Beginner Training Plan for DCM 2017

kilns

With just over six months to go to the DCM, I am getting a bit nervous as I signed up for it and need to get real training started
I currently run 5-8 km about 3 days a week but I am not fast and its a struggle sometimes I am still fairly unfit and need to drop the pounds.  I know if I get a good 6 months training under my belt I could break 4 hours
My question is can anyone recommend good  marathon training plans.  I know most start for a 16 week duration but if there were longer ones it would be great.  I have looked at Hal Higdon novice plan and some seem to love them and some hate them
Your help would be appreciated

RayCun

every year in this forum there is a thread for novice marathon runners, mentored by a more experienced runner
This is the 2016 thread
One of the novices from that year will be the mentor for this year (and other experienced runners will drop in from time to time with advice)
They will follow a training plan that has been developed on boards and adapted to the race calendar
It usually starts in May or June, so keep an eye out for it

The starting week of that plan (end of June) is
Monday - cross train, rest, or 3 miles very slow
Tuesday - 3 miles easy
Wednesday - 4 miles with some faster bits
Thusday - 3 miles easy
Friday - cross train, rest, or 3 miles very slow
saturday - 8 miles easy
Sunday - 2 mile very slow

so in the meantime you could aim towards that as a regular week

TFBubendorfer

The 2017 thread will be up soon enough - we're working on it!

kilns

looking forward to it

Annie get your Run

kilns wrote: »

looking forward to it

In the meantime start building your mileage and aim to be doing 20 miles a week regularly (but build it slowly!) Look at one of the Hal Higdon 10k plans between now and June.

The main thing is to build consistency and if you can slowly (and gently) work you way to 4 days a week in the next couple of months it will help greatly when the plan starts.

I'd suggest dropping the mileage of one or two of your days and running it on an extra day to start off with and then slowly add on no more than 10% increase a week.

scotindublin

As a graduate of the 2016 Novices thread I cannot recommend it enough. Great source of information and encouragement.

Good luck on the marathon journey it is epic in so many ways but so worth it!!

event

kilns wrote: »

With just over six months to go to the DCM, I am getting a bit nervous as I signed up for it and need to get real training started
I currently run 5-8 km about 3 days a week but I am not fast and its a struggle sometimes I am still fairly unfit and need to drop the pounds.  I know if I get a good 6 months training under my belt I could break 4 hours
My question is can anyone recommend good  marathon training plans.  I know most start for a 16 week duration but if there were longer ones it would be great.  I have looked at Hal Higdon novice plan and some seem to love them and some hate them
Your help would be appreciated

4 years ago I used a Hall Higdon novice plan for my first, did it in 3:58. Most I'd done was 10k before that. I think it's a great plan & flexible. Sign up to the race series if you're close to Dublin, they help

ooter

I also used HH novice 1 plan 4 years ago for my first marathon, stick to that as best you can and you'll be grand. Also the novice thread is excellent, i got loads of good info and support from the 2013 one.

positron

In a very similar situation to OP, and looking forward to the 2017 novice thread, but in the meantime I got impatient and started Hal Higdon Novice 1. I am on Week 3 now. I did it mostly because I skip runs if I don't have a definte plat to stick to, but also because even with a plan in place sometimes life (I mean excuses) gets in the way and I may have to repeat some weeks, so I thought I might as well start two months early.

Annie get your Run

positron wrote: »

In a very similar situation to OP, and looking forward to the 2017 novice thread, but in the meantime I got impatient and started Hal Higdon Novice 1. I am on Week 3 now. I did it mostly because I skip runs if I don't have a definte plat to stick to, but also because even with a plan in place sometimes life (I mean excuses) gets in the way and I may have to repeat some weeks, so I thought I might as well start two months early.

It's a good idea to start a plan before the marathon plan but be careful about starting a marathon plan 2 months early. You don't want to be overtrained or fatigued or fed up with your training! before you reach the start line. Marathon training is 18 weeks as it is - I'd switch to a 5K or 10K plan for consistency and listen to your body (if you're tired skip a run). There's also a half marathon plan there that might be good as a pre marathon base.

heebusjeebus

I'm looking forward to the official boards novice thread starting. I'm entering the DCM for the first time this year.
To start my training and focus my mind, I've entered the Cork Half Marathon on the June Bank Holiday.
I should be in fine fettle for the start of the marathon training plan.

positron

Annie get your Run wrote: »

It's a good idea to start a plan before the marathon plan but be careful about starting a marathon plan 2 months early. You don't want to be overtrained or fatigued or fed up with your training! before you reach the start line. Marathon training is 18 weeks as it is - I'd switch to a 5K or 10K plan for consistency and listen to your body (if you're tired skip a run). There's also a half marathon plan there that might be good as a pre marathon base.

Thanks, I will keep this in mind. My plan is to repeat some of the earlier weeks (like week 5, 6, 7) a number of times to stretch the plan to match SSE series / novice plan etc. I only finished C25K 7 months ago, and marathon is a huge leap forward and I am approaching it very carefully (I am betting on my lazyness to protect me )

Lazare

RayCun wrote: »

every year in this forum there is a thread for novice marathon runners, mentored by a more experienced runner
This is the 2016 thread
One of the novices from that year will be the mentor for this year (and other experienced runners will drop in from time to time with advice)
They will follow a training plan that has been developed on boards and adapted to the race calendar
It usually starts in May or June, so keep an eye out for it

The starting week of that plan (end of June) is
Monday - cross train, rest, or 3 miles very slow
Tuesday - 3 miles easy
Wednesday - 4 miles with some faster bits
Thusday - 3 miles easy
Friday - cross train, rest, or 3 miles very slow
saturday - 8 miles easy
Sunday - 2 mile very slow

so in the meantime you could aim towards that as a regular week

Can parkrun be incorporated into this somehow? As in, running it hard. I'd hate to have to knock it on the head for 16 weeks.

RayCun

Lazare wrote: »

Can parkrun be incorporated into this somehow? As in, running it hard. I'd hate to have to knock it on the head for 16 weeks.

You shouldn't be running it hard every week anyway

That's one for when the thread starts, really. The question I'd have is, would you be comfortable running a parkrun on a saturday and your long run on the Sunday after? If not, which are you going to drop?

Annie get your Run

Lazare wrote: »

Can parkrun be incorporated into this somehow? As in, running it hard. I'd hate to have to knock it on the head for 16 weeks.

+1 to what Ray said however, there's more than one way to skin a cat! I used to incorporate parkrun into my long run so either run there and finish up at PR or run there, do parkrun and run home etc. You should probably give up racing it for the duration of marathon training though as we like to say around here 'keep the main thing the main thing' it's only 16/18 weeks and it'll still be there after the marathon!

The Black Oil

heebusjeebus wrote: »

I'm looking forward to the official boards novice thread starting. I'm entering the DCM for the first time this year.
To start my training and focus my mind, I've entered the Cork Half Marathon on the June Bank Holiday.
I should be in fine fettle for the start of the marathon training plan.

You have a nickname for yourself now, should you decide to get a custom t-shirt made...

rainbow kirby

Annie get your Run wrote: »

+1 to what Ray said however, there's more than one way to skin a cat! I used to incorporate parkrun into my long run so either run there and finish up at PR or run there, do parkrun and run home etc. You will need to give up racing it for the duration of marathon training though, it's only 16/18 weeks and it'll still be there after the marathon!

I did Parkrun every week in marathon training, but I was running it with the buggy so not going all out racing.

tony1980

scotindublin wrote: »

As a graduate of the 2016 Novices thread I cannot recommend it enough. Great source of information and encouragement.

Good luck on the marathon journey it is epic in so many ways but so worth it!!

A graduate from last year myself, it was brilliant and we got great advice. One thing I would have loved to have done before the marathon training began, would have been some strength and conditioning and also getting a good routine going with proper stretching and foam rolling. I think it would have prevented some minor injuries I had during the training.

Looking forward to seeing how this years graduates get on :-)

only running

Hal Higdons plans are very good. A nice balance to them. There would be a few weeks now before they start so a good time to get a base level of running and miles in legs

ToriV

The Black Oil wrote: »

You have a nickname for yourself now, should you decide to get a custom t-shirt made...

Supple!! I swear i still laugh at it. Made those miles just fly by....

ToriV

2016 grad here. Being part of that group was the best thing i ever did - the marathon itself was amazing, but the journey was incredible. Great advice from people who really know what they are talking about.

Cant wait to see it this year!

slingerz

Noob question but as an extreme novice to running I was looking at DCM as a target. Thing is im getting married in July and with the honeymoon and everything I wouldn't be starting back until late August. I assume that's not suffice t for a complete beginner

The Black Oil

slingerz wrote: »

Noob question but as an extreme novice to running I was looking at DCM as a target. Thing is im getting married in July and with the honeymoon and everything I wouldn't be starting back until late August. I assume that's not suffice t for a complete beginner

Probably need more of a sense of your running history and how much time you'll be away for. Are you running much at the moment? I think there was someone who did a few laps of a cruise ship to keep things ticking over last year, whilst on holidays. Still, it never hurts to have a target and plan. If DCM isn't possible, perhaps Connemarathon for next April would suit you. Hope all goes well with the wedding planning.

Singer

Unless you want to also be in training for your first divorce I'd give it the marathon a miss. Enjoy your wedding and honeymoon and pick some other, easier running targets. Ramping up to your first marathon as a novice is a lot of stress and effort, exactly what you don't need at that time!

The Black Oil

Good point above. Training will mean good sleep (bed by 11 was last year's mantra) and about 4 runs per week. It'll impact your Saturdays and 'but I have to run', might cause annoyance if you're doing it for a number of months, back-to-back.

jamule

“Runners may make better lovers but sometimes (there’re) lousy spouses”.

ted1

A novice here too, aiming for the Dublin one and San Sebastián the following month.
Currently cycling 300km a week back and forth to work and swimming 2 or three times and running 5 km 2 or three times a week during lunch. Managed 15km last Sunday.
Calfs and knees are the weak points, any advice on building them up.

volkswagon1973

Hi,just signed up to DCM will be my first have done 4 half marathons best time 1.44,best 10mile 75,looking to know what plan to go with I have looked at various plans but no sure with one suits. I will be looking at doing cross training spinning bike on days off for 1/2hr and also looking at using yoga ball to build core. Looking for best plan for 5 day week long runs will be Sundays.

Glencarraig

volkswagon1973 wrote: »

Hi,just signed up to DCM will be my first have done 4 half marathons best time 1.44,best 10mile 75,looking to know what plan to go with I have looked at various plans but no sure with one suits. I will be looking at doing cross training spinning bike on days off for 1/2hr and also looking at using yoga ball to build core. Looking for best plan for 5 day week long runs will be Sundays.

I used this for my marathon return.............after 30 years of doing nothing, worked for me, ran 3.28 on the day.