First marathon

[Tessie66]

Booked my first marathon tonight the Manchester in April next year HELP ME

[AlMorr Half Marathon]

Plenty of time to train for your marathon at Manchester next April Tessie66, take a look at all the training courses for running a marathon, good luck.

[Tessie66 Half Marathon in reply to AlMorr]

Thank you will do

[RunWillie Marathon]

That’s so exciting Tessie66

Still to run my first but I’ve done my first marathon training block so here are some thoughts that may be helpful.

1)Don’t wait for your training plan to kick in. Build your base & start running consistently each week. Run easy 80%.

2)Supplement your running with strength training. I never have & the longer runs I can certainly feel that. My Physio told me that if I ever want to run another marathon to come see him first 🙄

3)Practice fuelling on your longer runs. You can train your gut to take fuel if you find what works for you & keep trying. One gel brand might make you 🤢but another might work great.

4)Buy far too many shoes in the never ending quest to find the perfect marathon shoe 🤣

5) Train your brain to love it even when you hate it. Have fun!

[drl212 in reply to RunWillie]

Thanks very much for your advice RW.

I'm on a 10k programme and have started thinking that it might be time to carry some water/nutrition, too. Yesterday I did my first 9k and by the end it was pretty warm.

Do you recommend any equipment for carrying water/nutrition?

I've been running three times/week since Feb and think I might look into another pair of trainers, so appreciate #4!!

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to drl212]

There are various options and it tends to be a personal choice.For a long time I used a Flipbelt (stegchy and around the waist, with slits to hold water bottles/gels/phone etc and a hook for a key. I have two flipbelt bottles (150ml and 300ml). They sit very close to the body so there's virtually no annoying movement.

As I ran further and needed more, I switched to an aonijie vest (see amazon) and a 1.5l bladder with long tube and bite valve. That tends to be my goto now because it is the easiest to drink from in regular short bursts. It can also hold energy bars/gels, my phone, keys, Tissues... and I can even get my lightweight jacket in the back!

Both are warm - the vest especially so.

There are more expensive vests available and you can get belts with bottles that hang down. So many options, but at the end of the day, a personal choice.

It is worth asking this question in a post of your own to gather other people's up to date suggestions, especially as it'swarming up and we should all be more conscious of hydrating well (or a quick search should throw up posts that have asked the question in the past).

[drl212 in reply to linda9389]

Thanks so much for the information L9389!! I really appreciate that. I will create a post. You're right, with temps as they are, it's information that might be useful.

[misswobble Marathon in reply to linda9389]

I’ve got the Aoinijjie vest but don’t like it with the bladder full as it feels too heavy. For longer training runs if it’s hot I chuck two 250 ml soft flasks in the space instead and fit two 500 ml soft flasks in the front slots Put energy bars and Haribo’s in the storage bits, plus phone For a small pack it all goes in 😁

If the event has drinks and food stops I carry the bear minimum 🏃‍♀️

[RunWillie Marathon in reply to drl212]

I’m in Australia so it gets pretty hot so I use an electrolyte in the Summer for anything over an hour. My preference is a handheld. For anything longer than 90mins I’m using my hydration vest as I’m carrying fuel & hydration (gels, salt tabs & water) I use Salomon for belt, hydration vest & handheld. It’s expensive but I’ve picked all of mine up in sales & it lasts. Happy shopping 😊

[drl212 in reply to RunWillie]

Thank you for the tips...

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to RunWillie]

Love this RW, thank you for sharing.

[Tessie66 Half Marathon in reply to RunWillie]

Thank you so much everything you've put absolutely makes sense

[drl212]

Wow!! Good for you!! What a great challenge to set for yourself.

Let us know how you get on...I'm thinking I might have a half-marathon in my future, next year.

[Tessie66 Half Marathon in reply to drl212]

Thank you, a lot of training to come before next April I really want to be the best prepared I can be

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

How exciting! What distance are you running at currently? We have pinned posts about training for a half and lots of the advice in there will be relevant too. If you use the search for Manchester, you will also find race reports here from folk who have run Manchester in the past.

Do you have a training plan? People here have used NRC, Hal Higdon, and the London Marathon beginners plan with great success, but you need a plan that suits you personally.

Tell us more about where you're up to, we'dlove to follow your journey.

Good luck!!!!

[Tessie66 Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

Thank you I'm using the NRC I'm currently just over 10k on the plan

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Tessie66]

it’s good! Love them 🥰. They have the Nike training app too but you can watch/play along with them at home on your tv as they’re free on YouTube 💪🙂

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Tessie66]

Cool. Their marathon one is a nice one, with an emphasis on recovery runs, so if you don't want to run 5 times a week (or can't for some reason), it's easy to keep the speed run and the long run, and skip one of the recovery runs.

[Tessie66 Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

I like to do one long run a week, parkrun and a hilly or speed run but also 6 a side and gym once a week. I'm thinking about stopping 6 a side it's just hard to get everything in especially if I'm working a 12/13 shift

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Tessie66]

Crikey, yep, that's a lot to fit in for sure

[MissUnderstanding Half Marathon]

I’m training for my first marathon this October. I’ve done half marathon training before and it’s exciting to go longer. For me, it’s it’s about finding a plan that fits with real life and making sure I’m strength training to stop me breaking! I haven’t got far enough into the plan be thinking more seriously about nutrition but I know that’s coming at some point. I’m following Hal Higdon novice 1 with some guided run from Nike Run Club. I’m also using one of the shorter runs each week as a speed run because I enjoy those!

My top tip is to start your formal plan a couple of weeks earlier than you official need to so when you get a cold or go on holiday, or just need an extra cut back week, you won’t feel like you can’t because you’ll be behind. That little buffer makes all the difference mentally to me!

[misswobble Marathon in reply to MissUnderstanding]

I do the NRC marathon plan. I’ll be starting training in August ish

Good luck with yours 👍🏃‍♀️

[Tessie66 Half Marathon in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Fitting everything in is a real struggle and something will have to give probably the 6 a side football ⚽️

[MissUnderstanding Half Marathon in reply to Tessie66]

It’s really hard isn’t it! Hopefully as you get started it’ll fall into place. I’ve got some gym stuff I really don’t want to give up so I picked a plan with four runs a week not five. There are loads of options around-really hope you find something that suits. Hal is working for me so far!

[Tessie66 Half Marathon in reply to MissUnderstanding]

5 runs is just to many for me at the moment, having hay-fever this week hasn't helped