Should I train for a marathon or run in college?

run some 5k-21ks for a while and keep your mileage up for a few years then do some marathons

so yes i think 18-20 is too early

Run collegiately. If you don't like it after one year, you can quit the team and train for your marathon. Don't look back 10 years from now wishing you had tried it. You're fast enough for a smaller college or community college squad. Look into an NAIA school, they still contest the marathon at the national track meet.

run in college wrote:

Run collegiately. If you don't like it after one year, you can quit the team and train for your marathon. Don't look back 10 years from now wishing you had tried it. You're fast enough for a smaller college or community college squad. Look into an NAIA school, they still contest the marathon at the national track meet.

Amen. Try it out first.

Regarding marathons, you need to recognize that you only have so many years of marathon running --> no matter what anyone tells you! If you're 18 now, hold out 6-8 years.. you have nothing to loose and everything to gain. In other words, you won't be missing out on future performances in the event.

The marathon will always be there, do not give up the chance to run in college.

Run collegiatly. I started running in 6th grade and my father was high school cross coach, so I was around the sport my whole life, but even with that background, was suprised by the transition to college running. I had similiar 5K and mile times and ran for a smaller DI school. I learned an immense amount in those 4 years of running collegiatly. Training, mental preparation, and more importantly the thousands of miles my legs got under them.

You will also make many new connections, meet new training partners, coaches. After college you can use these to help your training, or connect with other runners/coaches.

The time "lost" running collegiatly will more than pay off in the long run. And it really isn't lost time. You will be 22 and still have plenty of time to train for a marathon.

I think the marathon is the ultimate race. Years of miles under the legs to handle the distance, years of racing to be mental prepared and understand pacing so critical in the marathon. This is why marathoners don't peak until 30 or later.

Finally, I believe you only have 5 or 6 great marathons in you. The race is too demanding to commit to the training and complete the race, to run more than that. So don't rush into it, there is time, use that time to learn.

your 10k and half marathon times aren't really any better than your 5k. assuming your 5k was run on a xc course and the other two were on the roads, id even say your 5k is better.

Without question run collegiately. You still have plenty of time to develop your speed and you can always run a marathon while you are still young at 21 or 22.

Avoid the marathon now. Even if you're intent on marathoning, you'll ultimately be better at it with a few more years of shorter races.

I coached/advised two college runners in the marathon. Both ran in the 2:50's. (Both female, by the way.) Both were out of running before they graduated. I coached myself in college and ran a couple marathons. I was permanently injured as a 20-year-old senior. Leave the marathons for later.

...And any college guy who serves as his own coach is working with a dumb athlete.

Sounds like all the answers you are getting suggest that you first prove you can't do shorter distances then as a last ditch effort go to the marathon. You might want to consider what you like doing. One of the reasons you often hear that you have only a few marathons in your body is because most runners go to the marathon later in their careers (when they probably also have only a limited number of other races in them as well). If you can hendle marathon training it is not impossible to run collegiately and do a few marathons along the way. Naturally you would have to deal with a college coach who agreed that this is a reasonable approach. Interestimg that some college coaches don't mind you doing 100+ miles a week, but say don't run a marathon (but give me a 23 miler each Sunday)

I ran a marathon my freshman year in college. I had no intentions of running on the college team anyways, I prefered to be able to create and manage my own schedule, and I enjoyed it. Having a roommate, and spending the whole day around tons of people, I enjoyed the 1-2 hours a day out running by myself, and I ran well in the race, too. Not as fast as most people on this board, probably, but a respectable time, just missed the BQ, which was a pretty good performance considering my other pr's, which are nowhere near yours. I recommend doing what you want. If the marathon is what you'd rather do, then I don't see any harm in it.

Definitely run with the team. It's more social, you'll enjoy it more. The marathon will still be there after college, and you'll have more people to train for it with.

If you have hopes to maximize your ability in the marathon you need to be able to run fairly fast in the shorter distances. Correct me if I am wrong, but I think most male OT qualifiers run atleast a 15:30 5k most sub-15. Your 5k PR is only 10 seconds faster per mile than what you would have to run the marathon to get a "B" qualifier and only about 1 second faster than what you need for an "A". Further if you are only 18 you would be wise to wait at least a couple of years to make sure that you femur has fully ossified. Stick with the shorter distances and try to develop more speed. You have plenty of time to run a fast marathon.

Based on Daniels' VDOT tables, your times 5k/10k/21.1k are virtually equivalent.

Go to university. Try to get some money out of them. Give shorter distances a real shot. You have no idea how well you will do.

Marathon training requires an exceptional amount of specificity and focus. Explore all avenues before you commit yourself to a very narrow pursuit.

I agree with the posters who recommend running on the collegiate team. No reason you can't run 3-4 weeks of long runs after cross is over and run a late Nov or early Dec marathon each year. Your speed from XC will help. I did just that and ran my PR as a college junior. Once you leave college it is tougher to train with a full time job, etc.

Deak Say: Skip college and run local 5k.

i did the same thing as you and went to marathons early as thats what i wanted to do and ran 78mins for half at 18, and my 5k was around 16:30 a few years later im running nearly sub 65 for half and low 14's on the road with very little specific speed work. i find you will train harder for something you want to do so go for it. (i have done a couple of marathons but havnt pushed it just getting the feel for it to understand it first)

Thanks for the advice guys, after I read your posts and thought about it I notice that I would be pretty stupid for me to try and start now. Most fast marathoners, that I shouldn't even think of comparing myself to, run their fastest at around 30, Tergat at 34. But, all were fast on the track first. Like you all have said.

So, I've got 4 years of college running to get faster 5k and 10k times, all leading toward the goal of 2012, 2016, and 2020 marathons. Yes, I know I have over-the-top goals.

And who knows, maybe I could pop one out like Steve Jones.

Thanks again.

Given the right coach and training program, there's no reason you can't be doing training now that will help with your long term marathon goals while racing 8K/10K XC and 5K/10K on the track.

If your goals are as lofty as it may seem, it would behoove you to take a look at some of the track PRs for 5000, 10,000 and even 3000SC and 1500m for some top marathoners. Very few eschewed the track scene altogether.

with the times you have run at your age and hard work will get you to the trials

but, work to get your 10k time down in college to be around 29:00 to have a chance at running a OT qualifying time by 2016

you've got a while so don't rush it