RUNNING A MARATHON 1 MONTH TRAINING

I would appreciate a training schedule which would allow me to finish between 4-5 hours.

I ran a half marathon 4 years ago, (when I was 17, currently 21) in 2 hours flat, with around 2 months training. 

 

I'm a lot fitter generally now but havent been doing long distance for a while.

Can someone give me a rough outline of a plan, I have 36 days, the more detail the better. 

Please don't tell me it's impossible etc I will turn up regardless and want to have the best chance of finishing possible in the best time. 

 

Thanks in advance loads, I have no idea how to best prepare in a short time period.

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Comments

  • TO CLARIFY IT'S 36 DAYS OF TRANING (ASSUMING 2 REST DAYS BEFORE), IM NEW HERE AND DON'T KNOW HOW TO EDIT

  • MillsyMillsy ✭✭✭
    Not impossible but sounds like it could be very painful.

    You should concentrate on the just finishing part rather than getting a time.

    How often are you running at the moment?

    How long are your recent long runs.



    To be honest I don't think there are any 1 month schedules. Most are somewhere between 12 to 24 weeks.
  • Schedule? No such thing with such a short time frame.

    Remember that in any case you can't gain or lose fitness in the space of 10 days so you might as well knock those of the time you've got left - they won't make any difference either way. 

    As Millsy asks, how long are your recent long runs? If not above 15 miles then you will  struggle.

    I'd concentrate on getting round and don't worry about the time. Realistically you are probably looking at 5 hours plus. If that really doesn't suit you don't do it at all, choose another marathon and save yourself the pain and disappointment.

  • I would get out and do a lot of walking.......most days.......will get your body used to being on your feet without the risk of injury from running.....

    then on the day go ahead and try and run as much of it as you can.and walk when you need to......

    You are young  and fit and with some walk breaks I'm sure that you will have no problems of doing it.......

     

     it will be painful and you might injure yourself on the day...but those can both ber remedied by a few beers and some rest

  • PG3PG3 ✭✭✭

    Start out with a run walk strategy from the start of the race.  Maybe run for 9 mins, walk for 1.  Go from there.  IMO you are more likely to get a better time doing this, than running half of it and then walking half as you are tired.

  • Is it silly season ?



    You can't train for a marathon in a month. If you could - why would we all bother with our 4 month plans.



    Enjoy your walk ! image
  • My friend actually decided to help me rather than telling me to quit.

     

    Here was his training achedule:

     

    Haha you could do that lol or this might help..... 1) 30mins 2) 40mins 3) 50mins 4) 5*4mins 3nins jog recovery 5) 40mina 6) 30mins 7) 70mins with minutes 20-30 fast to make the last 40hard similaring the last part of the marathon 10mins shakeout 9) 50mins 10) 6,5,4,3,2,1mins efforts 3mins jog recovery 11) 40mins 12) 50mins 13) 10mins shakeout14) 90mins race pace last ten mins fast 15) 10mins shakeout 16) 50mins 17) 2*10mins 18) 40mins 19) 30mins fast 20) 40mins 21) 100mins with random surges of between 1-3mins 22) 20min shakeout 23) 50mins 24) 25*1mins off 2mins jog recovery 25) 20mins 26) rest 27) 120mins 28) 20mins 29) 20mins 30) 5,5,5,3,3,2,2,1,1,1mins efforts off 2mins recovery 31) 30min 32) 3*8mins 33) 40mins 34) rest 35) 30mins 36) rest 37) race day 

     

    (any ammendments you would make)

    btw he's a pretty good runner, I won't specify how good but he believes it's possible

  • so his schedule has the longest training run at 2hrs and a fair few fartleks and speed work

    yep - that will work

    it's gonna fucking hurt though

    image

  • Sorry I really don't see the point of the speed work when you haven't done the long runs.

  • you don't really need to "train" for a marathon at all. I'd maybe go for a couple of jogs this week, and then taper.

  • I do like the bit on day 7 where he says to make the last 40 minutes similar to the end of the marathon. So that will be limping along going ow ?
  • seriously.do not think of any speed work at all..no gain to be got in the short time available and it increases your chances of actually getting injured..

     

     and to not have rest days when you are not used to running regulary is asking for injury again.

     

    i take it your friend has a bet on that you won't make the start line at all......

  • PhilPubPhilPub ✭✭✭
    cougie wrote (see)
    Is it silly season ? 

    The week before the London Marathon, and you have to ask whether it's silly season?  Come Cougs!

    OP: Yes, I would make amendments to your mate's suggested schedule.  I'd dispense with all the interval sessions and have a few runs around threshold pace at most, but concentrate on getting the mileage up as much as possible at an easy pace.

    One other thing... one of the more constructive responses was to ask you what sort of long run mileage you've been doing recently, but you've not answered that. Which makes "the more detail the better" rather redundant.

  • Make sure you do a couple of Parkruns leading up to the event, and have a bacon sandwich a couple of hours before the gun goes off (may as well put a second in your racing belt to take with you too)

    Failproof.

  • Ok, well the last "long" run I did was around an hour a couple of weeks ago, but it was through hilly countryside if that helps. Probably did around 8 min miling average.

    Just went for day 1...the 30 minute run, went ok, didn't have to stop etc, main problem was the cold (currently in sweden) so my lungs were not feeling great. 

     

    why are speed runs not a good idea? surely if you run a bit above the pace you aim for on the day that makes it easier?

    If I were to go out right now and do an actual long run I would probably blunder round a half marathon in 2 hours. 

  • There are no bets at all, I just want to do this with a friend from korea, who I will probably not see again for years.

  •  

    LMAO image

    We aren't asking how long in terms of TIME we are asking how long in terms of DISTANCE!

    Go on admit it, you're a troll arent you? A funny one though!

  • I don't know exact distances, I don't have a clue. All i know is I ran for an hour at roughly 8 minute miling. So probably 7-8 miles. 

     

    I'm not a troll FFS.

  • Can someone give me some concrete evidece, preferably referencable, as to why I should not do speed work. 

     

    I will just follow his plan if not. He is 2 seconds of olympic qualifying pace for 1500m for GB, and can run a marathon sub 3 hours without breaking a sweat or training. No I am not joking or a troll.

     

     

  • So you've only got to triple your distance and a bit more and you're done. Easy.

    Seriously Alex, if you come on here asking for advice you have to accept that you might not like some of it.

    Admitting you don't even know how far you went shows how woefully underprepared you are. You want to run a marathon and get a decent time with no training and for someone to tell you that you can. You can't. 

  • I am not a gaddamn troll. I know this guy, he's been my friend since I was 5. he created this programme for me. 

     

    All I wanted was just some advice on tips for training but you guys tell me to quit, tell me I'll get injured, etc etc, call me a troll.

     

    if you thing I'm a troll fine I don't really care but can you at least give the "troll" some help on the question asked. 

     

    I will upload a photo of myself at the start of the race and the finish line with a time. Untill then treat me as a troll. But at least help or don't post. 

  • "You want to run a marathon and get a decent time with no training and for someone to tell you that you can. You can't." 

     

    That's fine, but at least explain why I should not do speedwork, rather than saying something negative.

    All I want is some positive comments on how to train, not internet people to boost my ego.

  • A couple of people have given you good advice - you've ignored it because they're not telling you you can work miracles.

     

    Speedwork helps you to run faster (obviously). But it is not going to help you get round a 26 mile course when you haven't done the distance training - speedwork means nothing unless you build up the stamina first.

  • Thanks for this "Speedwork helps you to run faster (obviously). But it is not going to help you get round a 26 mile course when you haven't done the distance training - speedwork means nothing unless you build up the stamina first." 

     

    Doesn't it make runing at a lower pace easier though? So I'd be able to do it for longer?

  • longer than 8 miles? yes.

    running for 26.2 miles. Not a chance in hell.

  • "You want to run a marathon and get a decent time with no training and for someone to tell you that you can. You can't." 

     

    That's fine, but at least explain why I should not do speedwork, rather than saying something negative.

    All I want is some positive comments on how to train, not internet people to boost my ego.

  • PhilPubPhilPub ✭✭✭
    Alex Coward 2 wrote (see)

     

    Doesn't it make runing at a lower pace easier though? So I'd be able to do it for longer?

    If you had the luxury of more time to play with - and therefore more time to recover between training sessions - then faster running will help put the "icing on the cake" in terms of improved threshold, aerobic capacity, etc, which are admittedly related to (ideal) marathon fitness.  But by including too much intensity in the (highly compromised, time-restricted) training schedule, you just make the next easy-paced, longer distance training run harder to complete.

    Also if your mate can run a sub-3 marathon without breaking a sweat, he's probably a cyborg.  I can run a bit quicker than that but I sweat like a pig in foil.

  • literatinliteratin ✭✭✭

    I think somebody has already explained it: because you are not used to training very intensively, you are more likely to pick up an injury doing speedwork than you are just building up your stamina doing longer slower runs.

    My advice would be to make sure you warm up properly before you train and do plenty of stretching afterwards (i.e. at least 20 minutes).

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