Hermanites,

I'm registering to run for my first full marathon in June. I haven't done much cardio due to bulking. I've ran and completed two half marathons before but I feel this is going to need a lot more training than the two half marathons. Before I just ran like 7-8 miles a day to prepare for the half marathons. If anyone can help me out please let me know. Thanks.

-Brett.

Hey man!! congrats on taking the first step... which is signing up!

To train for a FULL marathon you are going to have to really boost your carbs and protein and run 15-20 miles a day 2 - 4 times a week. You can split this up into a morning run and an evening run if you want as well.

I have also heard that you do not want to run the day before the event. You want to be well rested to hit it as hard as you can! #HTH

Any Hermanites run marathons before that can chime in?

Thanks Scott. I'm pretty excited about it. I know I can do it but I also like to do it to push myself to the max and I this will be the ultimate physical and mental work out. I start training on Monday morning. The only thing I'm worried about is losing all the gains I've made strength wise from lifting. But I'm ready for this journey.

Brett.

Hi Brett,

it's nice you decided to go full marathon, but I'm not sure if you know what are you going to do :)

First, when did you made those two halfs? What is your current cardio status, how much (distance or time) are you able to run at this moment, how much you are running now per week? What is your goal at marathon, just to finish it or you want to chase some time? Regarding to what you wrote, I would suggest you to delay it for few months. To June you have now just 4 months for training (and June is not some nice time to run marathon, better choice is in spring or autumn). Of course, it's possible to preprare for it also in that time, but just like for muscle gaining, also there is no some healthy shortcut. You have to know that difference in half and full marathon is not the same as let's say between 10k and half marathon or even between 5k and 10k.

You will definitely lose some weight, you don't have to worry about that ;) Strength will just be advantage for you, strong core for running is very important, legs for sure, and strong upper body is also advantageous in distance running. Your body will automatically rid off excesive weight (you can read also as hard gained muscles in the gym) but kept strength which it needs. Important thing you should also have to be aware is that, for marathon you need muscle fibres of type I and in gym for muscles you build mostly type II. A lot of those will be converted in type I for purposes of endurance training. I don't know what you fitness status is and what your general goals are, but anyway it is nice to know, what are you doing and what is happening with your body ;) If you want to know more about those things just ask ;)

For marathon your body have to be adopted in several ways. First is energy system, then cardiovascular system, muscle adaptation and skeleton.
For endurance activities you are using fats as primary fuel. For burning fats you need oxygen and your body have to develop this kind of energy system for better efficiency. That's why hearth stroke volume is bigger, why you have more erytrocytes,... to deliver more oxygen in muscles. Your body can store max cca 2.000kcal in form of glycogen and that's for sure not enough for whole marathon. That's often the reason why people can handle half marathon with or without big problems, but burn out completely on full.
Cardiovascular system is related to already mentioned oxygen delivery. Hearth stroke volume and developement of capillaries take their time and appropriate training.
Muscle adaptaion also needs time. Muscles have to adopt to different type of load, duration of working, to transform in most efficient form (type I).
In contrast to first three things, which are adopted relatively fast, skeleton needs much more time. Running is not kind activity for overweight persons (either fat or muscles), without proper running technique and hard running surface. If progressing to fast, problems with knees are possible, but for sure you are good candidate for shin splint and/or achilles tendinitis.

To finish marathon is enough to run 60-70 km per week (37- 43.5 miles/week).
4 times per week, one training is long-distance, 15-20 (25) miles, preferably at weekend, or depending on your schedule, and 3 times 6-10 miles.
Every week or two you gradually lengthen long-distance run, until you reach cca race distance. If you don't have hearth rate watch, you run so fast you can still breathe through nose and easily talk and chat.
Other runs are as you feel. Let's say two easy and one is fartlek.
When you have good base you can incorporate also interval training. Good strength will help you here! Running in hill is also great way to boost specific strength for faster running.

There are more different discussable strategies for before race day. Anyway, in last two (better three) weeks before marathon is not adviced to run distance longer than 12-15 miles. In 14 days you don't lose endurance, but you have to kept "sharpness" and fine tunning and you have to REST! Every run longer than 12 miles is quite big stress for your body and with every additional mile you need more rest for full recovery. You have to know that also for regular training. You can't do good short (or/and intensive) workout if you are tired from long distance run. And this kind of tiredness can be very sneaky! For building solid endurance base is enough one long run per week, but you need some weeks to build that solid base. Shortcuts and overtraining leads in injuries.
Regarding the last day before race; don't listen to Scott :) you can do SHORT and intensive interval training, just to boost your energy and ego ;) but you don't want to burn you out. And it is scientifically proven that the night before last night is much more important for a good race. Last night is, actually, very unimportant, you can also party it. I'm talking also from first hand, it works for me very well that way ;)

And one more thing. Long distance endurance activities can not be changed with others in training. Cycling or swimming will work your energy and cardiovascular system, but are not specific enough to replace running training. You can substite some shorter trainings but for sure you don't want to replace long runs with e.g. cycling. If you have to replace your run with other activities, best choice is ski running or rowing. Anyway, adding cycling and/or swimming is good in view of relaxing running muscles and joints and to build up other muscles, which are not involved during running. Buit since you training in gym you already take care for allround muscles developement.

I hope some of this info will help with your training for marathon. If you have any questions or need more help, just say it ;)

BR, Gregor

BR, Gregor

First I want to saw awesome post, my mind is blown. I also made a mistake in my initial post. The marathon isn't until September, they just now updated their website. So that gives me a few more months of training. As far as goals go I just have two goals 1) finish it 2) do not stop or walk. My current cardio stays isn't where I want it to be or close to where I want it to be. Right now I'm running 5 miles once or twice a week at about a 9 minute mile. Right now since this is my first full marathon I'm not too worried about chasing time

In one of your paragraphs you mentioned train 4 times per week and one long distance run on the weekend. Just to be clear what do you recommend for the 4 times per week and for the one long distance run?

Thanks,

Brett

Hi,

I'm glad you got material to think about ;)
Anyway, can you give the date of event, so I can make basic frame for trainings? Are your data in profile correct? 1.9m and 95kg? I'm from Europe and not so used to imperial units, but I try at my best :)

Despite it seems you're a big guy, your tempo is still fine. On marathon that means time under 4 hours ;)
Your goals for the first full are just fine. Before serious running please get one good pair of running shoes with enough of suspension for your size. Carrying muscles or fat, you are belong into group of heavy runners. And if you live in city and mostly run on asphalt and concrete, you'll need good shoes. Be aware also on supination or pronation, if you have it; you're going to do high mileage and it's even more important. Don't wear your running shoes for run more than 800-1.000km. Sorry, 500-600 miles ;)
Regarding the food: you will need mostly carbs in your diet, not so much proteins; just enough to repair your muscles. Before you will train your aerobic energy system enough it will take some time and in that time you will work mostly on glycogen (form of carbs stored in livers and muscles). With "upgrading" your fitnes level, your aerobic energy system will change faster from glycogen to fats for fuel.
Another issue I want to warn you, is to find energy gels and drinks which you will digest without problems. There are many people who experiment on race day and then have many problems with diarrhea. You don't wanna ruin your marathon because of that. So find who is official provider on event for energy gels and drinks and if you find this not suit to your stomach, go in action and find what serves for you. Experiment on trainings, not on the race. And anyway, you will need that stuff also on trainings ;)

I would suggest you 4 running trainings per week: 3 short-mid length and 1 long distance.
Beside this you can still workout in gym, some circuit workouts, spartacus and similar stuff. Those types of workouts are great supplements for endurance sports.

Give me a day or two to make frame for program and I'll put it here. If you have any questions, just shoot ;)

BR, Gregor

BR Gregor,

Yes the information on my profile is correct 1.9m and 97kg. The official date of the marathon is 20 September 2014. I went out on Friday and got a good pair of running shoes. Right now I'll be running on the treadmill until it gets warmer outside. Right now it's between -12°C & -2°C. Once it gets to be about 4°C I'll start running outside.

So as far as continuing working out would you suggest do more of circuit trying and spartan us instead of heavy lifting? It's all good man I lived in Europe for a year and a half So I was the one that was having the hard times with the conversions. Thanks.

Brett

Hi Brett,

that's cool you got few additional months for training ;)

Yes, beside running and training for full marathon I would suggest circuit training, insanity, spartans and everything similar to that. It works your whole body, push you in aerobic zone, burn fats, give you enough strenght, shape your body and what is important for you as a runner, it also builds your lactid acid tolerance. Later on, you can incorporate some strength training and training for muscular endurance, eg squats 2x 50 reps with 50-60% max load.

I would not recommend combining endurance training and heavy lifting to anybody, who is not experienced endurance athlete or experienced lifter. These are two very different activities and non-experienced person should not overload and confuse his/her body.

Anyway, down here is a suggestion for you mileage. It's converted from km to miles; don't be too rigid, mile up or down won't kill you. There's a weather, school/job, lack off time, so be flexible. There are 27 weeks, starting with 24.2.-2.3 and finished with 25.8-31.8. Before first week be able to run 3 times per week for 6.5 miles. For last trainings in Spetember, there is almost half year :)

week ##: long-distance run (weekend) / weekly distance which you should cover

week 01: 7.5 miles / 24.9 miles

week 02: 8.7 / 28

week 03: 10 / 31

week 04: 6.2 / 18.6

week 05: 8.7 / 24.9

week 06: 10 / 28

week 07: 11.2 / 31

week 08: 6.2 / 21.8

week 09: 10 / 28

week 10: 11.2 / 31

week 11: 12.4 / 34.2

week 12: 9.3 / 21.8

week 13: 11.2 / 28

week 14: 13 / 34.2

week 15: 15.5 / 37.3

week 16: 9.3 / 24.9

week 17: 12.4 / 31

week 18: 15.5 / 37.3

week 19: 15.5 / 40.4

week 20: 12.4 / 28

week 21: 15.5 / 34.2

week 22: 18.6 / 40.4

week 23: 21.8 / 43.5

week 24: 12.4 / 28

week 25: 18.6 / 34.2

week 26: 24.9 / 37.3

week 27: 18.6 / 37.3

So, the long run is for weekend, remaining mileage divide in 3 (or later in 4 if you want) trainings. Make sure that non of those three runs won't be longer than 2/3 of long run. These 3 runs are as you feel, if you are angry, push it, if you are lazy, just cruise. One run can be fartlek each week. If you have any park or similar, you can make some running drill exercises.

Run quietly. If you boom boom every step, improve your technique. Sound is indicator of running technique quality.

Run in every weather. Race is in every conditions.

That would be for now, if anything is unclear, just ask ;)

BR, Gregor

BR Gregor,

Thank you so much for your help. It's is greatly appreciated. Your help has been huge and will be huge in my training. I started your training regiment today. It will be a long journey but thanks to your help it'll be easier and I'll have goals to hit each week. I'll keep you posted on my training journey.

Thank you so much.

Brett

Wow, such amaing information man.. I am going to message you about writing an article about this. I would love to post it.

Good luck Brett... no turning back now! You have all the info you need to kill it!

Ahof89, good luck on your journey! ;) Maybe you could start new tread on forum with your story, eg my path to full marathon(?), where would you have some kind of diary. I guess we would like to read it :)

If you'll have any doubts just ask, you can also PM me ;)

Scott, thanks :) We're online..