Potential Post College Marathon

Training Advice/Discussion Marathon

15 years ago 04/21/2009 6:51pm EDT

I'm a 5th year D1 senior, and am now in the twighlight of what I see as my competitive running career. I have a dillemma however:

After 5 years of pretty intense and focused training, I am getting tired of competitive/hardcore running. I am ready to take some time off (a year or two probably) and then return as regular runner, not a super competitive sub-elite as now. Basically, I like racing fast to beat people, but I no longer enjoy running unless I'm super fit. I think a few years off will allow me to enjoy just a 5 miler or something again. Right now I'd rather play basketball or drink beer.

That said, I kind of hate to quit without first running a marathon and getting a decent pr I can be proud of.

I think I could run somewhere around 2:30-2:35 right now. If I take two years off and get fat (judging from my metabolism when injured, i'll go from my race weight of 150 to 175 or 180. Without focus and intense training in a group setting, I'll never get below 160.)

Should I find a marathon this summer and get it over with? Or will I be super motivated and want to work really hard again in two years? I can't really see that now, but thought I'd ask and see what experiences other people had.

15 years ago 04/21/2009 7:34pm EDT

re: werrkerr

Tough to run a fast marathon in the summer. There's a reason that all the big ones are in the spring and fall. Grandma's maybe? Can't really think of any other major races between June and August.

15 years ago 04/22/2009 11:01am EDT

re: werrkerr

15 years ago 04/22/2009 11:29am EDT

re: werrkerr

Hop in the marathon. If you bust yourself up it won't matter, as you're planning on taking the next couple years off, anyway. I don't know where in the country you are, but there's a new R 'n' R marathon in Seattle in June--those tend to be pretty good events.

15 years ago 04/22/2009 11:53am EDT

re: werrkerr

I'm very vaguely in the same boat as you -- I ran a few years in college before it became painfully obvious that I didn't have the talent. I took the better part of a decade off to get fat and out of shape, then started running again maybe five years ago.

I really, really wish that I had taken a year or two and tried to throw down a good marathon PR. Instead of plodding along in the 2:50s as a 145 pound OK rec runner, I bet I could have run in the low 2:30s as a 130 pound borderline competitive runner.

Run your marathon now. Once you are in your 30s, you're going to be married with kids and job responsibilities. Do you know how hard it is to manage that while putting in 80+ mpw (much less the 120+ that you really need to excel). Your metabolism is higher so it is easier to maintain racing weight, and recovery is SO much quicker at 25 than 35. Once my long runs get up to the 18 or so range, I just can't do them on consecutive weekends anymore -- which means that training takes nearly twice as long.

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