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Walking a Marathon.

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24

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    #32
    Chivito550
    Registered Users Posts: 7,695 ✭✭✭Chivito550


    RonanP77 wrote: »

    Is a 6min mile not handy enough to achieve?

    Haha. Ignorance. Have a go at it if you think it's that easy.

    Edit. If you mean 6 min mile as in 6:59 then yeh you should manage that. Sub 6, no chance off current fitness.


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    #33
    menoscemo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,915 ✭✭✭✭menoscemo


    RonanP77 wrote: »
    I prefer longer slower runs, I enjoy them. I suppose the intention is to go back and improve the shorter distances after that.

    Is a 6min mile not handy enough to achieve?

    I know of sub 3 hr marathoners that can barely break 6 minutes for a mile. If you find a sub 6 mile easy then perhaps that's a distance you can concentrate on. There's plenty of merit in being a fast miler!!


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    #34
    Rigsy
    Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 32 ✭Rigsy


    Chivito550 wrote: »
    What are you talking about? Running a marathon is not a "level". Literally anyone can do it. You just have to train for it.

    Why would you want to walk a marathon? What's the point!

    Couldn't disagree more. Ran 3 marathons in my time. A fading hip has given up on me now and can't run any great distances. I could do all the strength and conditioning in the world and it wouldn't do me any good.

    I had actually thought about walking it this year just to get out and enjoy the day. I may do it next year and if I do I'll be delighted to do it. Won't be the same as running but the closest I'll probably get again.


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    #35
    RonanP77
    Registered Users Posts: 1,182 ✭✭✭RonanP77


    It takes me 22:4* to do 5k, over a shorter distance you'd up your pace quite a bit though. I can improve a lot if I get rid of the niggles so I'd say I wouldn't be a million miles away from it. I'll have to stick it down as one of my goals.


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    #36
    menoscemo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,915 ✭✭✭✭menoscemo


    RonanP77 wrote: »
    It takes me 22:4* to do 5k, over a shorter distance you'd up your pace quite a bit though. I can improve a lot if I get rid of the niggles so I'd say I wouldn't be a million miles away from it. I'll have to stick it down as one of my goals.

    That's already a decent 5k time and much more impressive than walking a marathon to be honest.


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    #37
    RonanP77
    Registered Users Posts: 1,182 ✭✭✭RonanP77


    I've dipped below 4min/km before so that's why I figured if someone really went for the 6min mile and put in some work it wouldn't be all that hard. I thought most runners on here would be capable of it. I am still new to running though.


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    #38
    Krusty_Clown
    Registered Users Posts: 19,503 ✭✭✭✭Krusty_Clown


    RonanP77 wrote: »
    It takes me 22:4* to do 5k, over a shorter distance you'd up your pace quite a bit though. I can improve a lot if I get rid of the niggles so I'd say I wouldn't be a million miles away from it. I'll have to stick it down as one of my goals.
    I would have been a good deal slower than that when I started running (and I would have been around the same age as you). I don't see anything wrong with people who can't run, walking the marathon (e.g. Risgy above), but clearly you can run. You're just not ready for the marathon. Forget about it for a few years, until you are in a position to give it a proper shot. You've been running less than a year. Considering a marathon is a little pointless. When you can break 1:45 for the half marathon, then think about the full distance.


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    #39
    kjbsrah1
    Registered Users Posts: 242 ✭✭kjbsrah1


    Chivito550 wrote: »
    Why would you want to walk a marathon? What's the point!

    Well my dad has just completed his 112th marathon and he has power walked all of them. He is 69 years of age and has travelled the world doing them. I think its an insult to ask what is the point? Surely its each to their own. And is it not better to have walked a marathon than not done any at all??? I for one am very proud of him.


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    #40
    Ososlo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,420 ✭✭✭Ososlo


    kjbsrah1 wrote: »
    Well my dad has just completed his 112th marathon and he has power walked all of them. He is 69 years of age and has travelled the world doing them. I think its an insult to ask what is the point? Surely its each to their own. And is it not better to have walked a marathon than not done any at all??? I for one am very proud of him.

    But the OP is a runner already! Not a walker or a power walker. Why would anyone advise him to walk a marathon instead of running one when he will be capable of running it when he's trained to do so? It will take hard work but as JFK said "We chose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard."


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    #41
    RossieMan
    Registered Users Posts: 6,766 ✭✭✭RossieMan


    This just looks like a thinly veined look how fast i can run 5k thread?

    I'd love to run/walk a marathon some day. But have to work my fitness up to it. Really struggle with keeping the same tempo. I always want to go faster and end up burning myself out.


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    #42
    Chivito550
    Registered Users Posts: 7,695 ✭✭✭Chivito550


    RonanP77 wrote: »
    I've dipped below 4min/km before so that's why I figured if someone really went for the 6min mile and put in some work it wouldn't be all that hard. I thought most runners on here would be capable of it. I am still new to running though.

    You haven't a notion what you are talking about. Can you run a kilometre in 3:43 and then keep that exact same pace up for another 609m? If you can do that now in poor shape, then give up on the marathon and become a middle distance runner!


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    #43
    Itziger
    Registered Users Posts: 4,016 ✭✭✭Itziger


    eviltwin wrote: »
    They are not but they couldn't run the full 26m and ended up walking parts of it. No one made them feel like a time waster either. You'd think we'd be trying to encourage people. This is the reason why I hate this forum sometimes. Its so off putting to novice runners.

    Couldn't disagree more with this statement. Or these statements, to be precise. Like many on here, I started from just about scratch. Was very unfit, quite overweight and with no great drive to do anything about it.

    I trained for a 'Quarter' marathon (6 months roughly, training) then targeted a Half the following year and after about 2 years and 4 months of training I did my first marathon. I still struggle with the distance actually and am currently 'looking forward' to my 7th marathon in 5 weeks time.

    I have received great support from people here and from another forum I post in. For me, it's not about level but attitude. Do you want to give it a go? Do you want to try your best? That 'your best' varies radically from one runner to another as everyone here knows. The level, I repeat, ain't the problem. But imagine if someone posted in a GAA Hurling forum:

    "Eh, c'mere, I'm thinking of taking up Hurling - nothing too serious now though. I'll just be looking to stroll around flaking a few random opponents and maybe the sliotar every now and again. But I'd love to be able to last the full 70 minutes. 'Twould be a great achievement"

    Well, we all know the answer the poster would receive, right?


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    #44
    desertcircus
    Registered Users Posts: 2,648 ✭✭✭desertcircus


    I don't think there's anything wrong with planning to walk a marathon; we all set our own goals, and if yours is to finish a marathon without regard to the time, then go ahead and walk.

    That said: OP, if you're running a sub-23 minute 5k, then running a marathon in its entirety should be well within your capabilities. You might not get to do a marathon as soon as you'd like, but a decent training programme focused on getting you ready for the distance should have you ready in a few months to post a more than respectable time.


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    #45
    RonanP77
    Registered Users Posts: 1,182 ✭✭✭RonanP77


    Of course I haven't a notion what I'm talking about, I'm still new to running. That's why I pop on to places like this looking for tips and advice.

    It just seems to me that if you can run a km under 4 mins as part of a longer run while only starting out, then it should be possible, with a little work to run a mile in 6 mins.

    I'm not saying or never said I can do it now, just that it doesn't seem like it would be all that hard to achieve if you set it as a goal to actually work on. You don't know me or what I'm capable of if fully fit so to be fair you haven't a notion what you're talking about when it comes to what I can/can't do.

    So I'm taking a few things from this;

    1. Yes it's allowed/accepted to walk a marathon, so if my physio rules out long distance running that shouldn't mean I'll never get to complete one.

    2. It's definitely frowned upon by some runners, in fact some will actually get angry and become insulting at the thoughts of it.

    3. There's an interesting mix of people here, some that will actually answer the question you asked, some that will advise you and encourage you to go beyond what you're asking about and then there's the few keyboard warriors that are going to get angry and try to start an argument regardless of what's being said.

    Thanks for the advice, I can mull it all over in my head now over the next month on the couch.


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    #46
    overpronator
    Registered Users Posts: 1,612 ✭✭✭overpronator


    First of all OP the best of luck with your goals but you should really knock the idea of walking a marathon on the head imo as there is no need to sell yourself short like that. Get yourself a training plan or join a club and start a training log on here, it would likely transform your running. Running is a long road with no shortcuts and most on here are only starting in reality, it's tough but the rewards are immense.

    You have been given some very sensible advice from people who know what they are talking about and many (most) of us have made the "mistakes" you run the risk of making as we didn't have that advice or more likely didn't heed it.
    We see these threads a lot, most people get advice they don't want to hear and mistake this advice for hostility. It's genuinely not, so get stuck in, be as sensible as you can and you will 100% surprise yourself. Good luck again.


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    #47
    overpronator
    Registered Users Posts: 1,612 ✭✭✭overpronator


    First of all OP the best of luck with your goals but you should really knock the idea of walking a marathon on the head, there's nothing wrong with walking one imo but there is absolutely no need to sell yourself short like that. Get yourself a training plan or join a club and start a training log on here, it would likely transform your running. Running is a long road with no shortcuts and most on here are only starting in reality, it's tough but the rewards are immense.

    You have been given some very sensible advice from people who know what they are talking about and many (most) of us have made the "mistakes" you run the risk of making as we didn't have that advice or more likely didn't heed it.
    We see these threads a lot, most people get advice they don't want to hear and mistake this advice for hostility. It's genuinely not, so get stuck in, be as sensible as you can and you will 100% surprise yourself. Good luck again.


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    #48
    rom
    Registered Users Posts: 5,135 ✭✭✭rom


    Replace marathon with job, leaving cert or anything else in life.

    I am thinking about doing the leaving cert. I want to get 40% so scrape pass in as many foundation subjects as I can. If I am the average person then this goal is lower than I can achieve. However if I have a learning difficulty then it may be setting my goal very high. Stating that the capable student that just passed the leaving who could have put in much more work has the same achievement to someone who studied. Who is to say that the underachiever may have had more academic ability than the diligent student. The edge case of the student with learning difficulties is often presented as passing the leaving cert as a validation of the underachiever's achievement. The student with learning difficulties has achieved a lot more than the underachiever because they gave it their all.

    Two siblings from the same family both with the same academic ability. One does not apply themselves but has a great few years partying while the other is studying and does poorly in education. It results in them having less options in their employment. The other works hard for many years studying, not going out with friends, working at night etc as they are working for an end goal to get job X. Both at the end have a job but one worked hard in getting theirs. This is the same as your finishers medal.

    A race is a competition. It is expected that you try your best no mater what ability that is. As a person who was this "defeatist" person running has inspired me that if I put in the hard work I will improve and I will get better. This has been replicated in other areas of my life as a result of the mindset of hard work and achievement that I have gained from the sport. Who is to say that those who walk that could run are simply just selling themselves short both in running and in other areas of their life like I was.


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    #49
    ooter
    Registered Users Posts: 3,110 ✭✭✭ooter


    RonanP77 wrote: »
    At the moment I couldn't run a marathon because I'm not fit enough. I've never run further than 12k. Of course it's a level of fitness. I had to reach a certain level to run my 1st 5k, 10k, Duathlon, how is being able to run long distances not a level?

    As to why I'd want to walk one, well it's the next best thing to running one. I love the buzz around events so really want to be a part of it. If regular injuries meant I could never get to a stage where I could run that far I was just wondering if walking it would be an acceptable alternative.

    18 months ago the furthest I'd ever ran was 10k and 3 weeks ago I ran my 2nd Dublin marathon, if you're not in any hurry build it up gradually and you'll definitely be able to run a marathon but sure if you want to walk it fire away,ignore the snobs.;)


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    #50
    Chivito550
    Registered Users Posts: 7,695 ✭✭✭Chivito550


    Running Snob: Somebody who sees Athletics as a sport and that walking a marathon to tick a box, when fully capable of running it, as not being part of the ethos of the sport.

    Tennis Snob: somebody who sees Tennis as a sport and that playing without a net to divide the court, when fully capable of hitting the ball over the net, as not being part of the ethos of the sport.

    Same difference. Happy to be called a snob by that definition. This is a sport.


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    #51
    walshb
    Registered Users Posts: 54,971 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    Does an official marathon legislate for how it is traversed?


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    #52
    Smartguy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 214 ✭✭Smartguy


    I don't see any real difference in achievement in running a marathon in 3.5 hours and walking one in 6.5 hours.

    Both individuals if they put more work in could do a lot better. I don't see why the 3.5 hour runner should feel any way superior to the walker.


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    #53
    pconn062
    Registered Users Posts: 5,370 ✭✭✭pconn062


    Smartguy wrote: »
    I don't see any real difference in achievement in running a marathon in 3.5 hours and walking one in 6.5 hours.

    Both individuals if they put more work in could do a lot better. I don't see why the 3.5 hour runner should feel any way superior to the walker.

    That's a pretty silly argument, do you see no difference between a 3.30 marathon runner and a 2.30 marathon runner? Or a 2.15 runner and a 2.05 runner? Running is a sport, we measure achievements in terms of time taken to complete events. The person who competes the event the quickest (or jump/throws the furthest) wins and that is the better achievement. Taking away the feeling of superiority for the faster athlete takes away the element of competition from a competitive sport.


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    #54
    menoscemo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,915 ✭✭✭✭menoscemo


    Smartguy wrote: »
    I don't see any real difference in achievement in running a marathon in 3.5 hours and walking one in 6.5 hours.

    Both individuals if they put more work in could do a lot better. I don't see why the 3.5 hour runner should feel any way superior to the walker.

    Seriously?
    When I was fat(ter) smoked and did no exercise I could have walked a 6.5 hour Marathon with no training. God knows why I bothered training my ass off to get better, fitter, slimmer and run faster :rolleyes:

    Your statement is an insult to the hundreds of runners on here who are currently busting their asses off in order to be able to run a sub 3:30 marathon (or whatever their target is for that matter).


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    #55
    Chivito550
    Registered Users Posts: 7,695 ✭✭✭Chivito550


    Smartguy wrote: »
    I don't see any real difference in achievement in running a marathon in 3.5 hours and walking one in 6.5 hours.

    Both individuals if they put more work in could do a lot better. I don't see why the 3.5 hour runner should feel any way superior to the walker.

    Because the 6.5 hour walker can do WAYYYY better, while the 3.5 hour runner can simply do better. One is nearly twice as fast as the other. The same reason why a 75 second 400 is better than 2 mins 30. Both can do better but the clock doesn't lie. No points for inspiration in this sport. That's the beauty of athletics, the clock tells the story.


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    #56
    walshb
    Registered Users Posts: 54,971 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    Did the poster not mean to imply that 3.5 hrs running is nothing great or special? It's quite an ordinary time if the person ran. Had the same person, or similar walked it he may have had a 6.5 hrs time. That's what I took form the post.


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    #57
    Chivito550
    Registered Users Posts: 7,695 ✭✭✭Chivito550


    walshb wrote: »
    Did the poster not mean to imply that 3.5 hrs running is nothing great or special? It's quite an ordinary time if the person ran. Had the same person walked it he may have had a 6.5 hrs time.

    3.5 hours is very ordinary. But to suggest it's the same as 6.5 hours is ridiculous.


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    #58
    walshb
    Registered Users Posts: 54,971 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    Chivito550 wrote: »
    3.5 hours is very ordinary. But to suggest it's the same as 6.5 hours is ridiculous.

    I know that, but maybe he wasn't meaning that exactly. Just how it was worded, that both aren't great achievements. Anyway, maybe he can spell out what he exactly meant.


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    #59
    menoscemo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,915 ✭✭✭✭menoscemo


    Chivito550 wrote: »
    3.5 hours is very ordinary. But to suggest it's the same as 6.5 hours is ridiculous.

    Exactly, and it's not something I am being persoanlly sensitive about as it's not a target I have myself. But there are loads of runners on here who put loads of effort in and have yet to run a 3, 3;30, 4hr or 4:30 (etc) Marathon. To tell them their achievement in doing so would be meaningless has no place in an Athletics/Running forum IMO.


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    #60
    chinguetti
    Registered Users Posts: 2,547 ✭✭✭chinguetti


    From reading this thread, it started out as dissing people who want to walk marathons to now dissing people who run a marathon under 3 and a half hours.

    I work my guts out for 6 months training to do Dublin, battling injury and spending a fortune to keep my legs in decent nick while changing career and now I read what I worked for, achieved, collapsed for later on and got dangerous ill was to be classed as 'ordinary'.

    Jeez lads, if I posted what I think of some of the posts on this thread, I'ld be banned forever.


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    #61
    walshb
    Registered Users Posts: 54,971 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    chinguetti wrote: »
    From reading this thread, it started out as dissing people who want to walk marathons to now dissing people who run a marathon under 3 and a half hours.

    I work my guts out for 6 months training to do Dublin, battling injury and spending a fortune to keep my legs in decent nick while changing career and now I read what I worked for, achieved, collapsed for later on and got dangerous ill was to be classed as 'ordinary'.

    Jeez lads, if I posted what I think of some of the posts on this thread, I'ld be banned forever.

    3.5 hrs is ordinary as regards pace and time. I would commend any non competitive runner, or non elite runner with 3-3.5 hrs. Fantastic!


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