From 0 to a Marathon in 22 weeks.

hi Stepahnie,

well done for setting out to reach a healthy BMI and get fit.

IMHO it will be quite a challenge, but I'm sure others have done it - depends on your own tolerance for the training which will be tough, and your goal for getting round the marathon. I think you should listen to yr body as you start to train and don't be afraid to defer that marathon for a half or 10K in the autumn instead, if you feel you need a few months longer to reach the full marathon goal. Overtraining and injury won't help you get fit or lose weight

Good luck

 edit :'reach' not 'each'!

Just take the training easy. Don't worry about pace, concern yourself with time on your feet and building up the miles. Don't forget to have 'easy' or should I be calling them recovery weeks. these are essential if you want to progress and remain unjury free. Don't do too many races, again that should be don't race too many races. You can run them but not race them, there's a difference.

It's not out of the question for you to be able to run a marathon in 22 weeks. You do need to train sensibly in order to remain injury free.

Honestly - you'd think that by the way we go on about injury that it's inevitable. It isn't but experince shows that over doing the training is the worst thing you can do and it's normally as a result of being too keen and not having patience.

Anyway, good luck and enjoy yourself.

Thanks

That is exactly what i'm thinking.  My training will be a comibnation of road / firm grass training.  I'm thinking of doing one actual race at most before it a 10k or half marathon if I can find one that fits in with my plan, but to be honest i'm not looking that hard.  I'd rather save the energy just plod on with my training and use it all for the marathon itself.

My oh is coming and doing some of the jogging with me.  My labrador comes as well.  So i'm running three days, and trying to walk the dog the other days,

I have no plans on breaking any records, I just want an inelegent but completed marathon.  I really take the point about sensible training, that's my plan.  If I want to become a faster runner etc... i'm saving that for the end of these 22 weeks, I have one aim to stay as injury free as possible, and complete the marathon.  My ego has been told to take 6 months off, i'm probably going to do it the ugly way, but hopefully do it

Looking at the records, i've seen no-one with a recorded time over 6 Hours in the leicester marathon so that's my one and only target to compete it in uder that time period.  Now, whatever marathon I do next will have some sort of target but competing it within 6 hours is my only target.

I'll be the (probably still overweight) one, with bright red hair, that looks like i'm about to explode at the back

Steph

good luck - i think the advice to find another race prior to the marathon is worth taking, as you'll find race day a totally different experience to training.  If you've completed a 10k or HM before the marathon, it'll help with the mental preparation required to complete the full marathon. 

That does make sense.  If so then I guess i need to hunt around and find one in the last couple of weeks of Aug / Early September. I'll have a look on the event finder, and have a hunt around.

I agree that injury is not inevitable. But if you do have an opportunity to sign up for any sort of add-on healthcare (BUPA, or you may be able to join Benenden through a friend or family member, or whatever) then it wouldn't hurt to do it now - "pre-existing condition" is an unfortunate phrase to have to use

BUPA have insured me and I'm half dead.....

Leicester Marathon is a 9.15am start with a "3.15pm Last Leicester Marathon runner expected in Victoria Park" - plan to succeed by using a  5.30 / 6hr training programme if you want that medal

Good luck, I'm new to all this myself, been going 8 weeks with an aim to run, not race, run 15 miles one day and 12 the next as part of a Help for Heroes event I've arranged, that's in roughly 14 weeks now. I just did my first 5 mile run the other day, aiming at a 10 mile run by mid july and then the event in mid August. It'll be tough but it's a run not a race and there will be times I'll have to walk for a few minutes.

By comparison, I am on a zero to Marathon goal in 21 weeks. I had lost quite a bit of weight before starting, and had a bit of a fitness base through walking 5 to 7 miles every day (it was part of the weight loss) over the past year or so 

Next week is the final week before tapering, so I can't honestly say that it can be done as I haven't run the race yet. But with a few long runs behind me, including a few 22 milers, confidence is there. Just need to avoid injury and getting carries away on the day.

Good look, stay determined, & feed off the positive posts on here