Marathon Training

[stovebolts]

Well, I did it, I've committed myself to train for a Marathon

Thank goodness I've got the liberty to run on my lunch break, or I don't know how I'd do this. Although as I move into the schedule deeper, it has me on some longer runs that I may just have to get up early in the morning for... which doesn't excite me.

Anyway, I put in an easy 20 miles between three days last week. Took of Saturday and Sunday cause I just had too much going on and this week's schedule has been going great! Here's what I've done so far this week.

Mon. Easy 4.4 miles. I felt great!
Tues. Easy 3.4 miles. These were actually kinda tough. Plus, it was cold an windy and I over dressed. It's like I froze the first mile and a half and the last mile and a half I wanted to shed all my clothes but couldn't.
Wed. Easy 4.4 miles. Perfect run! Nice mellow run with a long sleeve shirt and my running shorts. Felt great!
Tomorrow I'm slated for a day off and Friday I'm slated for an easy 6.

Next week will look a lot like this week, except I'm expected to "Pick up the pace" a bit. I think I'll do fine, but the week after that is kinda scary.
Saturday I'm slated for an easy 3 and off again till Monday

 

[Mike]

I ran a marathon a few years ago. I had run a few 1/2 marathons and a 10 mile run through hills that was just brutal. But I have to say that marathon was the most horrible, hateful 4.5 hours of my life. At the half-way point, I hit the wall that people talk about happening at mile 22. At mile 23, I was running across a long bridge against the wind. I felt like I was running in place.

A few tips I would give:
Make sure you train on the same surface the marathon will be on. I trained on soft terrain, and the marathon was all on city streets. I've never had ankle issues, but they felt like they were going to crush with every step of the back half.
If the marathon will be in colder weather or start in the colder morning, bring old or cheap clothing you can shed and throw away in the course of the run.
Again, if it's cold, buy thin, cheap gloves. I was SOOOO happy I listened to this.
Hopefully at the end, they will hand out something to cover up with at the end. When mine finished, they handed out those micro plastic tinny looking covers. You will lose a lot of heat and you will want to keep it in when you are recovering.
If they aren't going to have GU along the way, bring some tubes for yourself.

Don't let me scare you though. This is me, not you. I would tell Bruce Springsteen "Baby, I was NOT born to run!"

Happy training to you! You can do it! I have a pic of me finishing with the medal hanging in my office. I'll always have that. So will you, and maybe more after that!

 

[stovebolts]

Hi mjbb and thanks for your advice

I ran my first 13.1 miles in the Detroit half last Oct. I averaged 8:34. I started hitting the wall at mile 10 and by mile 12 if it wasn't for my running partner, I would have stopped. It was brutal to say the least.
I remember that morning all too well. It was like 16 degrees (I can't really remember, but it was cold and frost was everywhere) outside and the day before I went to goodwill and purchased the only pair of sweat pants they had left. They were about 2 sizes too small for me and bright purple I certainly had some odd looks on the people mover that morning ;) I also had a pair of throw away jersey gloves that I wore over my Brooks and I had on my NB running coat, NB winter shirt and Minuzo running pants, so when I was too hot for my good gloves, at least I had pockets to put them in. Also, I had a small elastic belt band around my waist and I used that to keep my stocking cap so I didn't loose it. My friend on the other hand threw all his clothes away and I ended up loaning him my hat and coat out of empathy to his shaking body LOL! At the end of the race, they gave massages (A piece of heaven on earth!) and yes, those silver covers which came in very handy.

[attachment=1:15pvmmfz]Detroit half.jpg[/attachment:15pvmmfz] [attachment=0:15pvmmfz]Detroit half_tunnel.jpg[/attachment:15pvmmfz]

I went to sign up for Chicago yesterday, and yesterday they closed registration. My wife and were sooo looking forward to Chicago! Anyway, I don't know where my first Marathon will be, but I should be ready by June, but like you said, most marathon's are in the fall.

Hey, what marathon did you run?

Jeff

 

[Mike]

That's funny! I ran the Detroit marathon. They should be having early registration soon if not already. You must have looked pretty crazy, but there are a lot of people that dress in costumes and crazy stuff. Sounds like all my advice was already known. The 10 mile race I talked about was the Crim in Flint. It was sooooo hilly, but funny... I don't remember the hills ever going down! Just running up hill!

The Detroit marathon was a trip. Here's how it goes. They have the first half going around the city, over the bridge to Canada, through Windsor, through the tunnel and back to Ford Field where the 1/2 marathoners drop off. All the way is pretty cool! Lots to look at, people everywhere giving you energy. Then... then they send you off to no-man's land. Running on empty streets, over to Bell Isle and back to Ford Field. Along that stretch you have a few people ringing bells and a couple people saying "You're doing great! Keep it up!" All I wanted to say was :help !!!! Actually, it's not very Christian, but I wanted to yell, "Shut up! Shut up! This is horrible, shut up!!!" They'd say, "You're almost there!" And I wanted to scream "No I'm not!! I'm on Bell Isle!! Shut up!!! :help The bridge I talked about was coming back from Bell Isle to Detroit at mile 23 with a stiff wind in my face. It felt like I'd never get to the end of that bridge. :help

At least that's how it was when I ran it. Maybe it's changed. But they do a great job with the whole thing. I did a 1/2 marathon in Flushing. It ended at a jr. high school and all they had was a hose attached to the side of the school. Thanks. I guess I'll go home now.

So are you in the Detroit area? Or Chicago? I'd check into the Detroit run despite my glowing story. Good for you! As for me, the moment I crossed the line at Ford Field, I announced my official retirement from marathons. My first and LAST!!!!

 

[Mike]

Oh. I just looked at the print below the pic. You did the first half in Detroit too. More info I could have spared you from.

Mike

 

[stovebolts]

Wow that's great!
I ran my first 10 miles at the Crim too I absolutely loved the Crim and will for sure do it again!

Hey, I'll send you a pm. Maybe we can hook up for a run!

Jeff

 

[Mike]

I'm hoping you got my response to your message. I quit running distance about a year go when I blew my knee out skiing. Since I recovered, I stay in shape, hit the treadmill every day. Sorry. No more distance running for me.

How do you run during lunch at work? Do you have a gym at your workplace? Hopefully with showers???

Keep training! God's speed coming back across the Bell Isle bridge!

 

[stovebolts]

Ohh man, so sorry to hear about your knee. That's really a bummer.

We have a very large gym, but I want to run outside. Yup, I remember running in my hometown this winter and as I went by the college sign and the wind was whipping, it read zero. Call me crazy, but I just love being outdoors.

Thank goodness I'm not a heavy sweater and I've been told by many people that my perspiration doesn't "stink". Sounds odd... but it's not that rank nasty smell thank goodness. That aside, our gym does have showers, so when it gets hot and humid out, I will take a shower but for now, I'm getting by just cleaning up in the men's room with soap and paper towels.

One thing I don't like about running in the city on my lunch is the exhaust from the cars and trucks. It makes it hard to breath sometimes. Out where I live it's mostly dirt roads and little to no traffic.

I don't want to wait for October to run my first Marathon and I've been told that Detroit might not be the best marathon to run as my first 26.2. What do you suggest?

 

[Mike]

Well, since the Detroit marathon is the only one I've done, I don't think I'm the person to ask. I wonder why they said that. Could it be because the send you out to die on Belle Isle in miles 19-23???!!!

I just did what was close and convenient and really didn't look into alternatives.