Marathon Tips?

[beetsnotbeats]

Originally posted by nkotb:
 
 Oh, and I found out last week why nipple covers are important.  Ouch.

Must...resist...altering...certain...words....
 
 As for painkillers, it probably depends on the kind of pain. Muscle, joint or both? Figure out what reliever works better for whatever kind of pain you have. Considering that aspirin thins the blood, I wonder if it would affect the flow of oxygen to the muscles.

[6949]

I bought a bib for the Army 10 miler but I'll be out of town. I missed the deadline for transfers. Anybody need a bib? I'm assuming you can just pick it up and pretend to be me on race day.
 http://www.armytenmiler.com/index.cfm
 
 It�??s Never To Early To Plan Your Packet Pick-Up �?? Mark your calendar to pick up your packet, bib number and timing chip at the Crystal Gateway Marriot on either Friday, October 5 from 2:00pm �?? 8:00pm or Saturday from 8:00am �?? 4:30pm. There is no race day pick up and you must have a bib to run the race! If you have a friend pick up your packet for you, they must have a copy of the registered runner�??s photo id �?? no exceptions. Visit the Packet Pick-Up page for complete information.
 
 PM me and maybe we can work something out.

[nkotb]

Yeah, it's a little absurd the pre-run preparation I go through.  To an outside observer, I'm sure placing nip covers on my chest and lubing up a bunch of areas with Vaseline might seem a little...odd.
 
 The pain is just muscle pain, most likely from fatigue a bit.  So far (knock on wood), my joints have been ok.  And that's exactly what made me nervous about aspirin.  Made the mistake of running a morning after having a few drinks the night before.  I thought my heart was going to explode.
 
 

Originally posted by beetsnotbeats:
 Must...resist...altering...certain...words....
 
 As for painkillers, it probably depends on the kind of pain. Muscle, joint or both? Figure out what reliever works better for whatever kind of pain you have. Considering that aspirin thins the blood, I wonder if it would affect the flow of oxygen to the muscles.

[Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer]

Do you think if you run another one, you might opt for a Spring marathon? Only three of my 13 marathons have been Spring marathons, but long runs in February in Virginia sure beat long runs in August.
 
 If anybody has a chance to do the Charlottesville Marathon, go for it. The views are quite lovely, and you're not cramped up with 30,000 runners like you are in the big marathons. Totally different feel to it. The hills are deadly though.

[nkotb]

I would consider it, although I feel like I've been extremely lucky with the weather.  Of the 11 weeks of training so far, only two long runs have been detrimentally hot.  The weather has been so mild that I've even run some of them in the middle of the day and had no issues with the heat.  I knew my luck would eventually run out, but so far, so good...and with fall right around the corner, I'm hoping it's only going to get better.
 
 

Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes,Japanese Golfer:
  Do you think if you run another one, you might opt for a Spring marathon? Only three of my 13 marathons have been Spring marathons, but long runs in February in Virginia sure beat long runs in August.

[reggie]

i would avoid a book like the "four months to a four hour marathon" for your FIRST marathon.
 here is why.
 the whole point for your first marathon should be to finish. that's it. i assume your 100 things to do before you die list said "run a marathon" and not "run a maraton in X time."
 if you try to set a time goal, like four hours, and you dont meet that goal, that kind of devalues the whole experience. could you imagine running 26.2 miles and feeling like didnt meet a goal? like you failed? it happens all the time when people set up these time goals for their first marathon. so dont do it.
 
 "four months" is a really great book, but I would just save that for another marathon if you plan to run a second.
 
 also, I would throw your watch away for the first marathon. seriously, you dont need it. dont think about time and just enjoy the run as much as possible. you will have much more fun.
 
 for my first marathon i read "The Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer" and it's great. it's the only book first time marathoners need.
 
 edit: whoops. didnt see that this thread was a little old. my bad.

[reggie]

also how the hell did you guys get entry into the nyc marathon? every time I try to register I never get in.    :mad:

[nkotb]

Literally sheer dumb luck.  I had always wanted to run a marathon, and thought I needed to have the spectre of one over my head to keep me training.  The Marine Corps marathon isn't a problem to get into, so I signed up for NYC thinking I'd never get picked in the lottery.
 
 The threat worked and I started off the year running pretty solidly, slowly building up to 5 miles a day 5 times a week.  That's when I got my notice that I was picked.  Pretty insane, but I'm psyched about the chance.
 
 And thanks for the advice, even if it was a little old.  I'm not shooting for any time particularly; I'll be happy to just finish.  I am surprised how much I'm enjoying it though.  I think GGW (maybe not) mentioned how the regiment and willpower is as much a benefit as the accomplishment, and I'd have to agree. It's been a blast so far.
 
 Funny story; before this training, I had never run longer than 5 or 6 miles, and not that frequently.  A few weeks back, I had a 10 mile run (a drop-back week) that I had to do on a Sunday.  When my wife asked when I would do it, I told her that anytime was fine, because it "was only a short 10-miler."  After saying it, it struck me strange it was for me, a guy that's not that into exercise, to saying 10 miles was short.  But it's gotten that way for me, which is an awesome feeling.
 
 

Originally posted by reggie:
  also how the hell did you guys get entry into the nyc marathon? every time I try to register I never get in.     :mad:  

[Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer]

Really? I got into all seven that I applied for. Though those were all in the 90's. Maybe it's harder to get in now? I think it was first come first served then, and I always had my application in by express mail on the first day.
 
 

Originally posted by reggie:
  also how the hell did you guys get entry into the nyc marathon? every time I try to register I never get in.     :mad:  

[matts]

Originally posted by nkotb:
  So in case anyone cares, figured I'd give a quick update on my progress.
 
 I just finished the half-way point in training, which is a nice landmark.  Too bad the worst is yet to come.  This weekend is a 16 mile run, and I'm up to 32 miles this week.
 
 So far, even the long distances have been manageable.  The only ones that have killed me have been weather related; both a 12 miler and a 15 miler (last weekend) were just too hot and it wound up killing me.
 
 I think I've finally found what works for me, because normally I've been cruising.  Mile time is down form what I expected, which is a nice treat.
 
 One question, though: what do you do about leg pain while running?  Certain people have mentioned popping aspirin (or more intense pain killers), but I'm not sure if that's a good idea.  So far, it hasn't gotten bad, but if there is anything I can do to hold off the pain, I'd appreciate knowing it.
 
 Oh, and I found out last week why nipple covers are important.  Ouch.

Congrats on your progress.  
 
 Once the runs started getting long (16 mi+) I started popping 800 mg (4 tabs) of ibuprofen about 30 minutes before each run.  It helped with the pain, but did not completely eliminate it.

[ggw]

I disagree.  If you read the introduction to the "Four Months" book, the author notes that he wrote the book because his father - a fifty-something couch potato - ran his first marathon in under four hours, as did Oprah and a bunch of other celebrities.  Certainly the celebrities had the benefit of flexible training schedules and personal coaches, but I think the author's point - that it is possible to run your first one in under 4:00:00 - is valid.
 
 I read the book and failed (4:28:17), but it definitely didn't dampen my enthusiasm.  If anything, it had the opposite effect - it motivated me to train better for the next one (3:57:28).
 
 At the same time, I don't think any single book should be a Bible.  Each individual will probably find that different things work better for them than other things.  Reading the different advice books can help one find those things.
 
 

Originally posted by reggie:
  i would avoid a book like the "four months to a four hour marathon" for your FIRST marathon.
 here is why.
 the whole point for your first marathon should be to finish. that's it. i assume your 100 things to do before you die list said "run a marathon" and not "run a maraton in X time."
 if you try to set a time goal, like four hours, and you dont meet that goal, that kind of devalues the whole experience. could you imagine running 26.2 miles and feeling like didnt meet a goal? like you failed? it happens all the time when people set up these time goals for their first marathon. so dont do it.
 
 "four months" is a really great book, but I would just save that for another marathon if you plan to run a second.
 
 also, I would throw your watch away for the first marathon. seriously, you dont need it. dont think about time and just enjoy the run as much as possible. you will have much more fun.
 
 for my first marathon i read "The Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer" and it's great. it's the only book first time marathoners need.
 
 edit: whoops. didnt see that this thread was a little old. my bad.

[godsshoeshine]

Originally posted by The Vessel:
   

Originally posted by god's shoeshine:
  i have a general running question, figure this is a good place to ask
 
 during the week i usually do a quick 3 mile or so run. i would like to wake up early on weekends and do a bit longer, but it seems like i run out of energy. should i eat something first, and if so, how long should i wait to digest?

I would say, depends on your body. For me, I could see eating a slice of whole wheat toast w some peanut butter and an apple and heading out a half hour later...it all depends if & when you have to take a morning crap, too... [/b]

thanks for this too. i now eat a bowl of instant oatmeal and two teaspoons of peanut butter before i head out. works great

[Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer]

Unless Oprah ran more than one marathon, she didn't break four hours.
 
 http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node=Oprah%20Winfrey
 
 In 1995, Oprah, a vegetarian, ran the Marine Corps marathon in Washington D.C. for her 40th birthday. It took her 4 hours, 29 minutes and 15 seconds. This is a major triumph, considering her constant televised battle with being overweight, a fight she has now won. Of food, she now says,

[reggie]

yeah, oprah definitely didn�??t run a four hour and that book has been criticized for bending that fact. i just think four hours is an unrealistic goal for a first marathon, unless you are in great shape. I sure wasnt when I started training for my first one.
 
 GGW, that's awesome that �??Four Months�?� was a good fit for your first marathon. I just felt silly working out on a 400 meter track when my goal was just to finish. Part of the thrill, in training, was conquering a 12 mile run when I had never done so before. Running six 2 minute laps at 400 meters just didn't pump me up the same way.

[Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer]

i did my first marathon in 4:01, and that was before they had the chip system...the first five-plus minutes of my time were spent getting to the starting line (it was NYC Matathon). And I'm definitely not all that athletic. So it seems realistic to me. Of course, I was 24 at the time.
 
 

Originally posted by reggie:
  yeah, oprah definitely didn�??t run a four hour and that book has been criticized for bending that fact. i just think four hours is an unrealistic goal for a first marathon, unless you are in great shape. I sure wasnt when I started training for my first one.
 
 GGW, that's awesome that �??Four Months�?� was a good fit for your first marathon. I just felt silly working out on a 400 meter track when my goal was just to finish. Part of the thrill, in training, was conquering a 12 mile run when I had never done so before. Running six 2 minute laps at 400 meters just didn't pump me up the same way.