Marathon Training Thread

[Pheidippides]

You know, it occurs to me, what with all of us that run marathons, that it might be fun to all run the same marathon at some point in the future. I know our times are all different (and some of us like me don't even know what our times will be), and we'd obviously have to arrange way in advance, but I'd be game for something like that. Seems like a lot of people run the St. George, for example.

[Teenage Dirtbag]

You know, it occurs to me, what with all of us that run marathons, that it might be fun to all run the same marathon at some point in the future. I know our times are all different (and some of us like me don't even know what our times will be), and we'd obviously have to arrange way in advance, but I'd be game for something like that. Seems like a lot of people run the St. George, for example.

Ha...dude, I kid you not, I was just thinking this same thing today. But I was thinking of a marathon that also had a half-marathon and maybe a 5k, so that even more people could participate. It would most definitely have to be a spring or fall event, seeing as how pretty much every one of us is bitching about the heat.

A race like St. George would be hard, since entry is by lottery.

Truthfully, I think a small race would be more fun than a large one. Logistically, though, the smaller races tend to be in more out-of-the-way areas, so it may make it harder to do.

[ERCougar]

Ha...dude, I kid you not, I was just thinking this same thing today. But I was thinking of a marathon that also had a half-marathon and maybe a 5k, so that even more people could participate. It would most definitely have to be a spring or fall event, seeing as how pretty much every one of us is bitching about the heat.

A race like St. George would be hard, since entry is by lottery.

Truthfully, I think a small race would be more fun than a large one. Logistically, though, the smaller races tend to be in more out-of-the-way areas, so it may make it harder to do.

I'm doing the Las Vegas half in the beginning of December. No lottery and it's going Rock N Roll this year. There's a marathon and a half, but no 5K.

[Teenage Dirtbag]

I'm doing the Las Vegas half in the beginning of December. No lottery and it's going Rock N Roll this year. There's a marathon and a half, but no 5K.

I did the Vegas full the first and second years that it was run down the strip. The first year was a blast (2005), the second was the worst race I've ever, ever been a part of (I'll give the details if anyone cares). I swore after that that I would never run it again. I think now that Elite Racing owns it it is going to take off, so I may have to reconsider my position. This year, though, it would be a tall order convincing my wife to tag along to another marathon a month after NYC, so I don't think I could do it.

[Pheidippides]

But I was thinking of a marathon that also had a half-marathon and maybe a 5k, so that even more people could participate.

Truthfully, I think a small race would be more fun than a large one. Logistically, though, the smaller races tend to be in more out-of-the-way areas, so it may make it harder to do.

Agreed on both points. I didn't know St. George was by lottery, so we may want to rethink that.

Not to beat the hometown drum, but Houston is cool (January, which is like April in Utah) and has a full, half and 5k, and it's open. However, it's a long way away from most people (except me) and the spots fill in quickly (for the marathon and half, registration opened Friday, and all spots were taken by Sunday).

And I'm not saying that it would be great for everybody, but I do want to run the Walt Disney World marathon a year after I do Houston.

All of this assumes I survive my first marathon and don't embarrass myself.

[TripletDaddy]

There is a 5K that is coordinated to coincide with a BYU home football game every year. Why not do it then? Good excuse for folks to double their pleasure....get in a run, meet some Cuffers, and watch BYU football at Cougar Stadium.

[ERCougar]

There is a 5K that is coordinated to coincide with a BYU home football game every year. Why not do it then? Good excuse for folks to double their pleasure....get in a run, meet some Cuffers, and watch BYU football at Cougar Stadium.

I'm up for that. Sounds fun.

[Pheidippides]

A question for y'all - do you carb load before races, and, if so, how do you go about doing it? The neanderthal method of just eating a ton of spaghetti the day before, like I did in HS, seems to be outdated, and I'm reading about going down to 50% carbs the first part of the week, then taking the last three days before the race and amping up to 70%. Easily doable, but does it work? Anybody have techniques?

I drove the marathon route at lunch today so it is on my mind.

[Teenage Dirtbag]

A question for y'all - do you carb load before races, and, if so, how do you go about doing it?

I try to. There are a whole bunch of different opinions on carb loading. The week before the race I just try to eat as many complex carbs as I can and hope for the best. Interestingly, the day before I ran my marathon PR in Vegas back in '05, I pigged out at the Bellagio buffet the night before. I ate anything that I felt like eating, and it was the only marathon I've run in which I wasn't starving to death near the end. So I think there's something to be said for eating carbs, fat and protein just before the race. Just my personal experience.

Speaking of nutrition, I am and have been for several years a complete disaster. It's not that I eat too much or eat the wrong foods, it's that I don't eat enough. I went to a nutritionist a few months back, and she was horrified to learn how much I run and how few calories I eat. I just have such a hard time eating enough being so busy all day.

Anyway, I was looking at some nutritional plans that Jenna Bell-Wilson has written on trainingpeaks.com, which basically tell you what to eat and when. I saw she has a new book out called "Energy to Burn", so I swung by the library and checked it out today. I'm going to read it this week while I'm sitting at my son's football tryouts, and try to start eating better.

[Sea Chicken]

Speaking of nutrition, I am and have been for several years a complete disaster. It's not that I eat too much or eat the wrong foods, it's that I don't eat enough. I went to a nutritionist a few months back, and she was horrified to learn how much I run and how few calories I eat. I just have such a hard time eating enough being so busy all day.

I knew I hated you for some reason. I eat too much and I eat the wrong foods.

[Teenage Dirtbag]

I knew I hated you for some reason.

You don't mean that, I know you don't mean that.

So I just calculated my caloric needs based on the formula in this book, and it's 3150 a day. I'm guessing on average, I'm in the 1500-1800 range. Holy shee-it. Like I said, I'm a disaster.

[BigPiney]

You don't mean that, I know you don't mean that.

So I just calculated my caloric needs based on the formula in this book, and it's 3150 a day. I'm guessing on average, I'm in the 1500-1800 range. Holy shee-it. Like I said, I'm a disaster.

or anorexic.

[Pheidippides]

Speaking of nutrition, I am and have been for several years a complete disaster. It's not that I eat too much or eat the wrong foods, it's that I don't eat enough. I went to a nutritionist a few months back, and she was horrified to learn how much I run and how few calories I eat.

This is my precise problem now. I can't eat enough with what I am eating - it's harder than I thought, once junk food has dropped out.

[Teenage Dirtbag]

or anorexic.

No kidding, holy cow. I had no idea I was that far off. That is a ton of calories, though. I'd pretty much be eating all day long.

[ewth8tr]

That's the other problem. They upped the entry fee to $35 last year and again this year. Their swag is non existent, the shirt is crap, and now the run support and after party are crap. I can't figure out what I am paying for, except the school bus ride to the start, which is no pleasure cruise.

I just got an email from them, this year it looks like they are actually having a mat at the starting line as well, amazing concept