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8 miles to marathon in 8 weeks?
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 2006-09-01 7:30 PM |
Regular  408  Rhode Island |  Subject: 8 miles to marathon in 8 weeks?Right now, I could throw on my shoes and fairly comfortably run 8 miles. I'd be pretty tired after, but I have no doubt I could finish it. I see a marathon in my area on 10/29. I've heard if you can do 20, you can do 26. So is that just crazy to try to add about 2 miles a week for the next 8 weeks and then try to do my first marathon? Or should I take my time all winter and wait for spring? |
| 2006-09-01 7:37 PM in reply to: #529191 |
Expert 1205 Herndon VA | Subject: RE: 8 miles to marathon in 8 weeks? That's what I did last year. I finished my last tri Sept 11th and did the Richmond Marathon on Nov 11th. I just jumped into the Hal Higdon plan at the appropriate week. It made for a big running month in October but it's doable. I finished in 4:14, not super fast but not bad. Prior to starting training my longest run had been 12 miles. I say go for it. Ernie |
| 2006-09-01 7:46 PM in reply to: #529191 |
Not a Coach 11473  Media, PA | Subject: RE: 8 miles to marathon in 8 weeks? You might be able to, but it's certainly less than ideal (and risky). Check Higdon's novice plan here. You should be up to 16 by now and about 30 per week. I'd look for a later one if you want to do it. |
| 2006-09-01 8:02 PM in reply to: #529191 |
Resident Curmudgeon 25290 The Road Back Gold member | Subject: RE: 8 miles to marathon in 8 weeks? Way too many marathons out there for you to bust your balls trying to get ready for one in just 8 weeks. |
| 2006-09-01 8:09 PM in reply to: #529191 |
Master 1254 Chesapeake, VA | Subject: RE: 8 miles to marathon in 8 weeks? If 8 miles is the max you think you can run at this point, my vote is NO. However, if you can do something in the 12ish range, then it is doable, but not ideal. Why not go out this weekend and see you far you really can run. Go SLOW and just take it mile by mile. It is true that if you can run 20 miles you probably can complete a marathon, but that doesn't mean you will enjoy yourself. However if you are stuggling to finish the 20 miler in training, adding 10k on race day is NOT easy. When I ran my first marathon, I only had two 20 milers under my belt and I died at mile 22. The second time around I had a much better base and I was able to run the whole 26.2. I enjoyed the experience so much more. |
| 2006-09-01 8:27 PM in reply to: #529212 |
Resident Curmudgeon 25290 The Road Back Gold member | Subject: RE: 8 miles to marathon in 8 weeks? captantony - 2006-09-01 8:09 PM It is true that if you can run 20 miles you probably can complete a marathon, but that doesn't mean you will enjoy yourself. I would be brash enough to state that 90% of the people on this site "can complete a marathon" without any additional training. But, as you said, it wouldn't be enjoyable, nor would it be recommendable. |
| 2006-09-01 8:31 PM in reply to: #529191 |
Champion 6993 Chicago, Illinois | Subject: RE: 8 miles to marathon in 8 weeks? yeah your better to wait I been pushing my distance races all year and I been getting injuried. You can do it and its not as bad off. Depends also though how much running you done normally. there is a bid difference between having done 5 a year and not being too well trained then 8 being your max right now and trying to do one. You better off waiting or you can start to train and see how it goes. like I said your base right now is really the key |
| 2006-09-02 8:24 AM in reply to: #529191 |
Cycling Guru 15134 Fulton, MD | Subject: RE: 8 miles to marathon in 8 weeks? My vote would be a big fat no ....... not worth the frustration and potential injury to try and "finish" just because there is one locally soon. There will always be more. As someone who signed up for my first two years ago the day before the race just because I heard the race director on the radio with only about 4 runs under my belt the whole year, then only made it halfway before I had a huge blister and serious ITB issues, it just ain't worth it ..... |
| 2006-09-02 9:26 AM in reply to: #529191 |
Pro 3906 St Charles, IL | Subject: RE: 8 miles to marathon in 8 weeks? If your logs are complete, you've only run 31 miles in all of July and August. I'd say that a marathon in 8 weeks is less than advisable. You might be able to run 8 miles, but you aren't running 8 miles now. There's a world of difference there. Sure, you may be able to complete the marathon, but it would not be enjoyable and you run a vastly increased risk of injury if you try ramp up your training that much that fast, with the base that you have. If you must race in 8 weeks, are there other distance options? A 10k or 15k would be other options to consider.
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| 2006-09-02 11:25 AM in reply to: #529191 |
| Fishers, IN | Subject: RE: 8 miles to marathon in 8 weeks? From the look of your picture, you are probably fairly young and healthy. If your goal is to just complete one, you can probably do it (even without training). Shoot I remember runing those march of dimes walk a thons when I was young (walk run walk variety). You will certainly not be able to pull off the kind of time that you are capable of doing if well prepared. I pretty much jumped into my first marathon, having done no long runs. I just happened to be in silicon valley at the same time as the Napa Marathon (I knew this 2 weeks before the race). I do not think I had done anything longer than 8 to 10 miles at the time. I was loggin on the order of 40 to 50 mile weeks - hence was a consistent runner. The marathon went fairly well and I finished just under 3:30. The hamstring cramping I had due to the lack of consumption of enough carbos and water during the race, as well as not having done the long runs to teach my body to conserve carbos lead to a very painful last few miles. My second marathon went much better because I was prepared. Frankly, if you have been running consistently, you can probably do it reasonably well. If you haven't been running consistently, you can still probably do it, I just would not expect much beyond just trying to finish |
| 2006-09-02 12:14 PM in reply to: #529191 |
Champion 10154 Alabama | Subject: RE: 8 miles to marathon in 8 weeks? I'm training for my 4th Disney Marathon (in January) and am 5 weeks into my 23 week marathon plan. 23 weeks is probably too long for a marathon traing plan but 8 weeks is probably too short. Like people have said, there is little doubt you CAN do the marathon but for me, the marathon is kinda the icing on the cake. The real benefit from a marathon endeavor is the training. I like to have a goal that I'm working for to keep me focused. Having said that, I think if you want to do the marathon in 8 weeks, then do it! It's just a dang foot race. Get your long run up as high as you can w/o injuring yourself and do it! Regardless of how you do on your first marathon, it will be a PR. People talk about the 10% rule and not increasing your milage more than 10% a week but I think this all depends on the type of body you have. Some people are prone to injury and knee problems and this and that and others never seem to have any problems. Only you know if you can handle the steep increase in milage. Good luck with whatever you decide. ~Mike |
| 2006-09-02 5:41 PM in reply to: #529191 |
Regular 408 Rhode Island | Subject: RE: 8 miles to marathon in 8 weeks? Thanks all for the feedback. My reasoning in wanting to do this race is that its the last one that's really local to me this year. The next ones are in April. So based on everyone's advice, I'll wait it out and try next year. I did train for one once before, about 7 years ago, but on my next to last long run (the Martha's Vineyard 20 miler) it felt like someone put a knife in the side of my knee and I was done at the 5 mile mark. I had started training in October and that race was in March. So if I got hurt with that much training time, I would most likely get hurt in 8 weeks. Thanks for the reality check. |
| 2006-09-02 6:05 PM in reply to: #529191 |
Champion 19812 MA | Subject: RE: 8 miles to marathon in 8 weeks? Why not do one of the many 1/2 Mary's in NE this Fall? There are a bunch in October and I found one in NH on November 12th that I plan on doing. Going from 8 miles to 13.1 is much more doable. I had a blast doing my first 1/2 Mary! Last year at this time, I was avery BOP runner who wanted to be motivated to run all winter. I signed up for a 1/2 Mary in March to have it be my run training carrot, missed some run training do to multiple soccer injuries. I had done one 7.5 mile run and one 9.5 mile run, but I did it and had a great time. It was what I like to call a changer...it changed my attitude about what I could do....it was a real breakthrough for me in my running. Rob from BT ran with me at my pace which made it even better. Good news I ran all winter, and this year my running pace is about 2 m/m faster...still BOP but moving closer to MOP for my AG. Edited by KathyG 2006-09-02 6:06 PM |
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