[Elaine3112]

I ran my long one with my friend Alex today as I'm away over the weekend. We did it an a nice steady pace and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. However, Alex is being pressured by some members of our club to run her marathon in a lot quicker time than she plans. They have based this on her performance in some races recently where she has ran very well and picked up PR's along the way. I'm sure these people mean well but at the end of the day, both Alex and I have only ran 1 marathon to date and this will be our second. We are newbies to the marathon game and whereas it would be nice to improve our times, our priority is go out and enjoy the experience and not feel too beaten up after the event.<br><br>
I was very annoyed when she first told me but then when she mentioned names, had a laugh as one of these advisers is suffering fatigue through overtraining, the other is picking up injury after injury since coming back too early after their previous marathon, and the third moans after each marathon that it didn't turn out as planned, I wonder why?<br><br>
So I ask myself is it necessary to be pushing harder everytime, or are there other people out there like Alex and myself who want to get a bit more experience at this distance under our belts before upping the ante?<br><br>
I welcome your comments.

 

[Better than yesterday]

Elaine -<br><br>
Wasn't it just about a year, maybe a year-and-a-half ago, when, on a Saturday morning, you posted about celebrating your 1st 10 mile run? I think your steady progress, from that great morning to where you are today (far, far beyond anything I've ever attempted, much less completed!), speaks for itself. <img alt="notworthy.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/notworthy.gif"><br><br>
You're one of the people who I admire most in this community of admirable people. Go give'em what for.<br><br>
bty

 

[Elaine3112]

Ahhhhhhhhh bty that's sweet and yes that was me. I consider myself very fortunate to have got this far and still enjoy the experiences of running as much now as I did when I started, if not more!

 

[SLOjim]

I don't think it's a crime...... but some people feel that whenever you enter a race, not only to you need to be properly trained but you also need to push yourself to your limits. For me, I like to run a lot of races, but will only run a handful that are key races throughout the year where I'll run them as hard as I can.<br><br>
Some of my most enjoyable races haven't been key races..... they've been ones that I've run at a comfortable pace where I've been able to take everything in.....and share the experience with friends sometimes pacing them. On the other hand, some of my worst races, were ones that I tried pushing myself too hard and then unraveling before the finish. The worst was a marathon that I left a friend talk me into going out 15 sec/mile faster than I thought I should...... I did a long 6 or 7 death march to the finish.

 

[evanflein]

Elaine, don't ever lose the love of running! It's so easy to feel pressured to do "what the other guys" are doing, especially if they've been running a long time or are really fast, etc. It's one thing to be influenced by others and learn from them (there's a lot of experience to learn from on these forums!), but it's another thing to let someone else's goals crowd into yours. At the end of the day, you've got to run your race and enjoy your experience. If it's so hard that it sucks, what fun is that?<br>
I run a lot of races, and I love setting PR's (who wouldn't?). But the thing I love most these days is sharing the whole experience with other runners and seeing what I can do given a new course or distance. If the steady easy pace runs feel right and work for you, by all means carry on. When you feel ready to push yourself a bit to see what your potential might be, then go for it. But do it on your terms. Good luck to you and Alex. I loved your RR from your first marathon, and look forward to the next (when you are ready!).<img alt="icon_salut.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/icon_salut.gif">

 

[dtoce]

yes, a <i>crime</i> punished by health/happiness and generally good conditioning...<br>
(i guess i still need to work on my humor...)<br><br>
everyone should run at whatever pace they are <b>comfortabl</b>e with-whether a race or training run. Don't be pressured into doing something you don't want to do-ever.

 

[RunsTheBitterroot]

Hi Elaine, you are doing a great job with your running and enoying it. I have to go along with what<br><br>
Dtose said <i>"everyone should run at whatever pace they are <b>comfortabl</b>e with-wether a race or training run. Don't be pressured into doing something you don't want to do-ever.</i><br><br><i>Larry</i>

 

[Labduck]

I do some races for fun, some for competition. I enjoy the fun races a great deal (maybe that's why they're 'fun'... :rolleyes<img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif">, but for me, a well-run competitive race is more rewarding in terms of accomplishment than a fun race. Unfortunately, the 'well-run' part doesn't always happen, so you're left with no fun and no reward. And that sucks.<br><br>
This doesn't really answer your question, it just gives you one person's perspective on racing. And I really don't think succumbing to just a <i>little</i> bit of peer pressure is such a bad thing, especially in athletics. It can really help you improve, if that's something you're looking for. But by no means, don't lose your enjoyment of the sport!

 

[tomwhite]

<br>
.........well put.........<br><br><br>
..............(not Funny,<br>
but still, well put)

 

[Pie Jones]

We'll send baked goods to the jail.

 

[dromedary]

Elaine, I'm glad you asked this question because I was wondering the same thing (I also have a second marathon coming up soon). Thank you for having the courage to ask since I'm benefitting from your post--you got alot of good advice from the kind folks here.<br><br>
Good luck at your marathon! I hope you and Alex have a wonderful time.

 

[Sans Souci]

Elaine <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif"><br><br>
Boston was my fastest <i>and</i> most enjoyable. Not most enjoyable because it was a PR; because I had trained well so it didn't hurt like some of the others. I really took in the sights and sounds along the way. What a great day it was.<br><br>
Do what feels right for you; Alex too. And keep doing those terrific LRs like today's and you'll have a great marathon day, no matter how you approach it.

 

[Ileneforward]

The way you have been running has resulted in your improving constantly at all distances and you are now far faster than I am. I vote that you cease immediately and start doing whatever will reverse this trend until I catch up.....around 2010 or so. <img alt="biggrin.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/biggrin.gif">

 

[The Jogger]

Hi Elaine<br><br>
I think it's your training that dictates your pace not fellow runners.<br>
Which marathon are you running, I'm doing Edinburgh.<br><br>
As Sans , says, do what feels right for you.<br><br>
Roy

 

[Spareribs]

You cannot let other people dictate your goals to you, or they won't be your goals. It sounded to me like you and Alex have talked this through, and you know what reward you want from the effort. There may be a time when Alex, or you, feels that for this next race "I'm going to push it a bit." But if and when such a time comes, it must come from the runner, not from some perhaps well-meaning, but often poorly thought-out advice from someone else. It's one thing for people to respond to someone who asks for advice; quite another to tell someone what they should do in their next race.<br><br>
Looking at it another way, just for perspective, Alex might say, "I'm flattered that my running friends think I can run faster, but for now I am comfortable where I am." Oddly enough, this situation happens more often than you think. I have seen it in my own club. We have a woman in her early 30's who just got into running and is super fast. She wins the women's overall in many local races from 5K to the half. This year she is being besieged with people telling her she should try the marathon. I say she should run the marathon when she feels like running the marathon, not because others think she should. You two are on the right track and good luck to you in your next marathon. Spareribs

 

[rasmussenmp]

The quote "Run your own race" comes to mind. You are the one running, not them. You are the only one who knews your body. Listen to your body and not the other people. My most enjoyable and fastest marathons have been the ones where I wanted to just run conservative and have fun. So killing youreslf doesn't have to enter the equation. Time is relative, what is turtle pace for some is hare pace for others. And we know how that story ends..<br><br>
Run a comfortable pace and smell the roses along the way.

 

[Elaine3112]

Is this the legendary Roy C? Hi if it is and hi if it isn't! I'm doing Shakespeare Marathon in Stratford. Good luck for Edinburgh.

 

[Elaine3112]

As usual with this fantastic group, you have come back with some great comments and helped me put it all into perspective. Alex and I are going to do our own thing and yes, when we are ready, we'll go for them faster times. Thanks again everyone.

 

[The Jogger]

Hi Elaine<br>
The 'legendary' don't know about that but yus, it's me. Good luck in Stratford, I'll look at that one, Edinburgh is, flat, flat, flat.....<br>
Roy