Hikin' Mama Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 I'm contemplating (just contemplating at this point) running a marathon. The training plans I've looked at only have you going as far as 20 miles as the farthest distance before the actual race. Is that how it is normally done? It seems to me you would want to have a bit longer run in before, at least 24, so that mentally you knew you could do it, or am I overthinking it? I know it's only 6 miles difference, and I can whip out six miles easily, but not after I've already gone 20! I'm in half marathon shape right now and have a possible race planned in April and one over Memorial Day. But yesterday, as I was doing my mid-week long run, I thought, "Hmmmm...maybe I should try a marathon some day." What other BTDT advice can you give me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilma Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Whenever I ran a marathon (a lifetime ago), I think my biggest run was 18 before the real deal. It was fine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brynndolyn Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 20 mile max is pretty typical. When you go further than that in training you risk injury because your body needs longer to recover, meanwhile you are still cranking out the miles. I've done 3 full marathons, twenty miles was the furthest I ever went in training and it was fine. :) good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momofkhm Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 I've done 3 marathons. Three different training plans. All three had 20 miles as the longest distance. What brynndolyn says makes sense about the recovery stuff. Of course, on all three I got injured at about the point you do 20, so the longest I ever trained was 18. I always give myself permission to walk if needed and the furthest I've ever *run* was about 21. The first marathon was Disney and you stop all through that one for pictures. The second I got to mile 15-18 and the last was mile 21. After 21 miles, I alternated walking and running. I just always remember a quote I found before my first marathon: "There will be days when I will not be able to run a marathon. There will be a lifetime of knowing that I already have." Or something like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hikin' Mama Posted February 12, 2014 Author Share Posted February 12, 2014 Ah, I see, the 20 mile limit is to try to avoid injury. Makes sense. Thanks for all your input! I'm just going to work on increasing my mileage at this point and see how my body handles it. I love 13.1, but I've never gone beyond that, so we'll see! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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