First Marathon Prep

Options
124»

Replies

  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
    Options
    Jkowals123 wrote: »
    Do all you marathoners eat back calories on long run days? I am doing 1320 calories a day I didn't know if I should up that after long runs? Doing 14 miles this Saturday.

    Do you hate life? Why aren't you eating back those calories?!?
  • ZenInTexas
    ZenInTexas Posts: 781 Member
    Options
    AlciaMode wrote: »
    Yeah yeah, me dumb you guys so smart. I am glad to have helped some refill their glass of superiority.

    To those that were here to help not to judge I thank you kindly for your assistance and I look forward to getting my mini MARATHON on.
    You'll get a lot more help, assistance and support if you call your race by it's correct name. A person cannot give you advice on how to run a successful first 5k if they think you are running a marathon. Apples and oranges.
    Download the C25K app. That's all you need. Good luck on your 5k.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
    Options
    This makes me laugh. My boyfriend calls all running races "marathons" lol I'm like Uhhh no that is not a marathon. 26 miles vs 3. Big difference.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
    Options
    I downloaded a 5k app. It is a 8 or 9 week program that builds you up to running 5k. It's not c25k but very similar.
  • arussell134
    arussell134 Posts: 463 Member
    Options
    Jkowals123 wrote: »
    Do all you marathoners eat back calories on long run days? I am doing 1320 calories a day I didn't know if I should up that after long runs? Doing 14 miles this Saturday.

    When it comes to long run days, I try to go more by "feel" than worrying about exact calories. Are you hungry? Then eat! :)

  • kozinskey
    kozinskey Posts: 176 Member
    Options
    Jkowals123 wrote: »
    Do all you marathoners eat back calories on long run days? I am doing 1320 calories a day I didn't know if I should up that after long runs? Doing 14 miles this Saturday.

    Yes, it's definitely important to eat back at least some of the calories you burn, and to make sure that it's quality food. I found out the hard way last time I trained for a marathon that I wasn't getting enough protein to support my training level and fought off injuries for a long time. To be fair, I was getting enough calories, but the "extra" mostly came from donuts and margaritas ;)
  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
    Options
    Yeesh I can't imagine not eating back what I burned on a long run. Sure-fire way to pass out or become injured due to the body's inability to repair itself.

    Weight Loss and Marathons don't really go all that well together. They can if you are careful, but in reality the two things require somewhat mutually opposing courses of action with regard to food.
  • zaxx1953
    zaxx1953 Posts: 389 Member
    Options
    Kenny Powers said it best with regards to such things:

    https://youtube.com/watch?v=De7rbB2bteE
  • rrowdiness
    rrowdiness Posts: 119 Member
    Options
    AlciaMode wrote: »
    Yeah yeah, me dumb you guys so smart. I am glad to have helped some refill their glass of superiority.

    To those that were here to help not to judge I thank you kindly for your assistance and I look forward to getting my mini MARATHON on.

    Good luck with the 5km, welcome to the runner's club.

    5km by July is very achievable - you have close to six months to do it in.

    With this amount of time you could potentially look to do a longer distance than 5km (if you go in 3 month blocks you could go from 0 to 5km, then from 5km to 10km).

    I am very glad you're not doing the full 42.2km in July from a zero base. It would have completely turned you off running for life.
  • rrowdiness
    rrowdiness Posts: 119 Member
    Options
    ZenInTexas wrote: »
    Apples and oranges.

    more like raisins and watermelons.

  • SuggaD
    SuggaD Posts: 1,369 Member
    Options
    yusaku02 wrote: »
    I generally ate back only about half of what I burned on my runs. Part because I was trying to drop a couple pounds for the marathon so it'd be easier on my knees but mostly because I was too tired to cook up that many calories and just wanted to lay down

    Running makes me soooo hungry! I am trying to get ready for cycling and tri season (i.e., I want to be at my lowest weight), but running 30+ miles per week is killing my weight goal as I am starving all day lately. *sigh* I plan to train for a full marathon next year and can't even imagine the hunger!
  • congruns
    congruns Posts: 127 Member
    Options
    DavPul wrote: »
    AlciaMode wrote: »
    I just looked it up and the race I agreed to is a 5k so I should be fine

    those 5k marathons are the WORST

    I would say so too. The 5K is such a run till our out of breath for 25 minutes race, but I can feel more lively after a half marathon.

    Seriously anyone wanting to do a marathon for the first time, though there are tons of research and training guides out there, I think the best would be to find a local running club that has training plan for a particular large marathon. This will insure that there will be enough pace groups to choose from.
  • bobbijodmb
    bobbijodmb Posts: 463 Member
    Options
    Don't stress about using the wrong words. I think its common for new people. I have friends that post they are doing a marathon and they are doing a 5k and they know what a marathon is because they see me train.

    But to answer you question- you can do it. I actually didn't run my first real 5k until after I completed two half marathons. If you need some support, feel free to add me. I started running to train for a half marathon and now training for a full marathon!

    and I would rather do a half marathon anyday over a 5k. I find them much more challenging (just my opinion on where my preference lies-- distance over speed).

    My friend is doing his first marathon this spring and he's never done more than a 10k.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    Options
    congvo wrote: »
    DavPul wrote: »
    AlciaMode wrote: »
    I just looked it up and the race I agreed to is a 5k so I should be fine

    those 5k marathons are the WORST

    I would say so too. The 5K is such a run till our out of breath for 25 minutes race, but I can feel more lively after a half marathon.

    Seriously anyone wanting to do a marathon for the first time, though there are tons of research and training guides out there, I think the best would be to find a local running club that has training plan for a particular large marathon. This will insure that there will be enough pace groups to choose from.

    25 minutes? Did you get lost? ;)
  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
    Options
    congvo wrote: »
    DavPul wrote: »
    AlciaMode wrote: »
    I just looked it up and the race I agreed to is a 5k so I should be fine

    those 5k marathons are the WORST

    I would say so too. The 5K is such a run till our out of breath for 25 minutes race, but I can feel more lively after a half marathon.

    Seriously anyone wanting to do a marathon for the first time, though there are tons of research and training guides out there, I think the best would be to find a local running club that has training plan for a particular large marathon. This will insure that there will be enough pace groups to choose from.

    25 minutes? Did you get lost? ;)

    There is always someone faster. I ran 19 minutes at my last 5k and my friend who ran 16 asked if I got lost :)
  • spylaurens
    Options
    Running your first marathon is an amazing experience.
    I went from smoking a packet a day to running a marathon in 3 months. Main thing is to build up the km's gradually and try to run at least 4 x per week. Have fun, it's going to be an amazing ride :)
  • arussell134
    arussell134 Posts: 463 Member
    Options
    Here's what I'm starting to learn about running (after 15+ years of racing). Almost anyone can finish a marathon. But to run one well, you really need months of training (and I'd argue, past race experiences) under your belt. I finished a full marathon shortly after running my first half marathon. (It's not that much different is it?) It. was. a. train. wreck. My second marathon was much better because I'd been running for a good solid 2-3 years at that point. I tried running a third marathon too quickly after the birth of my child and it was the worst one yet.... and haven't run one since, lol.

    I just got back into running a year ago and am slowly working on improving as a runner. I am currently training for a 5k and putting in 20 - 30 miles a week to do it well (including tempo & interval work). My plan is to continue to run smaller distances of 5k - half marathons in 2015 and gradually build my mileage and work with a pro running coach to time the training of my next full marathon. I'm through with doing races to say I just want to finish, I want to do them well and not feel like crap at the end!! 26.2 is a heckova long way to slog through if you are running on less than your best. I've learned to respect that distance!! :)

    I think a lot of runners get pulled in too quickly by the allure of the marathon and risk injury by jumping into a training schedule their bodies aren't ready to handle. JHMO
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    Options
    glevinso wrote: »
    congvo wrote: »
    DavPul wrote: »
    AlciaMode wrote: »
    I just looked it up and the race I agreed to is a 5k so I should be fine

    those 5k marathons are the WORST

    I would say so too. The 5K is such a run till our out of breath for 25 minutes race, but I can feel more lively after a half marathon.

    Seriously anyone wanting to do a marathon for the first time, though there are tons of research and training guides out there, I think the best would be to find a local running club that has training plan for a particular large marathon. This will insure that there will be enough pace groups to choose from.

    25 minutes? Did you get lost? ;)

    There is always someone faster. I ran 19 minutes at my last 5k and my friend who ran 16 asked if I got lost :)

    True dat. I'll be racing this weekend, kinda spur of the moment decision. I hope I don't get lost either ;)