I am a highschool kid who has run track and xc for 4 years, the past 8 weeks I've averaged 70 miles per week, I've done 13 mile fartleks at 6:09 pace, 15 miles at 6:34 pace, even 13 miles at 6:23 after skiing all day, the day after a big meet. How hard would a marathon be? How fast do you think I could go?
It seems like you are in very good shape based on the times listed here, but based on your lack of experience and knowledge of the event, I would say you go out hard and blow up at mile 18-19 and are a DNF. Gotta up the long run first
If you can do a 12 mile run you can run a marathon. The hardest thing is time to preparing, and holding yourself back early. Because it is easy to go out to hard and pay for it later. Its very much a controlled run and the pace is going to seem too easy. Just keep controlled any you will be fine.
Blahbaba wrote:
If you can do a 12 mile run you can run a marathon.
^^^^^°THIS ^^^^^^^
Blahbaba wrote:
If you can do a 12 mile run you can survive a marathon.
Fixed.
You could easily finish a marathon if you ran slow.
But you would struggle to run a time consistent with your longer runs, and probably hit the wall at 18-20 as the previous poster pointed out.
Well, that depends on whether you just want to complete one or race one.
Racing. Yes, very difficult.
If Oprah can do it so can you. If you're actually a competetive runner it could be very difficult depending on the day, or easy if you've caught the wave.
Ok how realistic is 2:55?
Other PRs: 2:00 800
4:18 1600
9:33 3200
15:30 xc 5k
Have you hardly ever raced the 800m or are you a pure-strength (rather than speed) runner? It seems like a 4:18 1600m coupled with just a 2:00 800m is incredibly unlikely.
As to the 2:55 goal. That is very realistic for a 15:30 5k runner with your timed 13 milers in mind as well. If it is your first marathon and you want to race it there is a very high chance you will eat sh!t over the last 10k, particularly given your relative youth/lack of experience with 10k+ races. I'd personally recommend just not worrying too much about the time on your first one. Go out at a good solid pace which you are comfortable with and don't worry so much about your time until you're halfway (13.1). Then you can try to negative split to run the second half faster than the first. If you do this you will probably be surprised at how fast you end up going without over thinking it.
UFO Expert wrote:
Blahbaba wrote:If you can do a 12 mile run you can break the marathon world record.
Fixed.
Fixed.
Ya the 1600 is an altitude converted time using NCAA conversions, the 800 isn't my event.
The OP could do that for sure.
My 800m PR is 2:00.4 open and I ran a 3:55 1500m (give or take a 4:15 mile) the week before that (granted it was when I was in college though)...I was also coming off a 2:21 marathon.
The question you need to ask yourself (if you are still in hs) is why you want to even run a marathon? With your relative youth and speed/strength at 1600m-5km you should probably focus on that and running/racing in college first.
That being said, I'm sure you could go out there and run a pretty decent marathon (maybe blow up and walk it in and still pop a 2:40-something easy). I'd wait at least a couple years though and build up to over 100mpw and get used to knocking out some 20-22 mile Long Runs. It'll probably help your 5km-10km as well!
I ran a 3:10 marathon as a 16-year-old having never done more than 50 miles a week, and I was only a 5:00 guy at the time. Did a few long runs (literally like three) and ran the race. If you do HS XC and track and have run decently far before (like 80min), you can run a marathon no problem. You won't magically DNF at 18 miles. If you can do 15 at 6:34 you can probably run 6:50 for the whole thing.
OP, having recently run a 50k trail race on sub-par training, I can tell you you'll need to up your mileage to avoid potential injury/suffering. I only averaged 40 miles per week, and im still dealing with some injuries post 50k. Now keep in mind, a road marathon will usually beat you up even more than a longer trail race because you're constantly running a certain speed/cadence on a flatter course, but i digress. Your legs will be sluggish around 20 miles if you don't do plenty of harder long runs. But then again, some people have run much faster off of practically nothing so go figure. For some people, running a marathon is no big deal at any effort.
With a month or two of more appropriate marathon training I think sub-2:50 is easily in your grasp.
longrunlarry wrote:
With a month or two of more appropriate marathon training I think sub-2:50 is easily in your grasp.
Sub 2.30
SOH wrote:
I am a highschool kid who has run track and xc for 4 years, the past 8 weeks I've averaged 70 miles per week, I've done 13 mile fartleks at 6:09 pace, 15 miles at 6:34 pace, even 13 miles at 6:23 after skiing all day, the day after a big meet. How hard would a marathon be? How fast do you think I could go?
Keep working on the shorter races for now. Marathon one day. How hard is it?
There is a well known saying, "when you get to 20 miles, you're half way there".
Sage makes a good point. Why do you want to run a marathon? If you just go out and do it cold so you can brag that you ran "X:XX" with no real training, then I would very bluntly tell you to not be an idiot and show some respect for the event. I mostly run marathons and road races. I would never show up to an all comers track meet to run the 800 just to see what I can do. The whole point of distance running is preparation and performance. We dedicate ourselves to training and put ourselves out there at races to see how well we perform. When you take out the proper preparation, you are diminishing your participation in the sport.
Also, running 26.2 miles without sufficient preparation is a great way to get injured. The last thing you want as you start to head into your peak years of running is to have a chronic injury due to a marathon stunt.
But, if you are really into the idea of running a marathon and want to dedicate yourself to a proper training plan, you would probably be looking at beating 2:40 your first time out. You certainly have the makings of a good marathoner. If you have no interest in running in college and are very into the marathon, you could do very well with some good coaching and fast training partners.
Precious Roy wrote:
I mostly run marathons and road races. I would never show up to an all comers track meet to run the 800 just to see what I can do. The whole point of distance running is preparation and performance.
You wouldn't run an 800? Why? That's the ultimate short speed endurance test for a distance runner. It doesn't have to alter your approach to running 10ks or whatever, if you do it several weeks after your last marathon.
Maybe you're being too precious Roy?