Realistic marathon training time frame?

spudmonkey17

Hi all,
I am hoping to run a marathon sometime within the next year and I'm just wondering what is a realistic time frame in which to train for one?
I played rugby for 5 years but quit about 3 years ago because I wanted to concentrate on my leaving cert and I haven't gone back to it since.
The only other major fitness training I've done was in 2006 for the Port Tunnel 10km Run which I completed in 52mins comfortably. (10km is probably the longest distance I've ever run in one go.)
I've never run a marathon before but it's something I've always wanted to do and I've been wanting to get fit again for a long time. I'm not in bad shape physically but, as I haven't done it in so long, I'm pretty much back at beginners level where running is concerned.
So, how long do you think it would take to become marathon fit? I'm willing to train as much as it takes really.
Cheers for the help.

corkcomp

5 - 6 months given what you've said .. thats assuming you could be back to the 52 minute 10k within a month? edit: i know people who have done and completed it with 5 or 6 weeks training but your body wont thank you

RacoonQueen

Most marathon training plans for beginners would be 18 to 24 weeks. Here's the two Hal Hidgon novice plans, which are both 18 weeks. As you can see you'd need to be comfortably running 6/8 miles by the end of week one.

http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/novices.html
http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/novices2.htm

Do you run at all at the moment? Being marathon fit all depends on what your goal is for the marathon, some people will just aim to get around which takes a lot less training than giving your all. Marathon training can take up a LOT of your time when you're mileage is at it's peak.

You might want to pop into the Athletics/Running/Triathlon forum, there's a lot of us there who are long distance and marathon runners who'd be happy to give you advice.

spudmonkey17

corkcomp wrote: »

5 - 6 months given what you've said .. thats assuming you could be back to the 52 minute 10k within a month? edit: i know people who have done and completed it with 5 or 6 weeks training but your body wont thank you

My only worry is that with college I won't be able to get sufficient training in for the next 2 months. I'm heading off on a gap year though so any marathon I do will be abroad (US or Canada). Come June, my training will definitely be increase.

It's probably the psychological side to it that's most difficult. Because I've only ever run 10km, 40km seems unthinkable

spudmonkey17

RacoonQueen wrote: »

As you can see you'd need to be comfortably running 6/8 miles by the end of week one.

I heard somewhere that you should be able to run at a decent pace for 30 mins straight before beginning marathon training... dunno how true that is?

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Do you run at all at the moment? Being marathon fit all depends on what your goal is for the marathon, some people will just aim to get around which takes a lot less training than giving your all. Marathon training can take up a LOT of your time when you're mileage is at it's peak.

I try and get out as much as I can but it's difficult with college taking up most of my time at the moment. I would be happy enough to just get around but if I think I can do better I'll definitely go for it.

RacoonQueen wrote: »

You might want to pop into the Athletics/Running/Triathlon forum, there's a lot of us there who are long distance and marathon runners who'd be happy to give you advice.

Cheers! I didn't know whether to post here or in the Athletics/Running/Triathlon forum. Mods feel free to move the thread wherever you see fit

RacoonQueen

spudmonkey17 wrote: »

I heard somewhere that you should be able to run at a decent pace for 30 mins straight before beginning marathon training... dunno how true that is?

Define decent pace? Different for everyone so the pace doesn't really matter, there are no strict rules but it would help to be able to run 10k comfortably 18 weeks before your goal marathon. Ideally you'd want to get in at least one 20 mile training run at a max of 3 weeks before your marathon to give yourself enough time to recover from it. Giving you 15 weeks max to build up to 20 miles.

You want to enjoy your first marathon, you only get to run your first marathon once so you don't want to ruin the experience by rushing into things. Build up a good base of fitness and endurance then start into a well structured plan.

3 runs a week now to build up your fitness and see where you are come June. Pick a goal marathon, they tend to be in Autumn and Spring - you could aim towards and early 2011 marathon and you'll be well able for it.

spudmonkey17

RacoonQueen wrote: »

3 runs a week now to build up your fitness and see where you are come June. Pick a goal marathon, they tend to be in Autumn and Spring - you could aim towards and early 2011 marathon and you'll be well able for it.

Sounds perfectly reasonable. Cheers for the advice

entropi

I ran my first marathon in Dublin last Oct and following my own training plan, it started as early as April with 2 mile runs twice a week, bumped over the summer and with a final 19.5mi run 3 weeks before the big one...finishing in under 4 hours, yet the key thing is, that I finished:)

Having some sort of a base fitness from a previous sport will certainly help, but is by no means essential to complete a marathon. I wish you good luck with your aims and goal of finishing one in the next year or so, it will all be worth it crossing that finish line:D

RacoonQueen

Yeah, I finished my first one starting training on June 6th 2007 and running the following October. It'd doable but I wouldn't recommend doing it my way! :pac:

Edit: I was quite unfit at the time

colblimp

spudmonkey17 wrote: »

40km seems unthinkable

I have bad news for you, a marathon is 42 km! :D

spudmonkey17

colblimp wrote: »

I have bad news for you, a marathon is 42 km! :D

Ah, forget about it then! That extra 2km is a deal breaker

So, should I start on distances of say 2/3 miles and go from there? I could follow all the training plans in the world but personal experience tends to be the best guide when it comes to these things! Just looking to be pointed in the right direction haha:)

colblimp

spudmonkey17 wrote: »

Ah, forget about it then! That extra 2km is a deal breaker

So, should I start on distances of say 2/3 miles and go from there? I could follow all the training plans in the world but personal experience tends to be the best guide when it comes to these things! Just looking to be pointed in the right direction haha:)

OK, to start a marathon training programme you should have been running at least 25 miles per week for a few months. By the looks of it, you haven't, so I'd say you'll probably struggle with the training as you'll be doing a few 20 milers and at least one 22 miler before the big day. At the peak of training you should be doing 50 - 60 miles per week, so a 3 mile run isn't really going to be of benefit. Remember, 26.2 miles is a sod of a long way! Good luck with it, though.:D