VanderTuig1976 Member

You can expect to feel that way for at least a week (or longer) afterward. Sorry, I'm sure that's not what you wanted to hear. You just put your body through an intense experience so you are going to feel it. Google marathon recovery tips and take it easy for the next 2-3 weeks - you'll bounce back.

It's all about expectations. I had a great first marathon experience but my goal was pretty basic - to finish. That being said, I was consistent with my training and tried to learn as much as I could about preparing for and racing that distance (MFP is a good resource). In my training, my longest run was 20 miles so when I…

All of the half and full marathon courses I've ran have said the same thing. That being said, I need music to stay motivated and have always raced with earbuds (in one ear for obvious reasons).

I have a flip belt which I use mostly to carry sport beans, tissues, keys, etc. I hide my water on the route I'm running. I personally don't like to run with water in my hand or around my waist (I chafe something fierce). I must be part camel because I don't plan for water unless I'm running upward of 10 mile, and that, to…

I haven't read the other posts so this may be a repeat of what others have already said. For me, I do prefer sidewalks to roads up to a point. If I'm running at a time when more people are out, I usually default to the road to avoid the situation of having to quickly get off the sidewalk or vise versa. Also, sidewalks can…

I don't think going over 20 miles is necessary. I just completed a training plan that called for a 22-miler - I don't think it made a difference (meaning, I could have just done 20 miles and gotten the same results). In my experience, adding in more middle distances during the week was helpful. So, instead of an 8 miler do…

I just completed my third marathon last Sunday with a 15 minute PR; training was injury-free. During training, I had to split one long run due to not having the time to run the full distance called for. That being said, I'm not a fan of splitting long runs. I run about a 9:50 to 10 minute mile so I have the potential to…

Thank you both for the feedback. I like the idea of integrating elements of both plans into my next training cycle!

My running and lifting schedule do complement each other. Like I said in my OP, I had the opportunity to get in an extra gym session today but was wondering if that was wise due to tomorrow's planned long run.

Training for a race.

But that's my favorite part, lol

I know what you mean about T pace. During training and even when I was running the marathon, I got to a point where I knew if I slowed down and I wouldn't be able to pick back up;) I appreciate you pointing this out as I hadn't thought about doing any T training workouts as part of my training - will definitely do so now!

Yeah, this year I should definitely PR, lol! Great advice - thanks! I'll try the 10 min. mile pace on my long run this weekend and see how I do:)

Yeah, I think because my trainer had me working in the 8-10 rep range once every two weeks or so, I was not used to the overall volume which must have contributed to the soreness. It wasn't the same type of soreness as when I first started working out but it was enough to make me grit my teeth every time I got up from my…

This makes sense given the fact that I was going between strength and hypertrophy type workouts!

I did it, I did it, I did it!!!! Ran my first marathon (San Luis Obispo Marathon) on Sunday. It was such a great experience that I'm already looking for my next race! I finished upright and with a smile on my face - I even ran all of the hills (and there were lots of them) despite doing no formal hill training. The only…

Run some of your long runs on the race course or a route that is similar to the course.

Congrats!!! I am running my first marathon this Sunday. Best advice I can give is to pick a structured program and start it early so that if you miss a week or so, you can make it up. Also, if you go with a beginner plan, they usually only have you running the amount of miles to get you across the finish line. If you want…

On Sunday, I'll be running the SLO Marathon (my first, yay)!!!! So strange to feel both excitement and fear over an event, lol.

I practiced this weekend with my handheld and it worked beautifully! Thanks for the advice, I feel much more confident about my strategy!!!

You may want to start a bit early (few weeks) to give yourself some wiggle room in case "life" happens and you miss a long run or a week during your training - that way you have the time to make up the missed run or training week or even repeat it if you feel that it didn't go well. FWIW, I did this and was able to…

I actually have more experience with the handheld than my belt. The shorts I run in don't have pockets which is why I purchased a belt. The longest run I've done with the belt has been 15 miles, and, as another poster mentioned, I had to stop to take the bottles out and drink. I found it much more difficult to manage than…

Now I'm scared about pinning my gels to my shorts, lol!!! Thanks for the tips on how to carry everything using a handheld. I'm considering looking for some shorts with pockets and using my Amphipod instead of my fuel belt. I never considered switching arms every xxx miles - great idea! In hindsight, it was no wonder the…

The half where I used my handheld was in August in a location where temps can be upwards of 100 degrees by mid-morning. I used the water in my hand-held to squirt my head and chest every couple of miles - really helped to keep me cool and feeling good!

Thanks for the advice. Reason tells me to wear the belt.....it just looks so dorky (I know a marathon is not a time to worry about what you look like, but I just can't help it, lol). Plus, in the pictures from last year's race, I didn't see any of the other runners wearing a belt - I worry that I'll be the only one. I…

Strength training may help but it may not get rid of them entirely. I didn't lose as much as you but after having four kids, the skin on my stomach is feathery and droops. At one point, I had visible abs but I still had droopy skin. Best advice I can give is to accept it, continue to take steps to improve (strength train…

I didn't realize the GU chomps could be used to replace electrolytes - duh!!!! Guess I should pay more attention to the ingredients;) Thanks for the input!!!

I agree with this re total weekly miles. I wish I had known this when I was selecting my marathon training plan.