If so, I need to ask you a question. What was it that made you run your first marathon. I'm sure that there were moments before where you said "I think I'll run a marathon." and you ended up not doing it due to other things going on in your life. I've come to the conclusion that there will always be something else going on in my life. I'm starting a marathon training program. But i'd like to know what it was for those of you that ran a marathon that got you to stick to the marathon training program... Just luck? Or was there something that got you to finally stick to the program?
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Have any of you ran a marathon?
- Thread starter DoNoHarm
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For me it was peer pressure 
Seriously, my sister said, "let's run a marathon." I had never run more than a mile before that in my life. Naturally, I said, "ok."
As far as sticking to the training, I found I actually really enjoyed the it. It was a very stressful period in my life, and usually at about the 3 or 4 mile mark, all of that would melt away. Spending 10+ hours a week with just me, some music, and the road was great.
I ran a half marathon as a training race, which was a good preview. Unfortunately, I FUBARed my knee shortly before the actual marathon, and didn't get to run it. There is another in my future, I suspect.
Which marathon are you running? Having a target race and knowing where the goalpost was sitting was always helpful for me, as well.
Seriously, my sister said, "let's run a marathon." I had never run more than a mile before that in my life. Naturally, I said, "ok."
As far as sticking to the training, I found I actually really enjoyed the it. It was a very stressful period in my life, and usually at about the 3 or 4 mile mark, all of that would melt away. Spending 10+ hours a week with just me, some music, and the road was great.
I ran a half marathon as a training race, which was a good preview. Unfortunately, I FUBARed my knee shortly before the actual marathon, and didn't get to run it. There is another in my future, I suspect.
Which marathon are you running? Having a target race and knowing where the goalpost was sitting was always helpful for me, as well.
I want to run the Istanbul marathon in October. I have family there and it would be nice to combine a visit to them with a marathon. I've been running on and off for about two years, I commute by bicycle, and am fit in general. The problem is time. I always seem to have a legitimate excuse to not run and I think this is the problem. You just have to make it a priority and move the rest of your life around the training program. That preparation - doing it consistantly - is a lot harder than running 26.2 miles, I suspect... I can see how peer pressure woud work.
For me it was peer pressure
That's what I was going to say.
It was a great experience, though.
I have to say I'm generally fairly committed to things once I sign up for them, so once I put my name down to do the marathon, I was pretty set to run it, and I kept up with the training. Although, on the other hand, this last year I downgraded from doing a marathon to doing a half-marathon because I had a really bad training year, with all the cold weather we had this summer up here.^^ EDIT: You really do want to get a solid, adequate training schedule in though. The difference between being in good shape and being ready to run a marathon is hard to overstate. When I started training for my marathon, I was used at the time to running 6 miles a day 6-7 days a week, and there was still a huge difference between that and spooling up to being able to run that kind of distance. Now, I feel comfortable bumping myself up to running a half marathon with just maybe a month's training, but a full marathon is a different story (until, I guess, one has done quite a number of them).
That's what I was going to say.
So what's the best way to set up the peer preassure? Was it family for you too? Is it just announcing it that got you to get up and run all those times? Or did you post your results online? What's the most effective peer preassure motivator?
Even being the fitness freak I am- I would never run a marathon. First reason being that arthritis in my knees prevents it. Second being that marathons are not good for you. They are a mental challenge, but they are not good for you physically.
Having someone who was going to run the race with me was great. That motivated both of us to get out there and train, so we wouldn't be holding the other back.
My story in more detail is like this... in high school and even through college, my athletics were pretty limited... I did a lot of cycling, but that was about it. I started walking, playing volleyball, mountain biking, and my activity level went way up. I lost a bit of weight. After a while, I wanted to give running another try, so I did a lot of run-walk, until I could run a couple of miles without that much trouble.
I stayed there for a couple of years, and then one day, my best friend and I bumped into a couple of girls we were friends with at the movie theater, and they were doing a run. So somehow they ended up talking us into it, too. It was a 10k, and I hadn't run that far before. But because we'd both said we'd do it, I trained and we ran it. That summer, we did a bunch of 5k - 10 mile races together.
We ended up doing what was the first marathon for both of us, after we both moved out of state, in his hometown... so yeah, ultimately, it was the fact that I was running with my best friend and it was the first for both of us.
My favorite part of the story is that I'd never beaten him in a race before, but I beat him in that marathon.
I've toyed with it, but concern over my knees and ankles typically limit my mileage. I recently bumped up my long run to 9 miles and was happy about able to do that so early in the running season.
I was tempted to either go and run a half marathon later this spring or look to do a marathon later this year. With that said, my knees and ankles really start hurting, that is once my mileage goes > 8 miles. I'm running in pain. Plus when I walk I sound like a breakfast sandwich. I've been running long enough to know my limits so I'm content average 6 miles a day.
I was tempted to either go and run a half marathon later this spring or look to do a marathon later this year. With that said, my knees and ankles really start hurting, that is once my mileage goes > 8 miles. I'm running in pain. Plus when I walk I sound like a breakfast sandwich. I've been running long enough to know my limits so I'm content average 6 miles a day.
I was running anyways, so decided to set myself a goal of running a marathon to better motivate myself.
Before actual marathon I did bunch of official half-marathons and later on I was running half marathon or more as an exercise every other weekend, but I still had a tough time at the actual marathon. There is a big difference between running 13.1 miles, or even 16-17 miles, and full 26.2.
It's cool to run a full marathon once or twice in a lifetime and it's cool to be able to go through "the wall", but running a marathon is a major stress on your body, so you should not do it too often. From what I've read, running for 2-2.5 hours is the most one should do, after that it does more harm than good.
Before actual marathon I did bunch of official half-marathons and later on I was running half marathon or more as an exercise every other weekend, but I still had a tough time at the actual marathon. There is a big difference between running 13.1 miles, or even 16-17 miles, and full 26.2.
It's cool to run a full marathon once or twice in a lifetime and it's cool to be able to go through "the wall", but running a marathon is a major stress on your body, so you should not do it too often. From what I've read, running for 2-2.5 hours is the most one should do, after that it does more harm than good.
A good friend of mine did the London Marathon yesterday actually! Not sure why I didn't mention that earlier.
It was the first one she's done. 4hrs 45 minutes. She trained with a group of runners from our uni that do it every year for charity.
Was great to see her walking around uni this morning, looking like someone had stuck a pole up her...nevermind!
It was the first one she's done. 4hrs 45 minutes. She trained with a group of runners from our uni that do it every year for charity.
Was great to see her walking around uni this morning, looking like someone had stuck a pole up her...nevermind!
I ran the London marathon in 2008. I trained for a year, starting with only being able to run about a mile. I kept a blog the whole time. Please feel free to read about my experiences, good and bad.
My blog
Hmmm... I think this is a great idea. Actually, there is a hospital I know of in Istanbul that is trying to raise funds to build a house where children undergoing chemotherapy treatment and their families can stay. It would be awesome to not only raise money for this myself, but get a group of people togeather to raise money for this.
Does anyone know of a web system that will allow me to raise money for a charity of my choice?
http://www.justgiving.com/
I've never used it personally, but know people who have. And I think the charity needs to be registered too.
Edit: The donate link in dobbin's blog goes to a JustGiving page, so maybe he can give you more info on it!
i think the charity commitment is the best motivating approach.
I ran two NYC marathons, the first one was more or less a joke, I entered the lottery got in and then felt like my number had (literally) been called.
the second time (again through the lottery) was to run it with my wife (she crushed me).
as far as sticking to the training plan... mmmh, let's not go there (i really dislike running).
In any case i highly recommend it. I had a blast both times.
just remember it should not be a chore, but a fun and memorable experience. It's all in the attitude.
I ran two NYC marathons, the first one was more or less a joke, I entered the lottery got in and then felt like my number had (literally) been called.
the second time (again through the lottery) was to run it with my wife (she crushed me
).as far as sticking to the training plan... mmmh, let's not go there
(i really dislike running).In any case i highly recommend it. I had a blast both times.
just remember it should not be a chore, but a fun and memorable experience. It's all in the attitude.
i don't like the whole "I'm doing this thing and that thing for charity so donate for me" thing.
I don't know, it just rubs me the wrong way.
If I want to donate to charity, I do so myself. If someone else wants to donate or not donate, thats their choice.
if you dont have enough motivation to do something for your own self, why are you doing it?
I don't know, it just rubs me the wrong way.
If I want to donate to charity, I do so myself. If someone else wants to donate or not donate, thats their choice.
if you dont have enough motivation to do something for your own self, why are you doing it?
I'd definitely pay to see a friend with hair down to their shoulders shave it all off
! If the money goes to a charity it's an added bonus! It's on top of any normal charitable giving, because you get something in return....seeing your friend embarrassed for months as their hair grows back, or seeing them crap their pants as they do a skydive so you'd never do something for someone else, that you don't like/don't want to do?
I'd definitely pay to see a friend with hair down to their shoulders shave it all off
so you'd never do something for someone else, that you don't like/don't want to do?
very rarely.
if i did, I would just suck it up and do it. I wouldn't want to make a huge carnival out of it. To me, its just making the whole situation worse.
But isn't that the whole point of sponsoring people to do things? They have to do something they wouldn't ordinarily want to do... for our amusement (although that makes it sound sort of sadistic). I certainly wouldn't sponsor David Beckham to play football
I think it also depends on how you ask for money. It's a really subtle difference. If you just go up to people and say hey i'm running for xxx can you donate? that's less ideal than "hey i'm running a marathon. instead of just having it be a run, I am running for xxx because their issue really needs publicity. bla bla bla. If you'd be interested in making a donation, it would go really far in helping them out."
The second way, you've already accomplished your objective - to raise awareness. If people donate, that's an added bonus. The first way, you've just asked money for a cause you're vaguely aware of...
The second way, you've already accomplished your objective - to raise awareness. If people donate, that's an added bonus. The first way, you've just asked money for a cause you're vaguely aware of...