Want to run a Marathon

TheWestsAwake

Looking to get started training to do a Marathon, I was thinking maybe Edinburgh May 2010 or London 25'th April 2010.

The thing is I am at about zero fitness at the moment, I used to play football up until about 3 years ago, and ran 8 kilometres almost every day on the roads in Dublin up until 2 & half years ago, since then my gym sessions or running has been very sporadic, bar a month where I ran regularly around Albert Park in Melbourne (5klm circuit) and running for about 3 weeks in very hot conditions cross country in the Northern Territory.

I was recently talking to a few friends in the pub! and one of them said she was planning to run a Marathon next year & said another friend of ours had also planned to run one. Well I would like to be able to at least match them if not beat them. My friends told me about this board, so that’s why I’m here, any advice on a training programme or how long someone would need to train for a Marathon starting from scratch, off to the gym tonight, might as well start somewhere.

Also any advice on how to build up to a full Marathon including fun runs, road races and half-Marathons. Rule on race entry, costs etc.

Sub430

I was in a similar situation to you this time last year, I hadn't run/exercised in a couple of years and used these programmes:

to get me started:

http://www.halhigdon.com/spring/Springnovice.htm

marathon training:

http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/Mar00novice.htm

I will be lining up for my first marathon in 13 days (all going well).

If you have time have a read through this

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055549959

The highs and lows of a mentored group trying to run the Dublin City Marathon in less than 4hr30.

RoyMcC

1. Get your doc to give you clearance to train - it is a hard, long slog.
2. In your case I would target a spring 10k, a summer Half and - depending on how you go, an autumn 2010 marathon. In my opinion you ought not to even think about a full marathon until you have 12 months running under your belt.
3. Follow a novice 10k programme - there are plenty around. Hal Higdon seems to be the board favourite but you can find many others.
4. Take it slowly, don't push harder than you need to.
5. Consider your diet.
6. Log your progress - either by starting a log on the sub-forum here, or somewhere else.
7. Enjoy.

TheWestsAwake

RoyMcC wrote: »

1. Get your doc to give you clearance to train - it is a hard, long slog.
2. In your case I would target a spring 10k, a summer Half and - depending on how you go, an autumn 2010 marathon. In my opinion you ought not to even think about a full marathon until you have 12 months running under your belt.
3. Follow a novice 10k programme - there are plenty around. Hal Higdon seems to be the board favourite but you can find many others.
4. Take it slowly, don't push harder than you need to.
5. Consider your diet.
6. Log your progress - either by starting a log on the sub-forum here, or somewhere else.
7. Enjoy.

Thanks

I would be quite confident that I could get the first 10 kilometres down well before Spring, I reckon I could build that up eaisly in a month, I have done this much before handy enough, I would be unsure how to progress beyond this. Just say I got to 10Klm within a month would you reckon I could do the Marathon in much less than 12 months. As I say as I am confident about the fiirst 10klm I would be far from confident on progress there after.

Oryx

Like sub430, Im doing dcm as my first in a few weeks, I started running this time last year, with a marathon my eventual goal.

I began just by getting out and running, no particular plan in mind. Just put in three runs a week, and build your distances up. 10k events are very good for getting you into the feel of a race, and they spur you on, and are an easy enough target to reach. Definitely do a few 10 mile and half marathons before signing up for a full marathon. It's only on those distances that you will discover if you like running and find if its something you actually want to do.

I'm just at the end of a marathon training plan, and the difference between training for this and the 'recreational distance' running I was doing before, is enormous. It is a big ask of your body, and you need to be ready for that both physically and in your head. Get a lot of miles into your legs before you start on a marathon training plan, would be my advice. Dont just poodle along until the date to begin the actual plan looms.

And good luck. Running is craaaayyyzzzeee. But I love it.

Bloody Nipples

Also, the entry for London 2010, apart from being a lottery, is now closed. So that one ain't an option. Go for Edinburgh! And good luck!

Nialloooo

in Jan 08 i had never ran but played so =me soccer , im May 08 after hard training months i finished Belfast marathon in under 4.30 hours so it can be done, i will say i did not enjoy that run but when i finished dublin last year in just over 4 and after running for 10 months i was a much more enjoyable day, i guess what im trying to say is if you want to do it and enjoy it take the time to train and get the miles in because after belfast that was it for me i was never running again and it took a good friend to talk me around and now im off to dublin on the 26th for the second time and hopefully a good day.

When ever you decide to do it just remember its about crossing the line, its about you and only you not time not how your friends are doing , were never going to get a world record, but the medals over the fire place always gives me great pleasure, i walked the last 6 miles my first time and felt like 100 miles but thats the sweets medal i have.

Hope thats of some help, just remember that if you start to train to much or hard your going to injure yourself , maybe look at the 100 get around plan on the dublin city marathon web site for help.

Rebelrunner

All advice so far is good. I was in same boat at the start of the year and did Cork marathon and hope to do Dublin in 12 days too. Look at other topics about getting good runners etc also as it'll save you physio and pain in the long run.
I stuck to a plan (& keep a log) because at the beginning if you don't have a plan excuses can be made.

Nialloooo

thats good advice rebal runner the one thing is DO NOT MISS A RUN no matter how tired you are, wet outside or hungover, you can make up for missed miles no matter`how far you go the next day

Oryx

Nialloooo wrote: »

thats good advice rebal runner the one thing is DO NOT MISS A RUN no matter how tired you are, wet outside or hungover, you can make up for missed miles no matter`how far you go the next day

I have to disagree with this, to a degree. Ok, you shouldnt regularly miss runs, or make a habit of cutting corners and saying youll run really well next week instead. You do need to get out and do your plan or your 4 runs or whatever.

But you shouldnt run when you really do feel wretched. Ive tried, and it doesnt work. You need to recognise the difference between putting it off cos you just really dont want to, and when something is properly wrong.

EvilHomer73

Nialloooo wrote: »

thats good advice rebal runner the one thing is DO NOT MISS A RUN no matter how tired you are, wet outside or hungover, you can make up for missed miles no matter`how far you go the next day

Can't say I agree with this. there are times that you will have to miss a run. If you are really sick, chest infection or the likes then no way should you go out you are just asking for trouble. Even a bad flu can be made worse.

also you need to be careful about running injured a minor niggle or something that you know will losen up after a couple of miles is fine but running on something more serious can put you out a lot longer than the few days rest you would need to sort it out.

In saying thay 'It's raining/cold/windy out' is not an excuse to miss a runget out there and get on with it, you dont know what the weathe rwill be like on race day so you may as well be prepared

glennhysen

Edinburgh's a good marathon for your first. I ran it this year and it was my second marathon. The course is downhill for the first few miles and then relatively flat for the rest of the route. Also Edinburgh is a great place for a making a weekend of it.

Rebelrunner

Rebelrunner wrote: »

I stuck to a plan (& keep a log) because at the beginning if you don't have a plan excuses can be made.

Granted if you are sick or injured that merits taking time off till you recover. I meant its good to have a plan, so that you don't stay on the sofa because its too cold/wet outside for training. Its good for motivation when starting out I found.

TheWestsAwake

Hey folks thanks for the help so far. I was wondering does anyone know of any 10klm road races or fun runs coming up in Connacht in about 4 weeks time. I would also appreciate info on other races nationally.

spurscormac

There's one of the Mayo League races here - 2 weeks away though, not 4.
http://www.athenryac.com/2009-hollymount-road-races

You can check out Athenry AC's calendar of events to see whats coming up, they're usually great for listing all sorts of events, especially connaught ones.

http://www.athenryac.com/event

Athenry run their own 10k on Dec 26th, if you're up for it to run off the Christmas dinner.

aburke

Where are you based?
From the name, it could well be Galway.
If you are, then join your local club.
All of them have a fit-4-life programme to get started.

Alan

TheWestsAwake

No not Galway I'm from the real Capital of Connacht, Castlebar

theduke1

hey everyone. Im new here,
ran my first marathon in dublin two weeks ago .did 5 months training for it 3.48 finish.I dont think u need to be running for years, just have a good basic fitness to get round in 4.30

RoyMcC

theduke1 wrote: »

hey everyone. Im new here,
ran my first marathon in dublin two weeks ago .did 5 months training for it 3.48 finish.I dont think u need to be running for years, just have a good basic fitness to get round in 4.30

Welcome, you're trapped here for ever now, sorry Well done on your mara finish which is indeed very good if you started from scratch. Generally though you'd want to have 12 months running in your legs to properly train for a good mara performance. Your next one will, I imagine, be even better.