2nd marathon ..when you've never run one before?
AsellusReborn
Posts: 1,112 Member
Okay, on face I know that question sounds crazy. Normally the answer is NO, don't be stupid. But here's the backrgound.
I'm training for the Chicago Marathon. It will be my first marathon - my husband did it last year. I didn't plan to do Chicago at all this year, I'd been eyeing another marathon, but somehow got roped in to running it with my husband. I knew he was slower than I was pace wise but it didn't really occur to me what kind of impact that would have, other than, the marathon time I end up with will not be a real indicator of the effort I /can/ make.
But yesterday we ran 19 miles together and I realized his goal pace for the marathon is slower than my /training/ pace, by well over a minute per mile, and his training pace is multiple minutes slower than mine. I enjoyed spending the time with him and am committed to running Chicago with him, but I am not nearly as sore as I usually am after my weekly long run...and I am suspecting that Chicago will feel more like a long training run than a race.
Given that, we started talking about me possibly running a second marathon close to Chicago so that this training cycle can be put to a more productive use than capping out with a really long slow run.
So my question - is this a stupid idea, having never run a marathon before? The idea of doing 7 more felt really doable last night - I ran with my husband for the first 14 miles and had so much left in the tank I did the last 5 solo at just over 5k pace..which in retrospect I should have just bumped it to my long slow pace but I'd been out there so long doing the 14 that I was just ready to be done.
I'm training for the Chicago Marathon. It will be my first marathon - my husband did it last year. I didn't plan to do Chicago at all this year, I'd been eyeing another marathon, but somehow got roped in to running it with my husband. I knew he was slower than I was pace wise but it didn't really occur to me what kind of impact that would have, other than, the marathon time I end up with will not be a real indicator of the effort I /can/ make.
But yesterday we ran 19 miles together and I realized his goal pace for the marathon is slower than my /training/ pace, by well over a minute per mile, and his training pace is multiple minutes slower than mine. I enjoyed spending the time with him and am committed to running Chicago with him, but I am not nearly as sore as I usually am after my weekly long run...and I am suspecting that Chicago will feel more like a long training run than a race.
Given that, we started talking about me possibly running a second marathon close to Chicago so that this training cycle can be put to a more productive use than capping out with a really long slow run.
So my question - is this a stupid idea, having never run a marathon before? The idea of doing 7 more felt really doable last night - I ran with my husband for the first 14 miles and had so much left in the tank I did the last 5 solo at just over 5k pace..which in retrospect I should have just bumped it to my long slow pace but I'd been out there so long doing the 14 that I was just ready to be done.
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I think it'd probably be doable, but I wouldn't personally want to run a full marathon as a training run for my 'first' marathon so I wouldn't want the races too close together as you'll need to recover from that distance no matter how 'easy' it feels. Otherwise the goal of entering a second marathon to fulfil your potential will be wasted because you won't fulfil your potential anyway, because you'll have overdone the training.
My other observations would be:
1) if you're 'not nearly as sore as usual' after your weekly long run, that suggests that (a) you are nonetheless a bit sore, and (b) you're normally even more sore, which suggests that it would be a great idea to do your regular long runs a fair bit slower. I don't expect to be sore at ALL after a long run.
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2) if you're running close to 5k pace for 5 miles after a 14-mile warm-up you're nowhere near your potential at 5k either! Go race a 5k much much faster!0 -
I also think it's doable, but I agree that you might not want to do it that close to Chicago, because you will still need time to recover. What type of paces you are talking about here? What is your goal pace and what do you expect to do with your husband? The only reason I ask is because you have to consider that even though those extra seven miles will be done at a slow comfortable pace for you, you are still adding what I assume to be at least an hour to your running time and that is really a lot.
I also did my first marathon with a friend who was a bit slower than me and those last few miles were hard, not because of the pace, but the shear longevity of the race. We finished in just under 5 hours. It was pretty hard to run that last hour at a slower pace than I wanted to. I had the gas to go faster, and I just kept thinking to myself that I want to hurry up and get this done. Regardless of pace, don't underestimate how much energy is spent running for 4-5 hours.0 -
Well that's what I really am wondering, how close is doable? I know I'd need weeks of additional taper if I did this. I'm not sold on the idea.
I was also told that some soreness on my long runs is fairly normal during my first training cycle..I experienced it the first time I upped my distance for a hm training cycle too, but when training for my second race I didn't have any soreness except after the race itself. I do have some soreness after this run, usually it's my quads/butt but those are totally fine today, my calves are what is a little sore and they usually aren't so my guess is I adjusted my gait to adjust my pace to meet his.
I usually do my long runs around 10:45-11:30 depending on heat/temps; I go by feel. 10:45 is really too fast and I try not to do that, but it has happened occasionally. His goal pace for the marathon is 12:30. We did this run at 13:30ish. (I had no idea I could run that slow and not be walking. Apparently, it is possible.) I hadn't thought about a goal pace for me because I knew we'd be pacing off him but I also hadn't really thought through the discrepancy in pace until we ran together yesterday. It was very different.
Also, regarding my 5k pace, I hope to! I ran the last 5 miles at 9:30 pace just because my legs were so eager to GO. I haven't had time to race a 5K since before this training cycle started; now that you say that I realize that probably isn't 5K pace anymore...it used to be! I have made a lot of strides in speed in the past year and have not yet been able to race all of the distances to back up all that training. The marathon has absorbed all my time for the most part.0 -
If you're not sure you even want to do the extra marathon, and given that you're committed to doing this one at a slow pace, AND given what you say about your shorter distances, I'd say don't do it this time just because you 'might as well'. Just treat the marathon training as a really solid base, recover from the one marathon, and then SMASH those other distances, starting from 5k and working up. Then do a marathon in 6 months.0
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The only thing I want to add is that my first marathon wiped me out more than I thought it would. I had no idea how trashed I would be after... Physically and mentally. Granted, I ran it as fast as I could, but stlll... I was glad I had no races planned soon after (like 2 months).
Just something to think about; you have no idea how it will affect you.0 -
I done my first marathon and followed it with a half marathon really hilly trail run the week after, it just seemed like another training run that I had done the week before the marathon.
Saying that though, I really struggled with the half marathon I done at the weekend (combination of not enough sleep, screwing up my fuelling at the start, really hot (for a Scottish runner at least), really busy run where I couldn't really get a chance to hit my stride because of other 'runners' walking and just stopping in front of me), what are the closing dates for your 2nd marathon, can you do the Chicago, see how you feel and enter after you've finished??0 -
If you are running at your husband's pace in the marathon, and if, as you say, his race pace is slower than your training pace, then I'd say this is definitely doable. Treat the marathon as your last long run before the marathon you'll be racing. I'd pick a race 3 or 4 weeks out from your husband's marathon.
That said, I ran my second marathon five weeks after my first marathon and it was hell...but again, I was going all-out in my first marathon so I probably needed a month just to recover. That won't be the case for you, as long as you stay with your husband during the marathon. You'll really be running the marathon at more like an ultramarathon pace, and ultrarunners recover much faster than marathoners.0 -
If you are running at your husband's pace in the marathon, and if, as you say, his race pace is slower than your training pace, then I'd say this is definitely doable. Treat the marathon as your last long run before the marathon you'll be racing. I'd pick a race 3 or 4 weeks out from your husband's marathon.
this sounds right to me, too. I would say three weeks. That way it falls as your peak mileage. Also, I'd be tempted to not do much of a taper for the first one.0 -
Why don't you just each run your own pace at Chicago? You are still doing it "together." If you got antsy on a training run, imagine how you will feel with race adrenaline and competition pushing you forward while you have to hold back to keep to your husband's pace.0
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Why don't you just each run your own pace at Chicago? You are still doing it "together." If you got antsy on a training run, imagine how you will feel with race adrenaline and competition pushing you forward while you have to hold back to keep to your husband's pace.
Because we planned it as a couple's activity
We paid for the race photos too, and plan to cross the finish line holding hands.
Thank you all for the input! I am not sure it will even work looking at what Marathons are around Chicago, but I definitely feel good with the input here no matter which way I opt. Thank you! (And if I do add a second race I may be back to get advice on how to adjust my taper..)0 -
I think you could do it..I have only ran 1 full marathon..and I ended up running it a lot slower than I could have (mental thing) but I was actually less sore after that than any half I have ran, just because of the slower pace.
I just ran back to back halves this past weekend, a trail half on Saturday then I ran with friend for her first half..I was really tired and sore after the trail half (never ran trails quite this hard) but was very easy to get up the next day and run/walk with my friend for her first half. I think a lot of it just has to do with your training and fitness level.
run the half with your husband, it feels great to "help" someone else finish a race anyways...if it is an easy pace for you then you will be a tremendous help to your husband!0
