Was my mantra this past Sunday at Houston and though it's hard to know if I was too conservative the first half, thinking back to all the paces I hit in training helped me dial it up the second hand for sure. I just kept saying to myself, "You've been here before."
Completely agree. Did my first marathon in May and was much harder than I thought it would be. Definitely not just 2 half marathons back to back. I would have quit at mile 16 but I knew my wife and kids were waiting for me at mile 24. That kept me going and so glad I did. Recovering after my 2nd marathon 2 weeks ago and it was so much better. Thanks for all your videos. Great info.
You're right, Darren...soooo not just 2 half marathons. Family there makes such a big difference - that's awesome they got to be there to support and cheer you on! And glad you had a great experience for marathon #2!
I did my first marathon in October. A friend said that if I was going to do a marathon, to go big so I applied and was selected for Chicago! Awesome decision! I did so much wrong but finished. I did a half Ironman early in September, so figured this would be easy. It was harder. Turns out I was not as well trained as I thought I was so hit the wall around mile 18. In reality though, I think my mind convinced me I needed a break more than my legs actually needed a break at that point in time. Just a super long run, so I need to concentrate on the mental aspect in the future. I did the run walk the last part but finished running more than walking. When I crossed the finish line, I was exhausted and could barely walk but immediately started planning for the next time. It’s not the actual marathon that changes people, it’s the prep work and commitment that changes people. Good advice all around.
Mind definitely gives up before the body does because it's your mind's job to protect you from harm. That's where that self-talk, digging deep into your "why" and those mantras comes in to overcome that. The marathon is a beast for sure. Could not agree with you more - it's the process that changes you and realizing what you're truly capable of.
Thank you Jane! Wise words to consider. I ran my first marathon in October and there’s truly no way to understand it until you’ve done it. I did not reach but my time goal (not even close) but I believe it’s so important to have other positive outcomes you can feel good about. I ran the whole thing, I never hit the wall, I saw a beautiful city and had so much fun with the crowds, and I made it to the finish line feeling love and support from my boyfriend. That is more than worth it and I can’t wait to do it again.
I do a run/walk strategy about 15 seconds slower than goal MP during the first 13.1 miles. That strategy really allows me to take in nutrition well. Then run at goal marathon pace 14-20 miles. Then run at half marathon pace the final 10k. I run a tune up half marathon race about 2 months before the marathon. I run the half marathon around my goal marathon pace usually to see if I hold the pace and especially as a simulation of the last half of the race.
if one quits in a race, often you feel so bad afterwards and say those words in your head that you could have finished, it is always best to finish the race, no matter what happens, unless it a life threatening situation, again one is allowed to walk to the finish line, its no big deal
Yes, in most cases you can will yourself to the finish line! The marathon is crazy though and like you said, there are those rare instances where you get so sick it's not safe to continue on. I know there was a lot of that in NYC with the heat and humidity. Gotta take care of yourself first and foremost and luckily there will be other opportunities.
Couldn’t agree more! I’m 32 and just ran my first marathon last Sunday. I had two buddies with me and we stuck together at 9:30 pace the first 18 miles to ensure we stuck to our training, I was feeling great at mile 18 and decided to split off and pick up the pace. My legs were fatigued and beyond pumped but I never walked and finished at 4:18:28. My goal was sun 4:30 but I wanted to make sure if that didn’t happen I had a great experience regardless. The highlights of the run was the camaraderie with other runners, the energy, and watching the last 18 weeks of training come together gloriously. I’m so excited to run another marathon. Hardest part of training and lost marathon has been trying to take it easy and not get back out too soon too hard.
Congrats on your first marathon!! I have so many runners with these huge time goals for marathon number one, which I understand, but ultimately I feel the runner has won if they have a great experience and want to do it again.
Awesome video Jane! I compared the marathon to child birth in my brain too. Especially since I opted for drug free and people questioned me and acted like I was crazy. Same with the marathon - I got a genuine confused “why would you want to do to this” from my mom and mother in law. I honestly couldn’t explain it but I did have fun at my first marathon and with running in general. Also, I had a lot of fear at the idea of giving birth and fear of running a marathon. And was super proud to get through both. I am glad you were able to push through the difficult time of your first experience. Selfishly, because I got to learn from you and had your amazing training plan.
Yes, I've paralleled the two many times before haha. Especially the "I'm never doing that again" and then you forget how painful it was lol. I'm SO happy you had an amazing experience for your first marathon and excited to have you on the team for your upcoming half!
Great advice, Jane!! I’m still trying to wrap my head around 26.2 and trying to decide how I’m going to approach my marathon. I think it will come more into focus throughout our training cycle. I LOVE the half distance! It’s challenging but so doable. I liked your advice about not being so tied to a time goal. My two PR’s in the half and 5k have come unexpectedly as I just went out with the mind set of “let’s see what happens today.” I think Sal at his NYC Marathon did it PERFECTLY and just had an amazing experience despite the conditions. I am sure all of your coaching helped him relax into that! Looking forward to “seeing what happens” at my first 26! 😊 Thanks, Jane!
I'm not sure anyone truly "wraps their head around it" until they are in it. BUT! You can be very prepared and you have such a great plan to be as ready as possible when race day rolls around. Leaving plenty of time to train is a big part of it...so many try to squeeze training into a short period of time and that makes it stressful IMO. I'm SO EXCITED to coach you for your first marathon!
I finally went full carnivore 5 months before my October marathon. It was awesome, I qualified for Boston after 7 attempts just eating carbohydrates. This time I did not eat a carb for 5 months until after 1 hour of running, then I had 40 grams of carbs per hour, total of 120 grams of carbs. Then zero carb carbs thereafter. Recovery is so much better. It’s the only way to live. I ran my PB the first half and a faster PB in the 2nd half of my marathon. Never hit the wall on carnivore eating like I did eating carbs
Great stuff! My first marathon was a disaster, so I can absolutely relate. I pretty much did everything wrong. Too ambitious of a time goal, inadequate hydration and fueling, insufficient training, etc. While it was not a miserable experience, I learned so much from it. My second marathon was a lot better as a result. Now I'm training for my third. Some runs are more enjoyable than others, but I can honestly say that I'm enjoying training. Even looking forward to the long runs. Hopefully I'll have some good news to report back after the race!
This is excellent, Al! Yeah, you're not going to love every minute and motivation wanes at times, but if you are enjoying the process and improving that's what matters! When is your 3rd marathon?
Jane! i used your beginner plan mostly for my first marathon this past weekend at NYC. Originally i had a 4:30 goal, as training went on, i thought i could lower my goal to 4:00 even. after my 2nd to last long run, my ankle became too sore to continue on and i decided it would be best to really cut down my miles until the race about 4 weeks out. i was able to finish at 4:11 in the record high heat. it was such an amazing experience. Thank you for your advice and videos that guided me along the way! going to let my ankle fully heal before ramping up miles again.
Congrats, Steven!! 4:11 when your original goal was 4:30 and on a crap-weather with that heat is fantastic! So much for to come for you for sure. I'm so glad the beginner plan worked well for you and thanks for letting me know!
Wow, those are really good points. Thanks so much for that! Currently, 31 years old, I started running 7 months ago and ran my first half marathon 2 months ago where I finished at 02:15:00. I feel like my training wasn't enough as I only ran around 15-20 miles on average per week and I rarely did any speed training. I'm trying to break the 2-hour mark in 6 months so I've taken up my weekly mileage to around 30-35 miles and started doing speed training too. And, most importantly, I have signed up for a full marathon taking place 3 months after the half marathon, so I think the half marathon training is a subset of my larger marathon training. So glad I discovered running in my early 30s.
That's awesome! I bet you'll see a big bump up doing 30-35 miles per week - especially if you're running the majority of that mileage at an easy pace. Best of luck to you!
I'm really gonna have to take number 9 to heart. I've run a half, but never a full, and I remember how absolutely dead I felt after the half. But I have it in my head I wanna run my first full in under 4 hours. I really, really, need to focus on just finishing strong cause I have no idea the difficulties in store for me.
You can run a strong full marathon, no doubt! I would just recommend not getting too caught up in a time goal and focus on having a great experience for your first one! And if you go sub-4, awesome...otherwise there will be a next time!
Hey Jane, great channel; I've "added" your videos to my pre-long run "Sunday-Runday" routine for inspiration! Number 9 is so absolutely true; I ran my first half this past fall at age 48, and even though the weather was awful, and I felt terrible at the end after getting "finish line fever" over the last mile, two things occurred to me at the finish line: One, that I would absolutely do more 13.1's (I've done two more since then), and two, that I would never even try a full marathon. Well, lately my personal running guru/friend keeps bugging me about the full coming up in the fall, posting subtle hints after every little accolade that comes up on Strava after short/mid-distance runs...and I'm finding myself starting to consider just what that might be like. I guess this is what's known as "The Running Bug", and it is a scurrilous little creature indeed! Thanks for the content, and as I near a decision, I'll keep coming back for more of your great advice and insight!
Hi there - that's really cool you've added it to your routine and great to hear you're getting value from the channel! The marathon will change you...you'll know what I mean when you conquer the training required, grit through those last 6 miles and cross the finish line. There's truly nothing like it!
Yes, having a good reason WHY,. When I was 55, I had that reason and plan, what a great way to celebrate the double nickel. That was 2000 and the year they cancelled all the marathons. Thank you Jane for all your coaching tips, and the experiences you have, and then putting them into video's for the rest of us to gain insight. Have an Awesomeness weekend.
Ugh what a bummer, Ken! So much more to running than just marathons, as I know you know...but if it's really important to you, I hope you get the opportunity again!
Thanks for your honest and thoughtful words. I currently tapering for my first marathon and I am planning to embrace your « enjoy the experience » advice. 🚀
Thanks for sharing! Very informative. Will relisten to this video several times. Ran 6 Half Marathons in 2022. Started training for a full in 2023. I already paid and committed for a full Marathon towards the end of 2023. You provided some valuable insights in this video as I train for this marathon. I want to be prepared. Your point to what is my 'why' is thought provoking. Anyways, I have a Half at the start of the 2023 year but not sure of running anymore races. I feel I should just focus on training for this marathon.
Hi - thanks so much for the tip, I really appreciate it! That's so exciting you're training for your first marathon and I agree to not get too caught up in lots of racing so you have the right amount of time to dedicate to training without having to keep taking time to taper and recover for races. You'll definitely find that having your "why" nailed down will help you keep consistent when the training gets tough. Best of luck to you and thanks for watching!
My first marathon I didn't train at all, since in my naive brain back then I thought, "Well, I wing half marathons so I'll be fine." So wrong and boy I was not fine. I had an asthma attack a week before the race, which I still had lingering effects from at the starting line. I ran in brand new shoes, so by mile 18 I had bloody blistered feet, and most of my toenails were being pushed up by blisters in the nail beds.( I lost eight of my toenails in the following weeks after the race.) I did finish but it took close to seven hours and I was crying and delirious. For two weeks after, I couldn't even sit on a toilet without having to use some kind of leverage. It's been three years, and in eleven weeks, I'll be running my second marathon. Needless to say, I learned my lesson and am now training properly 😅
@runningwithjane it was lol. I'm running the Cowtown Marathon in Fort Worth Texas in eight weeks. It's the same marathon I didn't train for properly the first time around but I got it this time. I hope so anyway lol.
I have this idea of doing a merathon for a while now because i feel it will help my mindset to show myself i can do something beyond what i ever hve done, at first now when i told my parent i want to do it they said i would never be able they have years of training and i aswell made me push myself to do a 22km marathon so thid is why i want to do it
Cant find an emoji for double or triple likes😜 Great recording loaded with lots of valid lessons! Hope all this will come handy on my marathon a week from now! Many Thanks Jane!
I did my first marathon at 56 and even though I had some minor knee pain I just kept putting one foot in front of the other and finished. That said on that finish I had a high like when I did my first sky diving jump. My second was less dramatic but I did not have to deal with knee pain and was slightly faster. Now I am in taper for my 3rd on June 4th and despite all my doubts I am looking forward. For me positve self talk or mantras do not work - I know what I have to do and I just keep going until the finish.
@@runningwithjane Better than expected but not as good as I hoped for. At mile 21 I joined up with another runner and from there on it was way easier to finish the marathon which showed me that I could have pushed more and probably also pushed more during training. Currently I am training for a 10k which oddly enough is way harder than the marathon training and rest becomes way more of an issue. So clearly I need to have a goal pace in my training / marathon as a guide and check. For my next I shoot for a 4:30 time, about 20min faster.
Pretty sound advice. Agree with many of the points here. Including having a strong WHY!!! Yes I totally hate those who would even consider suggesting no training for a marathon. It's easily one of the dumbest things people can possibly EVER do!!!!!!!! I would never recommend no training for something even like a 10K, let alone 42K!!!!!!!! Your content in general is normally good but what I liked about this video in particular is that you didn't shy away from being so called "negative!" I find that there's a lot of stupid emphasis out there on being positive even just for the bloody sake of it!!! But what you are doing is being REAL!!! Not sugar coating everything and just saying that, "it's all going to be just fine" and all that fantasyland type of stuff. You are basically telling aspiring marathoners that they can still have positive experiences but it's going to be an ultra tough road to get there!!!! Now that's what a good coach would do!
I try to keep it pretty real. I'll say it's easier when talking to a group vs. 1:1...when coaching individuals I definitely try to strike a balance between being realistic, but also allowing someone to see what's possible. There is a fine line between overdoing it and taking a risk with a big payoff. What I like to get across to people is that this isn't their one shot...that if they do it "right" they'll love it so much they WANT to try again. Appreciate the feedback and dialogue!
Agreed about racing the half first. When I ran my first marathon way back when, I'd never raced farther than 10K or run more than 15 miles. I mainly did it because a) I was 18 and b) I knew I was going to leave the state for college, so I wanted to have one last big race on WV before leaving and it was a few days after graduation, so it was sort of my last high school hurrah. For now, I'm focused on shorter distances (I want to break a 70% age-graded performance in the mile before I turn 50), but when my days of running fast are over, I'm definitely going to do the intermediate distances and run my first 10-mile and half marathon.
I was actually just looking at one of those age-grade calculators the other day. Never have before, but that's a great way to keep high goals for yourself even when aging starts getting in the way of our ability to get faster. Have fun training for your FAST mile!
@@runningwithjane Thank you. Divorce was not kind to my waistline, but I'm starting to get back in shape, so hopefully I don't have to go too slow anymore just run more than a mile or two.
Jane, love your content, big fan. I'm going for my first marathon at 43yo. Did a 27km trail run and hit the wall hard at 21km. I realise now that I didn't take any electrolites and fuel, went fasted. I believe that my training was decent. I just wonder if you have a video that explains timing of fueling/electrolites/hydration on race specific where you don't want to be losing to much time on aid stations. I see you use a fitly bottle, but that only stores so much. I kinda avoid the breakfast and hydration due to side stitch but I saw your video on this and will apply to see if this tipa work for me (I thank you for that video). Cheers!
Hi Leonel, thanks for the kind words! You definitely need to fuel to avoid the wall. Fasted can work fine for easy paced running for many people for many miles, but racing and reaching your potential is different. I talk about fueling in this video: ua-cam.com/video/vDNljSeWxPo/v-deo.html You can also hear what I did for fueling/hydration for CIM in this video which is my marathon PR: ua-cam.com/video/HF6zfv-4UNQ/v-deo.html In my next race, I will likely take 1 more gel than this and more sodium, too.
Since I have been and am doing 5k and 10k, I am planning a HM as the next progression (listening to that advice already). Sadly, there seems to be far fewer specific advice/info for the half-marathon than the marathon. I am listening to the marathon advice, but always thinking about it in the context of moving up to a half.
You make a good point, Ralph. I've started a series on my blog that's half-marathon specific if that's something you're interested in...hoping to add more in the future - let me know if there's something specific you're looking for and hope to have a half-marathon series here as well. I have so many ideas in my brain and not enough time agh! readysetmarathon.com/category/half-marathon-training/
I ran my first marathon in April with minimal training. I was just winging it and just wanted to see if I could finish it--which I did. But I hit the wall at mile 18 as well. It was a physically painful finish but I loved it. Doing my second in 3 weeks after formally training since April. It's going to be a lot better, I'm sure.
Congrats on finishing your first marathon! Glad you still wanted to go back for more even after a grueling last 8 miles. Your next one is going to be awesome! Which one are you running? Best of luck!
Running my first marathon after a couch to marathon training plan of 70 miles a week 😂. Will run somewhat easy and enjoy. Anything around 4:00 will be a win even if my 5k time of 21 suggests a 3:35 ish
Hi! Good question. I definitely recommend some extra rest days and easing back in...honestly this depends on how high your mileage got before the half and your past experience. If you're feeling great and can safely build your mileage to around 40 mpw, it's certainly a possibility!
Hi can you talk about how to balance being a parent and finding time to train for a marathon? I’m a new parent, that balance between taking care of baby and personal time is pretty difficult. Any tips?
Hey there! Totally get that balance can be really hard. And you certainly don't have to do it right now if it feels overwhelming. But I think a big part is learning to love the process and knowing that running time if FOR YOU and making you a better parent. Having a supportive partner definitely makes a big difference. I also have a treadmill so when my kids were small it was a lot of nap time runs or having them play around me (littlest in the playpen) while I ran. Getting up early can also be a good way to just get it done, but I know the little ones can be so unpredictable with wake-up time. No matter what, don't feel guilt! Don't feel guilt for taking me time, and also don't feel guilty if it just feels like too much right now.
Highly recommend transitioning to 5 days/week in marathon training after the initial weeks if you can. But it's important that you make the transition gradually and that your body is ready for it - when you add in another day it starts with maybe only 25-30 min. of running on that day. And then you build. Can people train on 4 days? For sure. Also depends on what your goals are.
Hey Jane, can you provide some info on recovering from runners knee? I ran my first half marathon in April 2022 and seem to be having issues with runners knee ever since. I have been to PT and had an MRI. everything seems to be fine but I continue to chase a little bit of pain.
Hey Alleissa! Sorry to hear you're experiencing that. Runner's knee is quite common, and actually stems from weak hips and glutes most of the time. Did your PT give you specific exercises to do? I recommend being really diligent with those...it takes time but with consistency and backing off the running a bit while strengthening you should be able to eliminate it. A few resistance band exercises I recommend included: clamshells, glute bridges, side-lying leg raises...and then squats and single-leg deadlifts with or without weights are also great.
Ok! Yes, I do have the bridges and clams to do. I’ll look into the other ones. Thank you so much! I have a short 10k on thanksgiving morning and hoping for a decent outcome. Fingers crossed it turns out well.
Hi Parker!! If you do the training as prescribed then yes. Many people use his plan and have success. You can also download my beginner plan if you're interested in checking that one out as an option: readysetmarathon.com/free-running-training-plans/
Here's my first marathon at 55, I had only been running 3 years and my only race experience was a virtual half. During my Summer preparations, my blood pressure went way up so I believe it way due to lack to sodium so I will need to pay special attention to my diet/fueling and alcohol consumption. So, I went into my race on a low sodium diet as suggested by a doctor but it just made everything so much worse 🤣 I was pretty much dead after the first half and was overwhelmed with cramping for the first time for the next half. Due to the high blood pressure, my training maxed out at only 24km so the whole experience was "horrible" as I stated at the finish line. My ankle was sore too.... So basically, I am starting over right now and exploring low heart rate, easy paced running with the intention of building an aerobic engine. Thanks for another great video.ua-cam.com/video/88cnRMnPbVQ/v-deo.html
You're so welcome, Chris! I'm sorry to hear about your struggles with the marathon, but you did it!! Glad the tough experience didn't turn you away from trying again. LHR/easy running is the way! As far as the sodium, obviously you never want to go against doc's orders...it's also really tough being a distance runner as the typical recommendations aren't for people running tons of miles each week. I can see why you had a really tough time training in the summer months on low sodium! Best of luck in your training as it continues.
i think i just want to enjoy the marathon, no matter about any "time". Maybe it would be nice if someone is still there and celebrates with me me when i cross the finish line :'D But anything else... who cares? ;)
Interested in 1:1 Coaching, a Training Plan or coaching consultation? Learn more here: readysetmarathon.com/run-coaching-services/
"Trust the training" is what I learned after my 1st marathon. After 19 marathons & 3 ultras later, I still use "trust the training" as my mantra.
Was my mantra this past Sunday at Houston and though it's hard to know if I was too conservative the first half, thinking back to all the paces I hit in training helped me dial it up the second hand for sure. I just kept saying to myself, "You've been here before."
Half
Completely agree. Did my first marathon in May and was much harder than I thought it would be. Definitely not just 2 half marathons back to back. I would have quit at mile 16 but I knew my wife and kids were waiting for me at mile 24. That kept me going and so glad I did. Recovering after my 2nd marathon 2 weeks ago and it was so much better. Thanks for all your videos. Great info.
You're right, Darren...soooo not just 2 half marathons. Family there makes such a big difference - that's awesome they got to be there to support and cheer you on! And glad you had a great experience for marathon #2!
1st Marathon April 30th. I will have just turned 54. Thank you for the training advice. Really informative videos.
You're so welcome, Jon! Best of luck to you on marathon number one! Which one are you running?
How did it go? 52 and doing my first marathon in 5 weeks
I did my first marathon in October. A friend said that if I was going to do a marathon, to go big so I applied and was selected for Chicago! Awesome decision! I did so much wrong but finished. I did a half Ironman early in September, so figured this would be easy. It was harder. Turns out I was not as well trained as I thought I was so hit the wall around mile 18. In reality though, I think my mind convinced me I needed a break more than my legs actually needed a break at that point in time. Just a super long run, so I need to concentrate on the mental aspect in the future. I did the run walk the last part but finished running more than walking. When I crossed the finish line, I was exhausted and could barely walk but immediately started planning for the next time. It’s not the actual marathon that changes people, it’s the prep work and commitment that changes people. Good advice all around.
Mind definitely gives up before the body does because it's your mind's job to protect you from harm. That's where that self-talk, digging deep into your "why" and those mantras comes in to overcome that. The marathon is a beast for sure. Could not agree with you more - it's the process that changes you and realizing what you're truly capable of.
Thank you Jane! Wise words to consider. I ran my first marathon in October and there’s truly no way to understand it until you’ve done it. I did not reach but my time goal (not even close) but I believe it’s so important to have other positive outcomes you can feel good about. I ran the whole thing, I never hit the wall, I saw a beautiful city and had so much fun with the crowds, and I made it to the finish line feeling love and support from my boyfriend. That is more than worth it and I can’t wait to do it again.
Yes! I love everything about what you just said. Never hitting a wall is HUGE. Congrats on becoming a marathoner!
I do a run/walk strategy about 15 seconds slower than goal MP during the first 13.1 miles. That strategy really allows me to take in nutrition well. Then run at goal marathon pace 14-20 miles. Then run at half marathon pace the final 10k.
I run a tune up half marathon race about 2 months before the marathon. I run the half marathon around my goal marathon pace usually to see if I hold the pace and especially as a simulation of the last half of the race.
if one quits in a race, often you feel so bad afterwards and say those words in your head that you could have finished, it is always best to finish the race, no matter what happens, unless it a life threatening situation, again one is allowed to walk to the finish line, its no big deal
Yes, in most cases you can will yourself to the finish line! The marathon is crazy though and like you said, there are those rare instances where you get so sick it's not safe to continue on. I know there was a lot of that in NYC with the heat and humidity. Gotta take care of yourself first and foremost and luckily there will be other opportunities.
Couldn’t agree more! I’m 32 and just ran my first marathon last Sunday.
I had two buddies with me and we stuck together at 9:30 pace the first 18 miles to ensure we stuck to our training, I was feeling great at mile 18 and decided to split off and pick up the pace. My legs were fatigued and beyond pumped but I never walked and finished at 4:18:28. My goal was sun 4:30 but I wanted to make sure if that didn’t happen I had a great experience regardless. The highlights of the run was the camaraderie with other runners, the energy, and watching the last 18 weeks of training come together gloriously. I’m so excited to run another marathon. Hardest part of training and lost marathon has been trying to take it easy and not get back out too soon too hard.
Congrats on your first marathon!! I have so many runners with these huge time goals for marathon number one, which I understand, but ultimately I feel the runner has won if they have a great experience and want to do it again.
Awesome video Jane!
I compared the marathon to child birth in my brain too. Especially since I opted for drug free and people questioned me and acted like I was crazy. Same with the marathon - I got a genuine confused “why would you want to do to this” from my mom and mother in law. I honestly couldn’t explain it but I did have fun at my first marathon and with running in general.
Also, I had a lot of fear at the idea of giving birth and fear of running a marathon. And was super proud to get through both.
I am glad you were able to push through the difficult time of your first experience. Selfishly, because I got to learn from you and had your amazing training plan.
Yes, I've paralleled the two many times before haha. Especially the "I'm never doing that again" and then you forget how painful it was lol. I'm SO happy you had an amazing experience for your first marathon and excited to have you on the team for your upcoming half!
😂 Yes! The “im never going to do it again” too.
Great advice, Jane!! I’m still trying to wrap my head around 26.2 and trying to decide how I’m going to approach my marathon. I think it will come more into focus throughout our training cycle. I LOVE the half distance! It’s challenging but so doable. I liked your advice about not being so tied to a time goal. My two PR’s in the half and 5k have come unexpectedly as I just went out with the mind set of “let’s see what happens today.” I think Sal at his NYC Marathon did it PERFECTLY and just had an amazing experience despite the conditions. I am sure all of your coaching helped him relax into that! Looking forward to “seeing what happens” at my first 26! 😊 Thanks, Jane!
I'm not sure anyone truly "wraps their head around it" until they are in it. BUT! You can be very prepared and you have such a great plan to be as ready as possible when race day rolls around. Leaving plenty of time to train is a big part of it...so many try to squeeze training into a short period of time and that makes it stressful IMO. I'm SO EXCITED to coach you for your first marathon!
I finally went full carnivore 5 months before my October marathon. It was awesome, I qualified for Boston after 7 attempts just eating carbohydrates. This time I did not eat a carb for 5 months until after 1 hour of running, then I had 40 grams of carbs per hour, total of 120 grams of carbs. Then zero carb carbs thereafter. Recovery is so much better. It’s the only way to live. I ran my PB the first half and a faster PB in the 2nd half of my marathon. Never hit the wall on carnivore eating like I did eating carbs
Glad you found what works for you, Alan, and congrats on the BQ!
Great stuff! My first marathon was a disaster, so I can absolutely relate. I pretty much did everything wrong. Too ambitious of a time goal, inadequate hydration and fueling, insufficient training, etc. While it was not a miserable experience, I learned so much from it. My second marathon was a lot better as a result. Now I'm training for my third. Some runs are more enjoyable than others, but I can honestly say that I'm enjoying training. Even looking forward to the long runs. Hopefully I'll have some good news to report back after the race!
This is excellent, Al! Yeah, you're not going to love every minute and motivation wanes at times, but if you are enjoying the process and improving that's what matters! When is your 3rd marathon?
@@runningwithjane It's February 26 (Cowtown).
Jane! i used your beginner plan mostly for my first marathon this past weekend at NYC. Originally i had a 4:30 goal, as training went on, i thought i could lower my goal to 4:00 even. after my 2nd to last long run, my ankle became too sore to continue on and i decided it would be best to really cut down my miles until the race about 4 weeks out. i was able to finish at 4:11 in the record high heat. it was such an amazing experience. Thank you for your advice and videos that guided me along the way!
going to let my ankle fully heal before ramping up miles again.
Congrats, Steven!! 4:11 when your original goal was 4:30 and on a crap-weather with that heat is fantastic! So much for to come for you for sure. I'm so glad the beginner plan worked well for you and thanks for letting me know!
Wow, those are really good points. Thanks so much for that! Currently, 31 years old, I started running 7 months ago and ran my first half marathon 2 months ago where I finished at 02:15:00. I feel like my training wasn't enough as I only ran around 15-20 miles on average per week and I rarely did any speed training. I'm trying to break the 2-hour mark in 6 months so I've taken up my weekly mileage to around 30-35 miles and started doing speed training too. And, most importantly, I have signed up for a full marathon taking place 3 months after the half marathon, so I think the half marathon training is a subset of my larger marathon training. So glad I discovered running in my early 30s.
That's awesome! I bet you'll see a big bump up doing 30-35 miles per week - especially if you're running the majority of that mileage at an easy pace. Best of luck to you!
I'm really gonna have to take number 9 to heart. I've run a half, but never a full, and I remember how absolutely dead I felt after the half. But I have it in my head I wanna run my first full in under 4 hours. I really, really, need to focus on just finishing strong cause I have no idea the difficulties in store for me.
You can run a strong full marathon, no doubt! I would just recommend not getting too caught up in a time goal and focus on having a great experience for your first one! And if you go sub-4, awesome...otherwise there will be a next time!
Hey Jane, great channel; I've "added" your videos to my pre-long run "Sunday-Runday" routine for inspiration! Number 9 is so absolutely true; I ran my first half this past fall at age 48, and even though the weather was awful, and I felt terrible at the end after getting "finish line fever" over the last mile, two things occurred to me at the finish line: One, that I would absolutely do more 13.1's (I've done two more since then), and two, that I would never even try a full marathon. Well, lately my personal running guru/friend keeps bugging me about the full coming up in the fall, posting subtle hints after every little accolade that comes up on Strava after short/mid-distance runs...and I'm finding myself starting to consider just what that might be like. I guess this is what's known as "The Running Bug", and it is a scurrilous little creature indeed! Thanks for the content, and as I near a decision, I'll keep coming back for more of your great advice and insight!
Hi there - that's really cool you've added it to your routine and great to hear you're getting value from the channel! The marathon will change you...you'll know what I mean when you conquer the training required, grit through those last 6 miles and cross the finish line. There's truly nothing like it!
Yes, having a good reason WHY,. When I was 55, I had that reason and plan, what a great way to celebrate the double nickel. That was 2000 and the year they cancelled all the marathons. Thank you Jane for all your coaching tips, and the experiences you have, and then putting them into video's for the rest of us to gain insight. Have an Awesomeness weekend.
Ugh what a bummer, Ken! So much more to running than just marathons, as I know you know...but if it's really important to you, I hope you get the opportunity again!
@@runningwithjane oh well, I much healthier, even if I'm not training for a marathon at the moment, so it's all good.
Thanks for your honest and thoughtful words.
I currently tapering for my first marathon and I am planning to embrace your « enjoy the experience » advice. 🚀
Yes, Victor!! It makes such a big difference overall. I hope it goes awesome for you and best of luck!
Thanks for sharing! Very informative. Will relisten to this video several times. Ran 6 Half Marathons in 2022. Started training for a full in 2023. I already paid and committed for a full Marathon towards the end of 2023. You provided some valuable insights in this video as I train for this marathon. I want to be prepared. Your point to what is my 'why' is thought provoking. Anyways, I have a Half at the start of the 2023 year but not sure of running anymore races. I feel I should just focus on training for this marathon.
Hi - thanks so much for the tip, I really appreciate it! That's so exciting you're training for your first marathon and I agree to not get too caught up in lots of racing so you have the right amount of time to dedicate to training without having to keep taking time to taper and recover for races. You'll definitely find that having your "why" nailed down will help you keep consistent when the training gets tough. Best of luck to you and thanks for watching!
My first marathon I didn't train at all, since in my naive brain back then I thought, "Well, I wing half marathons so I'll be fine." So wrong and boy I was not fine. I had an asthma attack a week before the race, which I still had lingering effects from at the starting line. I ran in brand new shoes, so by mile 18 I had bloody blistered feet, and most of my toenails were being pushed up by blisters in the nail beds.( I lost eight of my toenails in the following weeks after the race.) I did finish but it took close to seven hours and I was crying and delirious. For two weeks after, I couldn't even sit on a toilet without having to use some kind of leverage. It's been three years, and in eleven weeks, I'll be running my second marathon. Needless to say, I learned my lesson and am now training properly 😅
Oh wow, sounds brutal! But you made it!! What marathon are you running? Wishing you best of luck!
@runningwithjane it was lol. I'm running the Cowtown Marathon in Fort Worth Texas in eight weeks. It's the same marathon I didn't train for properly the first time around but I got it this time. I hope so anyway lol.
Redemption! @@weezyrunner
Excellent videos Jane . Thanks a ton
Absolutely!!
I have this idea of doing a merathon for a while now because i feel it will help my mindset to show myself i can do something beyond what i ever hve done, at first now when i told my parent i want to do it they said i would never be able they have years of training and i aswell made me push myself to do a 22km marathon so thid is why i want to do it
You can 100% do it!!
Cant find an emoji for double or triple likes😜 Great recording loaded with lots of valid lessons! Hope all this will come handy on my marathon a week from now! Many Thanks Jane!
Awww you're so welcome!!
I did my first marathon at 56 and even though I had some minor knee pain I just kept putting one foot in front of the other and finished. That said on that finish I had a high like when I did my first sky diving jump. My second was less dramatic but I did not have to deal with knee pain and was slightly faster. Now I am in taper for my 3rd on June 4th and despite all my doubts I am looking forward.
For me positve self talk or mantras do not work - I know what I have to do and I just keep going until the finish.
Sometimes it's all about nose to the grindstone. Sorry I missed this comment before your marathon...how did it go??
@@runningwithjane Better than expected but not as good as I hoped for. At mile 21 I joined up with another runner and from there on it was way easier to finish the marathon which showed me that I could have pushed more and probably also pushed more during training. Currently I am training for a 10k which oddly enough is way harder than the marathon training and rest becomes way more of an issue. So clearly I need to have a goal pace in my training / marathon as a guide and check. For my next I shoot for a 4:30 time, about 20min faster.
Loooove this! Thanks Jane!
You're so welcome, Kat!
Pretty sound advice. Agree with many of the points here. Including having a strong WHY!!!
Yes I totally hate those who would even consider suggesting no training for a marathon. It's easily one of the dumbest things people can possibly EVER do!!!!!!!!
I would never recommend no training for something even like a 10K, let alone 42K!!!!!!!!
Your content in general is normally good but what I liked about this video in particular is that you didn't shy away from being so called "negative!" I find that there's a lot of stupid emphasis out there on being positive even just for the bloody sake of it!!! But what you are doing is being REAL!!! Not sugar coating everything and just saying that, "it's all going to be just fine" and all that fantasyland type of stuff.
You are basically telling aspiring marathoners that they can still have positive experiences but it's going to be an ultra tough road to get there!!!!
Now that's what a good coach would do!
I try to keep it pretty real. I'll say it's easier when talking to a group vs. 1:1...when coaching individuals I definitely try to strike a balance between being realistic, but also allowing someone to see what's possible. There is a fine line between overdoing it and taking a risk with a big payoff. What I like to get across to people is that this isn't their one shot...that if they do it "right" they'll love it so much they WANT to try again. Appreciate the feedback and dialogue!
You are wonderful!
Thanks, Roland!
Agreed about racing the half first. When I ran my first marathon way back when, I'd never raced farther than 10K or run more than 15 miles. I mainly did it because a) I was 18 and b) I knew I was going to leave the state for college, so I wanted to have one last big race on WV before leaving and it was a few days after graduation, so it was sort of my last high school hurrah.
For now, I'm focused on shorter distances (I want to break a 70% age-graded performance in the mile before I turn 50), but when my days of running fast are over, I'm definitely going to do the intermediate distances and run my first 10-mile and half marathon.
I was actually just looking at one of those age-grade calculators the other day. Never have before, but that's a great way to keep high goals for yourself even when aging starts getting in the way of our ability to get faster. Have fun training for your FAST mile!
@@runningwithjane Thank you. Divorce was not kind to my waistline, but I'm starting to get back in shape, so hopefully I don't have to go too slow anymore just run more than a mile or two.
Jane, love your content, big fan. I'm going for my first marathon at 43yo. Did a 27km trail run and hit the wall hard at 21km. I realise now that I didn't take any electrolites and fuel, went fasted. I believe that my training was decent. I just wonder if you have a video that explains timing of fueling/electrolites/hydration on race specific where you don't want to be losing to much time on aid stations. I see you use a fitly bottle, but that only stores so much. I kinda avoid the breakfast and hydration due to side stitch but I saw your video on this and will apply to see if this tipa work for me (I thank you for that video). Cheers!
Hi Leonel, thanks for the kind words! You definitely need to fuel to avoid the wall. Fasted can work fine for easy paced running for many people for many miles, but racing and reaching your potential is different. I talk about fueling in this video: ua-cam.com/video/vDNljSeWxPo/v-deo.html You can also hear what I did for fueling/hydration for CIM in this video which is my marathon PR: ua-cam.com/video/HF6zfv-4UNQ/v-deo.html In my next race, I will likely take 1 more gel than this and more sodium, too.
You are a star thank you
You're so welcome, Paul.
Since I have been and am doing 5k and 10k, I am planning a HM as the next progression (listening to that advice already). Sadly, there seems to be far fewer specific advice/info for the half-marathon than the marathon. I am listening to the marathon advice, but always thinking about it in the context of moving up to a half.
You make a good point, Ralph. I've started a series on my blog that's half-marathon specific if that's something you're interested in...hoping to add more in the future - let me know if there's something specific you're looking for and hope to have a half-marathon series here as well. I have so many ideas in my brain and not enough time agh! readysetmarathon.com/category/half-marathon-training/
Great advice Jane. Thanks. I'm planning on running my first marathon this year (at age 60).
That's wonderful! Which one are you doing?
100% agree with your childbirth comment. Once you go into labor there is no stopping but a marathon you can DNF whenever
Hahaha yes!!
Good luck to you from over the water in north west England.
Hey there! Thanks - I have my 10th marathon coming up in January.
Great video!!!
Thanks - glad it was helpful!
I ran my first marathon in April with minimal training. I was just winging it and just wanted to see if I could finish it--which I did. But I hit the wall at mile 18 as well. It was a physically painful finish but I loved it. Doing my second in 3 weeks after formally training since April. It's going to be a lot better, I'm sure.
Congrats on finishing your first marathon! Glad you still wanted to go back for more even after a grueling last 8 miles. Your next one is going to be awesome! Which one are you running? Best of luck!
@@runningwithjane Thank you! Running CIM next month! :)
@@aliamarieruns my fave! Enjoy the taper and best of luck!
@@runningwithjane Thank you! and thank you for your CIM videos. They've been SUPER helpful!
It’s a different kind of fatigue. 😂 No one really talks about post recovery. It’s different for everyone .
Taking time for recovery after a marathon is a big deal for sure.
Running my first marathon after a couch to marathon training plan of 70 miles a week 😂. Will run somewhat easy and enjoy. Anything around 4:00 will be a win even if my 5k time of 21 suggests a 3:35 ish
Go get it, Nicolas! For your first marathon it's smart to pace to the sub-4 first and anything beyond that will be icing on the cake!
My first marathon I didn't make it to the start line, we go again!
Loved this video. Just considering doing a marathon on October 14 after doing a half this past weekend. Is there enough time? :)
Hi! Good question. I definitely recommend some extra rest days and easing back in...honestly this depends on how high your mileage got before the half and your past experience. If you're feeling great and can safely build your mileage to around 40 mpw, it's certainly a possibility!
Hi can you talk about how to balance being a parent and finding time to train for a marathon? I’m a new parent, that balance between taking care of baby and personal time is pretty difficult. Any tips?
Hey there! Totally get that balance can be really hard. And you certainly don't have to do it right now if it feels overwhelming. But I think a big part is learning to love the process and knowing that running time if FOR YOU and making you a better parent. Having a supportive partner definitely makes a big difference. I also have a treadmill so when my kids were small it was a lot of nap time runs or having them play around me (littlest in the playpen) while I ran. Getting up early can also be a good way to just get it done, but I know the little ones can be so unpredictable with wake-up time. No matter what, don't feel guilt! Don't feel guilt for taking me time, and also don't feel guilty if it just feels like too much right now.
Good
👍
how many days should you be running a week? i just started the hal higdon novice 1
which is 4 days a week
Highly recommend transitioning to 5 days/week in marathon training after the initial weeks if you can. But it's important that you make the transition gradually and that your body is ready for it - when you add in another day it starts with maybe only 25-30 min. of running on that day. And then you build. Can people train on 4 days? For sure. Also depends on what your goals are.
@@runningwithjane thank you!!
Hey Jane, can you provide some info on recovering from runners knee? I ran my first half marathon in April 2022 and seem to be having issues with runners knee ever since.
I have been to PT and had an MRI. everything seems to be fine but I continue to chase a little bit of pain.
Hey Alleissa! Sorry to hear you're experiencing that. Runner's knee is quite common, and actually stems from weak hips and glutes most of the time. Did your PT give you specific exercises to do? I recommend being really diligent with those...it takes time but with consistency and backing off the running a bit while strengthening you should be able to eliminate it. A few resistance band exercises I recommend included: clamshells, glute bridges, side-lying leg raises...and then squats and single-leg deadlifts with or without weights are also great.
Ok! Yes, I do have the bridges and clams to do. I’ll look into the other ones. Thank you so much!
I have a short 10k on thanksgiving morning and hoping for a decent outcome. Fingers crossed it turns out well.
I'm running my first marathon on October 15th. I'm using Hal Higdon's Novice 1 as my training guide, do you think that will be enough training?
Hi Parker!! If you do the training as prescribed then yes. Many people use his plan and have success. You can also download my beginner plan if you're interested in checking that one out as an option: readysetmarathon.com/free-running-training-plans/
@@runningwithjane Thank you! I'll definitely take a look :)
i dont think ANY of the “i ran a marathon without training” videos are bragging. they all say they were wrong or not going to do it again lol
I've def seen both. I guess maybe some are just for the click haha. At the end of the day, to each their own! :-)
@@runningwithjane at the end of the day, this video is TEN times more helpful LOL, so i appreciate all of the help!!! ♡
Here's my first marathon at 55, I had only been running 3 years and my only race experience was a virtual half. During my Summer preparations, my blood pressure went way up so I believe it way due to lack to sodium so I will need to pay special attention to my diet/fueling and alcohol consumption. So, I went into my race on a low sodium diet as suggested by a doctor but it just made everything so much worse 🤣 I was pretty much dead after the first half and was overwhelmed with cramping for the first time for the next half. Due to the high blood pressure, my training maxed out at only 24km so the whole experience was "horrible" as I stated at the finish line. My ankle was sore too.... So basically, I am starting over right now and exploring low heart rate, easy paced running with the intention of building an aerobic engine. Thanks for another great video.ua-cam.com/video/88cnRMnPbVQ/v-deo.html
You're so welcome, Chris! I'm sorry to hear about your struggles with the marathon, but you did it!! Glad the tough experience didn't turn you away from trying again. LHR/easy running is the way! As far as the sodium, obviously you never want to go against doc's orders...it's also really tough being a distance runner as the typical recommendations aren't for people running tons of miles each week. I can see why you had a really tough time training in the summer months on low sodium! Best of luck in your training as it continues.
@@runningwithjane thank you, I just registered for my second marathon🤪
Thanks!!
You're so welcome, thanks for watching!
i think i just want to enjoy the marathon, no matter about any "time". Maybe it would be nice if someone is still there and celebrates with me me when i cross the finish line :'D But anything else... who cares? ;)
I think that's a wonderful goal!! Running a marathon, no matter the time, is a feat in itself!