Fast Running Blog

I've been wanting to do the Top of Utah marathon but haven't run farther than 15 miles (and it was today).  I've been moderately consistent over the past few weeks, and I'm *pretty sure* I'd be able to finish the marathon (even though it'd probably take me 4 1/2 or 5 hours), but what do more experienced runners think?   Probably am I okay to do the marathon?  If I am, should I just do shorter runs (5 miles) from now until then?  or should I do another 15-mile run in about a week?  Or should I try 20 miles in about a week (and then shorter runs the last week-and-a-half until the race)?  Thanks in advance for any advice.  :)

Catherine-

If you had been running consistent 40+ mile weeks, you might be able to get by on 1 or 2 15 mile runs for a marathon.  But I looked at your training and you have a high week of 25 miles (twice), a low week of 5 miles, and a total mileage of 165 since the start of June (which works out to less than 12 miles/week).  I would say that is inadequate preparation for a marathon.  And I think I am being generous when I "just" say inadequate.  In other words, I would very, very strongly encourage you to NOT attempt a marathon. 

I would suggest you slowly build up your mileage over a long period of time so a marathon is more survivable- maybe aim for one next spring(?).  Then, you actually might enjoy the experience rather than getting injured or hating it so much that you quit running.  And do some half marathons along the way to help, plus a number of 20 mile runs.  There is no rush to do your first marathon- build up properly so you enjoy it.

I think lots of people finish a half marathon and think, "That wasn't too hard.  Maybe I can try a marathon."  What they don't realize is a marathon is probably 3 times as difficult as a half marathon, esp. if you have not done adequate training/long runs.  So this would be similar to your 15 mile run- imagine doing 3 of those in a row (or at least 2.5).  From an exertion standpoint, that is what you would be attempting.

Bottom line- I definitely would not try it.  That being said, if you decide to do TOU marathon, I would look into a Jeff Galloway-type of run-walk program.  A run-walk of maybe 5 min:5min may be your best chance to finish.  And I would guess your time would almost definitely be 6+ hours, given your lack of long runs and base miles, not 4.5-5 hours.

For the record (and for comparison sake), my wife tried her first (and only) marathon in 2005 with inadequate training- ran 2-4 days per week, long run of 14 miles (I think), weekly mileage of about 8-20 miles, with a half marathon a month before in 2:21.  During the marathon, her body hurt so bad that she had to walk the last 17 miles of the race and she finished in over 6 hours.  And she couldn't bend her knees for 4 days or walk normally for almost a week afterwards.

My two cents, which is two cents more than it's worth  ;D

Ditto to what Jon said. You may be able to survive a marathon, but you'll be hating life during the race and for the next 2 weeks afterward when you can't walk. I encourage you to build a bigger base, run consistently 6 days/week, and get several long runs in (18-20 miles). Do this for 6 to 12 months, then attempt a marathon. If you do this, you will not just survive, but thrive.

I backed out of the Salt Lake Marathon because I felt that my training was inadequate and my health was lacking. I got sick with an ear infection in February. I did manage to never drop below 60 miles a week in spite of the illness, but I felt that it took away the deeper layers of my fitness that I would need in the last 10 miles of the marathon. I did not want to get to 16 and find those layers lacking. Thus I decided to run the half, and did not regret the decision. The half went well.

It has become some sort of a perverted fashion to run the marathon undertrained. I would encourage every runner regardless of the level of ability to defy that fashion. Do not run the marathon to prove a point. Just believe that a marathon can be survived not only with limited training but sometimes even with no training at all. Take that on faith, but do not try to prove it! Just like you would not try to prove that a man can go without food for 11 days. He sure can, but just because he can does not mean he should.

Instead prepare properly and run to the best of your ability rather than merely survive.

Paul that last line was Poets' Prize quality. Your writing is always good but thats the next level.  ;D

Thanks, I've been waiting to use that line for several months now. Now I can move on.

Thanks everyone for the advice and for directing me toward a more wise decision :)

Good luck in your training, Catherine.  Don't worry about the marathon- just because you haven't done one doesn't make you somehow less of a runner.  Build up to it but enjoy everything along the way.  There is plenty of challenge in 5k's, 10k's, half marathons, etc.  No hurry, just be wise and have fun.

If I could trade my best marathon for a chart equivalent 5 K I would do it in a second. This would actually give me some hope for the marathon.

Also, the best 5 K I've ever run was harder than any of my marathons.

And, in all honesty, if I could not win prize money in a marathon, I'd be running halves. Marathon is too long. I like running, but not to that point.