First Time Marathon- Should I go ahead with it?

saram

Hey all. I need some advice please..

I signed up for my first very full marathon which I will be doing very soon. The thing is I haven't been able to put in much hard mileage for the run..

I am in reasonable shape and can run quite well for an hour and a half or so at about 8 min a mile pace. I have never really ran for longer than that..


Is it wise for me to go ahead with the run? I am just looking to finish the race in less than 5 hours. I think I will jog for an hour at a time and then walk for about 20 mins each time..

I am just concerned about keeling over from exhaustion during the run..
There is some history of heart disease too in my family as in a very close relation dying suddenly from a heart problem..

Anybody here know of or do a marathon without much mileage put in..?

Should I go ahead and take it easy there or pull out altogether??
I think I will go ahead and do it though.. Anybody please give some advice about how to run and just try and make sure I run within my capacity!!
30 year old male btw!


D

buck65

Hi there, I just ran Dublin but am no expert. I put in 4 months training , running long runs of 13,14,15,16,18 miles before getting injured - I took it easy for 3 weeks and thankfully got through it last Monday.
I think you would be very unwise to run it. Whatever about the heart disease aspect, the fact that you have only done 90 minutes is not enough. You are probably capable of running a decent half marathon for sure but this is a different ball game.
Going over 2 hours is so much harder than a 90 minute run, it is a different ball game completely.
Why not do a half and refocus your training and do a spring marathon? A bad experience could ruin you.

metamorphosis

I would agree. i ran two 18 milers (2hr20) and still suffered bigtime monday. There is a waterford half in december and the gauntlet half in kerry next month. you could focus on these and then do a spring marathon maybe.

Ger the man

buck65 wrote: »

Hi there, I just ran Dublin but am no expert. I put in 4 months training , running long runs of 13,14,15,16,18 miles before getting injured - I took it easy for 3 weeks and thankfully got through it last Monday.
I think you would be very unwise to run it. Whatever about the heart disease aspect, the fact that you have only done 90 minutes is not enough. You are probably capable of running a decent half marathon for sure but this is a different ball game.
Going over 2 hours is so much harder than a 90 minute run, it is a different ball game completely.
Why not do a half and refocus your training and do a spring marathon? A bad experience could ruin you.

I agree, I would advise getting a medical done first and maybe doing a half marathon, this will give you some idea and perspectuve of a 26 miler. I did my first marathon on Monday and found it tough over the last few miles.

Declanr

I've run Dublin twice 3.44 (Badly 2007) & 3.29 Monday.
I've also run about 6No. Half Marathons.
41 Yr old Male. 13st 5lbs.

Here's what I think you need to do before attempting to do a FM.
1. Buy a heart monitor and learn about your own heart rate. It will also give you security with your family history.

2. Do 3No. 20 mile runs minimum at a pace of 45sec slower per mile then you plan to run. Get a training schedule of the net.

3. Be training minimum 4 times per week, with speed work mixed in.

4. Learn about Hydration & nutrition for the long runs.

5. Learn about stretching your hams, gluts, calves, acheles, ITB's etc. Also build up core body strenght which is different to stretching.

If you do not do all of this in detail your first marathon will be a nightmare.
I did step 1 in my 1st marathon, and learnt the lessons from it.
In my 2nd I did steps 1-5 in detail.

Now you may say this guys is doing 3.30 all I want is a sub 5. That does not change one single piece of the advice given here.

Good luck with your decision.

vinol

i also think you should leave it go until the spring for a full. i just ran my first monday and had trained well as far as a 21 miler. but the last 5 miles nearly finished me. you need high milage runs in before you do it and time to taper down. get heart checked first. best of luck.

neilc

[QUOTE=
2. Do 3No. 20 mile runs minimum at a pace of 45sec slower per mile then you plan to run. Get a training schedule of the net.
[/QUOTE]

Hi,
I know they're called long slow runs but should it be at race pace or as you say 45sec slower? As a new runner since last April who did finish on Monday I learnt a lot but seem to have so many more questions. In training my runs up to 13 miles tended to average between 8:40-9:10 and over 13 miles up to 20 between 9:10 and 9:30. Yet in the marathon I struggled home with a 11:04 average. I wasn't able to do my three week taper at all because I was trying to recover from injury which I pretty much did, can I put the slower pace down to that.
Neil

saram

Ok..I understand the points being made and thanks for the opinions..

The thing is I think I will go ahead with the run and just use it as something to learn from.. Its an overseas marathon with a huge attendance so...its a little bit of a novelty too. (Maybe the purists are going crazy now)..

Don't get me wrong..I will give it a big go and honestly just want to be able to say I finished the marathon.. and then use the experience for a much bigger future effort...
It will be just a learning experience and something to build on!

Am I crazy to do that? There is a time limit of about 5 hours on the race.
Of course I am not expecting it to be easy but well I think I can manage it as long as I be sure to just take it as easily as possible all the way..

Regards,
D

saram

Alright so ran that marathon anyway and I ll just let ye know how I got on..

I finished it in 4.27. I completed 30km in 3 hours and at the time I was thinking I might get home around the 4 hour mark..but that last 8 miles was a real killer. It was brutal really and had to stop a good few times..
I was going well until then.. I didn't stop until around the 30km mark..

Definitely its important to put the miles in beforehand..
I will be more prepared next time out..

Hopefully my body will recover soonish...my knees (left one) are particularly bad

Anyway, I guess I can say I achieved my goal of finishing it in a reasonable ish time

D

vinol

well done saram on 4:27. i think the only thing that can prepare you for the last 6 miles is experience knowing that you can do it. its more a mental than a physical challenge(20-26.2) im sure you'll improve on time with your next one

buck65

well done you lunatic