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10k runner to marathon?

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  • 20-04-2014 5:37pm
    #1
    dbrowne9212
    Registered Users Posts: 98 ✭✭


    Having never really done much exercise in my twenties and feeling the effects of that as I neared thirty, I started running. Have been doing so regularly for nearly 2 years now, on average 3 times a week.

    Started pretty casually at first, not paying much attention to times or distances but more and more seriously as time went on and I am beginning to feel like I'm actually relatively fit for the first time in my life.

    Recent 5k best times in and around 20 minutes and 10k in around 45minutes. Just started dropping in a couple of sessions a month of running hills and steps pretty hard to build on my fitness and also had my V02 max measured on a treadmill in a sports science lab recently by a friend and got a score of 58 which is apparently not too bad?

    What I'm wondering is how far away is someone like me from running a slow marathon? Never thought I would be that interested in doing that kind of mileage but I'm slowly starting to think it's something I might like to do just once...

    I have never run for longer that about 75 minutes, I find boredom and a kind of sapping psychological fatigue tend to set in after an hour so I think I have a bit of a psychological boundary around running for the 4 hours (or whatever) it might take to complete a marathon.

    I guess what I'm asking is, is it a really huge leap for someone like me or is it something achievable in a short enough time frame?

    Appreciate any guidance. Thanks.


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    #2
    RayCun
    Registered Users Posts: 15,704 ✭✭✭✭RayCun


    If you get bored on 75 minute runs, you're going to have trouble with marathon training, lots of 2 hour plus runs


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    #3
    ThePiedPiper
    Registered Users Posts: 2,643 ✭✭✭ThePiedPiper


    It wouldn't take a huge leap at all for you, there is no physical reason why you couldn't do a marathon. But you will need to address the psychological barrier you mentioned. A good way to do that would be to join a group and train in company. Most people do find a 2-3 hour long run a bit of a slog, but running in a group would be a huge advantage.

    Where in the country you based?


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    #4
    dbrowne9212
    Registered Users Posts: 98 ✭✭dbrowne9212


    RayCun wrote: »
    If you get bored on 75 minute runs, you're going to have trouble with marathon training, lots of 2 hour plus runs

    Yeah, that's pretty much what has put me off seriously entertaining the notion. Bored is probably the wrong word, but I do find myself kind of packing it in mentally even though there may well be a good deal more left in my legs.


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    #5
    dbrowne9212
    Registered Users Posts: 98 ✭✭dbrowne9212


    RunForestRun wrote: »
    It wouldn't take a huge leap at all for you, there is no physical reason why you couldn't do a marathon. But you will need to address the psychological barrier you mentioned. A good way to do that would be to join a group and train in company. Most people do find a 2-3 hour long run a bit of a slog, but running in a group would be a huge advantage.

    Where in the country you based?

    Based in Dublin, live in the city. Yeah, running in a group might be the beginning of an answer alright. I don't have a regular running partner so I do most of my runs solo.

    I'm running the Samsung 10k next week so I'm just getting myself right for that this week but perhaps next week I'll try a slow two hour run and see if I can hack it.


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    #6
    PVincent
    Registered Users Posts: 444 ✭✭PVincent


    Long runs should be built up gradually. You will surely put yourself off if you jump straight into a two hour run , and not only mentally but physically too. Aim for a couple of 75 mins runs first , then gradually add 10mins each week .


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    #7
    carlton36
    Registered Users Posts: 61 ✭✭carlton36


    Remember that most of your runs will be around 75 minutes or less. Your long run of 3+ hours will only be once per week and you will build up to this level over a number of months. As posters have commented above, running in a group makes the long runs pass quickly.
    Take a look at some of the training plans available on the web eg Hal Higdon novice plan to give you an idea of the time you'll be running based on your goal time. You'll also see that the average number of runs in a week will also increase. Based on on your running history and times, it's not a huge leap


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    #8
    dbrowne9212
    Registered Users Posts: 98 ✭✭dbrowne9212


    Thanks all. Appreciate the pointers. Will start slowly and see how I go.


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