RunningAHEAD - Topic: How to know when I'm ready for a marathon?

sarahgirl30

Treadmill Addict

posted: 12/16/2008 at 3:00 AM

Hi everyone. I'm new here, but not new to running. I ran cross country in high school, ran a lot in college, and then about 8 years passed by without much running, a couple of kids, and now here I am, back into running again, and doing better than I ever have actually. (I'm 30) I'm a stay at home mom to two kid that are 1.5 and 4, so running is my daily break away from them. I'm following the marathon training program on the c25k site, and my first 1/2 on December 7th went great. Ran the whole thing, no walking, finished in 2:06. The next few days I was sore, and had a blister, but for the most part, I really felt great. I'm still following the training program, but I'm wondering if it's possible for me to be ready for a marathon sooner than it says I will be. I know for certain I'll be ready to run the San Diego RnR marathon at the end of May. But that seems forever away! Is it possible that I could be ready for a marathon sooner? I'm all for practice and training, and maybe I'm just getting too excited too soon. All my running is on a treadmill because I live in Vegas where I don't feel safe running on the streets. (Good part of town, but I just worry about bad drivers...there are lots here.) So, be honest with me. You won't hurt my feelings. When do you think it's possible for me to be ready for a marathon? I currently run about 30-40 miles per week with some weight lifting mixed in there for toning and strength improvement.

Sarah (37)

Mom to Abby (10) Jacob, (8) and Colton (5)

18 half marathons, 6 full marathons

Goals- run more, lose 20lbs.

RunB

posted: 12/16/2008 at 3:48 AM

First, congratulation on your HM. You will get different answers from different people. Some will suggest you do more mileage some will say you're fine. It would be good to see your log to give you a better opinion. My take is that if you have 2 months of 40+ miles per week, with half a dozen 16+ mile long runs, 2 of them 20 milers, plus 3 weeks of taper you should be good to finish. If you plan to do another marathon after, you need at least 3-4 months: 1 month to get back to your training volume, two months of training and three weeks of taper again. So doing San Diego as your second marathon might be tight. - R

sarahgirl30

Treadmill Addict

posted: 12/16/2008 at 4:24 AM

Thanks, RunB, Hey, I'm a vegan too, I like your veggies on the run photo, that's cool. Smile

I didn't realize it takes 3 months to recover from a marathon. Sheesh!! I'll have to just do a bunch of 1/2's I guess and save up for the real thing. Oh, and my log is inaccurate right now. I need to go back in my ical and punch in all my runs for the last several months. I'll probably just start from now though, I'm too lazy to do all the entries. Smile

I'm looking forward to hearing other's opinions too!

Sarah (37)

Mom to Abby (10) Jacob, (8) and Colton (5)

18 half marathons, 6 full marathons

Goals- run more, lose 20lbs.

adeel

posted: 12/16/2008 at 6:04 AM

There's a simple blood test for $14.99 you can do at your doctor's or buy at CVS that will let you know if you're ready. I think most insurance plans will cover it. You're not ready for a marathon right now. You can be ready for a marathon in May. The less time you give yourself to train, the less ready you'll be. The less ready you are, the harder the marathon will be. You could run a marathon this weekend, but it would probably take close to 6 hours and hurt a lot. If you ran a half marathon in 2:06, you'll probably run your marathon in May in 4:30 or so (and it'll hurt a lot anyway). As long as you're willing to run 42 kilometres, you're ready for a marathon. The only question is how well you'll do. The more time you give yourself to train, the better you'll do.

dgb2n

Dave

posted: 12/16/2008 at 6:37 AM

Sarah (nice avatar pic by the way), There is a favorite thread of mine in the marathon trainers group on worst marathon preparation. Compared to any story in there, you're ready now. A 30-40 mile base is a fine starting point for one of the 18 week marathon training programs. Once you build your long run up to 20 miles, you'll be fine depending on how fast your goal is. I'd also recommend that you get at least some of your long runs in outside. Maybe there is a local running group you could link up with so that you feel safe. Of course, if you posted your log you'll get much more insightful advice from the group.

I ran a mile and I liked it, liked it, liked it.

dgb2n@yahoo.com

mikeymike

posted: 12/16/2008 at 7:15 AM
modified: 12/16/2008 at 7:16 AM

You're about exactly where I was in life (eerily so other than the stay-at-home mom and being female part) and you're running a lot more than I was when I ran my first marathon.

Runners run

xor

posted: 12/16/2008 at 2:53 PM

What davegb2n said.

sarahgirl30

Treadmill Addict

posted: 12/17/2008 at 8:21 PM

Thanks for your input everyone. dgb2n, that's my kids in my avi. I'm a fan of more artsy type photos. The worst preparation thread is very funny. Educational too. Smile

On my training log, I'll start adding more details and hopefully over the next couple months I can ask for some more feedback. Mikey, how did your first one go? Smile

I think I'll probably just train really well for the one in May. That's 5 months away, so it will give me time to keep learning and improving, lose 10-15 more lbs, and fine tune as much as possible before then. I'll be on this site a lot I'm sure. Smile

Sarah (37)

Mom to Abby (10) Jacob, (8) and Colton (5)

18 half marathons, 6 full marathons

Goals- run more, lose 20lbs.

PowerOfQ

Think Whirled Peas

posted: 12/18/2008 at 7:36 PM

First off...GREAT PHOTOS on your site! They are beautiful! And yeah, you absolutely could run a marathon sooner than May. However, if you're already registered and set for May, it might not be too wise to run one in say, Feb or March, then turn right back around and run another one in May. If you're not yet committed to the May marathon, then yeah, pick up the mileage a bit and get a long run (15-20) every other weekend or so and you'd be ready. Good luck, and keep us posted on the progress! Q

Just because running is simple does not mean it is easy.

Relentless. Forward. Motion. <repeat>

mikeymike

posted: 12/18/2008 at 9:18 PM

Quote from sarahgirl30 on 12/17/2008 at 8:21 PM:

Mikey, how did your first one go?

It was absolutely miserable. And life changing. I had no clue what I was doing and went out way too fast expecially given how undertrained I was. I ran a 3:40 but it was split like 1:40/2:00. The hard way. But I vowed to do another one and do it right, and I did. And so on.

Runners run

How to know when I'm ready for a marathon? (Read 952 times)