I've just done my first 10 mile road race and now I want to do a marathon, is this to big a step up in one go?

Question

I only started running this year (aged 38) and really enjoyed it and completed the great south run in Portsmouth UK at the end of October.(10 miles in 1hr 30min, o.k. no records broken here but it was fun!!) Should I aim to do maybe a half marathon before I try and do a full one?

Answer 1

Let me tell you this first. A marathon is two parts. First is the first 20 miles. The second is the last 6 miles. A marathoner once told me that and I never understood untill I did it. You could get ready in less than a year. I'd take longer and work my way up.

Answer 2

Just beware the marathon training groups that progrss too slowly or too quickly.

I was in a marathon training group that started us at about 4 miles/long run for a marathon 6 months later.

We added mileage so slowly that 4 months later, we were only at 12 miles. This was followed by adding 2 miles/week until 22 miles/long run.

Very poorly designed system.

I've been running for 30 years and I feel that it takes time to properly prepare for a marathon...it's not too be taken lightly and 6 months is generally not enough time.

Answer 3

It all depends on how soon you wish to run a marathon. Train, train, and then train - get to a point where you can reach for 26.2 miles by not killing yourself. If that takes you 5 months, great! If not, then take extra time.

My wife accomplished a marathon through structured training, with a run club... yet she never ran ANY other race before or after.

Currently, I'm training myself for the Austin AT&T Marathon in February. I'm following a schedule that's located in the website listed below. Since I am too busy to join a run club I can only train alone and this website has been very useful. The following website deserves all my credit. Try it, I'm sure you'll also find it very useful.

Answer 4

Well, surely you must do longer runs than 10 miles, but not necessarily road races to achieve your objective. Any good training plan says you need several 18-milers plus a couple of 20-22 milers spaced apart toward the end of training.

Visualizing the jump from 10 miles to 26 is extremely painful, that's why you should set some intermediate goals - so you can reach each goal and feel confident about continuing.

Believe me, 10 miles is a piece of cake compared to 26, and each additional mile seems to add stress and pain exponentially. You need to continue to progress in your training and include the longer runs so you can understand what "mind over matter" really means.

Good Luck mate.....

Answer 5

As stated before, training and nutrition are the keys.
When I was training for the Los Angeles marathon, I would run 10-12 miles per day. I would then run 16 miles every other Saturday.
Good luck.
The training takes up a lot of time, but well worth it at the finish line.

Answer 6

Wow, you're rather the planner once you're thinking approximately October 2011, what, 2 years away! sturdy for you! And super which you have have been given already run some a million/2 marathons, so which you a minimum of have an concept of the time in contact in education. And, fyi, you at the instant are not any greater a "initiating runner" in case you have been working for 2 years and have executed 2 a million/2 marathons! it rather is greater suitable than many human beings do. i've got in my view run 5 marathons. the 1st marathon that I ran substitute into after i've got been working for some years, with a weekly 10 mile long-term. i might say that i substitute into working approximately 20 or so miles entire a week formerly i desperate to start education for my first. i substitute into area of a close-by group of runners whom many have been already experienced marathoners, so i've got been given suggestion on my education from them for my 1st one. i might recommend starting to be a member of a education group once you're waiting on your 1st marathon- it somewhat is totally useful! And, why wait 2 years?? I say decide for it and do one faster! sturdy success and have exciting!

Answer 7

I would tell you "yes." Train and participate in a half-marathon before taking on a full marathon. The training is the key; be sure to train accordingly and be aware of how your body reacts. If the half marathon goes well, I don't see any reason why you wouldn't be able to (considering, like you said, you're not concerned with breaking records). Good luck!

Answer 8

There is no reason my you can't do a marathon. you will (most likely) need to double your weekly mileage to prepare. But doing a half before a full is a very common thing. Just make sure you give yourself time to recover and then train for the marathon after the half.

Answer 9

It's all on you, but I'd suggest that you try a half and get another year or two of serious mileage and training before attempting a full marathon.

Good luck.

Answer 10

i think you can tackle a marathon. just find a marathon training program out there. it will help you out. I even expect you could go under 3:50 in a marathon.