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my first marathon!
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In retrospect, I wish I had run my first marathon last year just to finish. I had delusions of qualifying for Boston based on plugging 5k times into a race time projection calculator on Runner's World and it really messed up my approach. For the first one, just try to enjoy the experience and take it all in. I'm getting ready for round two in about a month.
As for times, I like to set three levels: dream time, happy time, and satisfied time, with each being successively more reasonable.
posted about 4 years ago | Report
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Good to know! I wanted to set a goal time for my first, but I probably don't need the added pressure.
posted about 4 years ago | Report
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I just want and excuse to go to the beach... that's why I am running mine. As long as I finish before the course closes I will be happy.
posted about 4 years ago | Report
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My goals changed leading up to my first marathon. Going into it, my goal was to not stop running, and finish with a smile. Although my time was atrocious, I met my goals. If I had to wait to be ready to get a "respectable" time, I'd still be training for a 5k.
If you don't feel like you will have accomplished much after running a marathon- don't run one. I doubt very many people who've run one share your opinion.
Good luck- and who cares what your time is. You'll only get faster.
posted about 4 years ago | Report
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I really want to qualify for Boston and my training seems to be geared for that kind of time, although Peter's post kind of scares me. It's just that 5 years ago, when I was doing 60+ miles/week in college, a 3:10 marathon seemed totally attainable. Now I'm not so sure, so maybe I will follow the "dream time / happy time / satisfied time" approach for the first marathon. Thanks everyone for the advice.
posted about 4 years ago | Report
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I am working just to finish. I am planning to run/walk the entire thing and try to have as much fun with it as possible. I'm doing my first one in my hometown so I'm excited that I will get to have my family and friends support. I live 700 miles away from everyone so this is just exciting for me. I want to get a couple under my belt (hopefully I enjoy it!) and then start worrying about BQing. I figure that will be years down the road.
Good luck everyone!
posted about 4 years ago | Report
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in reply to what Peter L. said:In retrospect, I wish I had run my first marathon last year just to finish. I had delusions of qualifying for Boston based on plugging 5k times into a race time projection calculator on Runner's World and it really messed up my approach. Fo... read more
So you're saying those 5k plug-ins aren't very accurate? ;-)
Although it's against the better judgement of some, I'm still shooting for a timed finish, 3:30 or better, to be exact. With the amount of time I've set aside for my training, and the way my training has been going, unless something horrible happens, 3:30 is actually attainable. Good luck all.
posted about 4 years ago | edited about 4 years ago | Report
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Well I have some goals for my finishing time, but they are very slow, especially in comparision to some people. But I feel that they will be very challenging for me, and that's all that I'm really worried about =) I think if you want to set a high goal set it, but really just try to get the most out of the experience, and not beat yourself up if you don't meet your goal. I think not setting a goal is mostly because for the first marathon, you may be at high risk for injury during training if you push yourself too hard. Then again there is always risk of injury. Have fun, and happy running!
posted almost 4 years ago | Report
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Just finish, hopefully within 5 hours, but not going to stress about it...my first is in Vegas this December, so good times to ensue afterwards!
posted almost 4 years ago | Report
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Just finish!
Although I will be disappointed if my time is anything over 5 hours...
posted almost 4 years ago | Report
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I am running this one to finish, but I would be lying if I didn't admit to setting some time goals, just to give me something specific to work for. I am working toward a 4:30 finish, so I am trying to get my short runs at or better than 10:18 pace and my long runs as close to it as possible. If I don't hit it, fine, but I wonder how you know you are going out to fast in the first half if you haven't set something to compare your mile splits to.
posted almost 4 years ago | Report
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If your Training is set up correctly and your faithfully putting your mileage in you should be able to accurately predict your finish time (plus or minus 15 mins) for your first marathon. There is something very spiritual about running, and it is a Religion for some people but remember that your Goal time of X:XX is just that, a Goal. Something to shoot for. Be realistic about your Goal time, and dont cheat on your training and you should see a Finish Time reasonably close to your exspectations. I would suggest at least 4 Long Distance Runs of 16, 18, 20, and 22 Miles to get a "Feel" of what its like to run on "tired legs" and then adjust your Goal Finish Time accordingly. Good Luck Lance!
posted almost 4 years ago | Report
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When I ran my first ever 10k in Feb. 2009, I did it in 43:06. That made me think... I might be a decent runner. (I NEVER ran in HS or college. Hated it, in fact.)
Then I did my first ever half marathon in 1:42. Wow, I thought. Perhaps I could run 26.2 in 3:30. Hmmmm... the wheels and legs got spinning.
When I recently ran an 18-mile training run in 2:15, a friend of mine, who has run three marathons, said to me: "You should try to qualify for Boston."
That's all I needed to hear.
So here it is.
Dream time: 3:15:59
Happy time: 3:30 (but anything under 3:20 will just annoy me... I know it!)
Satisfied time: 3:45 (It just wasn't meant to be and I will easily accept that.)The closer I get to a sub-3:16 time without breaking it will drive me nuts. However, I still plan to enjoy every moment of the race. But the competitor in me really wants to put up a good time.
posted almost 4 years ago | edited almost 4 years ago | Report
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What I've worked out is that the predictions are only valid if you've done all the training and are in peak condition. I'm finding just how big the step from half to full marathon is. Going from 10k to 13mi was easy and I think people can get fooled into thinking the 13mi to 26mi is going to be the same.
I've run 42min 10k runs in the past, and knocked out a 1:45 half the other day so I should be able to do a 3:40 marathon. But what I'm finding with my longer runs that my pace is really tailing off, after about 15 miles I really start to struggle. With only 6 weeks to go before the race I know I wont be able to get the conditioning to crack the 3:40 time.
So my goal is:
Dream time: 3:40:00
Goal time: 3:55:00
Happy time: less than 3:59:59!
Satisfied result: run across the finish line!posted almost 4 years ago | Report
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I just went back and read what I wrote when I first started training. I've been "beating" myself up about my finish time for my first marathon (6:00). I was feeling sick around mile 17 and had to stop and walk ALOT. I am more upset because I won't be doing another marathon for a few years from now. (I have other goals- completing an olympic tri is one of them)
I wish I would have pushed myself harder in training, but I am glad that I am injury free and within 5 days of the marathon I feel completely recovered.posted over 3 years ago | Report
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For me, it's not just finishing, I'm pretty sure with enough time to train I can build the endurance. I'm trying to get an idea of how fast is reasonable now (e.g., how much slower than my tempo pace is my marathon pace)?
posted over 3 years ago | Report
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TIME
I'll be running my first marathon in January and if I said I didn't have a time goal I'd be lying. When I ran my first 1/2 marathon in September I had a number in my mind and was extremely disappointed I didn't meet my goal, it provided the motivation I needed to run two more half marathons over the following two months to reach my goal.
With my half marathon goal achieved I decided the next natural progression was to conquer 26.2...I have a goal in mind and I'll continue to race at this distance until I achieve it, both the blessing and the curse of being a type A personality.
posted over 3 years ago | Report
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I start training for my first full in Jan. and I am at a 6-7 miles base right now and I am hoping to finish in 4:30 or less, I hope that all my hard work pays off.
posted over 3 years ago | Report
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I started out with the goal of "finish." I thought I would be happy if I was able to get across that finish line. Things have changed. My progress is significant, and now my goal is to beat all my friends. I intend to cross that line before they do or, for those in a different wave/start time, to have a better time than they do.
And I WILL do it. Period.
posted over 3 years ago | Report
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I just ran my first marathon - i had a number in my head but my true goal was just to finish.
I ran it 9 minutes over my goal - but truly enjoyed every second of it - and now i'm ready to move on the next one with a REAL time goal!
Whether you have a goal or not the important thing is to make sure you ENJOY the journey!
posted over 2 years ago | Report
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