Question for marathoners

How hard is it to go from running a half to a full?  I can run a half without TOO much trouble and my ultimate goal was to run a half this year and a full next year.  Now I'm wondering if i really can make that distance.  When i run the 13 miles and try to imagine that I would only be half way through a marathon it makes me cringe.  I know I could get myself up to about 18 with proper training but 26 seems impossible.

Did any of you feel this way when you started training for marathons? 

The other thing is, at this point I'm doing the 13.2 on a treadmill because it as winter 7 I can't run outside during winter.  Running for 2 hours on a treadmill is LOOOOONG and BORRRRRING.  I'm started transitioning slowly to outside runs when i get warm weather here & there but when I'm able to do the entire 13.2 outside I think/hope it may make a marathon seem less daunting. Right?

If I were you I'd find a professionally designed training program (runnersworld.com probably has some for free) and follow it.  Being able to run a half is a great starting place to train for a full and if you have a whole year to prepare you'll be fine.

I' m just starting to second guess whether or not I want to do it I think....

I wouldn't really start training for a full marathon until way down the road.  At least after my half in Septmeber.  even that's way too early.

I was just wondering about other people that have made the step and their thoughts/concerns/worries that they had when they were thinking about doing it.

minie,

I totally think you could do a marathon this year.....it seems like you might not have done a lot of racing, and maybe are a little overly conservative about what you can accomplish in practive vs. waht you can accomplish on race day.

NOVA did an episode about training ordinary schmoes for the Boston marathon in 2007. The upshot was, that just about anybody could do it with 9 months training. Their longest run before the marathon wat only 19-20 miles. I know what you can do. You could do a marathon this year, no problem.

But you should do your half first to make sure yourself. Work on your speed, though. Whatever pace kills you now at mile 10 is what you can achieve for the half mary. Trust me :-)

BTW, this is post #2000 for me.  Woohoo!

Thanks jfk : ) You always say the greatest, most encouraging things.  You're awesome! 

I thnk once I'm able to get more outside running in I'll be more confident about what I can and can't do.  I thnk I'm just getting a little bit sick of that damn treadmill after 5 months on it.  Running outside makes the time go so much quicker, which is what my limitation is with the treadmill. 

Come on sunny weather!!!!!!!

minie, I feel somewhat like you feel. I'm not running super-long distance right now, running 3-4, and also cycling 15-40.  My longest run ever was 16-17, I think, a long time ago.

I think running a half-marathon would be fun, but I really don't have a huge desire to run a marathon. Once upon a time, I had thought that when I turned 40 I would like to run a marathon to celebrate being fit.  Now that I'm 42 and getting back into shape,  I realize that I want to do a triathlon, not a marathon.

I just like medium distances.  A marathon or long tri sound like a slog to me. 10k,half, and the short to medium tris sound like fun.

So, I think that if you decide that the half is your distance, that's good also.

 

 

 

Funny that I came across this thread as I have been wondering the same thing.  I did a 1/2 last year and have slowly been building my mileage back up....I am logging between 25-30 miles per week and my longest run so far as been just under 13. 

A marathon still seems so intimidating.  I am still trying to fine tune my hydration and nutrition....I have alot of work needed and I have yet to start speedwork so even a fall marathon feels like a long shot at this point....

When do you know you are really ready???

minie, if you *want* to do a marathon but find it scary, you should  totally do it!

There are a lot of good training programs, the runners world was a good suggestion. The training programs will give you an idea for how long it takes to build up.

Minie, you can do it.  Take it one step at a time.  When you started running did you think that you would be running 1/2 marathon?  When I started my goal it was to run 2 km non stop.  Yesterday I did my second 1/2 marathon pratice run at 2 hours and 9 minutes.   Just a couple of months ago I had trouble imagining doing 1/2 let alone a full.  I now know that I am going to do a full in the future.  As you train more your goal will become real.   I saw this quote that sums it up I think.  "If you want to win something run a 100meter,  if you want to experience something run a full marathon."  You can do it.  Good luck.

 

 

This thread has some good information on how to train for a marathon:

http://caloriecount.about.com/forums/post/900 43.html

There's a recommendation to train for a full year, including a half marathon, before you take on a full marathon.