Thanks to everyone for all of the positive feedback and encouragement around this new running blog idea! Now, the pressure is on to deliver relevant content to you on a weekly basis! (Your feedback and suggestions are always welcome!)
ARE YOU READY TO RUN A FULL MARATHON OR HALF MARATHON?
How do you know someone is training for a Marathon? Don’t worry…they’ll tell you!
Yesterday (Saturday) was a beautiful morning for a long run, I logged in 12 in hopes of keeping my fitness level high in preparation for the start of official Marathon training (in August)..
Are you considering running your first Half or Full Marathon this Fall and trying to figure out if you’re ready?
For me, I found the idea of running 26.2 miles or even 13.1 miles quite daunting until I ran Philly’s 10 mile Broad Street run for the first time (Thanks to the encouragement of @CoLLyWooood). That race was so much FUN and I felt so good after running Broad, I signed right up for the Rock-N-Roll Philly Half Marathon, which was definitely a lot tougher than running 10 miles, yet still quite achievable with a solid base. After my first Half, I figured I’d keep running some Half Marathons but never felt I had the fitness level or training time to get to 26.2 miles, until I started running with my friends at Team Philly, and met several people running at my level (shout out to Roberta, Beth, Rhonda and Jessica) who were going to train to run 26.2 miles that November. So, I decided to dive right in…and was able to run my first Marathon (no walking) in around 5 hours.
So, from my experience, YOU can run a Half Marathon this Fall if you have a running base of being able to run 4-5 miles on a regular basis. And if you start ramping up your miles now, YOU can get to Full Marathon level by Fall, though 26.2 miles definitely requires a strong commitment. (Frankly, the Marathon training is probably much more demanding mentally, than physically because you do need to be disciplined about making your runs).
For a Half-Marathon, here’s what the experts at Active.com say:
- Have you run a 5K or 10K? Can you run three continuous miles? This should be your base if you want to work up to a Half-Marathon
- Are you committed to training? On average, plan a minimum of 10 to 12 weeks to prepare, with 3-4 runs per week a total of 15—20 miles.
- Are you injury free? If you're currently dealing with injuries or have a bum knee, you may want to heal first and check with your doctor before adding the additional wear and tear that comes with Half-Marathon training.
- Can you afford proper gear? If you’re going to run a Half Marathon, you should have a pair or 2 of proper running shoes (also properly fitted), as well as proper running shorts, socks and shirts.(Stay away from cotton).
For a full 26.2 mile Marathon, here’s what the experts at Active.com say
- Are you running at least 3 times per week? If you’re already running at least 3 times per week, you should be able to add the necessary mileage to run 26.2 miles this Fall.
- Have you been running consistently for at least 4 months? If you’re been running at least 3 times per week (minimum of 30 minutes), you have a solid base and the discipline needed to properly train.
- Can you hold a conversation while you run? If you’re running at a pace where you can maintain a conversation, you’re running in the right aerobic zone you’ll need to continue to add miles to your training.
- Have you completed a Half Marathon or 10K? Not necessarily required, but these races have mentally prepared you to take the next step toward running a full Marathon.
- Do you have the time to train properly? Marathon training requires at least 4 runs per week, including a weekend long run (up to 20 miiles). In order to train for a Marathon, you should budget at least 8-10 hours of training each week.
- Are you injury free? If you're currently dealing with injuries or have a bum knee, you may want to heal first and check with your doctor before adding the additional wear and tear that comes with Marathon training.
- Can you afford proper gear? If you’re going to run a Half Marathon, you should have a pair or 2 of proper running shoes (also properly fitted), as well as proper running shorts, socks and shirts.(Stay away from cotton).
For either race, your best chance to stay remain injury free is by increasing your weekly training mileage by no more than 10 percent. (*start gradually ramping up your mileage now, so you have a solid base by the official start of training season and you’re ready to go)
Here’s how some of your fellow Radio 104.5 listener runners knew they were ready for their next big race!
And finally, here are some pix from this Saturday's 12 miler! Enjoy your runs this week and Tweet me if you have questions! @Radio1045Johnny
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