Is a marathon a good idea?

Hi everyone,

Just looking for a bit of advice quickly...

I was thinking of running the Edinburgh marathon in June, but I've never done any kind of formal running race. I currently run 10K 3 or 4 times a week to keep fit, and am well used to hiking 20+ miles. Am I deluding myself to think that I could train for a marathon?

Thanx
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Comments

  • Its a dreadful idea

    You will lose all your toenails and get taken over by the training and become a running bore
    Oh and you wont be able to walk after, and youll get a nasty virus within the next month



    But if its an ambition

    JUST DO IT

    Im doing my second, its no easier
  • Well, why not? It probably won't feel like a good idea at say, 18 miles, but it'll be too late to change your mind by then, so go for it. . . .

  • TH - of course it's not a good idea - how can running 26.2 miles be a good idea?

    But somehow that's part of the attraction!!


    But if you insist . . . if you hike 20m regularly then you're used to spending time on your feet. So you need to extend a couple of your runs each week. I'd find a schedule on this site and go for it.

    What have you got to lose?

    Apart from toenails, general health, the ability to walk and most of your friends?
  • One slight problem might be that I am pretty sure the ballot has closed for this. Means that the only way to get in will be with a charity place, which might be a large amount to guarantee to raise.
  • SmitchSmitch ✭✭✭
    Anyone thinking of doing the potteries marathon?
  • SmitchSmitch ✭✭✭
    I don't think I could walk a marathon, let alone run one.
  • It's a terrible idea, Thomas. To run a marathon "properly", you need at least a year of consistent running behind you, followed by 6 months of marathon-specific training.

    Fortunately, there's no rule that says you have to run it "properly", and if you want a marathon and you want it NOW then go for it. If you can hike 20+ miles your ability to finish is not in any doubt.

    I'd certainly advise securing a place as quickly as possible (there are only charity places left for Edinburgh now) and getting stuck into a 12-week training programme ASAP. You will need those long runs.

    I hope you have a great race!

    Cheers, V-rap (I've been there - I completed a marathon with the worst possible preparation and enjoyed it all apart from the three hours spent on the last eight miles...)

    Ps. Marathons are a silly idea anyway. Let's run till we've got no fuel left in our legs, then try to run some more...if Pheidippides had been a woman, the story might have been very different.

  • good point Vrap.
    A woman would have set off sooner so she didn't have to run the whole way. And she wouldn't have collapsed and died at the end either.
    Why ARE we running a marathon?
  • I have just joined up to run the Edinburgh marathon in June to raise money for CHAS. I am quite a new runner. Furthest I normally run is 10k - any advice for how to make it :o)
  • Any other FLM 04 beginners want to try working through one of the schedules with me. I'm aiming to start the 'intermediate'. Come on, you KNOW you want to
  • Hi ALL,

    I have been looking at the intermediate schedule as well:I think I have a place in flm:It will be
    a club place which gets confirmed next week.If I get it this shall be my 3rd marathon that I
    will be doing although my times have not been that brilliant:pb-edinburgh 5:35,when I went to do dublin
    I had a tummy bug the week before,and a few personnel problems on the day so my time their was
    6:00 hrs,and I was pretty upset at that.Although I did finish it.

    Now with flm around the corner,I would really like to get a decent time to finsih:I would like
    to complete in around 4.00-4.30.I really want to get the time down dramatically.Am I being
    realistic about this?? or is this just for faster runners.

    My 10k time is 59.00:And also for half marathon times is 2hrs 28mins.Has anyone any advice
    on what schedule to go for,I have been running for about two yrs now.Any advice greatly
    appreciated.

    Daisybop!!
  • Not done a marathon so not really qualified to say yes or no! However, done a few half marathons and they can be challenging enough! The big problem I see with training for marathons is the time committment required. It can be bad enough for halfs. Weigh up the fact that you need to do regular training runs, quite often at distances of around 20 miles, work out the time needed to cover the distance, to warm up, warm down, change, shower etc and you realise that each training run is going to demmand several hours of your time. Big question is whether your job/lifestyle has room for such a big committment.
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Hi daisybop

    I think you should just aim to get a PB, and chip away at those times gradually. After all you know how various things can affect race day so don't set your sights too high. You're not going to give up marathon running, are you?

    If you can get the training in, maybe do a 2.20 half marathon (your 10k time shows you are capable of that), then you should be able to do a sub 5 hour, which will be a huge improvement, and also another milestone.

    Of course, as you know, all depends on the training.....
  • Hi Lms & Shades,

    Thanks for the advice:I think I will go ahead and try and start the intermediate programme,and
    see how I get on:Should find out on thursday if I have the club place.Lms I have the time
    and also the commitment to train for a marathon which is a good thing also.Thanks for the advice.

    Shades cheers,maybe I am trying to set my sights to high to fast.So I will just go and chip away
    at my pb best and hopefully shall manage to get a sub 5 fingers crossed,that all the training
    goes well.


    Bye for now
    Daisybop!!
  • Hi guys, Daisybop you are well qualified with those splits for a 4:00-4:30 marathon. Last year was my first and despite the heat, the amount of people etc etc I "comfortably" ran at 4:29, and my times for 10k, 10m and 1/2's were very comparable with yours. It is the most humbling day with 1m people cheering you on and I jogged and enjoyed the atmosphere, this time I will run it and am aiming for 4:00. So decide what you want from your first marathon; run to soak up the day (I can't put it into words how amazing it is) or run it for a challenge.
    Don't get hung up on the distance - before you know it on the day you are running over London Bridge and that is 13 miles!
  • it is possible for anybody .
    i managed it recently, with almost no racing experience .
    first ever marathon in october -venice, managed 4hr 25 mins, the last 6 miles were horribly slow and more mentally tough than i expected. but i could still walk around sightseeing the next day which amazed me, i expected to be crippled for a week or more!!
    if i did it anyone can.

    good luck

    macky
  • Absolutely not! I ran first one two years ago- London - having hated running formal races since days of school cross country!Only did the 16 weeks of training, was probably less fit than you are now and did 4.30 and going back this year to beat it. Go for it! (just make sure you've got someone to drive you home afterwards!)
  • Is there a training schedule between 4:30 and 'get you round'? I did 1/2 Marathon in Sept - slow at 2:30 but without walking - so don't feel happy with a run/walk training programme. Equally don't think I am up to 4:30 training prog. Any thoughts/
    ?
  • DEFINITELY you CAN do it. Should? Probably not, it's very addictive. I did my 1st marathon at 2 days notice, having never raced over 10k & having always een the slowest kid at school. I didn't drop below a slow jog, and finished in 4:12. (though I had spent the previous 3 months doing long distance tracks in New Zealand). Absolutely loved it, and am now uttelry addicted, with a PB of 3:41 (on a hilly course in NZ). Honestly, the very worst things that is likely to happen are:
    * You drop out with a crippling injury. Unlikely, ut always possible.
    * You walk bits. Based on your training so far, you should be ale to run comfortably. Even if you do walk, everyone will be massively glad for you when you finish, & you will get lots of support.
    * You become utterly addicted & fanatical, plan your life around running, get withdrawal symptoms, clockwatch till the next long run, & be thought highly peculiar by all except your running comrades. Should this happen, at least take comfort in the thought that there are others like you, & we will stick around, hold a wedding service in track bottoms, baptise your children with Lucozade, read lists of PB's at funerals, & incorporate your ashes into the next track. Risk: Quite high.
    Still, don't let me put you off!
    This is definitely something you are capable of doing, & will probably regret not doing. It can be worth not taking your first M too seriously, as a trial run - don't focus too much on times etc (that's for later!)
    Enjoy & good luck,
    Ceri.
    20, f, Marathon 3:41
  • you have got loads of time to prepare for Edinburgh. A mate and I decided to run the London marathon - at new year at the millenium over very large glasses of whisky. It took a couple of weeks to get entires and realsie we actually had to do it, but then we trained for about 2.5 months and got round in 4 hours 20 mins. Its a brilliant experience, and we are doing Edinburgh this year - training has just started now.

    Go for it - you will not regret!
  • Iam about to take part in the London marathon this year(my first). I have been running since last June and currenly run 20 to 25 miles a week 1 of the runs being 12 miles which I complete in 2 hrs( is this an acceptable time?) once a week i run up and down a paticular hill for around 25 mins.i completed my first 10k in Oct in 55 mins and am running the silverstone 1/2 marathon in March ( in prep for the biggie!) Am I doing enough to get me through and are my times ok? Will be grateful of any tips!













  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    tracey - the most important thing is to do the long runs. Increase the distance of your long run every other week, on the other week ease back a bit.
    e.g. 12/10/14/10/16/12/18/12/20
    run your long runs at a slower pace than you train at normally. (your 12 mile pace is fine) it's all about time on your feet and starting to feel comfortable when increasing the distance.
  • I only started running in December and have just completed the London Marathon in 4hrs 3mins so decent times without years of running behind you are possible. I was on target for about 3hrs 50 but the combination of energy gels and lucozade sport made for an unhappy belly and was scared to run too fast for fear of vomiting on some poor passer by! It was a shame but I've learnt my lesson, had only tried a couple of gels in training, I'll be more careful next time. Not sure what my next marathon will be but plan to do another couple this year. Running is addictive!
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Well done, Batty lady. See you at another marathon soon!
  • Cheers, hope to do the Berlin marathon in Sept and maybe La Rochelle in November. Good excuse to get away!
  • Go for it Thomas. You have plenty of time to train for June, as you really only need 3-4 months(from personal experience).It sounds like you are half way there already, going out 3-4 times a week. There are lots of good running plans out there. One thing that is a must is one long run per week, dont worry you will build the distance up quicker than you think.

    Good luck
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