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9 Replies Last post: May 16, 2008 7:35 AM by Jim Sullivan032  
Click to view dilettante's profile Rookie
dilettante
4 posts since
Feb 3, 2006
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May 7, 2008 8:00 AM

couch to half marathon...to couch...to marathon???? can i do it?

two years ago i started running after never having done it before. i literally went from 0 to 13.1 by doing a half marathon. afterwards, other "things" got in the way- full-time job + school, etc. i barely kept up my running- maybe covering 10 mi/wk. now i can push myself to do 4 mi, but it seems like i will never get back to where i was.

i want to do the NYC Marathon (in Nov.) w/ Team in Training. i guess i'm looking for some kind of support and/or encouragement that i really can do this. that just because i slacked off for awhile, doesn't mean i can't get back into it.

has this happened to anyone else?

thank you!
Click to view kimber45caliber@yahoo.com's profile Legend
kimber45caliber@yahoo.com
409 posts since
Oct 20, 2007
1. May 7, 2008 9:08 AM in response to: dilettante
Re: couch to half marathon...to couch...to marathon???? can i do it?

Well I think there are a lot of variables. What is the level of your current fitness? Had you been doing any other type of cardiovascular exercise before you started running again? How much time are you willing to put into training? How many miles a week are you running? And what is your goal? Are you "racing" for a specific time or is your main goal to finish, regardless of how long it takes you?

Me personally? If I was only running 4 miles at a time and only running a couple of times a week, then no, I wouldn't be able to run a marathon in November. But you're not me so I can't say what you're capable of.

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Click to view juststarted's profile Community Moderator
juststarted
768 posts since
Dec 14, 2007
2. May 7, 2008 5:31 PM in response to: dilettante
Re: couch to half marathon...to couch...to marathon???? can i do it?

Hi there. Just because you slacked off for a while doesn't mean you can't do it. It may mean that November might not be a good idea for a Marathon though. What is your goal? To finish or race it? What is your weekly mileage now? When did you start back? There are many other people here far more qulified than I to give you a better answer. You can probably do it. There's a good chance you won't enjoy it very much.


Take a look through some old marathon threads that address this very same topic.

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Click to view Kroner's profile Amateur
Kroner
28 posts since
Sep 25, 2005
3. May 8, 2008 10:47 AM in response to: dilettante
Re: couch to half marathon...to couch...to marathon???? can i do it?

If you're planning on doing it with Team in Training, you should be able to do it if you stick with (or close to) their training scedule. I ran with TNT before and they have a good support system. There were people in my group that were pretty new to running and they finished their marathon just fine. The weekly group run was a good time too.

Just keep yourself on a running schedule and listen to your body.

I had a great time during the Marathon and enjoyed all the support I got along the way. People cheering "Go Team!" and they have coaches out there that will run up to you to see if you need anything like band aids, power bar or??? I ended up needing some biofreeze around mile 23 on my knee and the coach had that right in his handy back pack. He even applied it on my knee for me which was pretty cool.

Have a great time!


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Click to view SportiGrl's profile Legend
SportiGrl
476 posts since
Jul 22, 2004
4. May 9, 2008 11:56 AM in response to: dilettante
Re: couch to half marathon...to couch...to marathon???? can i do it?

The most important motivation is 'self motivation' ... I've done what you are wanting to do so I know it's possible ... commit to it and don't let 'other stuff' overrule your training unless it really is a priority that is more worthy than your goal to do NYC Marathon in November ...


Make a running schedule/training plan that fits your real life commitments ... then stick to it :-)

good luck!

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Click to view milkbaby's profile Expert
milkbaby
36 posts since
Oct 23, 2007
5. May 12, 2008 3:41 PM in response to: dilettante
Re: couch to half marathon...to couch...to marathon???? can i do it?
Even the tallest mountained can be scaled by putting one foot in front of the other, one at a time. So don't worry too much about it. Have a good time training with your T'n'T pals and have a nice race.
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Click to view dilettante's profile Rookie
dilettante
4 posts since
Feb 3, 2006
6. May 13, 2008 2:07 PM in response to: milkbaby
Re: couch to half marathon...to couch...to marathon???? can i do it?
thank you very much for all of the encouraging words!

i feel very confident that i'll be able to do it. i'm not training with a specific time goal, i think focusing on finishing and having fun will be the key things to keep in mind.
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Click to view Jim Sullivan032's profile Community Moderator
Jim Sullivan032
516 posts since
Dec 14, 2007
7. May 15, 2008 6:23 AM in response to: dilettante
Re: couch to half marathon...to couch...to marathon???? can i do it?
I'm not going to try to discourage you from running a marathon, but there is something troubling about your history. If you stopped running after finishing a half marathon, how do you know you won't stop again after finishing a marathon?
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Click to view dilettante's profile Rookie
dilettante
4 posts since
Feb 3, 2006
8. May 15, 2008 8:02 AM in response to: Jim Sullivan032
Re: couch to half marathon...to couch...to marathon???? can i do it?
well, i should explain that i want to train for the marathon and complete it as a way of really making running an integral part to my life/workout routine. when i say that i had stopped running in the last two years, that's not entirely true (i was not just sleeping on my couch).

it was just that i wasn't doing more than 15 mpw and had not thought about any races. i was also working a full-time job and in school so there was a lot going on. i just realized that i want to make running a bigger part of my life now because it's something that i love to do. i thought about how happy i was when i was training for the half two years ago. i'm just the type of person that works really well with big goals as a way of motivating myself.
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Click to view Jim Sullivan032's profile Community Moderator
Jim Sullivan032
516 posts since
Dec 14, 2007
9. May 16, 2008 7:35 AM in response to: dilettante
Re: couch to half marathon...to couch...to marathon???? can i do it?
Good answer.


I wasn't trying to be negative. It's just that I see far too many people using marathons as their sole motivation for running, which can leave them without any goals once they've finished. These are the least likely people to maintain a long-term commitment to the sport.

You seem to have a good sense of perspective about the marathon, which is important for newer runners.

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