Marathon Training

gina_b

Les Mills Fitness Freak
i know theres a half marathon thread, cant seem to find any full marathon threads.

anyone considered doing the training for one? signed up for my first ever running marathon in april 2013!

also... energy gels. anyone use them at all? i got given one off my brother and they worked a treat :)
 
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Great idea to start this thread Gina!

I'm planning on keeping my half marathon mileage up and then kicking in with the full marathon training 16 weeks before (mine is on 26 may 2013).
 
is it your first one too? i wasnt nervous about the half, but im already a bit scared looking at the training for this!

going to do 8 - 10 miles today, pushing it more to 10.... maybe 10 1/2.
going to put my energy gels to test today too :)
 
Yep, it will be my first one. The half marathon which I did in Birmingham a few weeks ago was my first, and I have to admit I was a bit nervous the night before, but once I got there and there were all the crowds and support, I loved every minute of it. I've signed up for the Leeds half marathon on 12 May and then the Edinburgh Marathon on 26 May. I'm already nervous about the marathon - the thought of ever being able to run 26.2 miles just seems so unrealistic! But then I tell myself that a year ago, I was 5st heavier and never in a millions years would have thought I'd be able to do a half marathon.

Will you be doing other runs in the lead up to your full marathon? I've had a look at some training plans online, but not sat down properly yet to go through them.

I used energy gels for the half marathon, and I do find that they help.

I did my longest run since the half marathon today, 7 miles, but I really struggled. I've been really busy at work, and poorly too, so I'm not worrying too much about it. Onwards and upwards!
 
Yep, it will be my first one. The half marathon which I did in Birmingham a few weeks ago was my first, and I have to admit I was a bit nervous the night before, but once I got there and there were all the crowds and support, I loved every minute of it. I've signed up for the Leeds half marathon on 12 May and then the Edinburgh Marathon on 26 May. I'm already nervous about the marathon - the thought of ever being able to run 26.2 miles just seems so unrealistic! But then I tell myself that a year ago, I was 5st heavier and never in a millions years would have thought I'd be able to do a half marathon.

Will you be doing other runs in the lead up to your full marathon? I've had a look at some training plans online, but not sat down properly yet to go through them.

I used energy gels for the half marathon, and I do find that they help.

I did my longest run since the half marathon today, 7 miles, but I really struggled. I've been really busy at work, and poorly too, so I'm not worrying too much about it. Onwards and upwards!

ive got a 10 mile race in 2 weeks, and another half in febuary.
never thought id do a marathon, i origianlly (last week ish!!) said id do at least 6 halves first then maybe go for the full, but..... i want to do the full now. why wait if i really wanna do something? :p

back from my long weekend run. supposed to it yesterday but was so busy, almost 11 miles, 10.78 miles. wast as hard as i thought itd be, calves are so tight now im home and sat down.

tried out 2 new gels too, maxifuel viper active in mixed berry and maxfuel viper boost in citrus. mixed berry is really nice, but the citrus one tatses so bad but makes me run better.....

ordered a box of 24 viper boosts, 10 sachets of viper active and 5 sachets of isogel in orange :) think that lot will get me through the training and races! going to buy a box of viper boosts for my brother too, he runs alot and does a few marathons.
 
That's a great idea to order a box of gels. I've just been buying a few at a time, but have had a little look online tonight and you save a fair bit buying them in buly. I've tried Gu, which I find really thick and quite difficult to swallow when running, and SIS, which are quite nice. I'm going to get some of the High 5 gels in raspberry though I think, to try them out. I'll have a look at the viper boost ones you've mentioned too.

I'm joining a running club, first session will be tomorrow (work permitting). I'm excited about it as it should be fun, but challenge me to do hill and interval work which I've not really done much of. It also means I will still go running on a night time, which I'd otherwise be a bit reluctant to do with it being so dark and cold!
 
viper boost isnt the best tasting gel (its vile!) but its been the best ive used performance wise. before the half marathon my brother gave me some caffeine tablets too, only had one as the the crushed in my pocket but they gave me a boost :)
high five gels are nice, they were giving them out at the half last week but most of the full marathons took them all! the bars are nice too :D they were in the half marathon goodie bag, a drink flask, 2 gels, tablets, some sachets and a bar.

i emailed a running club near me, but they havent got back to me yet. its a womens club, seems alright.
i dont like running on my own when its dark, i have some high visability running gear (top, pants, vest, clip on things, gloves, hat.....)
in day light id probably blind you, but i feel better knowing i can actually be seen at night. i stick to the main roads only, the parks a no no when its dark for me!
 
the viper boost box has arrived, horray! for a box of 12 its heavy.....
gonna save them for my long runs at the weekend though, not the short runs (less than 10 miles!)
going to push 12 miles on sunday i think.

noticed that since i started doing all this running some of my old pants are now falling down all the time, had to keep hoisting then up in the gym today. dont want to buy new things though
 
another 6 miles done tonight, wore my high vis stuff with it being dark so early. averaged at 13mins 25sec per mile, might not be fast but ill finish the marathon at that speed.

going to book the monday after it off work tommorow, think ill need it judging by how sore i was after the half! took 2 days recovering and the 2nd day i was still hobbling round
 
going to push 13 miles tommorow, managed 11 last week so 13 is my aim for tommorow.

a week tommorow for my 10 mile race too, yay! ill be able to get my medal for completeing all 4 of the preston guild runs then :D
 
You are doing so well! I've been away this weekend so have missed my long run today, but going to get back into it this week...
 
i know i have to miss one day next week, a friends asked me to go with her to the doctors, shes a bit nervous and wants some company....
 
i think i did about 10 1/2 miles yesterday, i dont know as my phone died half way round :(
 
Oh no, I've had my watch do that and its so annoying!

Got my energy gels in the post today - went with the raspberry flavour High 5 ones for a change, so will see what they are like.

Its my first night at running club tomorrow as I had to miss last weeks in the end, am a bit nervous as I've never done that kind of thing before!

What kind of time do you think you are aiming for in the marathon?
 
aiming for about 5 - 5 1/2 hours, its not the speediest timing but for a first one i cant expect to do a marathon in 4 hours yet ;) maybe in a few years.

did another 3 miles today on the way to the gym
 
aiming for about 5 - 5 1/2 hours, its not the speediest timing but for a first one i cant expect to do a marathon in 4 hours yet ;) maybe in a few years.

did another 3 miles today on the way to the gym

I think 5 hours is about my aim too. It terrifies me to think of running for a whole 5 hours, but then the prospect of running for 2 hours in a half marathon was pretty scary too, and I managed that!
 
im not thinking about running that time, more just finishing it rather than worrying about how long im running for!
dont feel nervous now, but the day before or the same day ill be very nervous! a very long distance for someone whos only started running in the last few monthes.

judging by the pain i was in after the half marathon and during it, ill be using my coping mechanism! sadly its rather embarrassing, i sing along to my ipod.... and all i have on it is cheesey 80's pop and an entire steps album.
 
actually dont know whats worse to think of, running 26.2 miles or running for 5 hours..... either way the thought is scary
 
There's nothing wrong with a bit of Steps!! Good motivational songs I reckon!
 
especially 5,6,7,8..... just dont try and do the dances whilst running. defo gets you funny looks
 
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