I'm running a marathon, tips?

[YoungGun21]

I'm 19, a college freshman, and I have lots of free time. I decided to put that free time to use and run a marathon! I already work out a ton (more than I should, I haven't taken an off day for a while), I've always been a runner, and I'm dedicated. I'm looking at late May to Early June for the time frame. Found one on June 18 in Duluth called Grandma's Marathon, sounds really great and like it is well organized, anybody ever heard anything on this one? Sounds like the course is fairly flat and "easy".

I was always a sprinter and hated long distance, but I've been doing distance training for the past couple of months. When I was running the other day, a man told me I had the "perfect marathoner's stride" and that I should really consider doing it. He has done several marathons himself and is currently coaching people for the next Ironman Triathlon, so I think he knows his stuff. I haven't talked to him yet, but I think he'd probably agree to coach me along the way.

I've got 22-26 weeks to train. I found an 18wk training program that I'll modify to my schedule most likely. Until that 18wk mark, I'll probably just work on base-mileage and core strengthening.

Any tips for a rookie?

 

[Redfraggle]

Experiment with foods and liquids early, no last minute changes. Nathan brand hydration belts are the best ones. Fuel Belt brand sucks . Runningwarehouse is the cheapest.

Try to find a running partner for this. A local Galloway group maybe?

 

[Megatomic]

Are you stuck on running roads or can you escape to the trails? Trail racing is where it's at. As such, that is my recommendation - skip the roads.

 

[YoungGun21]

Are you stuck on running roads or can you escape to the trails? Trail racing is where it's at. As such, that is my recommendation - skip the roads.

Well, the marathons I'm looking at are all on roads, so I'll do the majority of my training on roads. I do know that I will need to hit the trails every now and then to prevent injury. My friends who run Cross Country tell me that Detweiler Park is like the holy grail of XC running, and it is just across town from me, so I'll probably make some runs over there once spring hits.

As for running partners, I should have some. I joined the running club here at my university, but they are already done meeting for the semester. I'll join up with them next semester. My friend from back home that runs XC said he will run with me over the summer and help pace me.

 

[alkemyst]

what workouts are you doing that you have never taken off a day?

 

[YoungGun21]

what workouts are you doing that you have never taken off a day?

I don't have set workouts right now. I know I just need to improve my my overall fitness so I've been doing:

lift upper body
cardio
lift lower body
abs/core workout
cardio

Rinse and repeat. If it gets to be an upper or lower day and I'm still too sore, I'll do another abs/core day and do the lifting the next day.

Each day I've been doing at least a mile just to shake out the legs. Longest I've gone on a cardio day recently is ~3.5 miles, but I like doing different things like elliptical>run>bike>elliptical>run>bike each for 10 minutes (interval training so to speak).

 

[YoungGun21]

What is the longest I should run without carrying fluids with me? I've heard several different answers on this.

 

[kamper]

What is the longest I should run without carrying fluids with me? I've heard several different answers on this.

You have to go with what feels ok. In the winter I've gone as far as 28k without water, although in hindsight, that probably wasn't a very good idea.

In summer I'll almost never go more than 10k without water unless it's at night. Heat and sunlight make a huge difference.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

What is the longest I should run without carrying fluids with me? I've heard several different answers on this.

The distance isn't as important as the time period. If you're gonna be out over 45min-60min on a run, you need to map drinking fountains/bring drinking water and bring some form of carbohydrate source. Hotter days will require more water earlier. Cooler days won't require as much. If your body loses so much water than you can't cool yourself effectively, the run is done.

Also, drinking 12-16oz of water 15ish minutes before a run can help maintain hydration levels as you lose water to the space between your cells. It helps keep more fluid in your circulatory system to stretch your heart, allowing you to distribute more blood.

 

[kamper]

Also, drinking 12-16oz of water 15ish minutes before a run can help maintain hydration levels as you lose water to the space between your cells. It helps keep more fluid in your circulatory system to stretch your heart, allowing you to distribute more blood.

On hot days, for sure. On long runs on cool/cold days, this is guaranteed to have you looking for a tree halfway through the run

 

[SociallyChallenged]

On hot days, for sure. On long runs on cool/cold days, this is guaranteed to have you looking for a tree halfway through the run

Urination decreases exponentially as you actually get moving. I do this every time I go for a run and have yet to stop for a pee break. I actually remember a research example of this - urine output decreases quite a bit due to 1) loss of fluid out of the circulatory system into the interstitial space, 2) relocation of fluid to the skin for cooling, 3) sweat. Try it. It works great for me and has the research to back it.

 

[kamper]

Urination decreases exponentially as you actually get moving. I do this every time I go for a run and have yet to stop for a pee break. I actually remember a research example of this - urine output decreases quite a bit due to 1) loss of fluid out of the circulatory system into the interstitial space, 2) relocation of fluid to the skin for cooling, 3) sweat. Try it. It works great for me and has the research to back it.

I have tried it. And every time I go for a long run on a cold day, I have to take a leak (and it really sucks if it's windy and you don't have much cover). Granted, it doesn't usually happen until past 10K.

On long run days, I'll typically drink tonnes the day before and drink very little the morning of and gauge how much to drink during the run by how much I'm sweating. I find that particularly important for races that are in the city, as there aren't many spots to find relief during the race.

Anyway, I'm not questioning the benefits of what you're suggesting at all. You know your stuff, certainly better than me. Just pointing out that under certain circumstances (which the op is likely to hit while training for a marathon at this time of year), this can be fairly inconvenient.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

I have tried it. And every time I go for a long run on a cold day, I have to take a leak (and it really sucks if it's windy and you don't have much cover). Granted, it doesn't usually happen until past 10K.

On long run days, I'll typically drink tonnes the day before and drink very little the morning of and gauge how much to drink during the run by how much I'm sweating. I find that particularly important for races that are in the city, as there aren't many spots to find relief during the race.

Anyway, I'm not questioning the benefits of what you're suggesting at all. You know your stuff, certainly better than me. Just pointing out that under certain circumstances (which the op is likely to hit while training for a marathon at this time of year), this can be fairly inconvenient.

Ah, over 10k. I'm a bit inexperienced with over 10k since I don't regularly run for 60min+. It seems we're likely both right then. Just map out a lovely bush about 5-6mi into the course

 

[YoungGun21]

I'm almost to the point of running 60+ min regularly and have never had to stop to pee once. I normally try to drink almost a whole glass of water before I go run; I had read elsewhere that doing that helps tremendously with hydration. So how much water should I drink if I'm doing say... 8mi or about 70min of running? Or 10mi, ~90min of running?

 

[alkemyst]

I'm almost to the point of running 60+ min regularly and have never had to stop to pee once. I normally try to drink almost a whole glass of water before I go run; I had read elsewhere that doing that helps tremendously with hydration. So how much water should I drink if I'm doing say... 8mi or about 70min of running? Or 10mi, ~90min of running?

no one can answer that without knowing a ton more.

In the end only you will be able to tell if you need more or less water though.

for 1-1.5 hours of running it'd have to be pretty damn extreme to need more than a drink a bit prior to starting your run.

 

[gar655]

If it's going to be hot and humid on your long run day, drink 16oz about 20 minutes before your run.

When I was doing long runs (16-23 miles) I had a route that took me by water stops at about 4-6 miles. I would stop and drink about a cup or more at each stop. This is running in the sun at about 80 degrees F.

Some need more and some need less. You'll just have to get a feel for it.

Good luck with the marathon and don't neglect the speed work while preparing.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

no one can answer that without knowing a ton more.

In the end only you will be able to tell if you need more or less water though.

for 1-1.5 hours of running it'd have to be pretty damn extreme to need more than a drink a bit prior to starting your run.

Actually, there is a general consensus that drinking roughly a dixie cup of fluid every 10min is enough to stave off dehydration. However, as you get into longer runs (1.5h+), you'll need to start supplementing with salt tablets and such so you don't become hyponatremic. You'll have to research proper guidelines for that though since I'm not experienced on the amount you should take in.

 

[Bateluer]

Before I did my first marathon, I was woefully under prepared. Longest training run I did was a mere 10 miles, not counting the 30K race I did during the training process. There's plenty of solid training plans that tell you what distance to run, what workout to do, and in what week as you train for a marathon. I'd find one of them, it'd help to rope a friend into training at least in part with you.

However, until you've run a marathon, you're missing out.

 

[YoungGun21]

Slight change of plans. It looks like now I'll be running the Illinois Marathon on April 30. Slightly larger event and not 10+ hours from home. Definitely shortens my training schedule, but I still think I can make it by then.

Training is going great. I'm certainly looking forward to this run!

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

When you stop at a refilling station walk while you're eating/drinking. Drinking power aid and eating chips/jelly beans while running is harder than it looks.

I had to piss like crazy during my marathon. Maybe I wasn't getting enough salt? At one stop I didn't want to wait in line at the porta potty so I just went behind it. Everyone probably saw my junk.

Also some people have to crap after they start running. Maybe drink your coffee/drop your deuce before you get to the site because there's going to be a ton of people in line at the bathroom.

 

[YoungGun21]

Yea I am afraid I'll have to take a pee during the race. I've had the urge to go while running before, even if I went right before I started.

 

[YoungGun21]

Just an update, today I did 13 miles in 1:59.46. Felt good enough that with ~4 miles to go, I decided to speed up to finish under 2 hours. I definitely think I could speed my pace up, but I won't speed it up too much because I don't want to over-train.

 

[kamper]

Just an update, today I did 13 miles in 1:59.46. Felt good enough that with ~4 miles to go, I decided to speed up to finish under 2 hours. I definitely think I could speed my pace up, but I won't speed it up too much because I don't want to over-train.

Nice work Hitting half-way in under 2 hours is a nice milestone.

 

[Bateluer]

Yea I am afraid I'll have to take a pee during the race. I've had the urge to go while running before, even if I went right before I started.

Thats normal. If you're hydrating properly, you'll have to pee at least once, usually twice, before the race. And I usually stop at least once on the course too. Personally, I try to make it a relatively early stop so I still have the energy to catch up to my pace group when I'm finished.

 

[Fingolfin269]

Do some 10ks and maybe a 1/2 beforehand just to get used to running with others.. It's not really a requirement or anything but I know when I ran my first 1/2 I was glad to have run in a 10k a few weeks before.