To think there is no way my SIL will manage to run the marathon?

[edsheeransgingerbeard]

This will probably make me sound like a horrid unsupportive cow, which I'm not, honest!
We were all hugely surprised yesterday when SIL revealed that she has secured a charity London Marathon place. She currently does zero exercise, refuses to walk anything other than short distances as she finds it too much hard work, and is fairly unhealthy generally. She hasn't done any kind of running / jogging for over 20yrs (and never a marathon)
It is obviously fantastic that she wants to start training, and has a goal to aim for. But to go from zero to 26 miles in 4 months is madness, is it not?
I'm a huge lazy glutton right now. I have run a few half marathons over the last few years and I think I could probably get round a half marathon course by the end of April if I started training next week. But not a whole marathon.
AIBU to think that a very unfit person who does not exercise in any way at all can successfully train for a marathon in just over 4 months?

Well... if she starts immediately and increases at a rate of 2 miles per week, then maybe!

Well you’re probably right but don’t say anything.

Yes it's crazy
God loves a tryer though

IDK, 4 months is a long time. People walk towards the end if it's too much, don't they? Is she the type to go at it hard in a focused way?

I went from pretty much zero exercise to a marathon in about 6 months. It took me over five hours though, Paula Radcliffe certainly wasn’t worried about losing her crown!

It did take a huge amount of willpower and persistence though, especially the long 15 odd mile training runs a month before which almost killed me.

Yes madness in 4 months.

Maybe but encourage her by going on a run with her .
Some people me included enter races to motivate them it works most of the time .
Also watch Brittney runs a marathon on amazon prime .

Makes my piss boil !! My husband (triathlete, competed various marathons and ironman 2x ) has tried to get into London 7 yrs running and has not been successful. Then there are others who get a bloody space and walk the friggling whole lot 😡

I walked this distance for charity with only about 3 months training so she could do it but probably not at speed. Took me about 8 hours. It did hurt though!

@Justontherightsideofnormal I know I agree with you. I've got friends who've been trying to get a place for years. I'll support SIL but I'm also annoyed for this reason!

My husband (triathlete, competed various marathons and ironman 2x ) has tried to get into London 7 yrs running

Nothing stopping him getting a charity place like the OP’s SIL

www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com/en-gb/charity/run-charity/listings/UK/

In my experience of having known several marathon finishers, the ability to brag about having done a marathon for days/weeks/months/a lifetime afterwards is an extremely motivating factor in marathons that cannot be discounted.

Never gonna happen.
Is she going to be taking money from people for this?
I know it'll go to charity, but still, it's a bit of a piss take.

To be fair she's secured a charity place though, anyone can do that, you just need to agree to raise a certain amount in return for your place. Very different to the ballot.

4 months isn't long enough but she may get around, in a lot of discomfort - is the cut off 7 hours?

@Strictly1972 I walked the distance without any training. Could barely walk the next day so it was clearly a bad idea!

She could defer until next year and actually train for it..

I went from overweight, zero running to running a marathon in 16 months and that was pretty tough. I hope she has lots of determination because dragging yourself out for a run in winter isn't easy.

But yes it is mad. The risk of injury is very high. Saying that is she a natural runner? Young, fit?

I have a friend who would do hardly any training for the GNR every year, she'd just do a few 6,7, 8 miles and always managed fine.

And a lot of people walk the London Marathon nowadays, it's almost celebrated to do it slow

It would be possible to train and improve her fitness in 4 months yes but she would have to be really disciplined and stick to a plan if she wanted to do anything other than walk the whole thing (and she'd be wise to do some training even if she only wanted to walk it)

I’ve run half marathons for years, I couldn’t do a full 26.2miles by April.
It’s a long way, I know that sounds obvious, but often you don’t realise.
She won’t be running the whole time I wouldn’t have thought (which is totally fine) but she needs to take it seriously otherwise she could end up very hurt

@Freesunglasses 50, overweight, and very sedentary

But to go from zero to 26 miles in 4 months is madness, is it not?

Yes, it's mad but it's do-able if she run/walks.

Like @TimetohittheroadJack I went from zero to 26 miles in 6 months and did it in 5hrs17 (12 minutes 20s per mile average). She's got 7 hours of closed roads which works out at 16 minutes per mile.

You can do it in 4 months, not a great time but doable with dedication.

@edsheeransgingerbeard oh dear. I hope she's got a LOT of determination! Otherwise she's buggered!

What's made her decide to do it?

She won’t manage to run it all.
She’ll either injure herself in training and/or walk/run it.
It actually really pisses me off when people don’t respect the distance. People die doing marathons ffs.

I ran a marathon about 15 years ago when o was early 30/ and ran a lot. I’m now almost 50 and have 4 dc. I still run once or twice a week for 25 min. I work in a school, 30 mins there and back 4 times a week. I’m overweight also. There is no way I could do it in 4 months knowing what is required (just don’t have the stamina anymore, though I know a handful of friends my ago do).