I think so....it starts at 15 miles per week, which is low for me when I'm healthy...that's what I was running while I was injured. It doesn't get to where I am now until week 7 or so.....I don't see a benefit to cutting back on mileage for 7 weeks while training for a marathon unless my body isn't cooperating.
After following a couple of plans that seem like they start out too easy, I realize that they are often built that way on purpose. I think a lot of plans expect you to come in higher and drop back the first couple of weeks as you adjust to the quality workouts. But 7 weeks does seem like a long time.
Do consider that "where you are now" is the mileage you've been able to maintain over time, not the mileage you've just built up to.
Are we there, yet?
When choosing a plan, you need to consider not just mileage but how the weekly mileage is distributed, including what types of workouts are scheduled. Two plans that peak at 50 mpw, one having all easy mileage and one including speed work, are not equal. Even the type of speed work makes a difference because you get different training benefits from tempo runs than you do from intervals. Have you looked at Higdon's advanced plans at all, since his intermediate plans don't include any speed work? BTW I was amused the first time I read Higdon's marathon training plans, especially about his statement that first time marathoners, even experienced runners, should start with his beginners plan, since his advanced 2 plan would have been a step backwards for me when I decided to run my first.
2024 Races:
03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles
05/11 - D3 50K 05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour
06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.
Former Bad Ass
Yes. Your average for the year is what I would use, not that you hit 25mpw just now.
Damaris
Most of my real life friends peak at low 50s. Half that group are BQ runners. I think it depends on goal and ability.
Me personally I need more miles as I get older to finish in 1 piece. My training concern is that my long run % was hitting 40 (never cared about it for years but do now) so I added a 10 miler which brings me to 35% but will keep tweaking.
Skirt Runner
wcrunner2- Higdon seems really anti speedwork so I haven't looked at the advanced plans. It will be a change for me because I'm used to speedwork.
docket- so you think I should start with a plan that has less miles than I'm used to running? I should start with my yearly average? That's only 15.8 because in Jan and Feb I had a lot of 0s and really low weeks because I was injured. Should I still start at 16 mpw even though I feel really good right now?
PRs: 5K- 28:16 (5/5/13) 10K- 1:00:13 (10/27/13) 4M- 41:43 (9/7/13) 15K- 1:34:25 (8/17/13) 10M- 1:56:30 (4/6/14) HM- 2:20:16 (4/13/14) Full- 5:55:33 (11/1/15)
I started a blog about running :) Check it out if you care to
For someone just reaching 25 mpw for the first time, this would be good advice, but I don't think it applies to Kristin or anyone who has been running several years and merely had a couple low months that brought down the average.
Seven Deadly Shins
Should I be a jerk and say there is no point completing a marathon if you cannot do it under 4 hours, 4:30 for women?
There, I just said it.
Should I be a jerk and say there is no point completing a marathon if you cannot do it under 4 hours, 4:30 for women? There, I just said it.
T.O! haha...
There are so many things I wouldn't be allowed to do if we had to them perfectly. Cooking is one of them.
PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013
Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013
18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010
He is not "anti-speedwork", as you will see if you do look at the more advanced plans. Presumably the lack of speedwork in the beginner plans is is based on the idea that for lower mileage in general, you are better off putting your energy into increasing your weekly mileage rather than into speedwork of any kind. And you want to be careful about doing both at the same time. At lower mileage, MP may actually be slower than easy pace anyway, which makes an easy run is sort of like speedwork.
Dave
Sorry, meant anti speedwork for people who haven't run multiple marathons. Anti speedwork as it applies to me, not as it applies to experienced marathoners
Toronto- I don't think I'll ever be fast, but I enjoy running. A 4:30 May be a good "one day" goal but I think it would take many marathons to get there.
I'm 0 for 10 then but seem to get Boston #s whenever I want.
Kristin, I think 5:00 is a good goal for you. I consider finishing a first marathon in less than 15-20 minutes slower than your goal still a victory. Once you have experience, you'll want to be within 5 minutes of your goal (and for faster people, it's even closer)
You've gotten tons of good advice, but I'll just share my experience, to maybe give you some confidence, if you don't feel you can or want to get the miles up.
When I started training for my first marathon, I was averaging 13 mpw (I was coming off an injury). I used Hidgon's beginner I plan, except that I made it a 20 week plan, as I wanted to build in a couple of "down" weeks in case I got sick/had a niggle, and needed a break. I ended up using both of those weeks. I added no extra miles to the plan and ended up averaging 23 mpw for the cycle when all was said and done.
I treated marathon day like another LR, starting out very, ,very slowly and just seeking to enjoy the entire experience. My only goals were to complete the race, run the entire way, and have fun. I ended up having a fantastic first marathon experience. I ran the entire way and picked up speed as I went, with my last 6 miles being my fastest of the race. I was slow to be sure (finished 5:00:01, lol), but no death march, no blisters, no post-race agony. The marathons that I did later on with much higher mileage, but truly raced, were much harder on my body and took me much longer to recover from.
So, IMO, you can do a marathon -- and have a good experience -- on a low mileage beginning plan, as long as you pace yourself realistically on race day.
Life is good.
But I have run decent marathons with and without 20 milers
True for me too.
Kristin - you are not a beginner...as others have said, you are starting from a better place. Use that to your advantage. That said, a 20 miler or two might have psychological benefit this time. But you don't absolutely need it. Since you asked, I'll give you a ballpark figure on weekly mileage of 40 to 50. Besides the mileage, your planned pace is key. If you are realistic (whatever the heck that means) and settle on a true marathon pace (not half, not 20 miles) then you will do this well and not be dead the next day. No matter what, marathons are always tricky and suck. But I think you have a better grasp of this than most who have no clue what to expect for their first (I certainly didn't). Good luck!
marathon pr - 3:16