Hello everyone,
I just wondered If there might be plan available to achieve a marathon in say a month or so? I can’t do it in a day, but would love to give it a go over a period of time. Anyone able to point me in the right direction please?
Thank you
I can't help at all with your question, too many variables like how much are you running now, how old you are and your fitness levels, but wanted to pop in and say good luck, hoping to read about your progress
So sorry, I should have added more info. I’m 61, just got over the big C, which took around five years with lots of bits and chunks removed, including a kidney, and have about a year ago before another big op graduated as a 60 mins runner. I suppose I’m that bit eager to achieve more, when in the recent past I couldn’t and that is driving me on towards a marathon. My idea is to do it in small bits then bigger manageable bits and then who knows, perhaps the whole thing non-stop in the end! At the mo I’m managing around 4 to 5 km again in about 35 to 45 mins so rather slow. But the chap who rebuilt me a few months ago is saying the world is now my lobster, so I’m raring to go!
I don't think that it's wise to train for a marathon in such a short time, to train for a 10K takes about 8 weeks, a half marathon another 10 weeks or so, to train for a full 26 miles marathon would take another 3 months, think carefully about trying a marathon in such a short time, I would advise you NOT to run a marathon in a few weeks time.
Thanks AlMorr, it’s now an idea on the shelf!
Good Morning
With the caveat that I’m not qualified to spout about long runs as I’m a beginner…
Can you clarify the timing you are referring to please. I think you meant ‘is there a plan for a cumulative marathon spread over a set time?’ and I would presume this would be achievable depending on present fitness and running.
It might not have been this but how to build up to a whole marathon at one attempt in a set time.
Two different proposals with appropriately different responses.
Hope you enjoy and benefit from your challenges, incremental and slow seem the way to build up.
Morning JeremiahObadiah,
You are right. I’m not yet able to train properly for longer runs, and it was whether I could achieve marathon distance over say a month, bit by bit. I know it isn’t a proper marathon, just a bit of fun really.
All the best 030961
Even if you ran 26 miles, the marathon distance over the period of a month, that would not be considered as running a proper marathon and the word marathon would not appear next to your username.
Do you know AlMorr, I wouldn’t really worry at all about having any sort of badge. Running isn’t everything, it’s more than that! So, having clearly upset a legend on this forum, I think it’s best I leave it and just try to do what I’m able, no badge required. Good luck everyone and thank you all for your support over the years, I shall always be more grateful than you know. Take care all and goodbye. 030961 x
Go for the 10k first. Then 10 miles after a whole then eventuallly a HM and that will take long enough.
Do you mean
(A) spreading out the 26.2 miles (42.2 km) over a month... or
(B) actually running 26.2 miles in one go (a marathon race/event) in a month's time?
I started the marathon training when I was able to comfortably run a half marathon for a period of time, and at least a few times a month. As much as it's a whole new psychological thing, there is also a massive physical aspect. The body simply needs to be gradually prepared for something that is a huge challenge (the whole marathon in one go). If you push it too hard, you simply get injured and then it's back all the way to the drawing board. And there are many possible injuries. Then there are factors such as rest, diet, hydration and on-the-run fuelling. So, no, I wouldn't think that running a marathon as a novice in just a month is feasible. (I'm talking about running it in one go though). Then again, who am I to judge?
Certainly it should be possible. A mate did it last January to raise for cancer charities and he just did it running a mile every day. So many other ways it can be split up into manageable chunks.
All credit to your friend for the charity fundraising Hargo . However, running 42.2k over a month is not, in my view, "running a marathon" and I wish charities would stop using this ploy to get people to sign up. It's running a distance equivalent to a marathon over a month.
Many thanks Hargo,
I thought it should be possible, just a bit of fun really, and something that might encourage me to get out more regularly.
Take it steady, remember your rest days and you'll get your marathon distance over the course if a month, who knows? Over the next month you'll be able to do longer distances in one go. Just run and enjoy and those mile's will clock up. I'm slow but love getting out there and just running, with no plan and some days run longer and further.
There's absolutely no reason why you shouldn't train for longer distances 030961 . Nor do you have to run the distance as part of an organised event for it to count. However, training for a month to run a marathon is definitely not advisable; you should be thinking in terms of several months.
I personally wouldn't claim to have run a marathon if I'd spread the distance over a month. For me, it has to be achieved in a single go.
Thank you Cmoi. I agree doing it in chunks isn’t a real marathon. It was to try to get myself out a bit more regularly, and having a goal to try for.
In that case I'd do as Rennur has already suggested, build up gradually to longer and longer runs - 10k, 10 miles, HM. You can get training plans for all of those if you want - personally I'd go for the distance version of the Magic Plan to get to 10k.
What I didn't really grasp about marathon training until I actually did it was that you don't just run further and further. Most plans won't have you run the full distance - my longest training run was just over 33k. It's also about varying your runs, and getting miles into your legs with shorter runs too. There are cutback weeks as well, where you do lower overall mileage than the previous week. It's not the same kettle of fish as running a specified number of km over a month however you want - I found it much harder than that.
Have fun, whatever you choose to do!
A marathon in a month would be just under a mile a day. A mile is about 1.7ish k. So if you did a mile a day or aim for about 6 miles per week you’d make it easily with room for glitches thrown in. Have you googled it? Several charities do a marathon in a month either walking or running. I think Diabetes Uk is one. They may have plans. I’d just cut it up into manageable chunks. Good luck!
Thank you Frizzbomb67. That makes it sound manageable so I’ll give it a go! The sheep and cows along the lanes here will be surprised to see me out so much!
Just a little note of caution-unless you’ve been running regularly for at least six months, ideally a year, it’s not a good idea to run on consecutive days. It’s also best not to increase your distance by more than 10% a week. Depending on how often you’ve been running your 4/5km each week, you might need to start lighter and build up.
More great advice thank you. I’ve been running since the first lockdown and am a 60 mins graduate, but am slowly making it back to fitness after my op. I’ll definitely need your advice.
*Oops! Need = Heed!
“Heed” is how I read it! It’s really easy to push too hard too early and get injured. You’ve been through a lot and you must be itching to get going again. It’s sometimes harder to hold yourself back and than be sensible and build up gradually. Trust me, I get the urge to want to do it all right now and super fast! I’m just coming back from a fall and have had to take it slowly. Frustrating but necessary.
I would work out what your running has been over the past few weeks in terms of frequency and distance and go from there.
Taking on board the great advice above, how about including both running and walking for your ‘first’ marathon 🤔
My running and walking are about the same speed!!
It doesn’t matter about speed-it’s the impact that matters. Walking is a good thing to do on recovery days because it’s low impact. Even slow running is high inpact
Thank you.
Really good luck to you. Take it slow, build it slowly and before you know it, you’ll have covered that distance. Shout if you want us to get the pom poms out! 🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️
Aah over one month! A marathon is 42.2K. If you run 3 times a week for a month @ 3.6K each time, you will reach that distance with a bit to spare.
So what do I do now
A little pathetic but what can I do?
A half marathon in prep for a half marathon!!! 
Take 2. I can do this!
Running so I can eat cake 
