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Question:
I am wondering if I should run the
Philadelphia Marathon. (It's 5 months
until then). I am 28, generally fit
and used to exercise. But I have never
run a marathon. I have done some running
in the recent years, usually once
or twice a week for about 30 minutes.
Occasionally, I have run for one or
two hours.
1. As I understand it, everyone can
register for the Philadelphia marathon,
even people who haven't run a marathon
before?
2. Is it a nice marathon?
3. Would you recommend me to run a
half-marathon first?
4. Where do I find training guides
online (for 5 weeks training)?
5. I am interested in an electronic
gadget that tells me how far I have
been running, what's my pulse etc.
Answer:
It's probably doable if you are willing
to take it easy, and not push for
a certain time. If you don't come
up injured in the next 5 months, another
very real possibility. Forget the
gadgets, they will not help you. Those
are pretty much for advanced runners.
Remember, no matter how slow you think
you are going, you can always go even
slower. haha.
It sounds like
you're on the right track and more
likely than many to do the right thing.
If you were at least a decade older
and more of a couch potato, I'd say
think about a marathon next year.
in your case spring is probably reasonable.
As far as being able to train for
Philly, line up healthy and uninjured,
run most or all of the distance, and
enjoy it: well, maybe, with luck and
youth on your side. Your odds are
a lot better, and moreover you'll
enjoy and appreciate it a lot more,
if you build up training and experience
and races this summer, fall, and winter,
toward a spring marathon.
When I ran
both trail and road, I used my road
shoes (Saucony Grid Stabils) all
the time. But I have always run
in road shoes that would have traction
in snow - hence, they're reasonable
for easy trails. However, my current
shoes are Brooks Tresp trail shoes
and are working really well for
me (almost 100 miles on them, but
no runs over about 1.2 hrs yet)
- again on easy trails, BUT they
do have noticeably more traction
than Stabils and a MUCH better ride.
These will work in some areas that
my Stabils were wi
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