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Marathon Newbie Question

  • 18-10-2012 11:43am
    #1
    Colostomy Bag
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 114 ✭✭


    Hi All,
    I have read with great interest the posts on everything to do with the marathon and would appreciate any advice/input from the experts.
    The upcoming DCM will be my first road marathon. I have done one marathon previously to this and this was the Mourne Way Marathon on 9th of June this year. My finish time for that was 6h26m - which sounds terribly slow for a marathon (although I guess you can't compare negotiating miles of hilly and wet boglands with a road - the girl who finished the marathon with me had a road PB of 3h30). I was out of my depth on that for sure, but it definitely gave me some experience for endurance. I've been running for about 18/24 months in total and I am 43 years old.

    Anyway, I have a reasonable amount of hill-running training since Feb of this year, averaging 2 hill-runs per week totalling about 37k (one 16k and one 21k hill-run per week). I did my second Gaelforce in August (5h52m) and I have tried road running since then (all running prior to Gaelforce was hills). I have only gone up to approx 24k once in the past month on the road (my much more experienced friend told me 4 weeks ago I have all the endurance groundwork complete and should just concentrate on speed). So, I've been just doing quick 10 and 5ks this past week or so (speed training is all new to me) I did 10k in 51.40 two days ago after doing it in 54.50 the week before.

    Question - all the marathon predictors are giving me times of 4hrs - but I don't want to blow it - should I be lining up with the balloon for 4h30 or should I try for 4h15 or even 4hr? My initial guess is to run at 10k per hour for as long as I can, but I don't want to go too easy on myself either. Any advice would be most welcome.


Comments

  • #2
    Krusty_Clown
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,550 ✭✭✭✭Krusty_Clown


    Hi Colostomy, having only run up to 24kms in the 10 weeks leading up to the race, you won't have developed much speed-endurance. I would suggest that you are very much under-trained from this perspective, so should go for the more conservative approach and go with the 4:15 or 4:30 pacers. If you find at 20+ miles that you are still feeling good, then you should push-on for a strong finish.

    Gaelforce isn't terribly relevant, as it is a multi-discipline race. The Mourne Way is far more relevant, though as you have correctly pointed out, it is a different kind of beast so times aren't comparable. Also, because it took place last June, any long run benefits in preparation for that race will largely have subsided at this stage. So play it conservatively and finish strong.


  • #3
    Colostomy Bag
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 114 ✭✭Colostomy Bag


    Krusty,
    Thanks for your input. With hindsight, I probably could have done with doing 'speed-endurance' (I take it by that you mean combined training with faster & longer runs?). But at this late stage there isn't much I can do about that - I'm hoping that the experience I have of having done lots of 21k hill runs in the past few months plus the MWM in June will give me some help - even if only mental! I reckon I will set out at the 4.15 or 4h30 pace and see how it goes.

    I do think though in reference to 'finishing strong' at around 20m/32k I'm not going to be picking up the pace, that is for sure! I guess my goal has to be to maintain it rather than peak too early and then fade away.


  • #4
    Krusty_Clown
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,550 ✭✭✭✭Krusty_Clown


    The most essential thing you'll take from the Mourne marathon and Gaelforce, is the strength to battle on. Hills are great for building strength and will certainly help on race day. When I say 'speed-endurance' I mean long runs (15-20 miles) with long stretches (8-15 miles) at your planned marathon pace. Also relevant/useful are training runs where sections of the run are faster than your goal marathon pace. perhaps a portion of your training has (unintentionally) been at these paces anyway? This time around, give it your best shot, and hopefully everything will go to plan, and you'll have a great experience. Next time, if you really want to go for a time-specific goal, try to find and follow a plan with that specific goal in mind. You will still be able to do your regular hill runs, you just may need to supplement them with marathon specific training. Best of luck!


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