Marathon- is 13 weeks enough?

Ecoenergy

I'm considering running the Cork City Marathon in June but I'm not sure if I have enough time between now and then to train. I'm running the Ballycotton this sunday and hope to break the 80 minute mark so I'm not starting from scratch but I haven't ran anything beyond this distance. Is 13 weeks enough to get my mileage high enough for the June race? If I add one mile per week to my long runs then I should just about get there but if anyone has experience of this kind of timeframe I'd love to hear it.

The next Marathon after this date seems to be Longford which is the weekend my wife is due with our second child so its not really an option and I know my training will suffer after this date. Does anyone know of any marathons (home or abroad) after the Cork city race but before the end of August as this will give me more time to train.

Thanks in advance.

RoyMcC

If you've got a good base I'd say you could jump into a marathon training programme and give Cork a go.

ThePiedPiper

Ecoenergy,

It can be done of course. Just be sensible with your training and don't try to do too much too soon. Realistically, you'd want to get in a couple of 20 mile runs, an a couple of 17 or 18 milers. Do your Long Slow Run slowly in training, don't try and do it at the pace that you were doing for 10 miles.

The most vital thing for you if you've 13 weeks training to go is to remain injury free, get in some long runs, and get in a good taper of around two weeks. Have days off and days with recovery runs. Sort out your fuel and hydration strategy on your long runs.

I already know that there'll be people who will advise you not to do it but it's up to yourself at the end of the day. Plenty of us have done marathons with the longest run being 10 miles from 13 weeks out.

If you go to www.marathonguide.com, you'll find full lists of worldwide marathons for each month. None of them really jump out at me as attractive races for June-August. Possibly Portumna but I think it's 4 laps of a forest trail (open to correction here) so it might be tough for a debut.

claralara

I think so! I hope so!

My current log gave me 14 weeks to prepare for my first marathon (Connemara in April). I started running about this time last year and my first long run was 6 miles. Built that up to 12 and ran the Kildare Half in 2.04 in May on a bad ankle which subsequent had me off my feet for 5 weeks. Built it back up again and ran the Dublin Half in just under 2 hours. Then between a month’s holiday and the bad weather I only did one 14 mile run before Christmas which was the longest distance I’d ever done. 3 or 4 weeks of pretty much no running and living a very unhealthy lifestyle over Christmas ended my first LSR of the year at 3.5miles of the planned 10. I’ve been at my 14 week plan since then and have two X 20 milers planned (the first this weekend) and then a 3 week taper – the last long runs being 12 and 8 miles respectively before the big day. It seems to be going alright so far…

Seeing as you have a good base I think you’d be grand. 10 miles in or around 80 minutes is pretty decent! My best 10mile time is just under 90 minutes and I do not consider myself a runner. I say go for it! There should be more fools like us! Best of luck.

RayCun

Last year I ran Dublin following (more or less) this plan. 13 weeks out that has the longest run being... 10 miles.
(my 10 mile time in the summer was 81 minutes, so you're at about the same level I was)

Ecoenergy

Cheers for the help. Some good advice there.
I know the biggest hurdle will be to stay injury free but if i can manage that then i think i'll give it a go.
How did the Dublin Marathon go for you RC? I'd like to feel comfortable and enjoy it as much as one can rather than endure hell for the last 10 miles or so.

RayCun

I wouldn't say it was easy, but no major problems. I finished under 4 hours, which was my target - I've a report here. (If you have a few hours to spare, you could read the whole mentored thread from last year)

As I say, I mostly followed that Higdon plan. I did an extra mile or two on most of the long runs (though my max distance was still 20 miles), and did the longest midweek run at planned marathon pace (9 minute miles for me), everything else was the same.

mitresize5

Just to counter act all the positive stories

I tried to fit DCM last year in on a 14 plan after a solid enough season of tri's.

Felt a niggle in the knee put persisted with the plan to the point when I eventually had to give it up and ended up not doing anything for 4 months as a result of tendonitis.

My advice - give it a go bit listen to your body

Mac Cormaic

13 weeks is plenty of time, especially if you are already have a base fitness of 10 miles. You should be able to run the marathon in 3.30/40 if you are can do 10 miles at the moment in 80 minutes. My personal opinion is that anyone who can run 10 miles, should be able to run a marathon with 8 weeks training. Anything longer is all about improving time.

Ecoenergy

I think i'd be happy with anything sub 4 hours. My two main obstacles (ability aside) are getting my wife onside because of the time needed for training and staying injury free. I've just bought a book on Chi Running and if it can do everything it promises I should be finishing in about 2.30 and never get injured again.

Mac Cormaic

Ecoenergy wrote: »

I think i'd be happy with anything sub 4 hours. My two main obstacles (ability aside) are getting my wife onside because of the time needed for training and staying injury free. I've just bought a book on Chi Running and if it can do everything it promises I should be finishing in about 2.30 and never get injured again.

I need to get my hands on that book lol
There is no such thing as never getting injured again. Alot of injuries can come from been distracted, rather than a breakdown on muscle strength.

brownian

Ecoenergy wrote: »

I think i'd be happy with anything sub 4 hours. My two main obstacles (ability aside) are getting my wife onside because of the time needed for training and staying injury free. I've just bought a book on Chi Running and if it can do everything it promises I should be finishing in about 2.30 and never get injured again.

Personally, I'd be wary of trying anything too radical from your new book, when you're also trying to push the limits over a relatively short time frame (and keepy wife happy). If you've a solid 10 mile run now, and you train fairly consistently, IMHO you'll have no problem getting around in the reasonable time you hope for. I ran my first DCM off a base of three 10kms a week, and only ran one 13 miler and on 17miler before the big day, over a dedicated training period of two weeks. This isn't something I'd recommend (or try myself, several years older ), but train sensibly and you'll have lots of time.
Don't forget to plan to taper, which means getting your longest runs finished with about two weeks pre-race, latest.

Oh, and you can get good flowers in Lidl for much less than elsewhere. A weekly bouquet goes a long way when you're suddenly consuming lots of "me time".

Mr Slow

If you plan to beat the clock in Cork then you're up against it with 13 weeks to train. My advice would be to plan to experience your first marathon, follow Raycun's advice with regard to training but set out to enjoy, you'll only get the first one once!

elnino23

Im training for the ccm (my 1st marathon) and have given myself a 15 week program to get ready found a program from some guy called george anderson!
it suits me great its basically rest monday a recovery run 4miles on a tuesday and mid distance run on a wednesday (varying pace) about 6 miles at this stage, thursdays is sprints like 4x 800m kinda thing then rest friday a 4 miler sat and then my long runs on a sunday did 9 today the program gets longer as the weeks go on but the mid week is kinda the same with a 15m a 17 a 20 and a 22 in the program on sundays before the taper begins.
finding the program great always seem to have plenty of energy