Moving on to a Full Marathon

ItsMeGee3
ItsMeGee3 Posts: 13,254 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've run 3 half marathons (plus another one next week). Although I like running the half marathons, it's getting to be kinda anti-climatic crossing the finishing line. It just doesn't seem to be a big deal. Should I move up to a full? That just seems pretty scary. Advice/Suggestions please.

Replies

  • ZenInTexas
    ZenInTexas Posts: 781 Member
    Sounds like you're ready for a new challenge, why not go for it?
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Or shoot for a better time at the same distance or a triathlon?
  • MelisRunning
    MelisRunning Posts: 819 Member
    Go for it!
  • bluefox9er
    bluefox9er Posts: 2,917 Member
    I've run 3 half marathons (plus another one next week). Although I like running the half marathons, it's getting to be kinda anti-climatic crossing the finishing line. It just doesn't seem to be a big deal. Should I move up to a full? That just seems pretty scary. Advice/Suggestions please.

    I say absolutely YES!!

    Training for a marathon is very different to training for a half…often times your training runs will be 20 miles, 15 miles, 17 miles…but I know if I can go from 5k to a full marathon in a year, then anybody can…just as long as you WANT IT and WANT it real BAD :-)

    Find a good training plan and try and work around it..just dont miss the long runs..they are the ones that will give you a feel for what it's like to be on your feet for long periods.

    But omg…yes you should try for a full :-) I really hope you do.


    good luck!
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    Only if you have a high pain tolerance. :bigsmile: Seriously, a full marathon hurts. I think halfs are the perfect distance, though I have done both.
  • supaflyrobby
    supaflyrobby Posts: 42
    I say go for it! And congrats on your already growing running resume.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    I second the triathlon!

    I dunno what is more exciting to me - trying to PR a HM, or the sense of accomplishment of a full. Two different animals, both with challenges unique to each.
  • STrooper
    STrooper Posts: 659 Member
    There was probably a time where the half-marathon seemed like an incredible challenge. Now, it sounds like not so much for you.

    Let's be honest about this. It is more than strictly twice the distance. The sense of energy expended is more than twice the energy output of a half-marathon.

    You'll likely find that when you get to the half-marathon distance in a full-marathon you'll feel pretty good and it will feel familiar. Don't get used to that because it is unlikely to last. Rather than twice the energy, it is likely to feel like twice-squared (or four times the energy output). And if you find "the wall" it will seem even more than that.

    Depending upon what training program and the longest distance you do in your long runs, you may come to a point in the marathon where you say " this is really, really hard." My training program took me all the way out to 26+ miles and the one I am using now takes me out to 29-miles three weeks before the marathon.

    The difference is that you may have enough of a base at half-marathon distances that it will only take a few months to up the mileage that you'll need.

    It will take a lot more dedication of time to go the extra distance...you just need to know that. There will be bad long-run days and maybe even bad short-run days.

    The good news: once you've done it and gotten yourself fully prepared for the full, you'll likely realize that you can run the shorter distances for fun and almost on a whim.
  • ItsMeGee3
    ItsMeGee3 Posts: 13,254 Member
    Thanks to everyone for your advice. I enjoyed reading each one. I think I'm ready to tackle it and I'm pretty sure my eyes are wide open. !To all of you who have done it, kudos to you. You are my hero's! I've only been running for about a year and a half. I must be CRAZY! I still find it difficult calling myself a runner. But I love it and I am proud of my accomplishments. To anyone thinking about starting to run, don't wait until you're 40+ to do it. LOL Thanks everyone
  • KristiRTT
    KristiRTT Posts: 346 Member
    I have ran 2 halfs and have just commited to my first full in June! My father and I race together, so we sat down and found a training plan and have made up our minds! It's very scary saying "ok 26.2 here I come!" But I just have the goal to finish, dad on the other hand has a time goal for us, we shall see! But remember to have fun throughout your training!
  • donrdon
    donrdon Posts: 216 Member
    I say go for it! I ran 2 full marathons this past year, prior to that I had done 5 1/2's. Completing the full was a huge accomplishment for me but I also managed to set PB in my 1/2 marathon during my training for the full. The training seemed to help with my speed in the shorter runs. So it's also giving me the challenge now of continuing to improve my times in both distances. As others have said the training is definitely going to be a huge commitment but if you really want it you CAN do it.
  • dan323
    dan323 Posts: 271 Member
    I did my first FM in November. Just like Don I did multiple HM's. Go for it, you will not regret it. I have my 2nd FM in April 1014. I can't wait. Good luck, you Can Do It !
  • bluefox9er
    bluefox9er Posts: 2,917 Member
    There was probably a time where the half-marathon seemed like an incredible challenge. Now, it sounds like not so much for you.

    Let's be honest about this. It is more than strictly twice the distance. The sense of energy expended is more than twice the energy output of a half-marathon.

    You'll likely find that when you get to the half-marathon distance in a full-marathon you'll feel pretty good and it will feel familiar. Don't get used to that because it is unlikely to last. Rather than twice the energy, it is likely to feel like twice-squared (or four times the energy output). And if you find "the wall" it will seem even more than that.

    Depending upon what training program and the longest distance you do in your long runs, you may come to a point in the marathon where you say " this is really, really hard." My training program took me all the way out to 26+ miles and the one I am using now takes me out to 29-miles three weeks before the marathon.

    The difference is that you may have enough of a base at half-marathon distances that it will only take a few months to up the mileage that you'll need.

    It will take a lot more dedication of time to go the extra distance...you just need to know that. There will be bad long-run days and maybe even bad short-run days.

    The good news: once you've done it and gotten yourself fully prepared for the full, you'll likely realize that you can run the shorter distances for fun and almost on a whim.

    Im thinking you must be following a very advanced training plan? I followed Higdon's novice plan and he doesn't advocate 1st timers going longer than 20 miles on a long run, let alone 3 weeks from race day. I could be wrong, but the OP might be better off doing a program thats a little more forgiving than demanding 26 and 29 mile training runs.


    I pretty much followed the novice plan and did exactly as Hal Higdon said ( and the advice of my mfp friends who have run multiple marathons) and mercifully didnt hit that dreaded wall…which I did hit squarely during a 20 mile training run recently.
  • katekross
    katekross Posts: 463 Member
    I'm in such rut right now, thanks for this post. I'm training for a half and have a long way to go!
  • STrooper
    STrooper Posts: 659 Member

    Im thinking you must be following a very advanced training plan? I followed Higdon's novice plan and he doesn't advocate 1st timers going longer than 20 miles on a long run, let alone 3 weeks from race day. I could be wrong, but the OP might be better off doing a program thats a little more forgiving than demanding 26 and 29 mile training runs.


    I pretty much followed the novice plan and did exactly as Hal Higdon said ( and the advice of my mfp friends who have run multiple marathons) and mercifully didnt hit that dreaded wall…which I did hit squarely during a 20 mile training run recently.

    Actually I did Galloway's "Train to Finish" plan which actually calls for a distance of 26 miles. The fact that I went two extra miles was a bit if mistiming on my part and I had to walk it. His "Train for Time" has you go out to 29 miles no closer least three weeks in advance of the marathon. Both programs are 6 month programs.

    Galloway's data suggests the following: unless you go much more slowly than you can on race day (right from the very beginning), the "wall" occurs within approximately one mile of the longest distance that you ran in the endurance training runs. My own training suggests a certain truth to that as the energy level drop that occurred on most long-distance training runs almost always occurred at about the distance of the previous long run. Most of my friends that have trained out to 20 miles have also experienced the same thing: their wall occurs at 19-21 miles. A couple of my friends with THAT experience trained out to at least 26 miles and didn't experience "the wall" this last time they ran a marathon.

    Of course, your mileage may vary.
  • waltcote
    waltcote Posts: 372 Member
    I know for me when I was in running shape and doing halfs and full marathons, I think the marathon, true you need to be in shape but it's more mental then just running especially after you hit the wall at 20 miles or so. 6 miles can seem forever.

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