Is it possible to train relatively short distances then do marathon?

Freiheit

I'm just coming back from a knee injury, which has taken months to recover, I was over doing it, doing 8 or 10 miles in training, maybe 3 times a week. I'm wondering could I reduce that to maybe 4 or 5 3 times a week and just a extend it a little near a marathon? I'd love to do one, however slowly, even if I was last. Maybe even just jog,at a slow pace?.

Krusty_Clown

You could probably survive a marathon, but you probably wouldn't enjoy the experience and the risk of injury would be very high. You should really set some intermediate goals (like full knee recovery, then 10k, then half marathon, etc). If you can get through the shorter races without re-occurring injury then consider a marathon. By the way, 8-10 miles/three times per week isn't high mileage for a marathon, and wouldn't be a typical marathon training strategy.

hunnymonster

Freiheit, do you know the reason for your injury?

Freiheit

Sorry should have said half marathon training. In retrospect I'm probably not suited to a full marathon, even though I would like to do -1- . Was with a physio and she think's there is some slight weakness in muscles around my left knee. The exercises to build this up only made it worse, it's coming around now finally, after rest alone. I'm probably only suited to a 10k or half.

Krusty_Clown

That's not fighting talk! Don't give up before you've begun! Best thing to do is to start to build up that strength from first principles, and abandon thoughts of jumping into 8 and 10 mile training runs for the time being.

5 Mile and 10k training plans will generally have training runs around the 4-5 mile mark so should suit. HalHigdon has a range of plans for the 10k distance, which might meet your needs. I suppose the most important thing is to get advice from your physio about what you are capable of doing, given your knee injury.

2nd Row Donkey

The only people who can truely answer this question are the people who have tried it and failed or succeeded.

'I know a bloke from the pub' who, after a feed of beer on new years eve claimed he would run the DCM as part of his new years resolution. He even made bets with his equally drunk friends that same night.

..9 months later he started training with about 6 weeks to go. He ran short distances - 5-6 miles every other day and then did a HM with a week to go. He finished the marathon a week later in about 5 and half hours. It nearly killed him and his feet & toes where a mess for weeks afterwards, but he did it all the same.

Peckham

...or there's the guy from UCD who decided to do the marathon in order to write an article on it for the student magazine. No training whatsoever. Someone posted a link here before, where he described the expo as consisting of lots of super fit people walking around in their lycra. :rolleyes:

RayCun

this seems to be it

Peckham

ah, yes...there it is, the truest description of the start of the Dublin marathon I've ever read:

The steps of the Georgian facades lining the start of the route are cracking under knots of spandex and lycra-clad runners stretching, twitching and breathing in and out in preparation for the off. Here and there, the mass of the crowd temporarily parts to allow some sweat-banded zealot to go through one last warm-up, bouncing through the throng like a bad mime artist.

Freiheit

Eddie Izzard didn't do much training before his 50 odd marathons in about 70 days........:)