If I regularly run 10k, can I prepare for a marathon in 2 weeks?

[54321nought]

I've been offered a place in a marathon in 2 weeks time, which I want to take, but realistically, I am not sure I can finish it within the time limit ( 6 hours)

Any advice on diet and training to give myself the best shot?

Orange juice and jelly babies has always worked for me

It hasn't worked for you though, has it? You've never run a fast marathon; in fact you haven't really "run" a marathon at all. If your last marathon took more than 6 hours, that's walking pace?

@fellrunner85

Orange juice and jelly babies has always worked for me

It hasn't worked for you though, has it? You've never run a fast marathon; in fact you haven't really "run" a marathon at all. If your last marathon took more than 6 hours, that's walking pace?

they have worked perfectly well in the past, throughout any marathon and ultramarathon I have ever done, I'm not going to change what works,

I can arrange to have other food available for me too, as recommended by other posters, in case I change my mind at 18 miles, but I'm not expecting to.

I will be carrying orange juice and jelly babies, and relying on those

Excellent, crack on.

Good luck!

Thank you, I will let you know how I do

@54321nought have you done it yet?

I have no doubt the OP has run it by now, in a GFA time and with a negative split too, fuelled purely on orange juice.

Yes, I'm sure by now the imaginary marathon has been run in 2 hours fueled entirely by determination and orange juice.

Not a runner but fascinated by this thread.

Really was hoping for an update from the OP when this thread appeared in my active!

@fellrunner85

I have no doubt the OP has run it by now, in a GFA time and with a negative split too, fuelled purely on orange juice.

Virtually of course, while sat under her bridge.

I am not a marathon snob. I've never run a marathon so have no idea what time I would do it in. I do have a friend who runs marathons every week. But that's the point - he runs them every weekend, so his body is used to it.

The OP is suggesting that she can run a marathon in under 6 hours with a completely crazy two week build-up. People usually do 16-20 week training plans. Even if they don't go perfectly (which they usually don't - life gets in the way) they are reasonably well prepared.

The OP is not.

I don't doubt she will come back in triumph tomorrow and say she managed it in 5:59. But she won't come back to tell us that she injured herself badly and didn't run again for six months.

And you do get running trolls. There is a Facebook group for parkrunners. Someone claimed she'd done a virtual parkrun in 16 minutes during lockdown. That is an elite time. We could not find her on the UK Athletics website. She said she was from the US. She wasn't mentioned anywhere there, either. She was either male (and even then it would have been a very fast 5k time) or making it up. Or both.

I'm interested in an update too.
No intention of doing a marathon myself but I think Jelly Babies and orange juice is more likely to make you sick or feel stitch rather than fuel you.

Someone claimed she'd done a virtual parkrun in 16 minutes during lockdown. That is an elite time

Like those footballers during lockdown, claiming 16 min 5ks.. with elapsed times of more than an hour. I think most of us could do a 16min 5k if we did it in 100m sprints, with a long rest between each one

I'm waiting for the 'just under 6hrs, felt ok, no blisters' update. And that the heat didn't make any difference at all. From the runner who runs 55min 10ks on this thread but runs at 12 min/mile on the ultra thread...

Hello OP, any update?

I did a 5 mile race on Sunday and it was not fun in the heat!

Smashed it!

sorry about being so late reporting back... can't remember my original password or email.

Thank you for all the good wishes and kindly advice, which really helped, and thank you too, to all the horrified disbelief which really showed me that I was attempting something perceived as far more significant than I judged it to be for me, and has boosted by confidence in my running ability hugely

My orange juice belt and I have now booked onto several other runs, intending to go further and faster, but with a much longer lead in this time - I have a 50 mile run booked for March

and my time engraved chip was sitting in the letterbox waiting for me when I got home this evening .

I'm wearing it on the medal now

I think most of the fundraising is in now, we have made over £6000 between us, so I'm well pleased. I'm going to do another marathon soon, but no time limit on this one, so much less stressful all round!