I think it's better to have a RP who is faster than you but doesn't mind running a little slower than someone the same pace who might not be able to keep up for a workout on a bad day
I found a RP like this which has helped out my LRs a lot this cycle. The downside is that he never charges his watch and just chats the whole time so for the faster paced miles it's all on me to keep things in check.
4:16 for me. I was shooting for 4:00 at that one, and hit 13.1 right at 2:00. Then marathon happened. I don't think I really had any long term goals, other than to be able to run one without the last 6-8 miles being so excruciating.
Aint that the truth! I was around 2:09-2:10 at 13.1 and finished in 4:38
It's pretty inspiring to hear where people started with their first one and how far they've come since!
Aint that the truth! I was around 2:09-2:10 at 13.1 and finished in 4:38 It's pretty inspiring to hear where people started with their first one and how far they've come since!
This, absolutely! I love hearing peoples' stories. So, so inspiring.
That 3:50 was your debut, wasn't it? That was pretty damn impressive; not too many folks around here ran their first that fast (or that evenly paced), so you ought to have some pretty substantial upside potential if you keep it up.
I really wish this was true! Well, it's kind of true. First 2 marathons (barely trained--I'm talking about probably 30mpw at peak (including a 20-mi LR ) were at 5:05 and 4:50. And then my 3rd was more trained (kinda--I used a modified ... what's his name? The super famous freebie guy...) ANYWAY, I ran that in a 4:23. I was ecstatic. So like Blue said, it sounds great to get from a 5:05 to a 3:50, but given the training I did for my first two I'm not sure I'd even count those. If that makes sense.
Re: RP's...I have a speedy gal I run with. If I keep telling her to slow down she totally will, but we get chatting and all of a sudden we're going MP for an EZ run. And when I do workouts with her, she can keep up fine, but I think we do our warmups too fast and then I'm way more tired than I would be if I run solo. #firstworldprobs
And then there's me. Not that much improvement compared to the rest of you. My first marathon my predictor HM was 2:00:50 so I figured 4:15-4:30 and ended with 4:21. I was very happy with that result. For my 3rd I ran 4:15 and my 4th was 4:05. The goal for my next is 4:00 or sub-4, but it depends on how training goes over the winter.
I don't think it's a bad thing that you did not have a bad first marathon experience like the others. I like your story better. Smarter. No offense to the others.
Because I can’t run until Monday, and I’m going into withdrawal, I’m going diving on Sunday. Locally. I may die.
And kill two birds with one stone.
I didn't have a bad first marathon. Not at all. I even negative split. More pleasant than my last one
Are we there, yet?
Think of the poor elite marathoner Guye Adola who debuted in 2:03:46. Not much room for improvement there.
2024 Races:
03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles
05/11 - D3 50K, 9:11:09 06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.
No, you're absolutely right. I was an idiot and had no business running one when I did. But I didn't know that and more importantly, I didn't care. I think it was you and Jack Klumpus who BQd their first marathon (among others), because you did the right thing. I ran my first marathon to my fitness at that time and although I struggled, I learned a lot about myself that year. And while it's true you learn a lot about yourself no matter when you take on your first marathon, I wouldn't change a thing.
I'm like that too. My "bad" decisions made me who I am just as much as my good ones. No regrets,
That's good. I mean, that's the important part.
I negative split my first marathon too and enjoyed the last half a lot more than the first half. I knew I had it in the bag by mile 16 and really enjoyed the second half after being super nervous during the first half.
The second half of my first marathon was completed in 70 degree temps, so you can figure how that went.
I cannot remember now, but the crash wasn't as bad as one would think. I actually prepared for it quite well given the mileage I was running back then. I wasn't completely stupid, only partly.
I cannot remember now, but the crash wasn't as bad as one would think.
1:51 first half and 1:58 second half, so a 7 minute fade. Most of that coming at or around mile 23, which was the longest mile in the history of the marathon! Mile 25 was up a steep hill, so that was the rest of it. lol