Marathon running - How to improve leg strength

Bruz82

Hi all,
Im not a seasonal runner but done my first half and full marathon this year and enjoyed it alot. Been training in soccer since February ( and for the last 12 years ) so have a decent level of fitness. I started running in July. Done the half marathon in 93 mins and was happy with that for my first road race ever.
My query is in relation to the marathon......I didn't know what time to expect so I said anything around the 3.40/50 would be ok. In training I never done more than 15 miles ( afraid of injury ) So the plan was to run a constant 11 km/hour give or take. I was 5 mins under passing the first 11 km mark and was feeling good, half mark at 1.41 and was in a good rhythm. I passed the 20 mile mark at 2.36 and was not too tired .e.g plenty in the tank to keep her steady to the end. Unfortunately thats when the the cramps/spasms started in my hamstring. ( and slightly in my thighs) Anyway within ten minutes I went from a 3.10/20 to just surviving. I finished on 3.49 and was disappointed to say the least. My legs are pretty skinny so I'm looking for any advise on how I could maybe build them up a little and prolong the cramps / spasm for a bit longer....e.g better runners, longer miles, slower pace.......??? Would like to break the 3.30 mark

Thanks for reading
Richard

menoscemo

Bruz82 wrote: »

Hi all,
Im not a seasonal runner but done my first half and full marathon this year and enjoyed it alot. Been training in soccer since February ( and for the last 12 years ) so have a decent level of fitness. I started running in July. Done the half marathon in 93 mins and was happy with that for my first road race ever.
My query is in relation to the marathon......I didn't know what time to expect so I said anything around the 3.40/50 would be ok. In training I never done more than 15 miles ( afraid of injury ) So the plan was to run a constant 11 km/hour give or take. I was 5 mins under passing the first 11 km mark and was feeling good, half mark at 1.41 and was in a good rhythm. I passed the 20 mile mark at 2.36 and was not too tired .e.g plenty in the tank to keep her steady to the end. Unfortunately thats when the the cramps/spasms started in my hamstring. ( and slightly in my thighs) Anyway within ten minutes I went from a 3.10/20 to just surviving. I finished on 3.49 and was disappointed to say the least. My legs are pretty skinny so I'm looking for any advise on how I could maybe build them up a little and prolong the cramps / spasm for a bit longer....e.g better runners, longer miles, slower pace.......??? Would like to break the 3.30 mark

Thanks for reading
Richard

It's got nothing to do with leg strength, you just paced it all wrong and blew up. Cramps were most likely down to fatigue especially given you never ran further than 15 miles in training, still If you had went through halfway in 1:45, I am sure you would have broken 3:30.

Do some 20+ mile runs in training next time might help also

Clearlier

Bruz82 wrote: »

Hi all,
Im not a seasonal runner but done my first half and full marathon this year and enjoyed it alot. Been training in soccer since February ( and for the last 12 years ) so have a decent level of fitness. I started running in July. Done the half marathon in 93 mins and was happy with that for my first road race ever.
My query is in relation to the marathon......I didn't know what time to expect so I said anything around the 3.40/50 would be ok. In training I never done more than 15 miles ( afraid of injury ) So the plan was to run a constant 11 km/hour give or take. I was 5 mins under passing the first 11 km mark and was feeling good, half mark at 1.41 and was in a good rhythm. I passed the 20 mile mark at 2.36 and was not too tired .e.g plenty in the tank to keep her steady to the end. Unfortunately thats when the the cramps/spasms started in my hamstring. ( and slightly in my thighs) Anyway within ten minutes I went from a 3.10/20 to just surviving. I finished on 3.49 and was disappointed to say the least. My legs are pretty skinny so I'm looking for any advise on how I could maybe build them up a little and prolong the cramps / spasm for a bit longer....e.g better runners, longer miles, slower pace.......??? Would like to break the 3.30 mark

Thanks for reading
Richard

There's no rocket science to it. You almost certainly cramped because your leg muscles weren't trained for running a marathon. I would suggest that you take a look at the book 'Advanced Marathoning' by Pfitzinger and Douglas. It'll give you lots of information about how to train for a marathon and it includes various schedules at the back of the book which I think are ideal for somebody coming from a soccer sporting background. You could read it now and plan your training so that you're ready to run one of the schedules before Dublin next year.

RayCun

I'm guessing that you did a lot of treadmill running too, because that's the only place you get people talking about pace in kms/hour.
Run outside, and run further.

28064212

RayCun wrote: »

I'm guessing that you did a lot of treadmill running too, because that's the only place you get people talking about pace in kms/hour

Pfft, metric all the way

RayCun

Sure, but minutes/km, not km/hour

overpronator

Id say the advice given is spot on, here is a thread from a while back discussing it http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056795838

I've only run 3 marathons so I'm not very experienced but Id lean to the explanation that running at paces you legs cant handle coupled with distances longer than you may have trained for are as much the cause for cramp in novice marathoners as nutrition is. If you cramped in your fingers or jaw then maybe nutrition was the cause but cramping solely in the legs could potentially be easier addressed by more long runs and more marathon training cycles. That's just my take mind you.

TFBubendorfer

Bruz82 wrote: »

In training I never done more than 15 miles ( afraid of injury )

Just step back for a moment and think about that statement alone. Did you seriously think never exceeding 15 miles in training for a 26 mile race was really such a good idea?

Longer runs are not particularly likely to get you injured as long as you increase the distance gradually and sensibly anyway.

Bruz82

Thanks for all he replies.
First of all , all my training was outside and I never went near a gym.
Second of all I played in a summer league so I was accommodating playing that every sunday morning as well as running training for a marathon during the week. This was my problem in relation to only doing 15 miles.....working full time the only real time to do the long runs was at weekends which was not possible really as I was playing every sunday morning. Don't think running 20 miles after work on a weekday was realistic hence 15 was my tops. At the end of the day I suppose this was my downfall in trying to accommodating both when I should of just concentrated on the running. Now I done it in the end but sure I would like to do the best time possible like everyone else. anyway there is always next year and ill learn from it.
Thanks again

mylifetoday

Bruz82.... been there/done that. Soccer was/is my 1st love. I've learned just like yourself that you can't serve 2 masters. But different muscles used in either sport.
A fit soccer player can run a marathon as you have done(but a fit runner cannot stay playing football as different muscles are used.... Onwards and upwards... You definitely have sub 3:30 in you, and a lot more.

The transition... can be difficult... you'll always want one more game !!!!

ger664

I work during the week and gig in a band at weekends. I am married with 2 school going children. I do my 20-22 miler runs after work on a Monday or first thing tuesday morning. Herself and the kids know that so if you want to get leg strength these runs are key over your first 3 or so marathon training cycles. Make time for these runs not excuses as to why you cannot fit them into to life routine.