What to expect during my first marathon?

You have a chance at a freebie marathon. You have enough training to get through 26.2, but nowhere near what your top form would be. So, forget about time goals and just go out and get a feel for the distance. Start out well below what you think you can run and just keep gradually increasing the energy for the first 20. Then, focus on running the last 6.2 as hard as you can. That might get you sub 2:50 or sub 3. What difference does it make? You will certainly do much better with great training. Use this race to teach yourself to pace well and finish strong. Too many marathoners never learn this lesson well and badly positive split all their races.

Your shorter distance times recently are giving you false hope. Go out at 3:00 pace, and don't consider speeding up until you are at mile 20 and feeling awesome. I don't think that will be the case.

Precious Roy wrote:

You have a chance at a freebie marathon. You have enough training to get through 26.2, but nowhere near what your top form would be. So, forget about time goals and just go out and get a feel for the distance. Start out well below what you think you can run and just keep gradually increasing the energy for the first 20. Then, focus on running the last 6.2 as hard as you can. That might get you sub 2:50 or sub 3. What difference does it make? You will certainly do much better with great training. Use this race to teach yourself to pace well and finish strong. Too many marathoners never learn this lesson well and badly positive split all their races.

This is good advice.

I guess I logically know this already, it's just hard to let go of wanting to run a time I'd be happier with. A 2:49:59 just sound so much better than 2:50 haha. But yeah, probably good advice.

I expect to feel pretty much fine through 15 miles and at some point start to hurt BAD.

It's just weird judging effort -- I'm a much better runner than my fitness currently allows me to be, but at the shorter distances I'm running better than I should be, given the training. It's confusing.

Anyway, blabbing. Good advice.

You might do better than you think. I took four weeks off before Boston---no running for two weeks, then only very short runs---due to injury, and still only lost four minutes off my goal time (low 2:30s). I'd say set your expectations right, and then run for a time that you'd be happy with. If you can't finish in a time you're happy with, then drop out. Personally, if were used to running low 2:40s and my first half was 1:30, I wouldn't bother finishing. I might be fine with a 2:50, though. Don't hurt yourself for nothing.

Sorry, I just saw that it is your first marathon. In that case, you should finish. It's fun! But the time isn't so important. Start at a 2:55 pace, basically a jog. I don't imagine you'd have any trouble, but if necessary you'll still be able to salvage a 3:00 and if things start well you can push for 2:50.

Since I'm moving across the country for grad school, during which I'll also be working to pay my way, this may be my ONLY marathon. As such, dropping out is not an option. If I had long term running plans, I probably would've bagged it, raced a shorter event, and got back in shape for a Fall marathon.

As it is, I just want to run hard and accomplish a time I can be proud of (given the circumstances of this training block, that is).

You shouldn't worry about your time in your first marathon. Your goal should be to just finish. Worry about times in your next marathon.

that only applies to the less competitive folks...finishing isn't the problem and many folks here wouldn't get much satisfaction from running 26.2 miles. it's a race.

OP: go for 2:49:59. just run 6:30s for as long as possible basically.

Yeah if i went through all the training and health crap and just went out and ran a 3:30 marathon or something I'd definitely feel like I'd wasted a lot of time and effort. I know I can run 26.2 miles...that's not so much a challenge. I want to do what I can to run as fast as I can on the day, is the point.

reed wrote:

that only applies to the less competitive folks...finishing isn't the problem and many folks here wouldn't get much satisfaction from running 26.2 miles. it's a race.

OP: go for 2:49:59. just run 6:30s for as long as possible basically.

The guy "thinks" he can run a 2:40. It applies to him as well.

"The marathon can humble you." - Bill Rodgers

You will poop your self

2:40 is harder than you think. I was well prepared for Boston with multiple 18-20 mile long runs and 85+ mile weeks. I went through 20 in 2:00:06 (essentially 2:37:40 pace) then went on to run a 44 minute last 10km.

The course determines a lot of your final capabilities. I'll agree with the above posters. Go out in around 1:27-28 and if you feel good, neg split. Nothing is worse than wanting to die and being 5 miles from the finish.

Fundee wrote:

The guy "thinks" he can run a 2:40. It applies to him as well.

"The marathon can humble you." - Bill Rodgers

Can you read?

I don't think I can run 2:40. Had I stayed healthy & trained well, that would've been my goal, but the whole point of this thread is re-thinking my goal based on my admittedly poor (relatively speaking) fitness.

I don't think it's arrogant or un-humble to suggest that jogging a marathon isn't what I'm going for. It's a great accomplishment for many people to finish a marathon; I'd just like to run one as quickly as I'm capable given the circumstances.

Is that arrogant?

Or did you just not read?

illinoisphotographer wrote:

2:40 is harder than you think. I was well prepared for Boston with multiple 18-20 mile long runs and 85+ mile weeks. I went through 20 in 2:00:06 (essentially 2:37:40 pace) then went on to run a 44 minute last 10km.

The course determines a lot of your final capabilities. I'll agree with the above posters. Go out in around 1:27-28 and if you feel good, neg split. Nothing is worse than wanting to die and being 5 miles from the finish.

Thanks. Yeah, I definitely understand how hard 2:40 is. Again, there is no way I'm even close to that right now, capability-wise. I'm just thinking I could MAYBE squeak under 2:50 on the perfect day. 6:27 pace, rather than 6:07s for 2:40. Pretty big difference. But either way, I think you're right about race plan.

About two weeks before Chicago, I ran a 56:55 ten mile race. At Chicago I ran a 2:45:05.

I would say it depends on the marathon. I would say below 2:50 is attainable, possibly a lot closer to 2:45. I would run the first half with 2:50 in mind and push it in the second half if you have it.

Which marathon? SF?

It's silly to base your goal time on training runs. Toss that part out. However, given that you even died at the end of your 10 miler, you just don't have the endurance. 3:00+

Try to negative split the race and don't stray from that plan. Mile one through 13 is going to be easy as pie from the the adrenaline but, then your mind is gonna play tricks with you at about mile 16-20. This is when the negative split approach comes in handy. You will be able to carry through knowing you ran easy in the beginning.

Go for it! You can do it!

Lesson #1 - the marathon is comprised of 2 equal parts - the first 20 miles and the final 6.2.