DCM or not??

tommyh1977

Just looking for a little guidance. Currently undecided on doing DCM this year, but obviously need to make my mind up shortly. Background, I'm running 3 years with 3 half marathons under my belt, the latest being 2 weeks ago. My half PB in May was 1:55. Half I did two weeks was 2:02. I was out injured during June & July but that has settled now and I raced my last half without any trouble, albeit slower than my PB but I'm putting that down to not wanting to push too hard until I was sure injury had settled. I'm running Dingle half next weekend which I hope to sub 2hrs. Longest run to date 14 miles and comfortable after it, therefore I am considering going for DCM but that little voice of doubt in the back of my head is saying don't. Any advice appreciated, just looking to finish the course under 5hrs, not set a PB or anything.

average_runner

tommyh1977 wrote: »

Just looking for a little guidance. Currently undecided on doing DCM this year, but obviously need to make my mind up shortly. Background, I'm running 3 years with 3 half marathons under my belt, the latest being 2 weeks ago. My half PB in May was 1:55. Half I did two weeks was 2:02. I was out injured during June & July but that has settled now and I raced my last half without any trouble, albeit slower than my PB but I'm putting that down to not wanting to push too hard until I was sure injury had settled. I'm running Dingle half next weekend which I hope to sub 2hrs. Longest run to date 14 miles and comfortable after it, therefore I am considering going for DCM but that little voice of doubt in the back of my head is saying don't. Any advice appreciated, just looking to finish the course under 5hrs, not set a PB or anything.

Personally I would say no, you just got over an injury and the marathon would expose it if its not 110% healed. Big difference between a half and a marathon in testing the body.

You would also need to be hitting the 18 miles in the LSR by now and maybe a 20 done by now.

Wait till next year and enjoy the half marathons for now.

menoscemo

tommyh1977 wrote: »

I am considering going for DCM but that little voice of doubt in the back of my head is saying don't. Any advice appreciated, just looking to finish the course under 5hrs, not set a PB or anything.

You say you don't want to set a PB. Have you run a marathon before?

tommyh1977

menoscemo wrote: »

You say you don't want to set a PB. Have you run a marathon before?

No, I haven't, maybe I should have said I didn't want to set a specific time.

carlton36

You shouldn't rush into running a marathon.

If there's any doubt or risk of injury, wait, recover, build strength & endurance and try make your first marathon an experience you want to repeat rather than an experience that makes you want to say never again and maybe puts you off running.

I was in your situation 4 years ago and decided to wait, ran my first marathon, 1 year later and it was the most memorable and enjoyable of the 3 DCM's that I've ran.

Phoole

I'm glad I saw this thread. I'm the same situation. I was cruising along nicely in July with my training til a bout of flu took me down and out for 3 weeks. I'm only just getting up to half marathon distance now.

My only trouble is my Dad died in March and I swore I would finally do DCM this year in his memory, as he was a big marathon runner.

tommyh1977

Phoole wrote: »

I'm glad I saw this thread. I'm the same situation. I was cruising along nicely in July with my training til a bout of flu took me down and out for 3 weeks. I'm only just getting up to half marathon distance now.

My only trouble is my Dad died in March and I swore I would finally do DCM this year in his memory, as he was a big marathon runner.

It's true what they say about marathons and mind games, it's a big decision to make. I'm doing my 4th Half in Dingle next weekend, I think I'll wait and see how I feel after that.

libelula

Phoole wrote: »

I'm glad I saw this thread. I'm the same situation. I was cruising along nicely in July with my training til a bout of flu took me down and out for 3 weeks. I'm only just getting up to half marathon distance now.

My only trouble is my Dad died in March and I swore I would finally do DCM this year in his memory, as he was a big marathon runner.

Ask yourself what your Dad would do in this situation. Plough on and hope for the best, or wait off and do a spring one instead...Him with all that experience an all

Phoole

tommyh1977 wrote: »

It's true what they say about marathons and mind games, it's a big decision to make. I'm doing my 4th Half in Dingle next weekend, I think I'll wait and see how I feel after that.

libelula wrote: »

Ask yourself what your Dad would do in this situation. Plough on and hope for the best, or wait off and do a spring one instead...Him with all that experience an all

I was thinking that myself, but he was a stubborn so-and-so just like me!

I may have found an alternative. Whilst Dublin may be out of the question, I may try for Clonakilty in December, where my Dad worked for many years, and then do Dublin next year.

Oryx

Phoole wrote: »

I was thinking that myself, but he was a stubborn so-and-so just like me!

I may have found an alternative. Whilst Dublin may be out of the question, I may try for Clonakilty in December, where my Dad worked for many years, and then do Dublin next year.

That is a good plan