1st time marathon runner - from the couch to 26m

rovers_runner

Ok, been running for a couple of months now but have only ever run race, BUPA 10k a month ago.

At the moment running 3/4 times a week with a round of golf thrown in


Aim: To run the Dublin Marathon in Oct

Starting point: Started running to get fit in March
Not even basic fitness and no stamina

Last Week:
Monday - 5k pace run / round of Pitch & Putt
Tuesday - 10 mile slow run
Thursday - 9 mile slow run
Saturday - 18 holes golf

This Week:
Monday - 13 mile slow run
Tuesday - 5k / driving range
Wed - 10k pace run
Friday - 18 holes golf
Saturday - 10k with intervals on grass


Q: Should I build weights into the program ? I only mean dumbells for arms/chest
Q: Would some speed work show improvements for such a large distance ?

hunnymonster

weights swill help if you want to lose fat/build muscle or look better but will not make you a faster marathon runner

Speedwork will make you faster at any distance. but you've got to do the correct speedwork for the distance.

As it's your first marathon, I would suggest looking at some training programmes to follow. Good one's include
Hal Higdon and
Runners world.

If you have any other questions just ask. I've run a few marathons Dublin is a great first race. It's a very friendly marathon. Two pieces of advice that have stuck with me for a first time are
1. Enjoy your first marathon. If you hate it you won't be back for another.
2. Have a time goal. Don't just say you want to finish. Noone sets out to not finish. The goal might be to finish in less than 5 hours but it's a concrete goal to work towards.

rovers_runner

hunnymonster wrote:

weights swill help if you want to lose fat/build muscle or look better but will not make you a faster marathon runner

Speedwork will make you faster at any distance. but you've got to do the correct speedwork for the distance.

As it's your first marathon, I would suggest looking at some training programmes to follow. Good one's include
Hal Higdon and
Runners world.

Yup, have been looking at Hal Higdon and it seems the best bet to keep to a schedule.

If you have any other questions just ask. I've run a few marathons Dublin is a great first race. It's a very friendly marathon. Two pieces of advice that have stuck with me for a first time are
1. Enjoy your first marathon. If you hate it you won't be back for another.
2. Have a time goal. Don't just say you want to finish. Noone sets out to not finish. The goal might be to finish in less than 5 hours but it's a concrete goal to work towards

My goal would be 4hrs by the time the marathon comes around but I'm a long way off that pace at:
25mins for 5k
2hrs 15 for a half marathon during my slow run

I do aim to enjoy it though and considering I was nowhere this time 4 months ago finishing it will leave me more than happy also.

hunnymonster

4 hours is a very respectible goal. Try to include the odd tempo run to see if you're likely to have the speed. Good luck. This is a log I look forward to following.

rovers_runner

Follow up:

Week: 14/05/07 - 20/05/07

Monday - 13 mile slow run - done
Tuesday - 5k / driving range - done
Wednesday - 10k pace run - done
Thursday - 9 holes golf - done
Friday - 9 holes golf - done
Saturday - 5k with sprints on grass -done
Sunday - 5k at pace on road - done

Totals: Running: 45 k / Other sports 4hrs - Note: Easy week after 3 longer weeks previously


Coming Week: 21/05/07 - 27/05/07
Monday - 12/13 mile long run - 9 miles done & round of Par 3 golf
Tuesday - 5k pace / driving range - 10k done
Wednesday - 10k tempo run (near race pace)
Thursday - 10 miles or indoor football & 10k
Friday - Rest
Saturday - 14 miles
Sunday - Rest (GAA season, travelling)

Totals: Running 70k



I know I don't build my rest days into the week well but I am busy at weekends so use those as break days.

rovers_runner

rovers_runner wrote:

Follow up:

Week: 21/05/07 - 27/05/07
Monday - 12/13 mile long run - 9 miles done & round of Par 3 golf
Tuesday - 5k pace / driving range - 10k done
Wednesday - 10k tempo run (near race pace) - 10k done
Thursday - 10 miles or indoor football & 10k - 5k done
Friday - Rest - 9 miles done
Saturday - 14 miles - driving range
Sunday - Rest (GAA season, travelling)

Total covered: 55k

Week: 28/05/07 - 3/06/07
Monday 11.5 miles - done
Tuesday 10 miles

Add more later, need to get back into the long distances now.

rovers_runner

Week: 28/05/07 - 3/06/07
Monday 11.5 miles - done
Tuesday 9 miles - done
Wednesday - Rest: Driving Range
Thursday - 10k run - 1hr indoor football
Friday - rest/travelling
Saturday - Golf & 10k on beach/grass

rovers_runner

Week: 28/05/07 - 3/06/07
Monday 11.5 miles - done
Tuesday 9 miles - done
Wednesday - Rest: Driving Range - done
Thursday - 10k run - 1hr indoor football - done
Friday - rest/travelling
Saturday - 18 holes Golf - done took 5hrs, no time for run
Sunday - 5k tempo - done

Got a foot injury, runners fit too well I'm led to believe, off to sports shop again....

rovers_runner

Week 04/06/07 - 10/06/07

Monday - Bank Holiday/Travelling
Tuesday - 10 miles
Wednesday - Par 3 golf & 10k run
Thursday - rest
Friday - beach for the day :cool:
Saturday - misc sports, group days out
Sunday - 10 miles


May the good weather continue.....
Now up to 1 stone lost since starting, need to do some core exercises for stamina and a few weights, pretty hard to build that in but where there is a will etc.


At start:
W- 12st 7
H- 5' 9"
Max distance - approx 1 mile at 95% of MHR

After 3 months:
W- 11st 7
H-5' 9"
Max distance - approx 13 1/2 -14 miles at 82% of MHR

Aim for 3 months from now:
W- 11st 1
H-5' 9" (confident of this one...)
Max distance - 18/19 miles at under 85% average MHR

bubthatub

can you tell me when you do a slow run how long does it take or do you just run at a slow pace until you get round the milege you set out to do.

can u tell me have you changed your diet much since you started running

rovers_runner

bubthatub

can you tell me when you do a slow run how long does it take or do you just run at a slow pace until you get round the milege you set out to do.

For anything 10k and up in training i'd run at a 10 minute mile.
For 3k- 5k - 8k i'd try to stay under or at 5 mins a kilometer


can u tell me have you changed your diet much since you started running

Well i've given up the drink.
I've stopped snacking through the day.
Eat 3 times during the day, still have things like yogurts and cereal bars at those times but nothing in between.

Still eat a good bit of dairy and very little fruit/veg, i try to counter that with proper fruit juice and knorr vie etc.

Also at least 2 litres of water a day.

rovers_runner

Week 11/06/07 - 17/06/07

Monday - 5K pace - done
Tuesday - 10k - done
Wednesday - 12miles - done
Thursday - indoor football - done
Friday - Rest
Saturday - undecided
Sunday - 10 miles

Projected week total - 34 miles / 54K
(with possibly another 10k made up of intervals i.e. 12x400m & 5k)

rovers_runner

Week 11/06/07 - 17/06/07

Monday - 5K pace - done
Tuesday - 10k - done
Wednesday - 12miles - done
Thursday - indoor football - done
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - 18 holes golf - bit of a slack weekend

pretty bad week but felt fine this Monday on long run and I'm ticking over fine.


Week 18/06/07 - 24/06/07

Monday - 11 miles - done
Tuesday - 5k pace & core exercises - done
Wednesday - 10k race tempo & dumbbells & core exercises
Thursday - indoor football / 10 miles
Friday - rest
Sat - adidas 5 mile course for a prep
Sunday - undecided

rovers_runner

Week 18/06/07 - 24/06/07

Monday - 11 miles - done
Tuesday - 5k pace & core exercises - done
Wednesday - 10k race tempo & dumbbells & core exercises - rest
Thursday - indoor football / 10 miles - done
Friday - Crowded House Gig -
Sat - Pink Gig -
Sunday - rest

Week 25/06/07 - 01/06/07

Monday - 12 miles - done
Tuesday - Aerosmith Gig
Wednesday - 5 miles (same profile as adidas challenge)- done
Thursday - indoor football / 10k
Friday - 14 miles (need to up things a bit)
Sat - travelling
Sunday - 10 miles


Weekly logs on Polar watch show me I'm doing roughly 4 1/2 to 5hrs most weeks, my equivalent would be 6mph or 10kph so that leaves me on 30 miles or so at the moment.

With 17/18 weeks to Marathon I'll be starting to up my long run by 1 mile every 10 days or so.

Ongoing program:
1 run of approx 9 - 12 miles per week
1 run of 5-8k for pace
1 run of 10k as it's a compromise between stamina and adding some tempo.

1 long run starting at 13/14 miles and increasing, to peak at 21/22 miles.

rovers_runner

On holidays last week so only managed a 10k on Friday morning when I got home.

Monday 09/07 - 10k
Tuesday 10/07 - 5 miles
Wednesday 11/07 - 10k
Thursday 12/07 - 5 miles & possibly indoor footie
Friday 13/07 - rest
Sat 14/07 - Pheonix Park 5 miler

Keeping the milage low to suit the race on Sat, the recovery to run at a decent pace on Sat wouldn't be great if I ran over 2hrs so leaving it until next week.

Milage for week - 27

rovers_runner

Week 16/07/07 - 22/07/07

Sunday
Monday - 10k
Tuesday - 12 miles & par3 golf
Wednesday - rest
Thursday 10k & indoor football
Friday - rest
Sat - rest & par3 golf
Sunday - 10 miles

34 miles approx - 54k

This week 23/07/07
Monday 10k (hill work) & pitch & putt

Am well on schedule according to the likes of Hal Higdon so will stick with it for the moment and keep my short runs longer than his as it's getting all about stamina for me now.

rovers_runner

Been a while but the miles are still stacking up:

Last week:
Monday: 9 miles
Tuesday: 6 miles
Wednesday: 6 miles
Thursday: 12 miles
Friday/Sat/Sun - rest & croke park 2 days

This week:
Monday: 12 miles
Tuesday: 10k
Wed: 10k
Thursday: Indoor footie

Prob not considered enough for a marathon at the moment, but i know my body could hack it if I had to do one in the morning.

Am down to 11st 3 from 12st 7 in 4 months and it's falling slowly but steadily so happy out.

Targeting around 10 10 for the marathon.

rovers_runner

rovers_runner wrote:

Been a while but the miles are still stacking up:

Last week:
Monday: 9 miles
Tuesday: 6 miles
Wednesday: 6 miles
Thursday: 12 miles
Friday/Sat/Sun - rest & croke park 2 days

This week:
Monday: 12 miles
Tuesday: 10k
Wed: 10k
Thursday: Indoor footie

Prob not considered enough for a marathon at the moment, but i know my body could hack it if I had to do one in the morning.

Am down to 11st 3 from 12st 7 in 4 months and it's falling slowly but steadily so happy out.

Targeting around 10 10 for the marathon.

Down to 11st now so 21lbs lost so far.

Monday: 12 miles
Tuesday: 10k
Wed: 10k
Thursday: Indoor footie
Above From last Log:
Friday: 10k
Sat: Croker
Sun: Croker

Last week:
Monday: 10k
Tuesday: 9 1/2 miles & indoor footie
Wednesday: p&p
Thursday: round of golf
Friday: travelling
Sat: round of golf
Sunday(yesterday): 10k


10 mile run in Pheonix Park this Saturday morning so need to cover that today and wed in preperation.

rovers_runner

Week - Monday 13/08 - Sunday 19/08

Monday - 11.5/12 miles
Tuesday - Indoor football
Wednesday - 6 miles
Thursday - rest
Friday - rest
Saturday - 10 miles in Phoenix Park
Sunday - rest


This week: 20/08 - 27/08
Yesterday - 7 miles
Today - 15 miles (starting of Marathon countdown)

rovers_runner

week: 20/08 - 26/08
Monday - 7 miles
Tuesday - 13 miles
Wednesday - Golf (18 holes)
Thursday - rest
Friday - 10 miles
Saturday - Golf (18 holes)
Sunday - 10k

36 miles total

Week 27/08 - 2/09
Monday - 9 miles
Tuesday - 15.5 miles

All completed, 9 weeks to marathon, 1 mile a week now and a few weeks to taper back. Gonna be tough as I'm in the US next week and have 2 weddings in Oct.

rovers_runner

In the US last week, had gear with me but humidity was so severe I didn't even try it.

Since getting back

Sat - 10k
Sun - 5k pace
Mon - 10 miles
Tues -10k

Will do something over 10m today and then rest up for half marathon on Sat.

Still haven't got over 15/16 miles but not worried as still have 3 weeks to run into that and two weeks to step it down before the 26.

rovers_runner

22/09 Half Marathon

Last week:
Mon - 10k
Tues - 10k
Wed- rest
Thurs - 17.5m
Fri - rest
Sat -rest
Sun - rest

Yesterday - 10k
Today - 18.5/19m

rovers_runner

1 week to go.
Been a quiet month.
Have been ticking over though despite weddings and a groin twinge of sorts.

Will take it easy this week also and whatever happens between now and Monday I'll take the line and finish it out run/jog/walk or crawl.

c0rk3r

Been following your progress from the begining. All the best on Monday

Odysseus

rovers_runner wrote: »

Will take it easy this week also and whatever happens between now and Monday I'll take the line and finish it out run/jog/walk or crawl.

Well you have done all your prep work so you will make it to finish line. Don't get too caught up in timings its your first marathon and you only get one of them,so enjoy it. Best of luck with it.

rovers_runner

Man that was tough, my legs weren't able after 18/19 miles but shuffled along to finish in around 5hrs.
A great experience though and a long way from where I was 12 months ago, hindsight will benefit my a lot though and the training for Cork/Dublin next year will be far stricter.

Well done to all who finished and t'was a great day weatherwise.