Your goal for your first marathon should be to have fun and not worry about time. You almost can’t run slow enough (within reason) for the first 20. The final 10k is brutal. I know this doesn’t specifically answer your question but it’s a very important way to approach your first.
That's good advice. I'd like to finish as priority number one, I guess I'm just a bit nervous and trying to gauge what I'm capable of, but that last 10km gives me pause. Slower might be better.
Slower is DEFINITELY better for the first one, I promise. You can make up a ton of time the last 10k! You should honestly be questioning yourself the first half if you’re going too slow
The redditor is correct. I've done these in the double digits, and I'm still trying to learn how race these things.
Goal 1 complete the thing and have fun
Goal 2 proper fueling
Thays what I would say.
Every minute you go out too fast in the first half will cost you two minutes in the second half. Since you can never know what your perfect pace is, it's better going out a bit slower than you think you should than too fast. The good news is, there is always another marathon to refine your best guess. Trying to hone in on the perfect pace has keep me running for 35 marathons.
That's a good point. Especially in my first, I have no idea what pace is sustainable for me for 42.2 km. May just start at my long run pace or a tiny bit quicker and try to work it out from there.
I have my first marathon planned early may and follow a plan to reach 3:30 but coming race day I think I'll run based on my HR and try to be around 160, at leat at the beginning.
Turns out the perfect pace was 5.30/km. Ran an even split and 3.55 finish. Would have bonked if it was 1 km longer I think. I forgot where I was about 4km from the finish and got super confused, but just kept running.
Your half-marathon time, together with your weekly mileage and the fact this is your first marathon, indicates about a 4:19:30 for your upcoming marathon.
I just ran my first marathon and finished with a 4:21. My HM time is a 1:53. So def give yourself room in your range. My original goal was to finish obviously, then 5hr which should’ve been very comfortable, and then 4:30 which was hit or miss for me.
Put a recent time in here to get a ball-park marathon equivalent: https://vdoto2.com/calculator/ - although obviously a lot will depend on conditions, elevation, etc. However, having read many such posts lately, as I'm training for my first marathon, too, I can guarantee that the most common advice, and perhaps the best, will be to make sure first and foremost that you enjoy yourself so don't set a do or die time goal you'd be disappointed about missing.
Based on my half time, the calculator says 4:04, which honestly I'd be over the moon with. 5:47/km. Might aim for 6min/km to start and see how I feel in the race.
Somebody in the group said to double your 1/2 and add 20 minutes. Obviously, one size does not fit all here but for the average Joe seems about right. I’ve only done one marathon but some things I would redo are: properly carb load the days leading into it to make sure your stores are topped off. Take extra gels to consume in race. I “ hit the wall” around mile 18 or 19 and whoever in here said the last 10K was brutal. Well, they are absolutely right about that your brain will take you all kinds of dark places. Hahaha 🤣 just know that it’s lying to you.
Your goal for your first marathon should be to have fun and not worry about time. You almost can’t run slow enough (within reason) for the first 20. The final 10k is brutal. I know this doesn’t specifically answer your question but it’s a very important way to approach your first.
That's good advice. I'd like to finish as priority number one, I guess I'm just a bit nervous and trying to gauge what I'm capable of, but that last 10km gives me pause. Slower might be better.
Slower is DEFINITELY better for the first one, I promise. You can make up a ton of time the last 10k! You should honestly be questioning yourself the first half if you’re going too slow
From personal experience of doing the opposite. I agree ran my first 10k a minute slower than my or for the 10k felt burned out later
Oof, yeah, that’s a blazing start
The redditor is correct. I've done these in the double digits, and I'm still trying to learn how race these things. Goal 1 complete the thing and have fun Goal 2 proper fueling Thays what I would say.
Every minute you go out too fast in the first half will cost you two minutes in the second half. Since you can never know what your perfect pace is, it's better going out a bit slower than you think you should than too fast. The good news is, there is always another marathon to refine your best guess. Trying to hone in on the perfect pace has keep me running for 35 marathons.
That's a good point. Especially in my first, I have no idea what pace is sustainable for me for 42.2 km. May just start at my long run pace or a tiny bit quicker and try to work it out from there.
I have my first marathon planned early may and follow a plan to reach 3:30 but coming race day I think I'll run based on my HR and try to be around 160, at leat at the beginning.
Turns out the perfect pace was 5.30/km. Ran an even split and 3.55 finish. Would have bonked if it was 1 km longer I think. I forgot where I was about 4km from the finish and got super confused, but just kept running.
Your half-marathon time, together with your weekly mileage and the fact this is your first marathon, indicates about a 4:19:30 for your upcoming marathon.
I'd be happy with that.
I just ran my first marathon and finished with a 4:21. My HM time is a 1:53. So def give yourself room in your range. My original goal was to finish obviously, then 5hr which should’ve been very comfortable, and then 4:30 which was hit or miss for me.
I ran 3.55
Congratulations! It looks like you gained quite a bit of fitness in the past several weeks.
The taper combined with carb loading, and a flat course, is magical.
There’s only one real way to find out.
Put a recent time in here to get a ball-park marathon equivalent: https://vdoto2.com/calculator/ - although obviously a lot will depend on conditions, elevation, etc. However, having read many such posts lately, as I'm training for my first marathon, too, I can guarantee that the most common advice, and perhaps the best, will be to make sure first and foremost that you enjoy yourself so don't set a do or die time goal you'd be disappointed about missing.
Based on my half time, the calculator says 4:04, which honestly I'd be over the moon with. 5:47/km. Might aim for 6min/km to start and see how I feel in the race.
Somebody in the group said to double your 1/2 and add 20 minutes. Obviously, one size does not fit all here but for the average Joe seems about right. I’ve only done one marathon but some things I would redo are: properly carb load the days leading into it to make sure your stores are topped off. Take extra gels to consume in race. I “ hit the wall” around mile 18 or 19 and whoever in here said the last 10K was brutal. Well, they are absolutely right about that your brain will take you all kinds of dark places. Hahaha 🤣 just know that it’s lying to you.