Question:
I'm training for my first marathon
(OKC - April 25). I have been running
for the past 17 years - but have
never tried distances over 10 miles.
I completed my first half marathon
December 14 in 2:11 and felt just
great.
But now my long runs are getting
into the long mileage - I did 17
miles yesterday in 3:25 and boy
was it hard My motivation began
to go at mile 14 and by mile 15
my left leg just ached (nothing
specific, just dull throb and I
have no pain today) I really have
begun to doubt my ability to finish
a full marathon. (I'm not concerned
with
time, I just want to finish).
Is this doubting
normal? Does long mileage affect
others like this? I have been doing
30-40 miles a week. I do one speed
workout, one pace run and 2 or 3
easy longer runs (7-10 miles). I
then alternate weekends for my long
runs with a rest weekend after each
long run weekend. I increase my
long run mileage about 1- 2 miles
each time Any advice / motivation
suggestions would be appreciated!
Answer:
Well you possibly can't just yet.
But you've got 3 months to train,
right ? I don't run marathons, but
I do use long runs in training.
Long runs are very hard at first.
Hopefully, you adapt. Was this your
first run over 10 miles ? If so,
I'd expect that your legs would
probably feel like jello by the
end, completely unresponsive, even
though you're going at a slow pace.
That's
how I usually feel when I run distances
I'm not well-adapted to anyway.
They should
get much easier. That's why you're
training! You're supposed to adapt,
but it's not going to be easy the
first time. I expect everyone worries
about being able to finish their
first marathon. After all, the training
is an enormous investment of time
and personal commitment and you're
afraid to see it blown away. The
initial long runs are always a grind.
But the body
adapts very quickly and a month
from now you'll smile at the memory
of that aching leg as you plod past
the 18 mile mark (actually that's
too soon to be doing 18 miles -
you want March to be your biggest
month. Don't rush to get too many
long runs under your belt before
then). Keep on going and enjoy those
crisp winter mornings as you head
out into the hills on journeys of
exploration to places you'd never
usually reach in training
