Is it possible for a current couch potato to run a marathon in 9 months' time?!

[DestinationUnknown]

There is a charity very very dear to me and for which I could (in theory!) get a place in the London marathon next year. I would love to run a marathon to raise funds for them and I would also love the physical challenge of getting properly fit with a goal in mind.

I did get quite fit a couple of years ago and did a cycling event for the charity, but since then I have piled on tons of weight and stopped exercising totally.

Is it possible to go from 2 stone overweight, completely unfit and not much of a runner to marathon-fit in 9 months, and if so how do I go about it?

Perhaps I am being too ambitious for 2013 and should think of 2014? There's one thing setting myself up with a goal and another thing to fail and not manage to raise the funds / let sponsors down.

Yes. Completely possible in 9 months. Will involve focussing and putting in the training though. But very doable. If you had said 3 months I would have sucked my teeth, but 9 is feasible.

Do you have the time for all the training needed? All those miles will take hours and hours to build up.

Thanks that is encouraging. I think I could find the time while ds is at school (work part time for myself so could run every other day?). Is there anywhere useful I can find a training schedule that isn't too daunting to begin with?

Try the Runners World site. It has all sorts of advice and programmes. I actually prefer the US site to the UK one.

Thank you! Will take a look

I've been told that the key is to build up strength and stamina (in the gym or pool) before you actually start running.
Have a look on the London Marathon site too as they usually have a programme for people starting from scratch.

9 months is about 36 weeks. If I was in your shoes ...

I'd run half a mile three or four times a week to start with. Do the run/walk/run/walk thing if needed.
Then after a fortnight, start running one mile three or four times a week
After another fortnight, aim to run two miles three or four times a week
Then after another fortnight aim to run three miles 3 or 4 times a week

Eventually I'd aim for this each week - one slow long jog, one fast short run, one hilly short run, one slow medium length jog. Different routes, different speeds, different running friends or music.

I'd then build up the one really long slow jog each week and just keep adding to it's length till you hit one 24 mile run once a week. A week before the run, don't run as hard or long.

At the moment I am doing
Monday - 4 mile hilly run
Wednesday - 6 mile medium pace
Friday - four miles fast on flat
Saturday - slow 10 miles jog

I did it, got a bonded place in 2012 VLM and trained for 9 months. I didn't do very well on the day as I'd been struggling with a knee injury. On proper form I could have done much better time wise but the sense of achievement and the occasion were truly memorable and I hope to go back in a couple of years and do it a bit more justice. I found the high mileage a strain on my body but I lost a stone and a half and am now hooked on running though have to admit it's nice to do parkruns and 10ks and not think about marathon trianing again for a while. I recommend the Hal Higdon beginner plan.

It's not impossible but the training would be very tough and the risk of injury is higher with marathon training of you are a novice runner. If you were going to go for it I would aim to do what holyfishnets suggest and plan for a run/ walk affair on the day. Most people have walk breaks anyway, better to doit from the start if you are a novice I think.

The maximum run is normally about 20-22 miles though, no need to go further than that, just wears you out too much.

I did a marathon after 18 months of training and despite not missing a single run during the marathon build uo I got injured during the race It didn't stop me, adrenalin took over and I finished in an ok time but it was without a doubt the toughest thing I have ever done and only now, more than a year
later am I thinking about another, and thats next year!! It took me 6 months after the marthon to shed my injury and build up my fitness again!!

I did London and it really was a memorable experience. Not something I'll ever forget. I won't do it again because the logistics are too complicated and a ballot place is too hard to get but to experience it once is awesome.

If you have the time to dedicate to training then yes.

I entered the ballot for 2012 London Marathon and didn't get in, but whilst waiitng to find out if I had been successful I read, and re read this book.

non-runner marathon guide

It will be tough - but if the mind is willing, then the body will follow. I did a Half marathon in May- the furthest i had run prior to race day was 8miles. It was very hard, and I took quite a few walking breaks but I completed it in the time I had allowed myself.

Good luck.

Its possible but I would aim for a run walk plan. Don't increase your mileage by more than 10 % each week and add in lots of strength training such as circuits or swiss ball to help with the core and supporting muscles such as the glutes and hamstrings. Alternate running with spinning which will build up your stamina without the risk of injury, rowing is another good cross training exercise . Oh and book yourself monthly sports massage- it helps.
I'm using the 3 runs per week plan with 4 cross training sessions- 1 short run with intervals, 1 mid distance run with a fast bit in the middle and one long run.
Good luck.