Running Schedule for Dublin 2008

Trotter

Hi all,

I'm seriously considering running the Dublin City Marathon in 2008. I'll need as much time as possible to get ready for it and was just wondering if anyone knows a good website where I could download an 18 month plan for someone running from scratch.

I'm a 50 minute 10k runner so I'd like to start from this point and try to break 5hrs in 2008.

Can anyone point me in the right direction or offer your own advice?

Thanks!

Peckham

I don't think there is such a thing as an 18 month training plan - no-one would have the motivation to keep going for that long purely for one single goal! You have two alternative ways to approach it:

1) Spent the next 10-12 months building a running base - i.e. building all the elements of marathon training into your daily life, in particular getting out running 5-6 days per week and building your weekly mileage to a level that will fit in with a training plan

2) Setting a few objectives between now and October 2008 - i.e. compete in a few 10ks, 5 miles and a half-marathon. There are training plans for all these that you could work at.

However - (and this is probably more recommended if you want to do a marathon) if you can do 10k in 50 minutes there is no (fitness) reason why you couldn't think about doing Dublin 2007, unless personal/work commitments don't allow it - based on your 10k time, McMillan running calculator has you at sub-4 hours which is a great time for a first timer.

For good training plans try Hal Higdon

rovers_runner

Agree with Peckham, you should be aiming for this October.
You have plenty of time yet.

Trotter

rovers_runner wrote:

Agree with Peckham, you should be aiming for this October.
You have plenty of time yet.

Unfortunately its going to be a mental summer (Final post grad exams, trip to the Gaeltacht, and prep for work in September). I could say yeah I'll go for this October but there are too many things in the way between now and then that have the potential to feck it up on me.

Peckham wrote:

....building all the elements of marathon training into your daily life..

What would you consider the main elements to be?? (apart from running solid milage 5 or 6 days a week).

Peckham

Trotter wrote:

What would you consider the main elements to be?? (apart from running solid milage 5 or 6 days a week).

Just getting out, enjoying it and making it part of your daily routine. No need to worry about mileage or anything like that - if you are comfortably doing 20-25 miles per week you can easily fit into a novice training plan, and could if you wished take a step up to an intermediate training plan.

Joining a running club might be a good idea as it gives you people to do some training runs with, and also good advice and awareness of local races etc. What might also be good would be to set yourself a few targets over the next 12 months - e.g. a 10 mile race, a half-marathon as preparation for marathon training (doing a 10 mile race is a totally different experience to a 10 mile training run).

But make sure you get some good running shoes - otherwise you run the risk of injury. Some good threads on this site about running shoes...try to get to a technical running store if possible.

Enjoy it - it's the best hobby in the world!

Trotter

Peckham wrote:

Enjoy it - it's the best hobby in the world!

Cheers for the info.. Yeah I used to run more than I do now, its just that I feel like I have less energy over the last year or so than I had before. I'm doing very little running at all at the moment. I went to Amphibian King a while back and got tested for the right runners so thats sorted.

I also agreed to train for the race with a friend of mine. She's in pretty much the exact same position as me, (would like to do a marathon, wont be ready for october 07). So thats the regular training partner sorted.

I just need to hit the roads now really! By the end of the summer I'd like to be back to the stage where I can go and run 5 miles in less than 50 minutes comfortably, with a few longer runs thrown in.. maybe up to 10 miles. I think thats doable. That way I can slot into an intermediate 12 month marathon training plan this october and I'll be on my way.

--amadeus--

Why specifically Dublin?

You may have a mental summer but you could always train over the winter and look at a Spring marathon. I ran Paris last year in April and I would highly reccomend it. If you get the bug you can then carry that training forward and still run Dublin 08.

Trotter

--amadeus-- wrote:

Why specifically Dublin?

You may have a mental summer but you could always train over the winter and look at a Spring marathon. I ran Paris last year in April and I would highly reccomend it. If you get the bug you can then carry that training forward and still run Dublin 08.

I suppose its just having seen friends running the Dublin marathon and thinking "I couldnt do that".. I'd like to make that my first one.