Thanks for the advice. Yeah, I'm keeping my expectations low. Goal is just to finish the marathon. (high goal is to run the entire way). On my longer runs when I start to get sore in the knees I walk. Don't want to damage the knees. I need to figure out my running wardrobe. Also tried using my smartwatch's heartrate monitor in order to stay in my aerobic zone but it hasn't been able to get a good reading while I run...
Gun is official results. Chip is for your own use, so you know how long it actually took to complete and how you fared over the distance vs the others and not how much extra time it too everyone to shuffle over the start line
When you say started running last week, you mean went back to it? You have a history of running?
Marathon is not a distance to take lightly, but it depends how you go about it and what you want from it. Anyone who can run 8 or 10 miles could complete a marathon, but it might not be be pretty at times and maybe more of an ultra runner's mentality would be required for some as a mission to get over the line rather than to achieve a certain time.
4 months out might seem like a long time but it really isn't, 16 weeks is a good amount of time to ease into marathon training mode from doing your normal weekly routine.
I'm no expert (far from it, I've only raced 2 and 1st one injured) but what I like in what you're currently doing is the walking - when I trained for my last marathon (first proper go at one) I did as much walking in terms on hours on feet as long slow running, or tried to at least, and sometimes tried to chain them together to have a good 5 hours out and about. I think it helps loads, just not everybody can find the time to run and walk 6-10 hours a week.
So you've got those 2 weekly 5ks, personally I'd leave one of those as is, run it at a comfortable but useful pace, and the other I'd run very slow and steady and up the kms by 1 or 2 each week, and continue with the walks.
A lot of these training plans I see have people only run up to 18 or 20 miles max as their longest run then taper. I've seen some friends falter with that approach, doing the walk of shame for the last 5 or 6 miles. That must be horrible after weeks of training and thinking you were going in prepared. Personally I'd want to know I had the distance in the bag and be up to 25 miles at a very steady pace a month before, then I'd taper and feel that there were no unknowns.
IMO, you can only really figure out your fuelling and get a feel for that horrible 18-20 mile transition by being there and doing it, I wouldn't want the first time I'd experiences that to be race day, it could end badly. So maybe do something like that, see what gels or whatever work best for you and don't leave you with a dodgy stomach (SiS gels, medjool dates and salted pretzels for me) and just try to keep it comfortable and fun at a super steady pace on those long runs. If it's Summer where you are now, at least you have cooler weather to look forward to as your miles build up
Longest I've ever run in the past is 10 miles. I used to run regularly (2 miles daily or every other day) back in the military, but haven't done that in 3 years. My running has been non-existent since then. Because of my new job and it's higher responsibilities I am finally forced to face my procrastination and lack of organizational habits. For years I've been trying to get better at that with little success but now I've got a job where not doing so isn't an option. To fix my habits, I've always wanted the keystone habit of exercise. Past few months I've been trying to get into a running rhythm with no success. Then my old army buddy, at his wedding, suggested we do a marathon together, so I signed up. So far that commitment has been enough to get me out there daily.
At this point I do 6 miles daily. 2 of those days per week I run as much as I can of those 6 miles which has been a smidge over a 5k. I then walk the rest of the 6 miles (growing up a hiker I can walk forever without getting tired). I'm sore normally for 2 days after a run day so I walk these days. Another thing that's kept me running/walking daily is that at both the 3.3 mile mark and the 6 mile mark are supermarkets. So far each time I hit the 3.3 market I get a dark chocolate Hershey bar. 190 calories but now my mind actually looks forward to the daily trips.
I was going to try to up the distance on both run days, but I think I'll take your advice on keeping one of them a 5k. Maybe for that 5k I'll try pushing my anaerobic threshold to up my long distance pace. Though to do that efficiently I'll need to get a better heartrate monitor.
