Quote Originally Posted by KSH
So, have you started training for the marathon yet?

It's important that you ramp your miles up slowly.

I tried training for a 1/2 marathon too quickly... going from 5-7 miles a week to 10-15 miles a week. That, coupled with running shoes not made for my stride... is what started all of my running pain 1 year ago.
Yeah, I have. The base I started from is 20-25 miles a week (4-5 days x 4-5 miles) with biking and other stuff in there as well, thanks to the sprint at the end of August. That means some of my long run days were brick days instead, unfortunately.

I am following this: http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_4/130.shtml combined with input from the non-runner's marathon trainer book and am at week 9 this week. The first-timer "I just want to finish!" modifications top out at 20 miles, and that's my plan: get a marathon time I can improve on.

I admit that I have not signed up yet... which makes me feel guilty, and probably mentally not as committed as I should. For some reason, I have reluctance to officially commit to something this big this far ahead of time, even if I am training for it. I guess it always gives me that "I'm not good enough" out, and I need to get rid of that attitude if I'm going to make it.