72 replies to this topic

[Arn]

Good luck with the training, and hope to bump into you sometime around the Canberra running community - there are many many really nice people amongst them so dont be shy!

5 hours is a great target to aim for - because then you have the opportunity of continuing on for the 50k option

[Isthisnametaken]

I WAS going to run the Canberra as my first Marathon. I have now run 5 HM's with my 6th being this Sunday. Hoping to sneak under the 100 min mark. I have been training my arse off and feeling good....

Anyways, I changed my mind about the Canberra M as a good friend of mine is turning 40 that weekend so I could not miss the celebration. Now SHE has decided that she is going to do the marathon in Canberra. I am aiming for the GC Marathon but now I am having a rethink. Is it feasible to do both? Of course most will say YES but there is a lay off period after the full right of a couple of weeks or is that all good?

I am still undecided as I have in mind to have a rest after this weekend and just do some mid distance over Xmas before ramping up for the GC. Am I being a wimp and should I just go for it? I will be going to Canberra with my friend to support her and I will do the half. I guess while I am there I may as well.....

Currently I am following the GC HM advanced program so at the peak it was about 50 ks per week.

Go on, tell me to do it....

John

[RunningRagged]

Do it! (couldn't resist) Canberra will be my first full, I've done three halfs,
all in the last year here in Canberra. Hopefully we can get plenty more first timers!

[BlueZed]

Isthisnametaken, on 24 November 2011 - 04:32 PM, said:

Go on, tell me to do it....

Hi John,

I am a bit conflicted about what to tell you.   You will have enough time to recover from Canberra before attempting Gold Coast.  Heck, after a three week turn around from Sydney to Melbourne I got my PB!  Depends on your goal time I suppose.

On the other hand, Gold Coast has such fantastic atmosphere and crowd support and was the site of my first (4:55:44).  Canberra in the rain last year was a bit dull.  Great for concentrating on a best effort; but not a lot of fun.

Keep training your arse off!

[taueret]

Hmm well I still haven't registered for Canberra. I am more and more sure as I train  that I could go the distance, but my speed is a constant, it seems, over almost any distance.  I would be pushing to finish within the 6:30 time limit.  I'm just not sure I should enter, to DNF would break my heart :-(.  I'm so happy to be able to run as well as I do, and I am still a n00b so I guess I could get faster over the next 20 weeks but I'm not feeling that confident.  I don't know what to do!  Love seeing all the other people in this thread entering!

[Isthisnametaken]

You will never know unless you give it a go. You could be the fastest kid on the block but still get a DNF. Do it....

[taueret]

Ok.  No point woosing about!  I just upgraded my entry in the Central Coast Half Marathon (this Sunday) and fun run from the 10km to the half marathon!  I run 20km in training so why not... I can only make a baboon of myself in front of my local running community :-).  But really, who will notice a baboon running slowly along behind them?  I'm so excited!

Edited by taueret, 25 November 2011 - 03:19 PM.

[BlueZed]

I have now been in two 10ks, one half and four marathons.  I have never witnessed any runners treating other runners with anything but mutual respect.

All the best Taueret!  Have a ball!

[taueret]

Well I totally finished the Central Coast Half Marathon, and I wasn't even in last place (not that many behind me but that's ok!).  Everyone was very nice.  My biggest worry about Canberra was not finishing in 6:30 but I now know/think I can, I am totally motivated to work my butt off over the next 20 weeks.  Then I look at the 50 and think, only another few km... hmmm.  Crazy stuff, if you had asked me a year or even 6 months ago I would have laughed at you.  Thanks for encouragement.

[GregR]

Isthisnametaken, on 24 November 2011 - 04:32 PM, said:

I WAS going to run the Canberra as my first Marathon. I have now run 5 HM's with my 6th being this Sunday. Hoping to sneak under the 100 min mark. I have been training my arse off and feeling good....

Anyways, I changed my mind about the Canberra M as a good friend of mine is turning 40 that weekend so I could not miss the celebration. Now SHE has decided that she is going to do the marathon in Canberra. I am aiming for the GC Marathon but now I am having a rethink. Is it feasible to do both? Of course most will say YES but there is a lay off period after the full right of a couple of weeks or is that all good?

I am still undecided as I have in mind to have a rest after this weekend and just do some mid distance over Xmas before ramping up for the GC. Am I being a wimp and should I just go for it? I will be going to Canberra with my friend to support her and I will do the half. I guess while I am there I may as well.....

Currently I am following the GC HM advanced program so at the peak it was about 50 ks per week.

Go on, tell me to do it....

John

Do it!

I'm a recent convert having just completed my first half in Melb.  Since I'm on a roll have registered for Hobart full in Jan - just gotta do it!

[MarathonGuru]

Hi Tauret,
Great to here that you are going to step up to a full Marathon. You have plenty of time to prepare and I agree that Canberra will be a great event for you. I know you already have a plan in mind but Lee Troop 3 x Olympian and I have built an interactive training plan that predicts your race time - "Marathon Guru" that is used by those competing in Sydney and Cadbury marathons. We have arranged a special price for the Canberra event and you can access that program through the following link...Canberra Marathon Guru special.
Or maybe you would like to stick to your current plan and use ours for your next event as we cater for races up to 50KM.

All the very best,
Scott

[Isthisnametaken]

I have decided to NOT do the Canberra full and just stick to the GCM as that was my original intention. With the mental thing being so important I need to focus on what I have decided upon.

Ran a PB in the CCHM on Sunday at 98:46. Happy to crack the 100min mark.

John

[Tato]

Hashiru, on 22 November 2011 - 07:12 PM, said:

Ran Canberra this year as my first marathon. The fact it rained before the start and then continued for most of the distance put me off a bit a first psychologically having always trained in good weather, but I ended up with a much better time than I expected due to the cool weather and rain keeping me from overheating I've read complaints about the expo/post-race area not being much and it's true it's nothing like Sydney etc, but it really didn't bother me at all. Had a great time and loved crossing that line. I'd recommend it for a first timer for sure.

This is the first time I have put this in writing. I am doing the Canberra Marathon as my first marathon. Thats the commitment and I must say the nerves are taking over. Havent planned much only found a programme and having the support of my half marathon training partner should get me there. I have a zillion questions. Should I just keep to my 3 runs a week until I start the program 12 weeks out or should I run 3 days a week and tuck 2 more runs in now? Just completed my 20 th half at 2:05 and I am excited at stepping up.Have to get a cr t-shirt.  

[BlueZed]

Tato, on 30 November 2011 - 12:05 PM, said:

This is the first time I have put this in writing. I am doing the Canberra Marathon as my first marathon. Thats the commitment and I must say the nerves are taking over. Havent planned much only found a programme and having the support of my half marathon training partner should get me there. I have a zillion questions. Should I just keep to my 3 runs a week until I start the program 12 weeks out or should I run 3 days a week and tuck 2 more runs in now? Just completed my 20 th half at 2:05 and I am excited at stepping up.Have to get a cr t-shirt.  

OUTSTANDING!!   Congratulations Tato!   Declaring your goal goes a long way to ensuring that you will achieve it.  Well done!

I recommend that you find a new program; one that goes for 18 or 20 weeks.   You can download a plan from the Gold Coast Marathon website.  It has 2011 dates but you could easily change those to compliment training for Canberra 2012.   The longer you can train for the marathon the more time you will give your body to adapt for endurance; the easier it will be on the day.  This program will allow you to increase the distance slowly and this will help you avoid injuries from ramping up the training too quickly.

Good luck!!

[Tato]

BlueZed, on 30 November 2011 - 01:25 PM, said:

OUTSTANDING!!   Congratulations Tato!   Declaring your goal goes a long way to ensuring that you will achieve it.  Well done!

I recommend that you find a new program; one that goes for 18 or 20 weeks.   You can download a plan from the Gold Coast Marathon website.  It has 2011 dates but you could easily change those to compliment training for Canberra 2012.   The longer you can train for the marathon the more time you will give your body to adapt for endurance; the easier it will be on the day.  This program will allow you to increase the distance slowly and this will help you avoid injuries from ramping up the training too quickly.

Good luck!!

Thanks Bluezed will find that programme, and keep posting .

[FarWest]

I've registered for my first "real" full marathon although I have done them in Ironman events. Did five Half mara's last year including a couple of 98's so really looking forward to this although sandwiched in between Ironman Melbourne and Ironman Pt Macquarie three weeks either way.

I wish Taueret and all the other newbies all the best of luck in preparation. Do the work, believe in yourselves and you will reap the rewards.

Bring it on.

[theturtle]

FarWest, on 11 December 2011 - 12:19 AM, said:

I've registered for my first "real" full marathon although I have done them in Ironman events. Did five Half mara's last year including a couple of 98's so really looking forward to this although sandwiched in between Ironman Melbourne and Ironman Pt Macquarie three weeks either way.

I wish Taueret and all the other newbies all the best of luck in preparation. Do the work, believe in yourselves and you will reap the rewards.

Bring it on.

Hi FarWest

Welome to CR!  There's a few Dubbo people who regularly post on here and a few more who lurk.

Best wishes with it all!

[strugglingrunner]

Canberra will be my first marathon! I've run my 1st & 2nd half's this year and as Canberra is the day after I turn 40 I thought it would be great to be my first marathon. Very scared though!

[danish]

Canberra will be my first marathon also...

Have been running 5 days per week (2 x 8km runs, 2 x 10km runs, 1 x 14-16km run) for the last couple months, so besides just adding kays to my longer run I don't think there is much change required to my training regime is there?

Obviously just want to finish first and foremost, but under 4 hours is the goal (with a secret hope of running around 3:45 based on my half marathon time of 1:45)

[Pom]

danish, on 04 January 2012 - 03:34 PM, said:

Canberra will be my first marathon also...

Have been running 5 days per week (2 x 8km runs, 2 x 10km runs, 1 x 14-16km run) for the last couple months, so besides just adding kays to my longer run I don't think there is much change required to my training regime is there?

Obviously just want to finish first and foremost, but under 4 hours is the goal (with a secret hope of running around 3:45 based on my half marathon time of 1:45)

I ran my first Marathon at Sydney last year on a 5 day a week plan that went for 16 weeks. The only difference to what you are doing is that one of the short runs was a speed session (Interval/Tempo/Fartlek)each week.  The Long run increased gradually to a maximum of 32km.  

Like you, I was hoping to finish around the 4 hour mark.  On the day however, the temperature reached 30C and that slowed me to a 4:23 finish. Canberra will be my second, and I'll be gunning for a sub-4 hour this time!

Good luck with your training.

Pom

[Beki18]

i am hoping to do the half in canberra this year i have done a vets half in canberra and it was FREEZING!!!! but that was in August, so thinking april will be a little warmer, and i am using it as prep for the full marathon on the gold coast in august. Distance running is amazing and it doesn't matter what time you do it in you do it for yourself and i have have to say i get the best self satisifaction from a completion of a distance race!!!

[Tato]

Hashiru, on 22 November 2011 - 07:12 PM, said:

Ran Canberra this year as my first marathon. The fact it rained before the start and then continued for most of the distance put me off a bit a first psychologically having always trained in good weather, but I ended up with a much better time than I expected due to the cool weather and rain keeping me from overheating I've read complaints about the expo/post-race area not being much and it's true it's nothing like Sydney etc, but it really didn't bother me at all. Had a great time and loved crossing that line. I'd recommend it for a first timer for sure.

Thats good to know, at the moment I am doing hill reps building up to 10 currently at six on Tuesdays and we add a 10k easy on wednesdays and then a tempo of 5-8 ks on friday, this sundays run is 26 ks. I havent trained that far since W2G 2009. It took me 2.5 hrs to do 23 last weekend so I am hoping some speed work will pick me up. Building bulk muscle at the moment or feeling like it anyway. next week is all 9 k runs so looking forward to a recovery week any extra tips would be greatly accepted ta. Happy training!!

[MrsRunhard]

I too did my first half marathon last year. This year I have signed up for my first marathon.  Even though it rained last year the atmosphere was so encouraging. Spectators came out to support at different locations.  They seem to be where I needed the pick me up.  

I am using the Gold Coast Marathon training program. It is fantastic.  I'm not forcussed on my time at the moment, just making sure I get the best training I can before hand.  I will reassess what time I think I might get closer to the date.

MrsRunhard