um, crazy idea?

Quoted message said:

Would I be totally gaga to envisage a marathon at the end of this year?

If you have time to put in the miles -- I'd say several weeks of 40+ at least, along the way -- then
you can probably do a marathon by year's end. Woo hoo!

I'm already envisaging your joyful face as you cross the finish ...

--
Brian P. Baresch Fort Worth, Texas, USA Professional editing and proofreading

If you're going through hell, keep going. --Winston Churchill

It's not difficult to complete a marathon. If you find a course open for seven hours you can mostly
walk it. So the question remaining is, are you ready to prepare for it? The marathon is not about
race day, or completing the distance, but it's more about the preparation. Like Brian said, if
you're ready for several 40+ mile weeks from now 'till the fall then go for it. If you put in that
kind of preparation and still do seven hours then it's an effort well deserved for recognition. If
because of genetic ability you can go around the course in a faster time but not really prepare then
it cheapens the efforts of others who have prepared but may not have that ability. In short, if you
put in a full and total preparation, than whether your time on race day is 2:30 or 7:30 becomes
irrelevant, because the preparation is where the effort
is. Race day is a graduation ceremony which salutes the effort. Doug Burke

nina stoessinger said:

Would I be totally gaga to envisage a marathon at the end of this year?

As a reminder. I was running and racing a lot last year, peaking at a sub-45 10k, a 1:46 HM, and
about 35 miles a week. Then, I let it all slide and hardly trained at all in winter (4-5 months).
Now, I'm returning, currently doing 15-17 miles a week.

I'm thinking 3-4 months of base building and 4 months of specific training should actually
work, no?

Just a crazy, impromptu idea. I was so sad when one of my teachers asked jokingly if anyone had
run a marathon in the spring break - I originally had wanted to... but I fell apart over the
winter. Re-igniting the marathon project right now would me so inspiring! And great!

cheers, nina

By whatever reading I have done on marathon training, I think it's very possible. You use to run
before - averaging 30+ mpw and now you have plenty of time again to get in the groove - I guess you
will have at least 16+ weeks for any later year marathon. Also if your goal is just to finish it
then I think you can easily achieve that goal and enjoy the marathon. Go for it! - Satish

"nina stoessinger" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Would I be totally gaga to envisage a marathon at the end of this year?

As a reminder. I was running and racing a lot last year, peaking at a

sub-45 10k,

Quoted message said:

a 1:46 HM, and about 35 miles a week. Then, I let it all slide and hardly

trained

Quoted message said:

at all in winter (4-5 months). Now, I'm returning, currently doing 15-17

miles a

Quoted message said:

week.

I'm thinking 3-4 months of base building and 4 months of specific training

should

Quoted message said:

actually work, no?

Just a crazy, impromptu idea. I was so sad when one of my teachers asked

jokingly

Quoted message said:

if anyone had run a marathon in the spring break - I originally had wanted

to...

Quoted message said:

but I fell apart over the winter. Re-igniting the marathon project right

now would

Quoted message said:

me so inspiring! And great!

cheers, nina

Not crazy at all as long as you keep your goal realistic.

I have taken people who were doing less and gotten them to finish a marathon in less than 5:30 (not
great). I believe that once you are a runner, you come back from a layoff faster. Remember that you
cannot pick up where you left off!

"nina stoessinger" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Would I be totally gaga to envisage a marathon at the end of this year?

As a reminder. I was running and racing a lot last year, peaking at a

sub-45 10k,

Quoted message said:

a 1:46 HM, and about 35 miles a week. Then, I let it all slide and hardly

trained

Quoted message said:

at all in winter (4-5 months). Now, I'm returning, currently doing 15-17

miles a

Quoted message said:

week.

I'm thinking 3-4 months of base building and 4 months of specific training

should

Quoted message said:

actually work, no?

Just a crazy, impromptu idea. I was so sad when one of my teachers asked

jokingly

Quoted message said:

if anyone had run a marathon in the spring break - I originally had wanted

to...

Quoted message said:

but I fell apart over the winter. Re-igniting the marathon project right

now would

Quoted message said:

me so inspiring! And great!

cheers, nina

Seize the Carp!!!!!!!

Scott

nina stoessinger said:

Would I be totally gaga to envisage a marathon at the end of this year?

You've been there before, so it's easier to get back. I say go for it. Andy Hass

Doug Burke said:

Race day is a graduation ceremony which salutes the effort.

Thanks for the input, Doug and all the others who replied. I did the date math today and realized
that with a goal race in November, the timing would actually be perfect for a serious prep, since
the most serious training would happen in my semester break (mid July - mid October), in which I
will most likely be working - so I'd live by a foreseeable, plannable schedule (unlike during the
semester, where a lot of stress can suddenly come out of nowhere). Then when school starts again,
I'll (almost) be tapering already.

It feels damn good to have this option open but I'm bot quite 'jumping to it' yet - right now, I
can't really tell how much of my fitness my winter layoff has cost me, and how intensely I will be
able to run within the next months. So, my first step (apart from trying to find a goal race) is
building up my base again. If I'm up between 25 and 30 in late June, it'll be time to think of a
specific plan of attack.

Is it a good idea to complement my base-building with some moderate strength training twice a
week or so?

cheers, nina