How demanding is marathon training??

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  • jamimari777
    jamimari777 Posts: 101 Member
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    Hal Higdon's plans are great, in my opinion. He has you gradually build up your endurance. I actually have more energy when training for something than when I'm not. If it's something you want to do, then do it. Along the way if it becomes too much, run a half-marathon instead. Good luck!
  • paruls86
    paruls86 Posts: 188 Member
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    Thanks for your replies and suggestions.
    Yes i know that 5K is a more real goal for me but for me to function i need to fix further goals or else i slack. Marathon is my ultimate goal and i know that i might decide not to go for it at any point of time...

    Thanks again and keep running
  • Richa_S
    Richa_S Posts: 78 Member
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    Let me clarify I am not training for a marathon atleast not for another two months or so. I have just started c25k and i realize that it is a long road ahead....
    I live with my in laws, work full time six days a week. I would like to know how demanding Marathon training can be not just in terms of the time spent in runs but also in terms of me being useful around the house.
    These days i workout in the morning and after i come back from work before dinner and barely contribute for chores. we have help for cleaning but not for cooking and other house related activities.... after my workouts i barely have energy left and usually all work is done i just want to know if it will take away more time in general not just for the runs

    Umm.. I ran marathon recently and to tell you the truth I enjoyed it... I didn't have any training but yes a solid will to complete the race... I have tested myself on pace 2 weeks before marathon and thrice and thats it!

    I can't run even a mile (till date & I am on c25k) but I did marathon for myself, I needed to do it... What matters is how badly you want the things but yes I had mentally prepared myself that whenever I would feel myself near to injury I will quit.

    If timing is not your priority and finishing the race is then take my words YOU CAN DO IT
  • thebigcb
    thebigcb Posts: 2,210 Member
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    I found it very demanding, physically and mentally. I trained once for completion, and once for time. I did a pretty "simple" training plan, but by the time the long run mileage got up there, that was pretty much my whole day. Get up, eat right, wait a bit, run for a few hours, get home, cool down, shower, rest. My energy was pretty much gone the rest of that day, and I would have soreness for the following two.

    I slept my best then, though!

    And it's not all bad, I am starting to train for my 3rd!

    I can run up too 15miles, and would still consider marathon training a killer. I think you would have to be quite determined, organised with your time regarding work etc and quite selfish as well.
  • macdiver
    macdiver Posts: 145 Member
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    Two things. First, to the poster about the man who ran the first and died. This is not completely true. Phidippidies was a running messenger who had run over a hundred miles in the previous few days. I forget the total milage but it was something like 150 or 200 miles . There is also debate and evidence that he did not die upon reaching marathon.

    I am training for my first marathon. My longest run so far has been 18 miles. I have a 20 miler this weekend. This will take between 3 and 4 hours of my time. Just for the one morning. I also run on tuesday, Wednesday, and thursdays of various distances. The shorter of these take me an hour. That is a huge time commitment. I do have energy after my long runs and do continue life as normal. I run my long runs slow so that I am not exhausted.
  • pabscabs
    pabscabs Posts: 61 Member
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    Why not start with a half and go from there? You get "half" the idea for the amount of time it will take and the toll it will take on your body.

    I just completed my first half 2 weeks ago, and I am running another half in 2 weeks. Already contemplating the full...


    Oh my my my my my...

    Well, this seems like a good a time as any to start bursting bubbles. If you think, for one minute, that running a full marathon is the equivalent of running two half marathons, back to back? Oh Dear God In Heaven are you in for some serious hurting. There is simply no comparing the two distances. Running a half marathon is fun and exciting and joyful and a big happy party. Running a marathon is fun the first half, then the second half is like having people kick and hit you as you pass them by. It's gritty and painful and stabbing and throbbing and lonely - oh so lonely - and emotional. It's everything a half marathon IS NOT. A marathon is all about the guts to keep going when all you want to do is quit and go home. It's about feeling uncomfortable, hot, cold, chaffed, exhausted, and defeated for hours on end, and STILL going forward through all of that. Marathoning is about reaching a state of pain and exhaustion and not stopping anyway. It's a dark beauty. And as harsh as this paragraph sounds, it is beautiful. But if you don't - or can't - appreciate the intensity of the physical and/or emotional toll it will take, then you're in serious trouble from your first training day.

    I'm runnning my first marathon in 5 weeks. I've been running 3 years and I've been training since Christmas. Running between 45 miles and sometimes 60 miles a week. I'm still not ready. I have 3 kids under 4 and I run when I can.

    Having said all that I have run 22 miles and it won't be the training that gets me across that line in 5 weeks time. Training only brings you so far. Everything above in that elegant paragraph is true but I'm getting a bit tired of people being told what they CAN'T do. That they don't understand.

    If you have the will to do it you can get up tomorrow and do a marathon. You won't win, you might not break 6 hours, you will probably seriously injury yourself and hurt really bad but you can do it.

    People who have run marathons sometimes give the impression that you need an elitest skill and mental toughness that ordinary people don't have. Guess what ordinary people are tough as nails, you have no idea what they are capable of. My advice, do it in stages and take your time, build up your distance but don't let anyone put you off your goals.
  • HMVOL7409
    HMVOL7409 Posts: 1,588 Member
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    Let me clarify I am not training for a marathon atleast not for another two months or so. I have just started c25k and i realize that it is a long road ahead....
    I live with my in laws, work full time six days a week. I would like to know how demanding Marathon training can be not just in terms of the time spent in runs but also in terms of me being useful around the house.
    These days i workout in the morning and after i come back from work before dinner and barely contribute for chores. we have help for cleaning but not for cooking and other house related activities.... after my workouts i barely have energy left and usually all work is done i just want to know if it will take away more time in general not just for the runs

    Umm.. I ran marathon recently and to tell you the truth I enjoyed it... I didn't have any training but yes a solid will to complete the race... I have tested myself on pace 2 weeks before marathon and thrice and thats it!

    I can't run even a mile (till date & I am on c25k) but I did marathon for myself, I needed to do it... What matters is how badly you want the things but yes I had mentally prepared myself that whenever I would feel myself near to injury I will quit.

    If timing is not your priority and finishing the race is then take my words YOU CAN DO IT


    A marathon that OP speaks of is 26.2 miles. Your profile pic shows a 21 K which is 13.1 or a 1/2. I wouldn't advise some to go out and run a marathon if they can't even run a mile.
  • redredy9
    redredy9 Posts: 706 Member
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    Having said all that I have run 22 miles and it won't be the training that gets me across that line in 5 weeks time. Training only brings you so far. Everything above in that elegant paragraph is true but I'm getting a bit tired of people being told what they CAN'T do. That they don't understand.

    If you have the will to do it you can get up tomorrow and do a marathon. You won't win, you might not break 6 hours, you will probably seriously injury yourself and hurt really bad but you can do it.

    People who have run marathons sometimes give the impression that you need an elitest skill and mental toughness that ordinary people don't have. Guess what ordinary people are tough as nails, you have no idea what they are capable of. My advice, do it in stages and take your time, build up your distance but don't let anyone put you off your goals.

    I don't think anyone means to say that the OP can't do it - but in her original post she said she wanted to go from C25K to marathon training in a couple months. I think progression at that pace is what everyone (or at least I was) advising against.

    To run a marathon is a wonderful goal. To go from couch to marathon in a few months is crazy.
  • pabscabs
    pabscabs Posts: 61 Member
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    @rededy9 - Don't mind me. I was in a bad mood trying to raise money for a really great charity. You are absolutely correct. I tried to run a half the first year I was running and did my knee in. just didn't want the poster to be put off. its a fantastic goal to set.

    After reading these posts I looked up our Greek friend who ran the first marathon. I only knew the basic story that he ran from Marathon to Athens and died.

    He was a professional runner who ran 140 miles from Athens to Sparta to ask for help, then 140 miles back to Athens in the days before the battle, marched to Marathon, fought a battle against the Persians in heavy armour and than ran the first marathon in approximately 3 hours. He died of exhaustion.

    I'm never going to complain of burning feet, lost toe nails or tiredness again.
  • paruls86
    paruls86 Posts: 188 Member
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    Thanks people I really appreciate everybody sharing their experiences yes i know if i start today i can do a marathon but not run it in a few months but like everything i want to finish strong. i am currently focusing on C25K and last days of 30 DS. I will decide what i will be doing maybe a week after that i know you don't need a weeks rest from running 5k but...:wink:
    The reason why i actually wanted to know this was because before i attempt it i wanted to know what i was getting into and all of you have helped me in that respect.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    As you're just starting C25K you're looking at least two years in the future for a marathon. By then if you decide running is for you you will gradually incorporate it around your other responsibilities and it becomes a routine like everything else you do. I do my training with a full-time job and I am solely responsible for ALL the household tasks, including shopping, cooking and cleaning.

    And I agree with the comments that stepping up any racing distance by 100% - whether 5K to 10K or half Marathon to Marathon - is far more than the sum of its parts, both physically and mentally.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    This thread is a head shaker.

    While yes it is possible to do & all that rah rah rah go get em stuff, the reality is thinking about running a marathon when you haven't even completed C25K, is like a kid who just had his training wheels removed from his bike, wanting to do the tour de france.
    Be patient. There are a LOT of distances between 5K & marathon that you should look to first.
  • razors_girl23
    razors_girl23 Posts: 32 Member
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    Why do you want to run a marathon so quickly? Good way to get yourself injured and never enjoy running again.

    I started running 2 and a half years ago, did my first 5 km in the first year, trained for the 10km the next year and trained for the half this year. Next year I will train for the full. Half marathon is doable for most people. Marathon is a whole different kettle of fish. I would think very carefully about jumping into the deep end so quickly.
  • klwtrask
    klwtrask Posts: 20 Member
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    Running a marathon is TOTALLY doable and yes can be time intensive, but it really depends on your goals. Check out the book Run Less Run Faster. It involves 3 days a week of running and cuts out all the "junk" miles. Make each run purposful.
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
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    Running a marathon is TOTALLY doable and yes can be time intensive, but it really depends on your goals. Check out the book Run Less Run Faster. It involves 3 days a week of running and cuts out all the "junk" miles. Make each run purposful.

    There is no such thing as "junk miles". Those miles that are commonly classified as such are to build aerobic base, which is what is required to run pretty much any race from 800m on up. Every run is purposeful, regardless of the pace.
  • ejwme
    ejwme Posts: 318
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    This thread is a head shaker.

    While yes it is possible to do & all that rah rah rah go get em stuff, the reality is thinking about running a marathon when you haven't even completed C25K, is like a kid who just had his training wheels removed from his bike, wanting to do the tour de france.
    Be patient. There are a LOT of distances between 5K & marathon that you should look to first.

    But isn't that the point of an online discussion about what it might take? Would you then tell the training wheel kid he should stop dreaming about the Tour simply because it's beyond his current reach? Or would you tell him to keep at it, anything is possible if you keep dreaming and keep training? And she's not talking about Boston, which could be considered equivalent, she's talking about finishing a generic marathon "strong"... which is entirely subjective and could include a 6 hour plus time.

    She's aware that it's not in her immediate future, but is exploring the long term. Personally, I've got my long distance races and training planned out for well over a year - it keeps me motivated and helps me keep things varied and puts all my runs in perspective. I see no reason why she couldn't plan to do a marathon in a year.
  • ixap
    ixap Posts: 675 Member
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    Running a marathon is TOTALLY doable and yes can be time intensive, but it really depends on your goals. Check out the book Run Less Run Faster. It involves 3 days a week of running and cuts out all the "junk" miles. Make each run purposful.

    There is no such thing as "junk miles". Those miles that are commonly classified as such are to build aerobic base, which is what is required to run pretty much any race from 800m on up. Every run is purposeful, regardless of the pace.
    tOTALLY agree w/ you, one exception being if you add miles just to add them the day before a key speed workout and compromise that workout
  • ixap
    ixap Posts: 675 Member
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    This thread is a head shaker.

    While yes it is possible to do & all that rah rah rah go get em stuff, the reality is thinking about running a marathon when you haven't even completed C25K, is like a kid who just had his training wheels removed from his bike, wanting to do the tour de france.
    Be patient. There are a LOT of distances between 5K & marathon that you should look to first.

    But isn't that the point of an online discussion about what it might take? Would you then tell the training wheel kid he should stop dreaming about the Tour simply because it's beyond his current reach? Or would you tell him to keep at it, anything is possible if you keep dreaming and keep training? And she's not talking about Boston, which could be considered equivalent, she's talking about finishing a generic marathon "strong"... which is entirely subjective and could include a 6 hour plus time.

    She's aware that it's not in her immediate future, but is exploring the long term. Personally, I've got my long distance races and training planned out for well over a year - it keeps me motivated and helps me keep things varied and puts all my runs in perspective. I see no reason why she couldn't plan to do a marathon in a year.
    Good post. These things are fun to think about. What's the harm??
  • klwtrask
    klwtrask Posts: 20 Member
    Options
    Running a marathon is TOTALLY doable and yes can be time intensive, but it really depends on your goals. Check out the book Run Less Run Faster. It involves 3 days a week of running and cuts out all the "junk" miles. Make each run purposful.

    There is no such thing as "junk miles". Those miles that are commonly classified as such are to build aerobic base, which is what is required to run pretty much any race from 800m on up. Every run is purposeful, regardless of the pace.

    I disagree if you don't have a purpose, it is junk. Not saying that an easy run or a recovery run is junk...those have a purpose. But if you are going out to run just to say you ran and compromising your purposful or key workouts, they are junk miles.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    This thread is a head shaker.

    While yes it is possible to do & all that rah rah rah go get em stuff, the reality is thinking about running a marathon when you haven't even completed C25K, is like a kid who just had his training wheels removed from his bike, wanting to do the tour de france.
    Be patient. There are a LOT of distances between 5K & marathon that you should look to first.

    But isn't that the point of an online discussion about what it might take? Would you then tell the training wheel kid he should stop dreaming about the Tour simply because it's beyond his current reach? Or would you tell him to keep at it, anything is possible if you keep dreaming and keep training? And she's not talking about Boston, which could be considered equivalent, she's talking about finishing a generic marathon "strong"... which is entirely subjective and could include a 6 hour plus time.

    She's aware that it's not in her immediate future, but is exploring the long term. Personally, I've got my long distance races and training planned out for well over a year - it keeps me motivated and helps me keep things varied and puts all my runs in perspective. I see no reason why she couldn't plan to do a marathon in a year.

    I'm not going to tell anyone to stop dreaming. But I would tell them it may take a bit longer to realize those dreams than they expect. She claimed she could start marathon training in 2 months, in running terms, I consider that pretty immediate future. And unless her training plan is 1.5 years long, it is my opinion, she runs a HUGE, and very likely risk of having a miserable marathon experience, if she is even able to get to the start of the race because she ramped up training faster than she should have.

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