Thinking about a Marathon, even though I was totally sure I didn't want to do one

[AuntieStella]

Reasons not to:

• previous uninterest/positive aversion, indeed
• uncertain if I can commit to really long training runs
• some knackered joint, would I be fit enough to train enough and get round

but, but, but ...... it's sneakily calling to me

What's on my mind right now is how long it might take - do people manage to keep going at their 10k or half time? Or is is usual to get slower as the miles go on? If so, by how much is typical?

If I tried to get a charity place at one of the really big ones, at what time do they start packing up the course (final sweeper times at each 10k or so)?

Pace wise, I think a rough estimate is double your half time plus 20-30 minutes. Big marathon cut offs vary, London is around 8 hours for medals but they start clearing up at 7 and a half hours, others are around 6-6.5.
My so far one and only marathon took me 4:53, my half PB is 2:10. The long runs are the most time consuming, it takes me 3.5 hours to run 20 miles, but many people only train up to 18. I really recommend strength training with running, I am training for marathon 2 at the moment and it has made a difference.
Have a look at a training plan, the London marathon website has some & see if you think you could commit to that. It is a pretty amazing thing to do, I am super proud of my marathon medal!

ha! I signed up for a 10k later this summer even though I swore I'd never bother with one. Mad impulse.

I think most impose a cutoff around 2h30min, but you can just ask & look what info there is about broom wagon.

oops, my bad, I thought OP said HalfM.

I don't know about M cutoff times, soz.

Thank you.

I've done one Half - a few minutes under my original guesstimated time of 2:20. So I might do a Marathon in around 5. And even if I ended up walking, it could well be within cutoff time for many events.

I'll have to think hard about training commitment, as there doesn't seem to be a killer reason to put me off the whole idea. Other than everything hurting at about the 11 mile point onwards....

Just thinking about choosing an event. If you decide to go ahead, have a think about what sort of race would suit you - a big city marathon, a small friendly one with smaller crowds, a trail one gentler on the joints etc. I am trying now to pick races that I find interesting or exciting, hence the trip to Orkney in 6 weeks for the St Magnus marathon. There are loads of different types of events, hope you find one that suits you.

Orkneys sound amazing!

I don't think I do enough running off-road to consider a trail marathon (sections on different terrain to alter the stresses might be a good idea) but I like to run to music, so it would probably need to be a fairly major closed road event. So 'somewhere easy to get to, so I'm not stressing about journey' might end up being the top criterion by default!

Kindred spirit, here!

Up until about 3 months ago, I’d been saying that I definitely don’t have a marathon in me. I’ve done a few HMs, loved them but thought them “enough”.

But, but...something has crept in & taken residence in my brain to say that I can and will run a marathon. I don’t know which one yet, or when, but it’s looking likely I’ll be handing over a hefty fee to be in pain for about 5 hours (plus hand over my life for all those months before).

Utter madness.

Great isn’t it

Be careful IsThatYouPaul, one day you start thinking about a marathon, before you know it you're planning your first ultra! It's a slippery slope!

Yep emummy

Race to the stones.

I hear ya calling.

Old thread, I know, but it stuck in my mind. Because Race To The Stones indeed called to me.....

@IsThatYouPaul @emummy

Still not run a marathon, but this year's RTTS was virtual, and I shall complete my first ultra (100km) tomorrow. Aside from one knackered toenail, it's really gone well. I wonder if the RL version will also sing to me?

From experience within my running club, the half PBx2, plus 20 mins, rule tends to work for quicker runners but the slower you are, the more difference between your half and full times there's likely to be.

I love marathon running, but it's a totally different beast from a half, in that it's a lot tougher. I didn't truly appreciate that until I did my first 26.2, and was absolutely knocked sideways by The Wall. People aren't lying when they say the race begins at 20 miles.

For context, I do a half in 1:35 but my marathon PB is 3:45...

ah, I didnt clock it was an old thread @AuntieStella! Go run a real life ultra when you can!!

@fellrunner85

I'm still hoping for a marathon, once events start happening again! So advice is always helpful, as is adjusting expectations.

I haven't come close to my Half PB for a while (and unfortunately I'm carrying a bit too much weight right now - thanks, lockdown), which I think might be because it's all too easy to slack off training when there's no actual events.

But I really enjoyed the challenge of this ultra - could split over days for this version (and it's over a weekend when it's RL - something to look in to)

I've definitely slipped down that slope!

Well done AuntieStella! I think you may well hear the real life event singing next year! Glad it went so well

Do it AuntieStella. I always said I’d never do one but ended up doing a marathon 2 years ago. One of my proudest moments. It did take a big chunk of my life in terms of training but I knew there was an end goal so that helped.
My half’s tended to be around the 2 hour mark and my marathon was 4.40. I walked ran the last few miles due to hip/back pain. But it was all worth it believe me.