For Graduates -- read this blog post

[Bazza1234]

marathonjourney.com/?paged=2

Go right down to the bottom of the page - read the first two postings

[I_will Graduate]

Really interesting, thanks for sharing. I've bookmarked it too and will read the whole thing tomorrow.

I think sometimes it's insane to even vaguely consider anything like that when I've only been running about 10 weeks and can only do 5k at the moment, but reading that lets it creep in!

[Bazza1234 Graduate]

If you go here youtube.com/user/Photograph... you can see all his Youtube posts going back about 3 years. ( I recommend that your sort them out OLDEST to NEWEST at the top of the page)

For his first marathon, he only does 30second/30second ratios which would be quite do-able for anybody. He has now completed a number of Marathons - but I have never heard him say how long they have taken. Time is not a factor - he only runs to "finish" , however it is a factor from all sorts of views (including simple logistics) if such a run takes 6-7 hours

[runningnearbeirut Graduate]

Really interesting - some great points about overdoing it, rest days, recovery and where the finish line is.

[spoonierunning Graduate]

Really interesting, thanks for sharing

[azharalkindi Graduate]

thanks for sharing

[Hidden]

Great post... the way to finish in style is to finish at all...

[Hidden]

I've not read it all, but I will and I thank you for posting it.

Could I ask you to watch 'Running for my existence' on Youtube'? What this guy has achieved is truly incredible.

Happy running.

[Mummysaurus Graduate]

Thanks for posting, I have been using Jeff Galloway's method for all my long runs since I graduated and have found that it has really made a difference in my running

[Bazza1234 Graduate in reply to Mummysaurus]

Interesting -- what ratio are you using ? and why do you use that ratio?

[Mummysaurus Graduate]

Hi Bazza, I use several ratios depending on how far I am planning to go and how heavy the legs are feeling, but I prefer 1:1 or 30:30 Jeff tells you to do a Magic Mile which is basically a speed test to see what you run a mile at for a race then you add 2 mins to that for your long slow runs and in the book (may also be on the website) there is a chart that tells you if you run say a 12 min mile on your magic mile then the best ratio for doing say a half marathon would be 1:1 etc I have tried 3:1 and 4:1 but found I still slowed down in the last few k's but with the shorter run/walk ratios I can keep up the same pace for the whole run which feels great and doesn't leave you wiped out for days after. I have certainly benefited from using this method when trying to increase distance.

[Bazza1234 Graduate in reply to Mummysaurus]

I do recall when I first started out running, that I did a 9 week programme not unlike C25k - except that it was designed by Jeff Galloway. It was way easier to do than C25k and after only 4 weeks he had me going out to 6.4Klm and 7.2 klm after only 6 weeks - this was using a 30 sec/30sec ratio. I remember how easily I did those distances at that early stage.

I am now using a 2min/1min ratio for my 14 klm race ( will do 12klm with it this coming Monday) . I really only decided on that because i know that I can run fairly fast for 2 minutes and then 1 minute walking recovers me. 1minute running and one minute walking is perhaps a bit of an overkill for me -- but it would certainly be very easy to cover some ground using that.

[Mummysaurus Graduate in reply to Bazza1234]

I find using r/w/r has given me much more confidence in my running knowing that as an older runner (55) that I can cover the bigger distances I know that I am never going to win 5k or even 10k races I just don't have the desire to run that fast, and I prefer to stay injury free, but I do have the endurance or maybe just shear stubbornness to want to do more longer challenges, my son is an ultra marathon runner so you see it runs in the genes

Good luck with your 12k this Monday, I am off out for a 10k on Friday and building up to do a 6 hour endurance run in October

[Bazza1234 Graduate in reply to Mummysaurus]

Tell us about the 6 hour endurance run - what is it? Can't say that I have ever heard of such a thing - most runs/races are usually described in terms of their length. I guess that for me , the next goal after this 14 k race may be a HM (just to finish in the upright position -- who knows, maybe even a marathon?) But I am almost frightened by the fact that a full marathon would take me around 6 hours ( IF I could finish it at all)

Have you seen the Marathon training plans put out by Jeff Galloway for Disney? Disney conducts a number of marathons and half marathons in the US.

[Mummysaurus Graduate in reply to Bazza1234]

It's called the Fowlmead Challenge which is held in Fowlmead country park near Deal in Kent, the course is 2.2 mile laps around the country park mainly on cycle paths and light trail. The challenge is to complete as many laps as you want or can manage before the 6 hour cut off so anything from 2.2 miles to a possible ultra marathon is possible depending on how far or fast you go. I had planned on just trying to do a slow half marathon and then stopping but my son is encouraging me to complete the whole 6 hours so I am not sure how far I will get.....but very excited and terrified in equal measures.

I have the half marathon you can do it book by Jeff Galloway and have read the marathon one, I think the training plans are pretty much the same as the Disney ones. Like you I am afraid that a marathon in 6 hours might not be possible for me hence the reason for entering this endurance challenge it doesn't mean I have failed if I don't do a particular distance.

[Bazza1234 Graduate in reply to Mummysaurus]

You have some beautiful areas like that in the UK -- I envy you.

[grannyjudes Graduate]

Im confused, you mean you walk 1 minute, run for 2 ,walk for 1, until you reach 10 k. You dont just jog ? am I missing something here

?

[Bazza1234 Graduate in reply to grannyjudes]

Yes -- just like the early weeks of C25K . Run for 2 minutes walk for one minute -- rinse and repeat!!! Are you confused by the terms, run and jog?? If so -- I tend to think of running as something a bit faster than jogging -- I do sometimes "jog" but usually non-stop. Of course, to "run" can also be slow, fast and faster again !!

Just as an exercise -- one nice day, go out and run/walk 1minute/1minute for a while -- the run bits can be as slow or fast as you like (but not too fast) and see how long you can go for while still being "comfortable" -- I think you will be surprised (you may get to 10K more quickly that you may have thought!!)

[grannyjudes Graduate]

I never realised this was a known trick ( as it were ) so glad I did, and thanks for explaining Bazza , oh, and by the way, I am not confused by running and jogging, all my " runs" are very slow jogs anyway, so I guess my ratio ( is that the word ) would be jog2, walk 1, jog 2. Excited now, something new to try

[Bazza1234 Graduate in reply to grannyjudes]

Don't forget to let us know how the "experiment" went. If you don't have atimer watch or a mobile phone which is able to signal the time to run and walk, you can also run two light posts, walk for one light post, etc -- it works just as well.

[grannyjudes Graduate]

and say if I did this and maybe reached 6k could I claim to be able to run 6k or do I improve on my ratios until I can jog all the way ? sorry want to be clear in my mind what I am doing

[Bazza1234 Graduate in reply to grannyjudes]

I just say to myself and others -- that I "just ran 5k" if I have indeed ran 5k all the way - otherwise, on Monday , I will tell everybody here that I just run walked 12 K Just tell it like it is

There are 3 ways to transport your body across 10Klms by foot - you can walk, you can run/walk or you can run. There is also a 4th way -- because we all have to crawl before we can run

[grannyjudes Graduate]

Bazza I think you should post this idea as I am sure many new graduates looking for a way forward would find it helpful. I know I have, Thanks a bunch mate