Marathon Training

BullBauld

Hi all

So I've decided I'm going to run Limerick in May. This will be my first marathon and I've only started taking my training seriously since just before Christmas.
Before that I would do a few mile a few times a week and be happy with that.

So since Christmas I've joined up with the local club, a great bunch and I love running with them and find I have progressed alot over the last few weeks.

A small downfall is that it's a popular club so time dedicated to certain groups is limited as there really is only one person running the show. Now she is brilliant, dedicated etc don't get me wrong. But she can only be stretched so far. So it's kinda hard to know where I am in relation to running a marathon in 11 weeks. Am I on track, waaaaay behind......I'm not too sure. I will go to her at some stage and see how she thinks I'm getting.

Currently training consists of the following

Tuesday:
2 mile warm up
8 x 400m speed with 400m recovery
2 mile warm down

Thursday:
15 easy
15 steady
10 tempo
15 easy

Saturday:
The last 3 Saturday's I've done just over 10 miles of a long run in 90mins. I hopefully will push that to 12 mile this weekend.

Now I'm happy that I'm doing all of the above but as I've said above, where I am along the road (pardon the pun) in terms of marathon training I'm unsure. How much should I be pushing on over the next 8 weeks or so.

I love reading this forum as it's full of people who love running and are full of knowledge and advice. If anyone has any advice, tips or any helpful thoughts I'd appreciate it.
Cheers
Bull

RoyMcC

So, about 20 miles weekly over three sessions. It's a start but you need to kick it up a gear or two now. Personally I'd target an autumn mara but if you really must run one in 11 weeks I'd jump into Hal Higdon's Novice 1 programme. You're about on track if you add another session onto what you're doing at present.

Love the speedwork but a successful first marathon will depend on covering the miles in training.

Good luck.

Rantan

personally I wouldn't like to face my first marathon on 3 runs per week.
however there seems to be a lot of dialogue out there on what is actually needed that seems to reverse a lot of accepted thinking.

there is an article in this months Runners World(I think its RW... could be the other one now that I think about it?) called busy man marathon and it gives a specific training plan based around 3 runs a week, I'll dig it out when I get home..

there is a thread somewhere here about the hanson programme worth looking for...

no harm in going for it I suppose?

ger664

Contact your club coach now. She is best placed to put together/advice a plan on this. Make her aware of your running history (she may not know as you are a new face in the group) etc. There may be others in the club doing Limerick as well.

BullBauld

Thanks for the replies guys, appreciate it.

Just looking at the Hal Higdon novice plan. And at week 7/8 where I should be now. I'm currently doing the equivalent mileage on the Tuesday and Thursday that the plan does in 3 nights. So I'm not too bad there. I think?!!

And my long run will hit the 12 mile mark this weekend so again I'm about where the plan is.

Am I over simplifying it?

I want to do it and make it achievable so I'm going to start upping it from now on if needs be.

I'm going to corner the coach and get her opinion too.
Thanks again.

RoyMcC

Yes I think that you're at a good point to step into HH Novice 1. The quarter-mile intervals will stand to you but you may need to sacrifice them for the extra miles you'll need to get round your first marathon. Don't underestimate the task.

I suspect your coach might also advise getting a bit more base work done before tackling a full marathon. Marathons will always be there in the future and there's good race experience to be had at the shorter distances first.

rom

Have you run a half marathon?

rom

Have a read off that. Underestimating the task is something that will hurt you.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=90266006

BullBauld

RoyMcC wrote: »

Yes I think that you're at a good point to step into HH Novice 1. The quarter-mile intervals will stand to you but you may need to sacrifice them for the extra miles you'll need to get round your first marathon. Don't underestimate the task.

I suspect your coach might also advise getting a bit more base work done before tackling a full marathon. Marathons will always be there in the future and there's good race experience to be had at the shorter distances first.

Thanks for your reply. I got speaking to the coach last night. She is using a plan she devised by herself and a 2:18 marathon runner who's local and anyone over the last few years that has followed it has gotten on great. She has plenty of faith in it so I suppose I just have to have faith in her. She is very good and won't let me do anying that's bad for me.

She seems to think I'm going fine, maybe get a recovery run in the day after my long run but in general I'm going good.

rom wrote: »

Have you run a half marathon?

No.

rom wrote: »

Have a read off that. Underestimating the task is something that will hurt you.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=90266006

Thanks for the link, will have a read. I'm not underestimating the task......I hope. I know it won't be easy but I want to do it (having registered also :pac:) so I'm willing to put the work in.

kookiebrew

Best of luck with the plan...im also doing my first full at Limerick... might see you at finish line