Any success or unsuccessful stories out there about deciding to enter a marathon at the last minite? I am training for Boston and am going to be doing a long run of 20-21 miles this weekend anyway: but I have got this "wild hair" to enter Motorola in Austin this Sunday just for the fun of it and as a "no pressure" long run with all the hoopla that surrounds it. Obviuously I have not had a "taper" going on....but could take the next 3 days easy!
Last marathon was in November
My first marathon was a last minute decision. I was out of town on a project, working up to a Father's day marathon. The place I was working had one on Mother's day. I decided, what the heck, let's give it a try. So to prepare, I made sure I got in a long run - a twelve miler one week before.
Needless to say the race was an excruciatingly painful experience. You're obviously not in the same boat. What the heck - give it a go, I say.
Everyone who follows Galloway's plan does it.
Come on Down!
I did. I had a \"long run\" of 14 miles, but I had been logging a consistent 70 miles/week. A friend convinced me to run it. I ran a 2:50 for my only marathon.
Rookie, if you feel good, have the confidence, GO FOR IT!!!
(1) In November 2002, I was planning to jog the Bangkok Marathon. I did not feel good at all before the race, but when the gun sounded, I suddenly felt fine, and ended up winning the race!
(2) Way back in May 1990, I was entered in the accompanying 10km for the Cleveland marathon, but the week before the race, I switched to the full marathon, and ended up lowering my PR from 2;40 to 2;27!
So if you have done some good training, a few good long runs, then by all means, go for it!
wish you well.... jason
My fastest marathon was going to be a half. But after a Thursday depletion run my training partner said Dude you've been marathon training run the thing. So I decided to race the full on Sunday. To hell with the easy long run Go for it!
Sure. Called over to Yakima (Washington) on Friday night and asked it they had day of race entry. I was guessing they did since it was a low bucks marathon, certified, but in conjunction with a relay and so forth. I got up about 4:00 the next morning, drove over to Yakima, registered, ran the thing, good course, well put on, stopped up on White Pass on the way home to sit in one of the natural bath tubs one of creeks forms, and enjoyed the afternoon.
Thanks for the memory--that was a good March. Five weekends that year, marathon, 20k, 50-miler, marathon (Yakima), marathon--younger legs back then--good month, good memories. Thank you.
Anyone can do it! What's all this talk about long runs to prepare? PREPARE? Like that's neccessary. Just take your walking breaks and you can finish in 9 hours like this couple in Chicago. They are my heros, and I am theirs.
Oh, and I also love Spike.
I am the fake Jeff Galloway.
I am your fan, too.
Though I haven't done that, I've seen several friends do it. They always seem to do really well in the 'practice marathon.' Go out at proper pace and finish comfortably.
Then one of two things happens. Either they get injured shortly thereafter and are unable to run their goal marathon. Or they are bubbling with overconfidence, go out way too fast in their goal marathon, crash and burn, ending up with a time much slower than their training marathon.
Good luck.
I didn't exactly run one at the spur of the moment, but I did train for one when I had next to no time to do so (at least at the time I thought I had next to no time).
Basically I ran just twice a week for 18 weeks - a 5-8 miler on Wednesdays and a long run up to 21 miles on Saturday. Didn't expect to do well, and ran with a friend who was running his first. We finished in 4:04. It sucked the last 8 miles.
Ran a 'thon on a bet with my runner-hating roommates two years ago. My training consisted of 3 14000 foot mountain ascents, a few 30mile rides, and a couple trail runs of 5 miles.
The experience was great but as you can imagine, i had my share of problems. I blew up at 11 miles, I was wearing boxer briefs that rubbed my legs raw and they started to bleed at mile 16, I had the sense to take my shirt off before my nipples started to bleed (mile 17), composed myself and finished in 3:23.
Had to call in sick to work, and walked with a limp for a few weeks, I think I almost broke a bone in my foot. But... the bet was won, the spoils: 17 cases of beer, and a whole lot of shit talking.
I went to Helsinki in 1999 to run the 10k held in conjunction with the marathon, the day before the race I went down to pick up my packet and they informed me I was registered for the marathon. I ended up running 2:41. Helsinki was in August,and I had run the Newport (OR) Marathon the first weekend in June (2:37)
and the Lincoln Marathon (NEB) the first weekend in May 2:34).