[toyotapower]

has anyone here run a marathon (or half marathon)? i've always had tons of respect for those who do it. i've been thinking more and more about it lately and its something i would like to get into. i realize there is TONS of running involved and its hugely mental..... but what other pointers do you guys have?

 

[rayzzr]

I just got into running, and I'm more at a 5k level right now.

Many of the guys at work run 3-5 times a week, eat better than I do and the faster of the guys cross trains.

The encouraging thing is that one guy who started a relatively short time ago got into running in a big kind of way, eats great, now he bikes, swims and runs. He just competed in a triathalon awhile back. That is pretty impressive for someone who was previously not in shape. He is now faster and has more endurance than some of the guys that have been running for years.

Part of his training regimen for long distance running has came from the teachings of Hal Higdon. You should be able to find some info on him online.

My advice would be to start there, try cross training, better eating and get fitted for shoes. Prior to getting fitted for running shoes I could barely run because of the strain on my knees. I ran about 8 miles a couple of weekends back and had zero knee pain. Huge difference...

 

[RayOSV]

...My advice would be to start there, try cross training, better eating and get fitted for shoes. Prior to getting fitted for running shoes I could barely run because of the strain on my knees. I ran about 8 miles a couple of weekends back and had zero knee pain. Huge difference...

The right shoes make a huge difference. Find a running shoe store that will evaluate your "gait" and fit you in shoes that provide support in the right places to compensate for any gait issues you may have. A shop near us takes a video of you running on a treadmill to determine if your gait is straight or otherwise.

 

[rayzzr]

The right shoes make a huge difference. Find a running shoe store that will evaluate your "gait" and fit you in shoes that provide support in the right places to compensate for any gait issues you may have. A shop near us takes a video of you running on a treadmill to determine if your gait is straight or otherwise.

Yup, exactly what they did with me. They put me in a neutral shoe, had me run on a treadmill while they shot video. They evaluated that, then fit me with the right shoes and footbeds.

 

[SundayDriver]

I just ran the Indianapolis Half-Marathon yesterday; which is why I've been sitting on the computer all day. I didn't really train for it, but managed to keep a 10 minute mile pace.

I'd definitely recommend you get shoes that are sized just for you. And start training early. I'm sure I could have done much better if I had trained harder.

 

[usmarine1215]

being a Marine the furthest I've ever ran was 13 miles... i never want to do it again either. 26 miles doesnt even sound fun.. start small and slow... if you can complete 1 mile easily then move up a half a mile or a full mile depending on how your doing.. run 4-6 times a week and always stretch. get a good pair of shoes.. i buy new shoes every 300 miles of running so about every 2-3 months. running is a mental thing i believe. it will hurt on long distances but you have to keep telling yourself its not hurting and side track yourself.. whenever i run i always think about random stuff and daydream... good luck

 

[thisisben]

Our wrestling coach in High School made us run a marathon every year. I only passed out my Freshman year at 16 miles. It wasn't a real marathon, though, but it was 26.2 miles around our track (106 and a half laps). Got a t-shirt if you didn't pass out, give up, etc.

 

[Scissors]

I've run a half, my wife has run several half and full marathons.

A typical training schedule has you slowly build up to the full distance over the course of three months. Typically you'll have three "short" runs a week, each of which are about 1/3 the distance of your long run. So, for example, the first week would be 1 mile, 1.5 miles, 1 mile, and then 3 miles. Use the short runs to work on your speed, but don't run too fast on the long runs. Always start out slow--your last mile should be your fastest.

You'll hit your longest training distance (13 miles if you're doing a half) about 2 to 3 weeks before the actual event, so your body has a couple of weeks to recuperate.

When it's the week of your event, you should:
Carb-load (eat plent of carbohydrate-heavy foods) throughout the week and especially the day before.
Stay hydrated.
Make sure to keep your legs active after the event. If you hop right on a plane, for example, potentially fatal blood clots can form in your legs. After the event you need to keep moving, so I suggest you go out to a club and go dancing.