How fit were you when you started marathon training?

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  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
    These are so inspiring! I can run 10k now, and have been running 5k, 6 day/week for 1 month now. The marathon that I have in mind is in May. My goal is only to finish it. I am going to start training tomorrow! Thank you all for answering my question!

    I would strongly recommend that you reconsider doing a full marathon in ~4 months with that training base. It would make a lot more sense to do a half-marathon first, then look for a marathon in the fall.

    To do a marathon in May, You would have to build up mileage very quickly, and you will very likely get injured. It is very satisfying to complete a half, and when you do a marathon after a year's effort, you will have a much better experience.

    I am usually not one to discourage people from trying to reach their goals, but I have to agree with this advice. It is very important for marathon training to have a strong base. The difference between a 5K, 10K and half marathon is just mileage, but the full marathon is an entirely different beast. Just having the mental fortitude really isn't enough. Your body has to be physically ready to run for 3, 4 or 5+ hours. I think it is important to understand that. I completed my first full marathon last year, after running regularly for 15+ years. I am very, very grateful that I had a strong base built up from years of running.
  • PeteWhoLikesToRunAlot
    PeteWhoLikesToRunAlot Posts: 596 Member
    I started in Feb 2010, couldn't run a half mile. Worked my way up to my first 5K in June 2010 on 15-20 mpw. Had back surgery in the fall and had to re-start in April 2011. Started making more gains in 2011, first 10K, up to 25 mpw. Kept it up, gradually worked up to 30-35 mpw through 2012, did my first 13.1 in Sept 2012. After that, decided to sign up for my first 26.2 in Oct 2013. Worked my base mileage up to 50-60+ through summer 2013, with some speed work. Did alright for the 26.2, missed my target but wasn't off by much.

    Agree with others who say that the 26.2 is an entirely different beast. It requires strategy in pacing & effort to manage your fuel to avoid hitting the wall when you get up to ~20+ miles.
  • runs4zen
    runs4zen Posts: 769 Member
    I started training in May of 2013 for an October Marathon. At the time, I could run 13.1 miles and had done so. I was in good shape, in other words. That said, when I started running in October of 2011, I couldn't run to the end of the block (from the middle) without getting a sharp side pain. By December of 2011 I could run 4 miles and it was onwards and upwards from there.

    Training your body and learning the science behind running is actually the easy part. Training your brain to be dedicated, single minded (where running is concerned) and determined to overcome obstacles...that's the hard part! It's also the part that is key to being a distance runner, in my opinion.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    A marathon runs near my house every year, around the 18-mile mark. After the first few waves, you get pretty much every ambulatory body type. It's not just a bunch of super-fit people. Thousands and thousands of very ordinary folk. When they can't run anymore, they walk. Shrugs.
  • Bonnieg318
    Bonnieg318 Posts: 156 Member
    First 5k I was 250lbs trained and completed in 44 min and sicker than a dog I should not have ran!!
    First half marathon at 240lbs. No my times were and are not great but I have finished every race I have entered! It's not about coming in first, it's not about beating so and so, it's about doing this for me. If I can better my last run by one second I am happy, I am happy just being able to get out there and doing it. It is very motivating seeing all sizes of people out there. I cheer when the front people make the loop back past me but I give encouraging words to the people that I loop back on. I was one of those last few to cross the finish line more times than I can count!
  • estatitra
    estatitra Posts: 80 Member
    Well thank you all for your comments. I am doing the training and today I ran 12.5 miles! I am so pumped and hoping to complete the training. I guess my cycling had put me in a good shape in terms of cardiovascular fitness. I started running in 2008, but had never ran more than 6 miles before. The clinic that I am training in, is following a very gradual increase in milage, and so far I have been doing well, despite running outside in -30 and snow!

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