RunningAHEAD - Topic: Advice needed- half or full marathon???

kelsalynn

posted: 8/20/2008 at 12:56 PM
modified: 8/20/2008 at 1:03 PM

***I posted this question on the AZ only forums but didn't get any responses so I thought I'd open it up to everyone. I'm looking for your advice!*** THANKS! I need some advice. I was planning on signing up for the PF Chang's HALF marathon in January. My longest run to date is 10 miles. Just last week I ran 6 miles one day and the week before I ran 5 miles (plus a bunch of two, three, or four milers). To be honest, considering that there's about 5 months left until the PF Chang's event, I'm really not worried about being ready to run the half marathon. I've never done it before, but I know I could, I just never put myself to an "official" test before. So it got me thinking, should I just sign up for the full and start training for that? I'm curious what you guys think. I read about people all the time who decide randomly one day to run a marathon and they've barely run before. Here I am, I run about 10-14 miles per week and there's 5 months to go and I'm thinking about doing the half? Seems like the "easy way out" maybe? LET'S HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS!!!

Dakota RR

Right on Hereford...

posted: 8/20/2008 at 12:59 PM

Do the half.

sparky_

posted: 8/20/2008 at 1:04 PM
modified: 8/20/2008 at 1:06 PM

if it was me I'd do the full marathon... especially with 5 months to go. Cool

Start building your base mileage slowly and safely over the next 4-6 (or however long it takes to slowly and SAFELY build your milage) weeks, to a minimum of 30 miles/week then kick off a beginners training plan. Why not run a half-marathon in November or early December if you can find one as part of your training? Interested in knowing what you decide!

xor

posted: 8/20/2008 at 1:16 PM

...and I'm thinking about doing the half? Seems like the "easy way out" maybe?

I have run 180 full marathons and ultras. BUT... Never EVER view a half marathon as an "easy way out" or a cop-out race. Choosing the shorter distance does not make you less of a person. It is a different experience. In many ways more fun. The allure of the marathon is kind of one of those intangible things... partly because of the history of something like Boston (there's nothing like that for halves)... and partly because over the last few years, people have treated the marathon as All That! And, well, fulls are big deals. As they should be. With a big training commitment. Halves are big deals too. My advice: Run the half! See if you even *like* long distance running and the training it requires. IF YOU DO, then register for a full in the May timeframe or later. Lots of people try the full for their first race and don't really like it much. Just my opinion. Halves are challenging, halves are fun, and halves are not punk-out events. Semi famous saying: The half marathon seems to have an inferiority complex because it is the only event that is named based on a longer event. We don't call the 5k a "half 10k". Or a 50 miler a "half hundred" (ooops, sometimes we do... Smile

)

NateFromRI

posted: 8/20/2008 at 1:19 PM

You could probably pull of the full marathon. On the other hand, you could be really well prepared to run a great half. It's unfortunate that by its very name the half is set up to sound like the wimpy version of a marathon. In truth it is a great distance... a mortal can be well trained for it and push hard while still being in a really long and challenging race. Don't view it as half of a 26.2 but rather as a full 13.1. In my opinion: Go for the half. Enjoy it and run it fast. Get the thrill of a new distance while still having another to look forward to. Once you are done, you'll be in a great position to train for a successful full marathon.

-------------------------------------
5K - 18:25 - 3/19/11
10K - 39:38 - 12/13/09
1/2 - 1:29:38 - 5/30/10
Full - 3:45:40 - 5/27/07

MrFinn

Prince of Fatness

posted: 8/20/2008 at 1:25 PM

Quote from kelsalynn on 8/20/2008 at 12:56 PM:

I'm really not worried about being ready to run the half marathon. I've never done it before, but I know I could, I just never put myself to an "official" test before.

This statement makes me vote for the half. If you haven't done either yet, get your feet wet with the HM before trying the marathon. Good luck either way.

Not at it at all.

kelsalynn

posted: 8/20/2008 at 1:39 PM

Alright, I think I know what I'm going to do. In the PF Chang's, you can sign up for the full marathon, but change your mind and do the half just before the race. However, you can't sign up for the half and change your mind later. With that being said, I'm going to take a little piece of what everyone advised. I'm going to sign up for the full and see how training goes. I'll search for a half marathon in November and see how that event goes. Maybe I'll decide to stick with the full marathon in January, maybe I'll decide to have a "fast" half instead. But by signing up for the full right now, I am giving myself more time to make the right decision for my body. I'm not locking myself into either race yet I'm still registering and getting the "early bird" price for registering now. And I want to clarify that I by no means feel like a half marathon would be "easy." I just know that the full would be a challenge for me that I think I'm more ready for now than ever and I'm wondering if I should seize that feeling while I have it! My workouts the past 6 months are so much more intense than ever before and I'm stronger now so maybe now is the time. Maybe not. I'll definitely keep everyone posted on my progress and I really APPRECIATE everyone's advice and thoughts. It was exactly what I was looking for... Here we go...

Advice needed- half or full marathon??? (Read 479 times)