Marathon experience - have run before (where?) or is this your first?

This will be just my second marathon, my first was the Pocono Mountain Run for the Red in May 2007, which was well organized and I highly recommend. There were just 420 runners and I was running by myself for long stretches at a time, so it's different in every way possible from New York, except the distance!

Gary R

This is my first marathon. The most
I ran before starting my training was
8 miles. Starting back in July, every weekend long run is now the longest run I've ever done. Now I'm up to 15.
This weekend is 16.... I still wonder
how I will possibly run 26, but I guess
I felt the same way about 15 a few months ago!

If you put your faith in Hal Higdon's program, you will have no problem finishing 26.2. I had all the same thoughts about completing 16, 18, 20, 26.2 miles last year. Obviously there are many other great training programs out there, I've just settled in with his since they seem to make sense to me.

If you haven't already, you can get a lot of great marathon training information from Hal's FREE online forums. http://halhigdon.com/interactive/interactive.htm [halhigdon.com]

First I applaud all the first timers -- it is a great feat to have the guts and committment to get to a marathon training schedule.

This will be #4 for me. I did Chicago, Philly and Boston and at least a dozen 1/2 marahtons -- all before kids. I was training for #4 before I found out I was "very" pregnant which curtailed that training, but I got up to 18 miles so I feel that was marathon 3.5, but NYC will be #4.

As far as distance - I am pushing a bit harder earlier than years past mainly because I feel healthy and my October is loaded with personal committments that will intefere with prime Oct training. This weekend will be my second 20, and I have planned to do one more 20 and if possible a 22, but that last 22 is tough since it is my brother's wedding weekend.

For any first timer, get in a 20 and a good 18 (if possible two of those 18s) -- you'll make it. I have used every approach and schedule for the 1/2 and adapted for the full. As many of you I am sure you juggle quite a bit between home, work and family so you gota go with what you can.

Keep staying healthy everyone and I cannot wait to meet many of you soon!

The only time that injury became a problem in training for a marathon for me was when my training partner and I did a 22 instead of the 20 that was recommended by our training plan. We ended up pulling out of the marathon one week before because of what my training partner's dr. called "over trianing" issues. I am a total middle of the pack runner (and very happy about it) but I have qualified for Boston in all 5 of my marathons...running only two 20's. More is not ALWAYS better. If you are feeling great, do the longer runs, but if you don't feel up for it, please know that you can go with confidence to the start line with all of the important homework done. Most people I know top out at a couple of 20's.

Marine Corps will be my first marathon. In the last 2 years, I have done 5 Half Marathons and the New Haven 20K twice. Now, I realize that all of my long runs on the weekends are at least a Half Marathon distance (and then some)!!! My longest run to date has been 17.25 miles, but this weekend I'm shooting for 18-20 in the NYRR training run in Central Park.

Since the MCM is the weekend before the NY marathon, I'm probably at about the same point as most of you NY people. If I can do this 20 miler, and another one in about 2 weeks, I figure I'm in pretty good shape. The only thing I have experienced is a little soreness in both knees this past weekend. I'm not a big fan of overtraining!!!

Betsy Parker-MCM team