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Thread: Any Marathoners or Mini-Marathoners?

  1. #1
    Member redsfanmia's Avatar
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    Any Marathoners or Mini-Marathoners?

    I signed up for my first mini-marathon in May, I wanted to run one before I turn 40. I was wondering if anyone had advice in training for me? I started training about a month ago and I have been running atleast 4 days a week, running atleast 3 miles 3 times and doing a "long" run one day a week of so far 4 miles and plan on building on that long run adding distance every week. Is this the best way to go about it? The Mini I am running is May 7, Am I on track?

    Since I have joined this board I realized basically any question I have can be answered by someone on this board.
    When I see the 2016 Reds, I see a 100 loss team and no direction.


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    Re: Any Marathoners or Mini-Marathoners?

    So far, so good.

    Most programs recommend starting your training somewhere in the neighborhood of 12 to 16 weeks ahead of time, so you're right on target.

    In my experience the most important part of training is making sure that you log the miles before the race, particularly on your long runs. Once you get your body used to running and can convince yourself that you can actually make it the full distance, you should be good to go.

    That said, make sure you give yourself time to enough time to recover and don't try to do too much too quickly. It's always a good idea to make sure you leave yourself one or two off days per week and that one of those off days is the day after your long runs. It may not seem like such a big deal now, but when you start logging 10+ miles you're definitely going to want to give yourself time to recover.

    Congrats and good luck!

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    Re: Any Marathoners or Mini-Marathoners?

    Indy?

    Been a runner for a while, but never anything more than a 10k.

    After her 8th marathon in January (3:43 & change, meaning she missed qualifying for boston by less than 4 minutes...), Mrs. fan shamed me into signing up for my first half-marathon in March. So far, the training has gone well. 4-6 miles 3-4 times a week, with a long run on Saturdays.

    A couple of years ago, Mrs. fan added yoga 1-2 times per week to her exercise program, and the results have been phenomenal. I've gone to a couple of yoga classes, but she signed me up for a great class at her yoga studio to coincide with my training: Yoga For The Stiff Guy.

    I've done a long run on Sat, a 5 miler on Sun, and the yoga class on Sun afternoon. I've been blown away by how good I've felt at the end of each weekend with the yoga thrown into the mix. I'm not much into the hippie psychology of yoga, but the dedicated stretching once a week has done wonders all the way around. I, another soon-to-be-not-in-my-30s-anymore guy, highly recommend it. And not just as part of a half-marathon training program.

    On stretching out your long runs, Mrs. fan has me on a plan where my longest run is 11 miles. I stretch out the long run for a couple of weeks, then scale back for a week. Then up the distance for another couple of weeks, then scale it back, and repeat.

    Mrs., a sibling and her spouse all did the Indy mini last year and are signed up to run it again this year. From what I saw last year (watching the kids while everyone else ran), the organization is pretty solid.

    Finally, make sure you have good shoes, stay hydrated, and always have bananas at home.

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    Re: Any Marathoners or Mini-Marathoners?

    I've run the Geist half marathon 3 times and ran a full one once. The only worthwhile advice I could think of is to build up the miles whether you can run them or not. It's okay to walk through portions so long as you're moving forward.
    Quote Originally Posted by BuckeyeRed27 View Post
    Honest I can't say it any better than Hoosier Red did in his post, he sums it up basically perfectly.

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    Re: Any Marathoners or Mini-Marathoners?

    Quote Originally Posted by 15fan View Post
    Indy?

    Been a runner for a while, but never anything more than a 10k.

    After her 8th marathon in January (3:43 & change, meaning she missed qualifying for boston by less than 4 minutes...), Mrs. fan shamed me into signing up for my first half-marathon in March. So far, the training has gone well. 4-6 miles 3-4 times a week, with a long run on Saturdays.

    A couple of years ago, Mrs. fan added yoga 1-2 times per week to her exercise program, and the results have been phenomenal. I've gone to a couple of yoga classes, but she signed me up for a great class at her yoga studio to coincide with my training: Yoga For The Stiff Guy.

    I've done a long run on Sat, a 5 miler on Sun, and the yoga class on Sun afternoon. I've been blown away by how good I've felt at the end of each weekend with the yoga thrown into the mix. I'm not much into the hippie psychology of yoga, but the dedicated stretching once a week has done wonders all the way around. I, another soon-to-be-not-in-my-30s-anymore guy, highly recommend it. And not just as part of a half-marathon training program.

    On stretching out your long runs, Mrs. fan has me on a plan where my longest run is 11 miles. I stretch out the long run for a couple of weeks, then scale back for a week. Then up the distance for another couple of weeks, then scale it back, and repeat.

    Mrs., a sibling and her spouse all did the Indy mini last year and are signed up to run it again this year. From what I saw last year (watching the kids while everyone else ran), the organization is pretty solid.

    Finally, make sure you have good shoes, stay hydrated, and always have bananas at home.
    Yes, I am running Indy.

    I have been doing mainly treadmill training with an outside run mixed in once a week, is that ok? I have been changing speeds, running 1.5 miles at 6.3 mph, then 1.5 at 7.0 mph then .5 miles at 7.5 mph then .5 miles at 8.0 sometimes mixing it up running at 8.5 or 9-9.5 for a distance. I thought that would help with my conditioning.
    When I see the 2016 Reds, I see a 100 loss team and no direction.

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    Re: Any Marathoners or Mini-Marathoners?

    Quote Originally Posted by redsfanmia View Post
    Yes, I am running Indy.

    I have been doing mainly treadmill training with an outside run mixed in once a week, is that ok? I have been changing speeds, running 1.5 miles at 6.3 mph, then 1.5 at 7.0 mph then .5 miles at 7.5 mph then .5 miles at 8.0 sometimes mixing it up running at 8.5 or 9-9.5 for a distance. I thought that would help with my conditioning.
    That's actually more aggressive speeds than I was running. If you can keep it up, that's great.


    I've followed this 10 week schedule whenever I've been training and it has served me well. Like I said, the key is to be able to go the miles listed even if you can't run them.
    http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51...aining-Program
    Quote Originally Posted by BuckeyeRed27 View Post
    Honest I can't say it any better than Hoosier Red did in his post, he sums it up basically perfectly.

  8. #7
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    Re: Any Marathoners or Mini-Marathoners?

    The Indy Mini is great. 30,000 plus people.

    If your goal is mainly to finish, your most important runs are the long slow distance. Runners call them LSD runs. I think they stole that term from somewhere else.

    Increase your long run 1 mile a week. When you get longer runs in, increase it by 1 1/2 miles, and maybe 2 miles later on. You could probably cap off the length at 12 miles, because the adrenaline will be pushing too. Or if you have some 13 mile runs, you'll enter the race with the confidence you can run it to completion

    If you want to hit a goal time look on the internet about interval training and tempo runs. I would advice to arrange your workouts so you have a no run day after long runs.

    Take it easy the week before the race. It is called a taper.

    The race starts at the circle, goes to speedway, around the track, and back downtown. When I ran it the race was still on Fridays, so the streets were lined with spectators and entertainment and port a potties. Probably still the same. They have a dual start now due to the number of runners.

    Oh, and if you win, you have to drink milk on a podium like the winning driver does. Hope you aren't lactose intolerant.

    Good luck!
    I've been to dinner at Jimmy Buffet's house, and I've eaten it at a homeless shelter. And there's great joy and harrowing terror to be found in both places.
    -Todd Snider

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    Re: Any Marathoners or Mini-Marathoners?

    Run with Kenyans.
    Arise and walk, come through. A world beyond that door is calling out for you. Arise and walk, come through. It's calling out for you.

  10. #9
    Waitin til next year bucksfan2's Avatar
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    Re: Any Marathoners or Mini-Marathoners?

    I have run two fulls and a number of halfs. I haven't heard anything about the Indy half so I can not give you any adivce on that one.

    A couple of things I try to do when I train. A good schedule will help out the most. I also like to build a weekly base. I would run 3-5-3 during the week, usually Tues-Wed-Thurs. Then I would make a longer run on the weekend. I also would pick a mileage you want to run and then stick to that. Don't stop short, if you have to walk to finish the mileage do so. To me there is something psychological about finishing the distance.

    During the race keep to your desired pace and use the water stations to your advantage. When races got hard I would run from water station to water station and walk while I would drink my water/gatorade. Since it doesn't sound like you are striving for a time, just focus on finishing each distance.

  11. #10
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    Re: Any Marathoners or Mini-Marathoners?

    Quote Originally Posted by redsfanmia View Post
    Yes, I am running Indy.

    I have been doing mainly treadmill training with an outside run mixed in once a week, is that ok? I have been changing speeds, running 1.5 miles at 6.3 mph, then 1.5 at 7.0 mph then .5 miles at 7.5 mph then .5 miles at 8.0 sometimes mixing it up running at 8.5 or 9-9.5 for a distance. I thought that would help with my conditioning.
    I assume the Indy Mini Marathon is a half-marathon, 13.1 miles.

    I would be less worried about the pace now and be more concerned with stretching out the miles. Build them up gradually and include at least one longer run per week. When you get closer to the race and have built up your base, it will be safer to mix in faster speeds. Also try to run outside more as running on a treadmill is easier than running at the same pace outside. You will want to run outside enough that you are accustomed to it come race day. You will also want to make sure to run occasionally close to the time of day the race will happen. I know when I always used to run in the afternoon that it would sometimes be a struggle to feel fresh for a morning race.

    Above all listen to your body as you add miles. It is better to add an extra day of rest than get saddled with an injury that will slow you done for a month or more. I have been saddled with achilles tendonitis for the past six months and it is driving me nuts. My fitness is there but as soon as I try to run three days in a row or more that 7 miles at a time it crops up.
    Last edited by klw; 02-14-2012 at 08:54 AM.

  12. #11
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    Re: Any Marathoners or Mini-Marathoners?

    There are a ton of websites out there that will layout specific training/mileage schedules. Type it into google, cross reference some of the tips here and find one that meets your eye. I've never done an official half marathon, though I've told myself each of the last 2 years that was the year I officially accomplish that goal. Hopefully this is the year, but I've logged a fair amount of miles at times, especially for a non serious runner, ran the Cincy mini-heart marathon (think its 9 or 10 miles), I ran about 14-15 miles one day when I was feeling good, and just kept extending my run, and I've found a nice wooded course w/ a 5k loop that I've run 2 or 3 laps at a time for an extended run.

    I can't give you any specific advice, just some stuff that has worked for me. Personally, I'd once the weather turns, I'd get away from the treadmill and on to the road. Long term, the treadmill will save the wear and tear on your knees, if this is something you plan to keep up for a lifetime, but it just doesn't compare to the beating running distance on the road will give you. If you can find one, try a wooded trail. I don't know what Indy is like, but we've got a fair number of woods with long trails on them. It makes for a nice change of pace from the road, and the ups and downs of running out in the woods will give you a much different workout. Running the 3 mile loop on the place I go works me about as hard as the 6 mile run I do on the relatively flat streets around my house.

    Finally, if you've never run a race before, and you're not running for time, be wary not to get caught up in the begining. The rush out of the gates is a pretty neat experience, but you'll quickly find your self running above pace as the endorphins kick in. By the end of the race, you'll be more spent than if you'd just gone out yourself and ran the same course.

  13. #12
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    Re: Any Marathoners or Mini-Marathoners?

    I don't have a lot to add that hasn't already been said, but as far as the race itself I can say the race is generally easier than a long training run, so long as you pace yourself. The crowds and other runners really drag you along, I was surprised the first half I ran.
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    Re: Any Marathoners or Mini-Marathoners?

    Make sure you track yout runs. You can get a runner's training log at a bookstore or on line. You can use it to track the miles on your shoes.

    Run the race in shoes that are not new. Not broken, down, but broken in. New shoes can blister you up, and blisters with 6 miles to go don't exactly help.
    I've been to dinner at Jimmy Buffet's house, and I've eaten it at a homeless shelter. And there's great joy and harrowing terror to be found in both places.
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    Re: Any Marathoners or Mini-Marathoners?

    Seems to be plenty of good advice here and I concur with what 15fan said, yoga can do wonders. I've done 3 marathons so far and will probably do to more this upcoming year. The best advice is just to listen and getting to know your body. There will be days where you can't get anything going but it will get easier, then there will be days where the first few miles might be difficult but you'll find a great rhythm from there, and then there are those days where you're Mr. Fahrenheit but just roll with it. Never give yourself too much slack, but never tear your body apart. As far as pacing goes sounds like a decent plan you have laid out. Most plans will have tempo runs, pace runs, and leisure runs throughout the week with two or three off days. Keeping track is important and there are plenty of great websites out there for that. But just put your head down, lean forward just a little and let your feet carry you, the rest will come. Also in regards to shoes, someone made the point about having a decent pair broken in. Generally the rule of thumb is 500 miles per pair of shoes. Personally, I'll log around 650 miles in training so I start each season with a fresh pair of shoes walk around in them for a day then take them till town. Replacing them a month or two before the race.

    Regardless just pay attention have fun, find a rhythm (I concentrate on my breath all the time) and don't worry about being a world burner.

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    Re: Any Marathoners or Mini-Marathoners?

    Quote Originally Posted by RedsIn07 View Post
    Personally, I'll log around 650 miles in training so I start each season with a fresh pair of shoes walk around in them for a day then take them till town. .
    I've been wearing the Asics 2100 series for 3 or 4 shoe cycles. Usually get about 400-450 miles out of them. Any more and my hips and ankles start barking. The last pair I only got about 250 out of. I think I got them confused with an old pair I used for kid's baseball practice and mowing and such. From now on, when wearing the same model, I'll change colors.

    Dont wear your running shoes for anything else but running, except for the first day or two. Every step breaks them down a little.
    I've been to dinner at Jimmy Buffet's house, and I've eaten it at a homeless shelter. And there's great joy and harrowing terror to be found in both places.
    -Todd Snider


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