Could I run a marathon?

simongurnick

So, quick background. 40 yr old male. 6 ft, 270 lbs. Last few years weight has ranged from 290 to 245.
Pretty active despite the beer belly and before covid played competitive soccer once a week, basketball once or twice a week, spinning class and the odd random gym class.
Things slipped exercise wise during covid but during the winter I started a couch to 5k running program. Ended up jacking it after a few weeks in as the temperatures got down to below -15 (I live in Canada)
When Spring came around I took it up again and have gone from barely being able to run for 3 or 4 mins at a time, to doing 30 mins straight. Pace is pretty slow as I am doing about 4k in that time but will be aiming to increase to 35 and 40 minutes soon to hit it.
As things have improved the grandiose idea of running a marathon has popped into my head. I know that's a hell of a leap from running for 30 minutes, but I was running zero minutes a while ago.
I think it would be an amazing accomplishment and I feel like it could be the BIG goal I need to actually shift this weight.

I would be thinking about working towards it over the course of a year. For anyone on here that has tackled one, is this realistic or am I off my rocker? Of course that depends on my discipline and work rate, but let's just assume I could follow some sort of training plan for a year...worth trying or doomed to fail???

Cheers all.

Dilbert75

Barring some sort of physioiogical barrier, or an inability to train regularly, of course you can do it. You might have to pitch your expectations based on how much time you can invest in it but be sensible, look after your body and enjoy the journey.

Explosive_Cornflake

I think anyone can run a half, but a full, it it is possible, but it will require dedication.
If within -5 months you can do a half, I think you could do the full in a year.

Go for it. Find a training plan, and follow it. Might mean giving up the cans for a while though

new2tri19

Yes of course you can, follow a plan , there's no real skill in running the only difference between majority is how much they train. Run really slow for your long runs .
My first marathon I never ran in my life and took up running for Lent that year first run I stopped at about 2 mins and walked home , that October I ran a marathon in under 4 hours. I just kept getting out 3 days a week started with walk run . I think I did 30 mins / 30 mins / 60 mins then next week was 30/30/70 mins , it took a month or so to get past walk run and it involved slowing right down .
Once you can run for 1 hour non stop I felt like the progress really ramped up Id plan 80 mins but find I could do 90 or 100 , main thing was slow running and if I felt good I could up pace at end.
Anyway good luck

simongurnick

new2tri19 wrote: »

Yes of course you can, follow a plan , there's no real skill in running the only difference between majority is how much they train. Run really slow for your long runs .
My first marathon I never ran in my life and took up running for Lent that year first run I stopped at about 2 mins and walked home , that October I ran a marathon in under 4 hours. I just kept getting out 3 days a week started with walk run . I think I did 30 mins / 30 mins / 60 mins then next week was 30/30/70 mins , it took a month or so to get past walk run and it involved slowing right down .
Once you can run for 1 hour non stop I felt like the progress really ramped up Id plan 80 mins but find I could do 90 or 100 , main thing was slow running and if I felt good I could up pace at end.
Anyway good luck

wow, that's encouraging.
Yeah, at first I could hardly do a few minutes.
Interesting to hear you focused on length of time and not pace. I think I'll do that. Push my thirty minutes to thirty five then work to an hour. Lots of good tunes on the ear buds helps a lot!
Thanks for the advice

new2tri19

simongurnick wrote: »

wow, that's encouraging.
Yeah, at first I could hardly do a few minutes.
Interesting to hear you focused on length of time and not pace. I think I'll do that. Push my thirty minutes to thirty five then work to an hour. Lots of good tunes on the ear buds helps a lot!
Thanks for the advice

I think what helped was I didn't have the technology in use today just a stopwatch , I had no idea how far I was running just tried to get time on feet . I would drive the routes then as I got nearer to the marathon to make sure I got a 20 mile long run in .
The GPS watches can be a curse my sister is training for her first marathon and is a slave to the watch and comparing each run , just run off feel , I always set out really really slow like fast walk into slow jog and come back faster . On marathon day I did the same and it's a great feeling passing people from about half way I dont recall been passed at all.
There is a race series leading up to the marathon they are very good 10km/10mile and half marathon .

Dilbert75

If there's one going this year, I would HIGHLY recommend getting onto the Dublin Maration Novices thread in the running forum. In past years it tended to be mentored by a past graduate and they'd set a training plan for each week and then there was a community of peers, many of whom are doing exactly what you're doing. You may be a little late starting now to get the timing right with them (end of October), but there's no reason you shouldn't follow the thread, save the weekly plans and learn oodles of things about running a marathon in a really supportive environment.

simongurnick

Dilbert75 wrote: »

If there's one going this year, I would HIGHLY recommend getting onto the Dublin Maration Novices thread in the running forum. In past years it tended to be mentored by a past graduate and they'd set a training plan for each week and then there was a community of peers, many of whom are doing exactly what you're doing. You may be a little late starting now to get the timing right with them (end of October), but there's no reason you shouldn't follow the thread, save the weekly plans and learn oodles of things about running a marathon in a really supportive environment.

cool. that could be good. Just noticed there is a running thread under sports. will take a look

nullObjects

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117606659#Comment_117606659

There's a goals thread and a running log section too, as well as a general questions thread, should be loads of stuff for you to get started, best of luck with it!

celvinxen

I feel you can with all your engagements. I just feel it will be good if you can train with threadmill for sometime to see how far you can go before you finally jump into it.

Peregrinus

You're 122 kg and, by your own account, it's been a few years since you were below 110 kg. You're carrying some serious extra weight there. I'd be a bit concerned that, carrying that amount of weight, and for the amount of training you'd have to do to build up to a marathon, you would be risking joint damage or back pain. So I think your plan has to include shifting a few kilos - not as the outcome of your training, but as something you need to do in order to be able to train.

The good news is that there's no better time for shifting unwanted kilos than when you're training. Regular training will tend to turbocharge your metabolism so that you burn more calories even when not training. Plus, for a lot of people aerobic exercise acts as an appetite suppressant, so it becomes easier to stick to the calorie consumption restrictions that you set for yourself.

They say you can't outrun a bad diet; if you need to lose weight you have to fix your diet. But it is generally true that regular running makes it a lot easier to fix your diet.

Brian?

Mod Note: Moved from fitness logs to main forum

average_runner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058198375/could-i-run-a-marathon

Anyone can do the marathon, can be more painful for some.

The big question is, can you do the training and dedicate the time to it?

Would focus on 5-10k races for the first half of the year, see how you handle that first.

oinkely

I'd say if you are a man there is only one thing you can't do - have a baby.

So yeah, you can run a marathon.

you just need to commit to the process, follow a plan and be prepared to cut out some drinking and some eating. As has been said above forget about pace and focus on time. Increase the time by 10% a week and NO MORE than 10%. Listen to your body but also understand that your mind contributes massively to how your body feels so your mental state plays into how your body feels on any given day. Take an easy week every 3 or 4 to let the benefits accrue and enjoy the process.

I suggest start every run with a smile on your face and the thought that you are lucky to be able to do this run, on this day and they will all be that much easier.

The benefits are amazing, and you won't regret it if you give it the time and are consistent. Don't sweat a missed day in a plan and don't try and double up on another day to make up for it. Life has a way of getting in the way but the more you commit the easier it is to stick to a plan. It helps to incorporate running into your life and make a few changes to allow that so you are not trying to squeeze runs into an already packed day. Sometimes something has to give.

Look at easy wins too - does your job allow for a run during the day without impacting on family etc? I run most days at lunch time and it doesn't interfee with home life and i am way more productive in the afternoon as a bonus. Could a run be how you get to work or home? Could you cycle to work if its too far to run? Can you ditch the car occasionally and cycle instead. This will all help build strength and endurance and work some other muscles too.

Anyway, yes - you can run a marathon, or an ultra marathon if you want to. You just have to start.

Consistency will get you there.