Running/ obesity: am I being reasonable?

KateFrazer1
KateFrazer1 Posts: 10 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I love to run, and I don't have "weight loss goals" as such, just fitness ones. I'd like to run a marathon next year - or at least finish one - but I'd like some advice as to whether it's a reasonable goal or not.

To get started, I did my first 10k in August run/walking and finished in 1:34:43 and my first half last week (on an injury and at Disneyland so I kept stopping forfor photos) in 4:05:38 (I trained for 3:15 and picked injury up a few days before. Never had a sports injury despite being active). I weigh 298.5lbs and am 5'9" tall, so I'm morbidly obese.

My diet is something I'm working on. I'm vegan, I like carbs and when I work late I get "lazy food". I know diet is the only way I'll lose weight.

Taking these stats into consideration, how realistic is my goal of doing a marathon last year. I used to run and when I was about 230lbs I ran a sub-30 5k but I only started running again in June.

My plan is to join Parkrun on a Saturday, do ayou long run/walk starting at 50 minutes and increasing on a Monday and swim/ exercise class/ rounders training throughout the week.

Assuming I sort the nutrition and lose 10lbs per month and then stick to this exercise plan, is it viable to get a decent (for me - so under 6'hours!) time in a half next year?

I don't overtrain and I understand recovery. My foot injury was picked up last Tuesday at rounders and despite the half marathon on Sunday it doesn't hurt to walk on, I'm just not running on it yet. I have also been ache free since I got up Tuesday (didn't go to bed Sunday night as I travelled home overnight). I listen to my body really as I don't like injury so don't worry too much about that side of things!

I tried Googling some useful information before I came here and I just found a few threads on other sites criticising fat people for running marathons. I'm really not interested in that. Whenever I do a first my goal is to finish!

Thank you :)

I work funny hours but a better outline would help if you have a suggestion?
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Replies

  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
    I admire your goals. Anything is possible if you want it bad enough.

    I don't have any training advice, other than keep working at it, don't over do it, and watch your diet. There are free training plans online. Personally I recommend Jeff Galloway, since he incorporates a run/walk method.

    You might pop in to the MFP monthly running challenge group. There are folks that have been where you are.

    Good luck!
  • dewd2
    dewd2 Posts: 2,445 Member
    I don't see why you couldn't. And at your weight losing 10 lbs a month or even more is possible.

    Getting your diet under control will be the key. You need to do this now because once you start officially training for the marathon your runs will start getting longer. That will not be the time to lose weight and you will need to be mindful of getting enough protein and carbs. So I suggest working on diet and keep on running (while listening to your body of course).

    Good luck.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
    I would be less worried about the weight and more about the pace. I understand that pace should drop with additional training and weight loss, but it goes up as distance increases (as you must slow in order to sustain the pace over a longer period of time). I've done halfs before. I'm doing a 26k in 2 weeks and as I've learned on this training cycle, miles 12-16 are at least twice as long as miles 1-12 (I'm kidding but they certainly feel that way) and a marathon is another 10 after that. I'm also not the fastest runner on earth and my training runs have become what feels like an all day affair (by the time I'm out, run, back, cool down, stretch, recover, eat, etc.). And that's only 16. Marathon training for me would be a second full time job in terms of time required to do the miles.

    I can't fathom attempting to really make great improvements in my pace while simultaneously really bumping up my mileage. I would like to do a marathon at some point, but I'm not going to consider it until my time for a half is in under 2:30. It's your choice obviously, and I'm sure it's possible, and I've never run a marathon - so feel free to ignore.
  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
    edited September 2017
    You know @Duck_Puddle makes a good point. Why not put the marathon as a 5 year goal?

    10k to HM are great distances and are easier to manage on a weight loss program. No reason to start at the top and work backwards.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Perhaps a half marathon on the agenda with a couple other 10K's as training wheels to get you up to marathon level?
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    I think if you can run a half now, then running a marathon next year could be a reasonable goal, but the six hour time frame may be a crunch if your half time is 4:05.

    That said, many people find that they get faster as they lose weight, so if you're doing this in conjunction with weight loss that could also be the case for you. I find it really hard to lose weight when I'm marathon training -- being at a deficit just doesn't work for me when I'm doing a lot of miles, so consider the timing of your marathon and when you actually want to start training.

    Other things to consider: Do you have a specific marathon in mind? Is there a season where you'd prefer to train (I like training in the summer and running in fall, for example)?

    My advice: look at a marathon training plan and focus on working up to enough weekly miles to match the first 1-2 weeks of the plan (Hal Higdon has some good ones, I used his Novice plan for my first marathon last year).

    The running community is for everyone and I truly don't understand the mentality of runners who would criticize fat people for running a marathon. To me, a big part of the joy of running is the variety of people who are involved in the sport and the different paths we all took to get to the starting line. So don't pay attention to any of those people because you're a runner and you're part of the community.

    By the way, I'm also vegan and I love carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are actually great fuel for running, so I consider myself lucky to enjoy them so much!
  • fiddletime
    fiddletime Posts: 1,868 Member
    When I ran the NYC Marathon, my first, it was great. Lots of people slow jogged, my apartment neighbors walked it in 8 1/2 hours, and world class runners were in the front. I think it's an attainable goal, even if you do a jog/walk.
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,854 Member
    It should be possible, but I would increase the odds by choosing a race that doesn't have a 6 hour cut-off. I have followed some runners on RunnersWorld who started running while morbidly obese. Getting to the point of being able to run a marathon took them more time than they expected, but they started from zero. You're starting from HM level fitness. As you lose weight, your pace will pick up naturally. Running more miles will also help, just be sure to do them as easily as you can. Don't do speed work right now. Walking as briskly as you can on your non-running days will help. If you can walk 4 mph, you can walk a marathon in 6.5 hours.

    For inspiration, Google Mirna Valerio, aka Fat Girl Running. She's an ultra runner who doesn't let her weight stop her from stretching her limits.
  • AmyOutOfControl
    AmyOutOfControl Posts: 1,425 Member
    I second the run/walk method of training. I am running my first full marathon in December and it is how I train on my really long runs. I say go for it! You can always change your mind later.

    Oh, I also share an extreme love of carbs (see profile picture). Especially fresh baked bread. I have a friend who owns a bakery and bakes the best sourdough EVER. Philosophical question: If the sourdough loaf gets eaten in the forest, after a run, and no one is around to see it - Do the calories count? ;)

    FYI - Check out this video of awesomeness. I am so jealous of her ability to trail run those distances. I am so uncoordinated. I can barely slowly hike on semi-rough trail without almost killing myself. Only smooth flat untripable surfaces for me. :)

    https://www.facebook.com/REI/videos/10155725179421484/
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,247 Member
    It sounds like you've got the aerobic base and the determination.

    I started running at about 235lbs and we're pretty close in height so if you stick to your nutrition & exercise plan it's very doable. What I'd also suggest is finding a good training plan (Hal Higdon has a Novice Supreme - 30 weeks intended for new runners or an 18 week Novice 1 plan that starts with 6 miles on Sunday) and I'd second JoRocka's suggestion of getting maybe another 10K & HM in along the way if you can, these would be great benchmarks for your improved fitness.

    Good luck & have fun!
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    My concern because I've seen it happen to others that enjoy running - is the damage done to the joints now with the extra weight attempting to do so much, makes it painful to run later when lighter and really able to better.

    Some may have better genetics for this though. Which means some are worse. If it goes wrong direction - expense fix. Err on the side of safety?

    I'd suggest keep at the jog/walk routine for training with more walking, and during the race too of course with perhaps tad more jogging.

    Just have to work the math backwards for max allowed finish time, or be prepared for finishing when they have closed up and only family is there and your watch is official time.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    http://fatgirlrunning-fatrunner.blogspot.ca/
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    With heavier weight and impact of running, you have a higher risk of injury. Doesn’t mean you will have an injury; doesn’t mean you shouldn’t run. That’s just the way it is and you can make your choice. You can lessen that risk by taking certain steps during training, proper footwear, etc. Nobody can tell you “yeah, no problem, you can do it” or “OMG, you’ll drop dead and ruin your knees in a week”. No one else’s anecdotal experience is really relevant. Start slow, increase g-r-a-d-u-a-l-l-y, give your body time to adapt, pay attention to how the body responds. Good luck.
  • KateFrazer1
    KateFrazer1 Posts: 10 Member
    Had a proper read through of these and I should add that I have a 10k fun run potentially in November and I really want to do the local half marathon in March (it's a hilly route and I want to hit under the 3:15 mark simply to prove that I could have achieved what I trained for last week without the poorly foot and I figure the hills will extend my time). I appreciate people's injury concerns but I've been obese my whole adult life and I've run off and on and in all this time the closest I've got to an injury is foot pain that has now gone away completely (well, I've walked 7km this evening in new shoes and it doesn't even twinge!). I plan to stick to the run/ walk plan as long as possible anyway!

    5 year goals really don't work for me! If I don't sign up to run a marathon in 2018, I won't get my body into enough shape! I didn't get as much training in for my half as planned (signed up with 16 weeks to go, worked crazy hours the first 4 weeks, was on holiday next 2, had another holiday in that time, then the heat got too much, I was grateful to finish the 10k as I only signed up to it to force me to run longer than I had managed and 6 weeks later I was waiting at the start line of the half marathon praying I'd finish). If I say I'm doing it in 6 months with a 10k and another half booked in, I'll smash the finish time.

    I've estimated that to complete a marathon in under 6 hours I need to do a half in around 2:45 - would you say this is fair? My other fitness goal at the minute is to do a sub-60 10k next year too. Obviously weightloss is essential for both my goals, but I am able to dedicate a lot of time to exercising (I work 6 days a week, but only a few hours each day as it's all client based. Only day I can't train at all is Sunday).

    My running shoes are perfect for me as I got that sorted before I started, it's actually the fact that I was wearing a pair of "stop gap" shoes to rounders that my foot hurts so I won't go to the supermarket again!

    I've never been inactive. 42.2km doesn't scare me as a distance, simply because I class anything within 16km as "walking distance" (I don't drive and buses are irregular where I live.) I'm hoping to build up to walking to and from the nearest major shopping centre to me which is 20 km away.

    I think I mentioned with regards to pace, that I did the 5k in under 30 minutes and my goal with Parkrun is to get a baseline when I do my first run and then work towards getting my pace back by the end of the year (it took me about 2-3 months to achieve that the first time around and I can train more now).

    Google tabs of both Mirna Valerio and Hal Higden are open to see what I can learn :)

    At what point will I realise I can't do it? In other words, if I said "I'm doing a marathon in 12 weeks time and will run/ walk it in under 6 hours", what level of fitness should I have now? As in 10k/ half marathon times, furthest distance run etc. (Purely hypothetical, but it helps me to work out what "pre-training" will help me!)
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,854 Member
    According to this race predictor https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/marathon-calculator/ you would need to be able to run a 2:35:00 HM in order to run a 6 hour marathon.

    That said, marathons are very unpredictable. There are no certainties. Weather, injury, stomach upsets, etc. can end up messing with the best trained. Most likely to screw up your time is poor execution. It is really easy to start out too fast because you are excited and well rested from taper. Even 10 seconds per mile too fast can result in a blow-up in the second half. As a new marathoner, you won't have the endurance that most marathon predictors assume. More miles and more experience makes for better execution and much better stamina.

    Which is why I recommend doing a race with a later cut-off for your first, if you can. Take the pressure off. Or do the race, and if you don't make it within the cut-off, at least you will have learned something that you can use in your next race.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Shoot for distance before speed. Learn from the tortoise.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    edited September 2017
    From the aspect of having plenty of time you mentioned - but exercise is generally not a great fat loss mechanism (it allows you to burn more daily, therefore eat more daily - compared to if you didn't exercise).

    Walking is a primarily fat burn workout. (unless you just ate, insulin is still up, and you are burning what you ate first)

    Fat doesn't need to be replaced though as calories, not compared to mainly the carbs are useful.

    Meaning if you had energy to do say 10 mile jog/walk - to aid recovery you'd really need to eat some calories back to get enough protein for repair and carbs for restocking, in order to do the workout again.

    But if you had the time to do that same 10 miles walking at decent pace - not as much recovery needed (at your level perhaps none) and not as many carbs for restocking (what would be in normal diet).

    So you would not need to eat more to cover that workout (perhaps you do though). I'm not a big proponent of not counting exercise as increased daily burn and factoring it in to keeping a reasonable deficit. I'm almost always say it matters, and generally it does.

    But reasonable for you right now can be much bigger deficit than for others.
    And walking great distances as primary fat burner could be great way to aid it off quicker.

    I am not suggesting the following as a program to follow - merely pointing out what the extreme is capable of accomplishing - and aspects of it can be accomplished in more moderate method. I've known the above for years from some research in the late '80s - but in general workouts it's very difficult to know your rate of fat:carb burn ratio for workouts - whereas walking is for sure mainly fat if kept reasonable. Hence the reason for success in the following study:

    https://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/time-efficient-reduction-fat-mass-4-days-exercise-caloric-restriction-research-review.html/

    This could fit in well for perhaps walking for the time goal you plan to have - if you really have that kind of time.
    Even now - working your way up to it of course - only increase time by 10%, since distance likely won't be that much anyway.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,865 Member
    As others have highlighted if suggest that the main concern is your pace. I have seen many heavier runners complete marathons, in fact one I know recently joined the 100 Marathon Club. But given your target HM time you're looking at an 8 hour marathon.

    Plenty of good advice here though, so I won't repeat it.

    Do you have a race in mind?
  • bebeisfit
    bebeisfit Posts: 951 Member
    I don't have any advice but wanted to encourage you. I have run a couple of halfs but never wanted to run a full. I admire anyone who takes on a lofty goal. Good luck!!

    Only you will know if you're ready. Consistency is key to your training.
  • yourfitnessenemy
    yourfitnessenemy Posts: 121 Member
    Go for it! I highly recommend the book "Marathoning for Mortals" by John Bingham for you; I read it when I was doing my first marathon.
  • andysport1
    andysport1 Posts: 594 Member
    Of course you can do it.

    Oh and good on you for getting up and getting out.

    As for diet/weight loss look up ketosis or lchf diet its real easy.
  • KateFrazer1
    KateFrazer1 Posts: 10 Member
    I've read what you've all said and had a proper think. I know it's something I want to do, and I want my first marathon to be special, so I don't want to be targeting a 5:59:59 in a 6 hour cut off time as it will be stressful. The one I had in mind is local to me (fulfilling the special requirement as it's my county) and is flat, but the downside is it's in April, so that's probably not viable. The timing requirement is 6 hours, with anyone failing to reach mile 20 at 5 hours being pulled and no official times after 7 hours. I was okay going over the cut off at my half as I knew I was injured and to run would mean I'd be in pain still a week later, but for my first marathon I want to finish strong!

    There is another one the day before my birthday in May and I'd love to mark 26 years with 26 miles, but again, I worry it's too soon. It's in the city near where I went to university, so I have lots of memories in the area, again being special. This has a 6 hour cut off and the original plan for this weekend was to do the half as then I can do it with my friend (who I have coerced into running this week!).

    I'm researching marathons in the second half of the year to buy me the weight-loss time and time to work on my pace. There's one near my sister in October (giving me 54 weeks to train) and that would be ace as it means my little nephews could come and watch me finish. (And it's one of my favourite cities anyway). It's another flat course, so that would help. I live in a really hilly place, so that helps.

    I live in the UK, but will travel if you can recommend a good marathon for a first? As I said, it has to be special. I've wanted to do it for years and this past 3/4 months I've decided to start chasing it!

    My plan of action is to work on my 10k and half marathon times. I was feeling confident of getting down to 3 hours for the half in March I have planned (injury free, it's not Disneyland, weight loss and training = perfect conditions), but the prospect of getting it down to around 2:35 as spiriteagle99 has stated has given me a reality check. Unless that is a possibility in 5.5 months? Once I get in the region of 2:35, I'll start to consider it!

    So now I guess the question is: best way to take a 90 minute chunk off my half marathon time?

    Cheers for all the help so far! Got my first run back tomorrow morning!
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    5 year goals really don't work for me!

    so you have no long term goals in your life at all?
    no debt reduction- no house ownership goals- no personal development goals? nothing?
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,854 Member
    Tentatively aiming for the October marathon sounds like a good idea. If you can wait to sign up, I would. (I paid for four races in my first two years I didn't get to run because of various overuse injuries. That was money I hated to waste.) Some races fill up quickly, others stay open until the week of the race. If you can wait to see how your training goes, you'll save yourself some money. Or if it's a race that offers both HM and full marathon options, you can sign up for the full and change later, if needed. As stated above, focus on weight loss and slowly increasing your weekly mileage. Both will help your speed, as long as you do both cautiously.
  • KateFrazer1
    KateFrazer1 Posts: 10 Member
    JoRocka wrote: »
    5 year goals really don't work for me!

    so you have no long term goals in your life at all?
    no debt reduction- no house ownership goals- no personal development goals? nothing?

    Nope. Long term goals fail, short term goals succeed. I've tried them. That's why after "many years of wanting" I'm now calling it. Otherwise it won't get done.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Surely your first marathon will be special because it's your first marathon...?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Also, I wouldn't worry about your 10k time if you have a half planned in - as others have said, your speed will improve as you get more weekly mileage. My running has also vastly improved by adding in cycling as cross training.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Ditto's to blunt but true - move less mass.

    Not only will pace pick up from the same level of effort, the mere fact of going faster also improves form usually and gives an extra speed increase there too.

    See the difference potential.

    http://www.runningforfitness.org/calc/diet/weighteffect

  • KateFrazer1
    KateFrazer1 Posts: 10 Member
    Heybales that calculator is fantastic! 4lbs = 2 mins potential at my weight so I'm gonna focus on weight loss for the next 12 weeks (keep running/ swimming/ rounders up but get the diet right and hopefully 30lbs off and then refocus for the local half in March).

    And I know it will be special because it's my first, but I ran my first 10k down the streets of a town I know and love and my first half in Disneyland Paris, I want it to be doubly special! And also flat.
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