i’m hoping some STers can help me motivate my friend to register for the chicago marathon.
my dear friend is considering doing her first marathon. she has run somewhat inconsistently in the past (up to 10k events) and has been running 3-4/week for the last 4 weeks or so. there are 3 months left to get ready for chicago, and i want her to commit to it.
she’s intimidated by the distance and the training, but i know she can do it - i’ve run with her several times and i’m sure 3 months will be enough time to get her ready.
anybody have stories about their first marathon (or other event)…where you didn’t feel like you could be ready, or didn’t feel like an athlete, that kind of thing, and then you got yourself through it and it was soooo worth it? she’s sick of my stories.
My rule of thumb is that you can “finish” a race that is roughly twice your expended training distance. For my first marathon, I didn’t run any further than 15 miles, but I did run hills like a kenyan. I finished 3:15.
You didn’t mention what kind of distance she can do now? If she is not getting out there 8-12 miles already, marathon sounds like a lot to ask in 3 months.
and she will have to admit that there really isn’t much more to training for the marathon than her current plan. She could just hop in at week 4. Basically just adding a slowly growing long run.
The other thing is that you should tell her she can walk parts, too, if she gets tired. Hell, at the Honolulu marathon, they have like 1000+ walkers from Japan that walk the ENTIRE marathon. Now granted, that will make for a long day. If you go to Disneyland you spend the whole day walking, too, but you don’t get to brag that you finished a marthon.
Plus, is she from Chicago? The Chicago marathon gives you a great view of the city and the crowds are incredible.
First Marathon was the Ottawa NCM. Great race and route.
BUT…thought I was a bit more prepared then I was and it hurt. Hated the last 3K. Didn’t want to see Gatorade, gels or water for quite some time.
What I would have done different…have my long runs go longer then 32-34K. Would have really helped with the Mental aspect just as much as the physical.
I will do it again in 2006, after missing out on '05 from injuries and you can bet, I will be better prepared!
While it’s nice to give someone a nudge into a race, don’t over push her. Maybe a Half Mary would be a better start.
Sure she can do it…but if she’s intimidated by it why force it?
Why not go slower and work up to it so it’s not quite so intimidating? Certainly she would have signed up already with only a bit of prodding if she was remotely interested, no?
Why not plan for 1/2 or something later in the year and then give the entire year to build up a bit more for Chicago? Maybe a more conservative approach may be more appealing to her?
I ran Chicago in 99 having only one 6 miler under my belt when I signed up AND I was a nicotine addict. I was dared by my roommate to sign up with him. We both did the Hal Higdon Novice set up which is like 18 weeks, but your friend sounds like she can just pick up at the 14 week mark for this year. I'm sure your friend can whip herself into marathon shape by then- especially since it sounds like she has a good fitness base to work from.
I've done 4 since then, and plan on signing up for the 2005 race this wednesday. See you two out there.
i just have seen her struggle for a long time saying she’ll do one when she feels more ready, but i know for me, i didn’t feel ready. i just finally signed up for my first, got a few long runs in, and i had a great time. i ran a nice easy pace, walked through some water stations, and had a very consistent run on not a lot of training or building.
i thought other folks would have similar experiences…maybe i just got lucky.
chicago is one she’s always wanted to do, and 3 months seemed reasonable to me, so that’s why the emphasis on chicago. i’m doing it, so i thought i could help her out with race prep, nerves, that kind of thing.
Thanks for the advice, even though it wasn’t what I wanted to hear.
