thing too lately! I've completed four half-marathons and now I'm ready to tackle on the full, thanks to all your insight here, guys. Too bad the Marine Corps one is already sold out - would love to do the full there someday. Now maybe Honolulu will be my next option! :)
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
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    My reality is that sometimes when I get home from my races and my wife is all bothered than she had to deal with the kids all morning. One day I came home from a marathon (very small local race). My daughter wanted to go to the park. My wife made some comment: "he's too tired from running..." The hell I am, I took a quick shower and grabbed some food and walked to the park (about .5 mile each way). No problem.

    When we got back the wife says: "at 3:00 you have to take her to a birthday party at the skating rink." No problem, I grabbed my roller blades and skated with my daughter.

    This is my crowning glory of don't tell me I'm too tired.
  • Tribonian
    Tribonian Posts: 39 Member
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    Great thread, thanks for your insights. I have been running since last July and have finished 3 HMs (1:58, 1:43, and 1:36) with my first trail HM in June and the SF full in just over 9 weeks. I had some injuries last fall so I am limiting my running to every other day which has me worried but I am cross training on my days off from running. Has anyone trained up for a full running only every other day? I'd be very interested in mileage/ training plans. I'm running at least a half every other day with long runs of (16, 18, 20.5 the last 3 weeks). My speed work (too infrequent) is always intervals on an elliptical to spare my joints on my days "off."
  • grinch031
    grinch031 Posts: 1,679
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    Great thread, thanks for your insights. I have been running since last July and have finished 3 HMs (1:58, 1:43, and 1:36) with my first trail HM in June and the SF full in just over 9 weeks. I had some injuries last fall so I am limiting my running to every other day which has me worried but I am cross training on my days off from running. Has anyone trained up for a full running only every other day? I'd be very interested in mileage/ training plans. I'm running at least a half every other day with long runs of (16, 18, 20.5 the last 3 weeks). My speed work (too infrequent) is always intervals on an elliptical to spare my joints on my days "off."

    You run a half marathon every other day?
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
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    Great thread, thanks for your insights. I have been running since last July and have finished 3 HMs (1:58, 1:43, and 1:36) with my first trail HM in June and the SF full in just over 9 weeks. I had some injuries last fall so I am limiting my running to every other day which has me worried but I am cross training on my days off from running. Has anyone trained up for a full running only every other day? I'd be very interested in mileage/ training plans. I'm running at least a half every other day with long runs of (16, 18, 20.5 the last 3 weeks). My speed work (too infrequent) is always intervals on an elliptical to spare my joints on my days "off."

    You run a half marathon every other day?

    :huh:

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