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?

I've ran one before in 4.5 hours and had never ran over a half marathon distance before attempting it. Most training would have only been 10 to 15k due to time constraints. You might as well try :)

You're probably about where I am in terms of 10k times.

I've run a half-marathon 'on spec' with no real additional training, and it was hard work.

Also, one morning, I woke up one morning, it was lovely and sunny, OH and DC were away, and I decided to just run and see how far I got. I managed around 18 miles but it fucking killed me and I couldn't've moved a step further unless you held a gun to my head.

Based on the above, I expect it's at the very fringes of what is reasonably physiologically possible for you. I think it's just about possible that you'll get round in 5 hours or so, but I can almost guarantee you'll regret it.

@shrodingersbiscuit

I’m a very slow, injury carrying, ultra runner. I gave myself stress fractures in one foot and ended up with an abysmal 5:25 time once in a marathon, basically walked the whole way round so I’m not judgey when it comes to speed don’t worry - it’s just that, from experience, if you haven’t trained properly you can really do yourself a serious damage that can take years to recover from. It’s just not worth it!

YYY. I foolishly ran up a mountain in France last year - not that far (maybe 15k) but a ridiculous incline. It didn't feel too bad straight after but I could barely walk for the rest of the holiday, and wasn't quite right for weeks and weeks after. And that was without doing (as far as I could tell) and specific diagnosable injury.

If your body is really really not used to this kind of distance, the risk of fucking yourself is high.

[quote shrodingersbiscuit]@54321noughtUsually the ultras give you your times split into popular race times as well, have a look on the last one you did and see if you can see your time? Knock a minute (or two) off per mile and run at that pace? If you can run all of an ultra (trail, I assume?) and it was relatively recently you might have enough memory in your legs to get you round but it won’t be pretty! Especially if this is road, it’s so much harder on my legs than trail.

Also if you’ve run ultras you definitely know your fuelling/bathroom/rehydration strategies already - even I eat on ultras and I famously cannot eat on runs (I just drink sugary stuff).[/quote]
I've never had a policy really

If you do this (as you seem to be determined to) please remember that it's not as simple as a half marathon x2. For example, in estimating your marathon time from HM, you usually calculate x2 plus 10%. There is so much more stress on your body. Be very careful to pace yourself, you are at great risk of injury.

Be careful not to hurt yourself. It’s really easy to get runner’s knee when you increase your distances too quickly, as I learned…

If you've done ultras, you really should know how to pace a marathon. What was the last ultra you did and when? How did your body cope?

Yes intrigued at the ultras.

I'm currently training for an ultra and the long training runs of 20 miles plus are bloody exhausting and that's with plenty of food, electrolytes and stopping. You will bonk massively on orange juice and jelly babies

Because you're out for six hours is what I mean. Your body can't replace the calories fast enough even with decent nutritional intake all through the run/walk

@Therehavetobeadjustments this is really interesting to me as I also run ultras. Mainly fifty milers, a couple of hundreds. If I eat proper food I bonk more, I feel like my body can't cope with digestion and running at the same time. I'm actually much better on just glucose and electrolytes than trying to eat proper nutrition. I used to feel a bit embarrassed about this, but more and more in races Tailwind seems to be a thing, so less so recently. Do you stop and have a proper break and eat or can you actually eat proper food just walking the hills?

trebelclef. Ooh fascinating! Which races have you done? 50 is my limit so far but intrigued by the 100 prospect. I eat whilst running actually! Do sometimes just walk, never stop though

You're in good company, Beth Pascall only uses gels on her ultras!

As a first 100 I would really recommend the endure 24. My face hurt from laughing and chatting more than my legs hurt from running by the end of it....its a half solo runner/ half group relay, so there are a lot of plodders at any one time. Some people are running a hundred, some are going for the course record, then you get people for whom a single 5k loop is the furthest they have ever done and its a real achievement. So it is very friendly, chatty, no pressure race. (Its also on a loop so you are never more than 5k from hot food, first aid etc)
(I'm a real slowcoach, i'm mid 40s and have only been running a couple of years, and am pretty intimidated by the v fast club runners, but if you are a v fast club runner, its probably not the aspirational first 100 you are after though!)

Ah - another Endure fan! Which one did you do? I did it for the 3rd time this year, but in a team. We only do 4 laps each, so we're in awe of all the solos.
I'm not sure I'd want to do it as an ultra though - going round and round the same loop so many times... Especially at the Reading course with the big hill in the middle.

I have friends who rave about the Centurian races - they have quite a few 100 milers in their calendar, and they get amazing feedback on social media.

I've just registered for the south downs way with centurion

Its a qualifier for the Western Ballot, which is my long term dream race if I don't die of old age before I get enough Chits to get in!

For endure, I done Leeds not reading, there are a couple of little rises but no big hills. We did have a huuuge storm this year though.

Is the food shit at Reading? I really struggled at leeds this year as there just wasn't very much choice, 3 vans, and the pizza one only seemed to be able to make about 20 pizzas before selling out....we ended up asking people who were coming to hang out on the saturday afternoon to bring us loads of extra stuff. Is it better at Reading?

Oh yes Endure, a friend of mine has don't it a couple of times and loves them! I've done a couple of Centurion 50's, fantastic organisation and route marking, did some Threshold 100k:'s too plus XNRG, tiny races but also excellent. Love a good, gnarly ultra

trebelclef is that the Western States? Wow wouldn't that be something else! UTMB to follow next weekend

@Cam2020

If you do this (as you seem to be determined to) please remember that it's not as simple as a half marathon x2. For example, in estimating your marathon time from HM, you usually calculate x2 plus 10%. There is so much more stress on your body. Be very careful to pace yourself, you are at great risk of injury.

I will pace myself very carefully, thank you

very interested in the chat about ultras

I think it depends on your general fitness level, My son did an ultra marathon, without any special training, because his very fit friend talked him into it. He was exhausted at the end though! If you're generally fit I think you'd get round in less than 6 hours, with a walk/run

I've never had a policy really

Sorry OP, but you don't go into an ultra not having a 'policy'. You plan carefully, you use tried and tested nutrition/fluids, and you PLAN, because it's genuinely not a doable distance otherwise?

TBF, the same goes for a marathon, although there are some inspiring stories on this thread I have some experience and would probably die if I attempted an unprepared marathon.

Def need a policy! You really can't wing an ultra esp if like Centurion they have cut off times for each checkpoint.

@BlueCherryBlossom

I've never had a policy really

Sorry OP, but you don't go into an ultra not having a 'policy'. You plan carefully, you use tried and tested nutrition/fluids, and you PLAN, because it's genuinely not a doable distance otherwise?

TBF, the same goes for a marathon, although there are some inspiring stories on this thread I have some experience and would probably die if I attempted an unprepared marathon.

No, I've never had a policy, turn up, trundle around until I've had enough, eat what ever is available on the refreshment tables,

as I said, I have never been a serious runner