Question for the Long Distance Runners

That's another thing I need to figure out Sherry - the nutrition aspect.  I have no troubles with my shorter runs - but this is something I am going to have to figure out when I start upping my mileage. 

Me too. I'm okay now but worry about the future.

I'm STILL dealing w/nutrition. I can't injest the same thing on Ironman marathons...it's like a "wait and see" game.

If you do start gelling, take them WITH water, not a sugar drink!

I intentionally take walk breaks.  I follow the Jeff Galloway method.  When I started stuff would hurt.  I can breathe fine and my energy was fine but there would be knee pain and hip pain and ankle pain and IT band pain and ....  After reading up on run/walking, I decided that was what I had to do.  It is how I train and how I race (anything longer than 5K).  I think that I could have easily finished with my 3 min run to 2 min walk ratio at Disney this year had I not had digestive issues.  Physically, I felt better running than walking.  My stomach wouldn't let me.

That being said, I can certainly see why it's your goal and would encourage you to go for it.  AJ is right about it being mental.  You are going to need to practice drinking on the run and I would suggest that you get your long run in to the 23-24 mile range.  That will help with the wall.

I wrote some stuff that's in Galloway's Guide to Women's Running.
I'm sure you didn't see it...cuz you're not very womanly :D

Thanks Scott!!  So far, I haven't had any issues - I can usually run what I set out to run for the day.  I am hoping that following this mileage buildup schedule for the next 19 weeks will give me the endurance to make it through the marathon training.  I really do want to run the whole thing - I think that is how I am going to train it. 

Jersey gets hot and humid in the summer, so I got into the habit of running with a fuel pack with 2 flasks of water (don't now - I fear they would freeze!!).  When it was especially hot and humid, I would use an electrolyte powder I got from Vitamin Shoppe (it has maybe 5 calories?).  I do need to figure out fueling during the long runs.  I haven't passed the 1 hour of running mark yet, but I think I need to begin experimenting.   

Hi Elisa

I have to agree with everyone-nothing wrong with walking alittle. For my first marathon I walked the beverage stations (I am aliitle like you and thought I am going to run this thing NON-STOP...slow but NON-STOP)....but I rationalized the walking and drinking--plus the last thing you want is to gulp and have it go down the wrong way...then your choking for a few miles. At Disney I walked more than I ever have for the full but I just listened to my body....at mile 24 I knew if I walked I would not start up again so I slooooooowly jogged. And like its been said before, once you cross the finish line-nothing else matters, how you got there, if you walked, etc...

I ran .7 miles on July 4th 2007. I ran my marathon on Oct 29th 2007. Before my marathon I did one charity run 5K to see what runs were like-then jumped to the 26.2. SO much of it is mental (training is so very important but)--John Bingham "The Penguin" has a philosophy...START, enjoy, FINISH what you started---the rest is all fluff. (I am not puttig down going for better times-thats just what I get from his writings)...and thats the way I approach it. Start-enjoy-finish. I could have had my best run time on the Disney marathon and be sub 5hrs (my first marathon was 4hr45min)...but the enjoyment was stopping and getting pictures with the characters and enjoying the crowds...

Its a personal decision for everyone. I say go for the marathon-shoot high. By the sound of your determination-you will do it...maybe not non-stop, but who cares, you will have run a marathon!!! There are more marathons to come. Go for it!!

I followed Hal Higdons training for my first marathon, the one for novices

http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/Mar00novice.htm

Good luck to you!!
Chris

Thanks so much Chris!!