Any runners on here? I have a question
 

Hi fellow runners!

Is it more reasonable to think I could train for a half marathon or a marathon in a year? I don't want to sound stupid but i have no idea how long it takes to do either! However, Disney has both a half marathon and a marathon each January and I want to participate in January 2011, since we are there every year at that time anyways.

Right now I am running for 30 min (just finished the Couch potato to 5K program and today I started the One Hour Runner program) and I am running just a bit over 3 miles.

Any insight would be great!

Thanks!

My dad is a total marathon runner. I remember when I ran as a kid with him, i was shocked as how fast he wanted to do a half marathon and next thing you know it was full marathons. You would be really surprised as to how quick you can do it. I would say you could do a half marathon in 6 months maybe even less.

That's great Marci :thumbup:. I talked to my sister, the runner, and she said the same thing, that you could train in about 6 mos and be ready. She used to run just 5k's and started doing mini's several years ago and last summer started to train for triathalons. She's 44 and has been running since she was in school. She thought that there was a training website, she'll try and find it for you.

Marci,

My sister-n-law started running this year and she's a little over 5 miles right now and is training for her first half marathon.
She is also going to be doing the Disney half marathon in 2011!! The Disney marathon is part of what inspired her, she is CRAZY for Disney!!
My brother trained for Ironman Canada in a year, so it can be done!!

I love Disney too! i keep thinking- what a BETTER place to run your heart out! DISNEY!!

In 2007 I started training (Hal Higdon's Marathon training program) in September and ran the Boston mararaton in April. It's definitely do-able.

Good luck!!

Michele :-)

Maybe i'll aim for the half- and if by mid year i am there- i will go all out for the full marathon. We usually leave florida the first weekend in jan- and this might fall past tat so i think running the full marathon will be more convincing to get my parents to stay past!

That's how my sister-n-law feels! She loves it so much, they even went there on their honeymoon!

I think aiming for the half is a good step. That way you get you feet wet and see what it is like before jumping into the big one.
Use to run everyday,,loved it. However, spondylolisthesis and ruptured discs have set me back a bit.

Best of luck!

Just wanted to add that I had run a 10 K up to that point, but never a marathon. I was running approx 2 miles per run when I started training. So Boston was my first marathon.

Michele :-)

Hey Marci, I'm a fellow runner ... and from Ontario (not California) too! ;)

Yes, you can definitely run either a half or a full with a year's worth of training. By the way, are you familiar with Running Rooms? There's a great general training book by John Stanton called "Running Start to Finish" ... which you can pick up there. The RR also has clinics, at varying levels, training for various distances (for a fee) plus weekly runs (free) which can keep you on track when you're training. I'm sure one of their clinics would be tailored to lead you through right up to your goal race/run.

Many training programs are 18 weeks, so depending on your base mileage, you can follow training program of choice (whether 5k, 10k, half mara or full!) If you're looking into 2011, you have lots of time to be prepared! The book "Running Start to Finish" has many different training programs, in chart form, for varying distances and time goals.

And (a caveat) ... as you likely already know, be prepared to get addicted. I started running for 'fun' and now there are over 30 half marathons and several full marathons behind me... can't stop running!

Good luck! And if you have any questions, you can always PM me... I'm part of a great online running community/forum I can steer you to, if you're interested. (You can get lots of great info there too... if interested :))

You know that you can do whatever you set your mind to!

~ Susan