Comments on: Question for experienced Marathon runners?

By: bazjohn178

bazjohn178 — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:28:59 +0000

4 months should be enough to get round, I started running at the age of 30, and in my late 30's did a marathon in 3 hours 17 minutes.
Try to alternate between hard days and easy days, with 1 day a week of rest.
Your easy day runs can occasionally be replaced with a cycle or swim to give you more rest, and add variety to your training.
Vary the distances that you run, and run fast on the short runs, and slower on the long runs.
Try to get a long run 2 - 3 times a month, and try to get at least two 20 milers in before your race, if you can do 20 miles at the end of a full weeks training, then 26.2 will be possible after a 2 week wind down.
Don't increase your long run, or your total weekly mileage, by more than 10% each week, and occasionally back off a bit to give your body chance to recover.
Good luck, and I hope this helps.
References :
25 years running, including 16 years coaching runners to international levels.

By: snvffy

snvffy — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 15:59:59 +0000

Congratulations on getting into a training program, and I hope you stick with it. However, I don't think 4 months is long enough for a marathon training. MAIN REASON: YOU HAVE NO BASE.

I suggest you start a running program and build up more gradually than 4 months will allow.

Not only do you have to do the many miles each week in training, but you have to include time for the 1 or 2 18-milers and 1 or 2 20-22-milers. And you can't do those on consecutive weekends. You need the longer runs so that you will understand and be able to cope with the reality that a marathon (for most of us) is a "mind-over-matter" challenge. You don't get the brain training on 3 & 6 mile runs.

Good Luck
References :
San Antonio Marathon, 1988

By: john

john — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 15:52:59 +0000

Well 4 months on a good training program should be enough if your aiming to just complete the marathon. If you say your in decent shape than diet shouldn't be THAT important. Its always a good thing to feed your body well however. Just look at michael phelps for example. He trains all day long and eats like an animal. According to the news his diet is composed of crap basically. Waffles, tons of bad sugars, etc. As long as you get the fuel you need diet isn't going to make or break you.

Just make sure you don't overtrain. Get 1-2 days of FULL rest a week.

As for the training program. Im sure fleet feet has a decent program. My advice would be to incorporate lots of variety. When I was training I plateaued around 15 miles. I started doing interval training, longer slower runs, faster shorter runs, sprint training, recovery runs, etc. Sprint training did me wonders. Everyone is different however. You have to find what works best for you!

Good luck
References :
past marathoner / now triathlete

By: puank

puank — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 15:06:59 +0000

4 months is a good amount of time, as long as you are training every day for endurance, keeping hydrated and getting a lot of complex sugars it should be a generally beneficial experience.
References :
MY BRAIN.