Hey Runnit,
I picked up running at the beginning of this year and since then I have run 2 halfs (a road half in 1:51 & a trail half at altitude in 2:03).
Consistently running something like 25 mi a week. How do I know when I’m ready for a full? I have a marathon in mind that’s exactly 18 weeks away so lines up perfectly with a Pfitz 18/55 and I was thinking of targeting something like 3:45.
Am I crazy? Am I ready? How do I know???
Edit: A question. Does anyone have an opinion on whether I should do a solid base build up to about 50mpw then do a pfitz 12/55, or would it be better to just jump right in to the 18/55 this coming week (marathon I’m targeting is exactly 18 weeks away)?
The biggest difference I noticed between training for and being prepared for a full vs a half (other than obviously more mileage) is that knowing how to properly fuel becomes a much bigger deal. What to eat before a long run (13 or more mile training runs) during those long runs and right after is a game changer. I spent a good chunk of time working with a dietitian and also with a running group to dial that in. Went from running a half marathon last October (1:44) to my first full marathon recently (3:53) at the age of 46. Zero issues with hitting the wall at mile 20 (which was my biggest fear) and I ended up with a huge negative split.
Big agree here. Out of curiosity- what works for you, what do you eat before a <13mi. run?
I would do a mini carb load the day before which consisted of primarily rice, pasta, veggies, and cutting back on the protein serving size. For breakfast in the morning of the run I’d have a pretty simple breakfast of a bagel, peanut butter and jelly and a banana. I would also drink some electrolyte (I used Skratch). This was also an opportunity to test out different things to see if anything bothered me. That way on race day I had a pretty dialed in what would work for me.
Very true. For years I was a runner and i ran half’s and would kind of just wing it.
I just finished my first marathon this summer. I learned a LOT and realized I was an idiot running half marathons without proper fueling leading up to and during my runs. During the races only fueling with water. No wonder I was struggling so much. I finished my full after 20 weeks of training and never hit the wall either.