How much harder is a full marathon compared to a half?

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  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
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    I just began training for my first Marathon (Marine Corp) in October. Have only been a "runner" for a year, so I may be going into this blindly, but I am determined and focused, so we will see.

    You'll do fine! The first one is so exciting! Just don't expect to feel as good as you do after a half marathon!

    This was my first one. Well supported. Lots of spectators. Many good aspects to this one.
  • robmaguire1
    robmaguire1 Posts: 111
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    Thanks!! I ran my first Half at Disney World in January. Felt really good afterwards. Wound up with an IT Band issue in my left leg, but I have rested it for a few months while doing other stuff to stay fit (elliptical, weight training). Started running a few weeks ago and leg feels great (thanks to the foam roller).
    I just began training for my first Marathon (Marine Corp) in October. Have only been a "runner" for a year, so I may be going into this blindly, but I am determined and focused, so we will see.

    You'll do fine! The first one is so exciting! Just don't expect to feel as good as you do after a half marathon!

    This was my first one. Well supported. Lots of spectators. Many good aspects to this one.
  • ebaymommy
    ebaymommy Posts: 1,067 Member
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    The HM and the full are two completely different animals, from both a physiological and a psychological perspective.

    The human body, when properly fueled, can store enough glycogen to run about 20 miles. So, you simply have enough stored fuel to run a HM and you don't for a full. So, with the full marathon, you not only are contending with fatigue, but fuel issues. So, if you happen to go out too fast and start to get tired at the end because you don't have the fitness to sustain your pace, you also have to deal with the lack of fuel for your muscles. This creates the classic bonk, where you just can't go any longer.

    Psychologically, it differs because in most novice and intermediate training plans, your longest run prior to the race will be 20 miles. So, at a 9 minute mile pace, you will still have nearly another hour to run longer than you ever have when you hit the 20 mile mark in the race. Also, it's very difficult to convince yourself that a specific pace is what is right for you. You will have done so much training that you feel fantastic for the first 10 to 15 miles. You start to think "I'm running at x:xx pace right now like I planned to, but I feel great so I'm going to go 15 seconds per mile faster". Then, you hit 20 and those additional 15 seconds per mile catch up to you and you hit the wall. Had you kept your intended pace, as determined by your training and build up races, you probably would have been fine.

    If you want to do it, just make sure that you continue to run consistently and that you have the buy-in from any family members. The last 8 to 12 weeks of marathon training will consume you. You will nap on long run days and be pretty useless around the house. :) It's a big commitment, but it's extremely rewarding.

    I totally agree with that!

    I've done 4 fulls.....getting ready to do #5 (27 more days!).

    I will also add that the half is easier to "race" since it's fairly do-able to maintain one pace from start to finish if you are well trained. The full is really, really a mental game. You've got to run it smart or you'll find yourself somewhere past mile 18 with no gas in the tank and suffering every step of the way (been there and it's not pretty).

    The best advice that I try to repeat to myself and follow is....run the first 10 miles with your head, the 2nd 10 miles with your legs and the last 6.2 with your heart. Those first 10 miles (the first 1/2 marathon really) you've got to keep your pace in check and realize that no matter how FREAKING FANTASTIC you feel (all tapered, rested and carb loaded) you cannot go flying out at a pace faster than you are trained for. The 2nd 10 miles (or anywhere up to mile 18-20) you generally aren't going to be flying as fast because you're starting to get tired. The last 6.2 miles are just....hard. I can't say whether it will get hard at mile 20, 22, 23 or where but it will get hard and you will question why you are doing it. That's where the miles and miles of training and hours you've put in will come into play. You've got to be prepared for the mental and physical fatigue. It is possible to run a marathon and feel "relatively" good the whole way but it is still hard. My best marathon (not best time, but most smartly run) was one where I ran a super even pace the whole time. Sure, I was tired the last 2-3 miles but nothing overwhelming. I am aiming to run that smart of a race again next month. :)
  • femme62209
    femme62209 Posts: 327 Member
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    bump
  • DianeinCA
    DianeinCA Posts: 307 Member
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    I am so glad to read that everyone else hits mile 22 and gets whacked with the Bonk Board. Because no matter how I've trained for a marathon, at mile 22-23 I want to turn to the friend I'm running with and say, "Save yourself...go on without me." (I actually did precisely that on my last marathon, which was a grueling, horrible, terribly run marathon, because I just couldn't take it any more. I walked the last 3 miles, which I swore I'd never do.)

    I've been wondering if *more* pre-marathon training is the answer -- running 30 miles before a marathon, just to train my body that it *will* get through the 23rd mile, darn it.
  • zoom2
    zoom2 Posts: 934 Member
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    I am so glad to read that everyone else hits mile 22 and gets whacked with the Bonk Board. Because no matter how I've trained for a marathon, at mile 22-23 I want to turn to the friend I'm running with and say, "Save yourself...go on without me." (I actually did precisely that on my last marathon, which was a grueling, horrible, terribly run marathon, because I just couldn't take it any more. I walked the last 3 miles, which I swore I'd never do.)

    I've been wondering if *more* pre-marathon training is the answer -- running 30 miles before a marathon, just to train my body that it *will* get through the 23rd mile, darn it.

    To be honest, I never bonked...cramping is not bonking. Bonking/"The Wall" are glycogen depletion. I've hit that on a 5 mile run when I experimented to see how low I could go with my carb intake. Many people run entire marathons without bonking--the trick is getting enough simple sugars into the system early enough to carry through those last miles. The slower a person runs, the more they are fueling their system with stored fat, rather than glycogen, too.

    I'd be careful trying to run more than 22 miles or so in training. The more miles you do in your longest runs, the more time you will need to recover. Most training plans max at 20 mile for a reason. Much more than that and you risk not being recovered for subsequent long runs and race day.
  • essjay76
    essjay76 Posts: 465 Member
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    First off, congrats on your first half marathon, and finishing in the time that you did!! You'll only continue to get better! Don't qualify that with any statement about age - it's a huge accomplishment!

    Ahhhh... I agree with a lot of what's been said already. I'm kind of backwards - I jumped straight to full marathons without even running a 10k, 15k, half marathon LOL! (I wouldn't recommend it, but in retrospect I wish I did).

    You really have to respect the distance with a full. It IS a lot of training, time, and also taking a lot more care of yourself - making sure you eat right, rest, don't overtrain, sleep right, etc.) It requires a lot more time on your feet, and you do have to sacrifice a lot. Some people can just jump out of bed and run a marathon with little to no training, but if you're like most people, you have to put the time and effort into it.

    As others were saying, you do have to have a good support system. That's good that your husband is there to support you, as you will need his understanding!

    Also, I agree completely with what was said about breaking down the marathon: running the first 10 with your head... the last 6.2 with your heart... etc. A rookie mistake is to go out waaaaay too fast and just zonk out in the last few miles. Running a marathon is not just about the training, but also proper racing strategy. You have to consider your shorter distance runs, the course, the weather, elevation, etc. Number 1, you have to consider your mental state. You have to know that you're properly trained and that the only thing stopping yourself from doing it is you.

    Yes, for a first, you should concentrate most on finishing just to finish, and then work your way up to specific time goals.

    I learned that I LOVE the half marathon, because it's short enough where you can see improvement and recover quicker, but it's long enough to challenge and test yourself for the long haul.

    I say go for the full, you'll either love or hate it, but doing it will definitely change you in some small or big way.
  • seekingstrengthX2
    seekingstrengthX2 Posts: 771
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    You guys are so amazing! I feel like I need to print this and read it over and over.

    I had myself talked out of it yesterday and now you silly people have me thinking about it again. LOL.

    This site is just plain awesome.

    :smile:
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    A wise man once said a marathon consists of two halves, the first is a half of 20 miles and the second is six miles! Mentally and physically I'd agree! Train right, including at least three training runs of 20+ miles, and that second "half" won't be a problem :smile:
  • glittermouse
    glittermouse Posts: 590 Member
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    bump.. good info in here ;)
  • ekz13
    ekz13 Posts: 725 Member
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    good info , thank you..
  • sarahkbarnes
    sarahkbarnes Posts: 70
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    The HM and the full are two completely different animals, from both a physiological and a psychological perspective.

    The human body, when properly fueled, can store enough glycogen to run about 20 miles. So, you simply have enough stored fuel to run a HM and you don't for a full. So, with the full marathon, you not only are contending with fatigue, but fuel issues. So, if you happen to go out too fast and start to get tired at the end because you don't have the fitness to sustain your pace, you also have to deal with the lack of fuel for your muscles. This creates the classic bonk, where you just can't go any longer.

    Psychologically, it differs because in most novice and intermediate training plans, your longest run prior to the race will be 20 miles. So, at a 9 minute mile pace, you will still have nearly another hour to run longer than you ever have when you hit the 20 mile mark in the race. Also, it's very difficult to convince yourself that a specific pace is what is right for you. You will have done so much training that you feel fantastic for the first 10 to 15 miles. You start to think "I'm running at x:xx pace right now like I planned to, but I feel great so I'm going to go 15 seconds per mile faster". Then, you hit 20 and those additional 15 seconds per mile catch up to you and you hit the wall. Had you kept your intended pace, as determined by your training and build up races, you probably would have been fine.

    If you want to do it, just make sure that you continue to run consistently and that you have the buy-in from any family members. The last 8 to 12 weeks of marathon training will consume you. You will nap on long run days and be pretty useless around the house. :) It's a big commitment, but it's extremely rewarding.

    Well said!!
  • jenniebean1680
    jenniebean1680 Posts: 351 Member
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    full = 2x half.

    :wink:

    More like 3.5x half. :smile:

    ^^ This. Not sure who said it, but some running guru was quoted as saying there are 2 halves of a marathon: The first 20 miles and the last 10k. From my one experience w/ the full, this was absolutely correct.
  • sting8989
    sting8989 Posts: 21 Member
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    Twice
  • marathon64
    marathon64 Posts: 378 Member
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    bump for later-

    the full taxes your body in an entirely different way. It's great to have a goal and push yourself but when injuries creep in it can be discouraging. Train smart-and remember that goals are dynamic. I didn't finish my first full but I still hope I have a marathon in me :)
  • trijoe
    trijoe Posts: 729 Member
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    I've done a marathon, a bunch of half's, and lots of long course triathlons.

    The trouble with the "a marathon is two half marathons back to back" thinking is, imagine STARTING a 13 mile run when you're already sore, hungry, pukey, dehydrated, cramping, and close to giving up. That's the second half of a marathon.

    I'll say this also, at the risk of offending the hard core runners reading this: I'd rather race a 70.3 mile half ironman (which includes a 13.1 mile half marathon to finish) than a full marathon any day. It takes a lot longer, but the recovery is so much easier.

    Good luck, I hope you give it a try. Crossing a marathon finish line is one of the great moments of an athlete's life. What you can remember of it.
  • kdecourcey
    kdecourcey Posts: 5
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    Congrats on finishing your first half! Sounds like you had a great experience! I have run 2 fulls and 3 halfs and crossing the finish line is awesome! I have to be honest in that completing a full is tough! Your mind has to really want that finish and of course your body does too! My advice is to train smart and rest when your body tells you to! If your goal is to keep building on the half distance right into training for a full, I would give yourself a week or 2 of rest off the long run, and then build shorter distance weeks into your plan. So if you plan to start from 13 miles in two weeks then the following week only run half of that distance. Then run 14 miles the week after that so you are doing your long runs every other week instead of every week. Your body will thank you for it. More miles aren't always better miles. Don't forget your speed work, hill running and cross training (strength training, stretching, swimming, biking) on your off days or on your shorter run days too so that you aren't always working your legs and allow 1-2 rest days a week. The wall hit me around the 20 mile mark and at that time mental will really took over for me but i did make it to the finish line both times and it was amazing! The foam roller and stretching after your runs are your friends, remember them and best of luck to you on your marathon endeavor! If you can make it to the start line healthy, you will have an amazing marathon experience!:smile:
  • atsteele
    atsteele Posts: 1,358 Member
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    If you are trained for the distance and race it you can finish a half feeling tired but still good. After the full you feel like somebody beat you with a bat and dumped you on the side of the road.

    Yep. That's how I feel today. And DURING yesterday's marathon I WISHED that I was dumped on the side of the road because at least there was some shade. At the half marathon marker, I was on pace and doing great (much cooler in the first half and lots of shade). In the second half, it started to spiral downhill for me as the temperatures rose and there was less shade. I felt like I was being roasted. And I had to walk by mile 18... something that I had never had to do in my previous 4 marathons. Very humbling experience. The course was beautiful and volunteers were wonderful but the temperature really put the brakes on my PR goal. I was just happy to cross the finish line.

    On the upside, marathons are typically a great experience and I will continue to do them because I like that distance challenge. I feels great when you cross that finish line. It's always a great accomplishment, no matter what your pace is. I highly recommend trying one sometime... just be sure to be adequately prepared. And sometimes being prepared includes doing what you never imagined... like walking. hehe

    Congratulations to the OP on your half marathon!! Also a great accomplishment!! :D
  • slsmoot123
    slsmoot123 Posts: 98 Member
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    I'm training for the Army 10 miler, eventually I'll do a half. I have no interest in doing a full.
  • seekingstrengthX2
    seekingstrengthX2 Posts: 771
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    I'm training for the Army 10 miler, eventually I'll do a half. I have no interest in doing a full.


    You say that now. I never had any interest in doing a full either. Just wait... :tongue:

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