12

LA Marathon (Read 732 times)


madness baby

    LA is coming up in less than a few weeks (March 4), and I'm looking for some advice. I ran a half a few weeks ago and that was a great experience overall. I've now run a 5K, 10K and 5K, and a half since starting to run in October and am thinking this is my year for a marathon if I will ever do it. I know I'm new, and many of you might advise that a marathon is not in the cards for me this year, but I do not believe I will listen. Wink Right now I am not injured, trained well for the half, have a flexible schedule, am in great shape for once in my life, and my husband will run it with me. I am looking for advice on a training schedule for the next two weeks. I am simply interested in finishing the marathon running. Race time predictors are telling me ~4:34, but I'm not so optimistic. I've been running on some small hills, but haven't done any real speed work, as advised by my friends here at RA. Smile My immune system takes a beating on long runs, though, and I personally don't feel that it would be smart for me to run more than 3 hrs or just over in training. I got the flu the night of the half, and I have spent some time sick in the past couple of weeks. That limits me to probably a 16 mile run at the longest, this weekend. Then I was considering a 10 miler next Sunday, one week before the race. I'm interested in advice in general, but also on distances for mid-week runs, not overtraining, cross-training, and tapering. Thanks y'all!
    deb
      If I were you I would wait another year. I really think you need more of a running base so that you can finish without injury. I started running inside on a treadmill in Sep 2004. In July of 2005 I decided to move it outside and train for a Marathon in November. My dh and I ran the Marathon together. My husband who didn't get as much training as I did due to problems had a much harder time finishing then I did ( I had to stop so many times to wait for him). Since it was our first together we did it together and finished in 4:40. I doubt I would of finished it if I just had the six months of training. Just my 2cents.

      Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson

        I don't think you need to wait a year (you can certainly be ready for a fall marathon), but I would probably pass on LA. You have plenty of lead time to train for a fall marathon with a gradual build-up to the distance.
        My Masters (>50) Race PR's: 5K - 20:17 10K - 42:36 HM - 1:31:22 Marathon - 3:20:48
          Oh you definetly could be ready for a fall Marathon!

          Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson

            I also think you should pass up L.A. in favor of a fall marathon. It's not worth it to half ass a training program -- not suggesting that is your intention, but two weeks is not enough time to train for a marathon! Oner sixteen mile long run is not enough to prepare for for the 26.2 -- you'll be surprised at the difference between 20 miles and 26! A marathon IS in the cards for you this year, but not in TWO WEEKS! Oh, if your goal is to finish, you don't need to do any speedwork -- I didn't do ANY for my first marathon, and came in around 4:45. It's early in 2007 --- look for a marathon this fall, sign up now (while prices are still down), and you'll have time to do a full, propare training program.
            2009: BQ?


            You'll ruin your knees!

              I am typically a just do it kind of person, but in your case, I agree with others in that LA might be a stretch. Why rob yourself of having a fantastic first marathon experience, which could be very well within reach by the fall. My advice is skip it. Now, since you said you probably won't listen... Nothing you do between now and March 4 will increase your ability to turn in a marathon distance! You cannot do any speed work or hill work that will benefit you that quickly, from my limited understanding of the body, what you do in the next two-three weeks will provide benefits after two or three weeks...NOT IN TIME FOR LA! So IF you are going to ignore the warnings here, don't push yourself between now and then. There are plenty of discussions on tapering for a marathon, find them and begin now to scale back in distance (not necessarily intensity) between now and March 4. Now, PLEASE, find a marathon in September... Good luck, we don't want to see you on the walking wounded forum... Lynn B

              ""...the truth that someday, you will go for your last run. But not today—today you got to run." - Matt Crownover (after Western States)

                Might as well at least wait til the RnR in San Diego if you wont wait til fall.

                http://www.freewebs.com/run4life/RA/springChallenge.htm


                madness baby

                  Ah, I don't like what I'm reading! Wink I know, I know, I wish I could wait and train smarter. However, I'm running it because I realize it is pretty much my one shot at completing a marathon. My schedule over the next year will not nearly allow the training time I have had this year, as I'll no longer be living the cushy grad student life, have a high pressure job, and will doing way more traveling than I want. I doubt I would train any differently for one in the fall because, well. . . that's me. It might not be smart, but I cannot imagine running 20 miles in training, and I'm certainly not a 5 days/week runner. I like the gym, playing on the beach, and hiking too much! Smile Plus, I'm a wimp when it comes to exercising outside in the southern California heat. My goal is to have accomplished something on par with my dissertation, not to ever run one again or anything, and I don't mind taking walking breaks. I just want to finish. And yes, not get injured. That is my one concern. Lynn, if I'm wounded I plan to be laid up in bed, not walking! Wink Just kidding. I am thankful that I have managed to not get injured. Considering my increase in the last 6 months with no injury to speak of and backing off when I was starting to overtrain, I feel I've got a good record for safety? Am I *completely* misleading myself? I was training for the half intending to continue training for the full 6 weeks later, so I'm just thinking about how to spend my last couple of weeks of training. My graphs are looking a little spotty and I have missed a couple of longer runs due to being sick. I know this is bad, yet it's out of my control. I have still managed to continue cross-training to keep up my fitness level. So, with this in mind, and now that you can see I am stubborn and committed to not missing my chance at doing something I never imagined myself doing, where are my fellow RA'ers who have done such crazy things?
                  deb


                  madness baby

                    Might as well at least wait til the RnR in San Diego if you wont wait til fall.
                    Tiger, I know, that was my second choice until I was asked to don a bridesmaid's dress on the east coast that same weekend Wink The timing would hvae been perfect, anad I would have loved to join you in that one!
                    deb


                    You'll ruin your knees!

                      Am I *completely* misleading myself? So, with this in mind, and now that you can see I am stubborn and committed to not missing my chance at doing something I never imagined myself doing, where are my fellow RA'ers who have done such crazy things?
                      Take a look at http://www.runningahead.com/logs/7629ca24cf1544398105c91d360831a7/adv_graph. I am the world's worst at jumping into something I'm not prepared for. I consider myself quite lucky with regard to injuries. The the path I have taken (see graph if it worked) leaves me now with lots of little "problems" that I am battling. These keep me from just going out for a run when I should be going out for a run. I'm just sayin', wouldn't want you to go down hard. If you plan on retiring from running after LA...by all means...go for it! Nobody knows what will happen...NOBODY! If you think this is your only shot...set a 5 hour marathon schedule and go out and have a blast! Don't try and get near your 4:34 predicted time! Enjoy yourself, go slow, listen to the music, take a camera with you (really, hand it to somebody in the crowd and have them take shots of you with a cop directing traffic, aid station people, etc...it's a blast!). Keep us posted, whatever you do, Take care, Lynn B modified to add the graph didn't work! Dang! If you can, look at my log of miles from say, October through today...too much racing on too little training!

                      ""...the truth that someday, you will go for your last run. But not today—today you got to run." - Matt Crownover (after Western States)

                        . However, I'm running it because I realize it is pretty much my one shot at completing a marathon.
                        Your one shot? I guess if you feel you must than do it. How will you feel if you got a DNF? Just curious as that is a possibility. 26.2 is not 13.1. and your still young with plenty of time ( I didn't run my first marathon until i was 36 ) Just my 2cents worth

                        Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson

                          Since you won't listen to reason.... You can do it! Plenty of people who aren't even as fit as you are have finished marathons off of less training. It will get tough at the end, and you will definitely be hobbling around for a few days or a week after, but you'll live. Probably. Evil grin Don't worry about doing anything different in the next few weeks--there's nothing you can really do to cram any extra training in and you're not running enough to need a taper. Just keep doing what you're doing and show up and run it. And take Lynn's advice and take it slow and enjoy yourself. Put that 4:34 number out of your mind and just take it at a relaxed and easy pace. Good luck!

                          Runners run


                          Why is it sideways?

                            Do it. I've never regretted jumping into a race. Even when it took me two hours to jog/walk/crawl the last six miles of a 50k. In fact, that turned out to be one of my most memorable races--and made me go back and do it right. Injuries heal. Glory is forever. Big grin


                            madness baby

                              Do it. I've never regretted jumping into a race. Even when it took me two hours to jog/walk/crawl the last six miles of a 50k. In fact, that turned out to be one of my most memorable races--and made me go back and do it right. Injuries heal. Glory is forever. Big grin
                              Now this I LOVE. Mike, sure thing, I will keep that number out of my head! I'll think of it as more of a guideline for "if I finish within an hour of that, I'd be happy" kind of thing. Shit, if I can walk 3 days later, that would be a good thing. Thanks for the advice about no tapering. Would you recommend 12-14 the week before? Rockenmom, I'm not sure what DNF is. DH will be with me, which makes me feel safe and he will be able to help me judge what's normal pain. I'm okay with stopping to walk. I wouldn't want to do it without him. He's the real runner! Lynn, I checked out your graph, and that is a lot of racing. I hope you're not having too mnay problems. I do plan on "retiring" from these long runs! I want to just enjoy little 3-5 mile runs and maybe longer runs near the beach every once in a while. I'm a socializer and exerciser, after all. Smile Enjoying myself to the extent possible while pounding out 26.2 miles, chatting with my husband, is my goal. We will have to borrow a smaller camera.
                              deb
                                DNF as in did not finish (just me playing devils advocate) I've actually known quite a few who have trained hard for a race and ended up not being able to finish it (not implying that will happen to you). Sounds like you've gotten some pretty solid advice! Good luck and enjoy your marathon!

                                Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson

                                12