[Grizzly]

<p>Not for me. </p>
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<p>A few months ago a cousin announced that he had signed up for a marathon.  I thought I was the only runner in my family and was pleased for him that he'd taken up this addiction. </p>
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<p>He's never been diagnosed but he has some disorder that is on the autism spectrum.  He's in his early 40's and is a lonely guy.  I thought that maybe he'd found something that could provide an outlet.</p>
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<p>He's never been much of a communicator and so when I saw a note that he'd written that he'd managed 3 k in 20 minutes last week it got me worried.  I pried a bit.  He doesn't know what his weekly mileage is, the most he's run is 15 km in a little under 2 hours.  The marathon is in a month.  One month.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Good lord.  He won't be dissuaded and for reasons of family politics and health issues in his immediate family I really can't prevail upon anyone to talk sense into him. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I hate this feeling of the knowledge of impending doom coupled with a sense of obligation to him.  Good lord, even with 70 mile weeks I struggled for a 4 hour marathon, admittedly I was injured during the race,but still.  Good lord.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I am struggling with what to tell him that will get him anywhere with this.  What kind of advice should I provide if he wont' listen to "STOP! DON'T DO IT!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>My thoughts:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>1) Go slow.  Do not race this.  Go slower than you think you can.</p>
<p>2) Walk breaks.  Frequent.</p>
<p>3) Start at the very back.</p>
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<p>I am tempted to tell him to start with the walkers even if he will run/walk. </p>
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<p>Gawd.  If he hurts himself and it is known that I encouraged him... my name is Mudd.</p>

 

[Runninlaw]

<p>Wow - that is not a good situation at all.  Do you think he would be receptive if you talked to him first about the importance of training/preparing for a marathon before you get to the "STOP- DON'T DO IT?"  Because it seems like those are really the four words you need to tell him if he is only up to 15K.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Otherwise, the marathon will likely be a very, very upsetting experience for him.  Shoot, they have mentally dragged me down when I am 100% prepared.  This could be especially bad with autism/asbergers if he is in the middle of the course and gets super aggitated or upset.  I would do everything you can to keep him away from the race. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Could you suggest a different, shorter race on the same day to sign him up for and convince him that it is a much more fun/harder (whatever he would be receptive to) race?</p>

 

[Grizzly]

<p>There is a half at the same time.  Perhaps more appropriate.  But his heart is set on the marathon, sort of the "all or nothing" thing that aggravates me (just as "oh, a 5k is an easy race for beginners" irritates me).</p>
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[Grizzly]

<div class="content">Here's what I wrote.</div>
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<div class="content" id="user_07bb9a5e31db49f3bffbb1c7ced143cb">Well. I have a few things to say and I hope you take them the right way.</div>
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<div class="content animateRow" id="user_f0e3c64ac8d04b7e82a7fa8fc3fdfa46"><span style="background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">First of all, I am thrilled that you are running and that you like it. It really has helped me in my life and in some ways it defines me, even though I have not been running much this last year due to health issues.</span></div>
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<div class="content" id="user_17fb8cb8ca5e431583e8c48469a198b4">I am worried about you running this marathon. The marathon is an evil evil beast. If you run a 5k you can run a 10k. If you run a 10k you can run a half. But nothing, not even the best preparation can guarantee you anything in a marathon. I ran 70 miles a week off of a base of about 40 miles per week for a year before starting training.  I trained for half a year. I hurt. Admittedly, I raced it, but I hurt.  <span style="background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">My first marathon I thought I was ready, and I dragged my sorry ass over the line in under 5 hours. I hurt. I had to visit the med tent. In fact, both times I visited the med tent.  In both cases I had some serious issues with circulation problems.</span></div>
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<div class="subject hidden_elem">Usually a marathon requires about 24 weeks of training, at a minimum 16. Other races need preparation to build speed, but the marathon is about endurance, about economy, about pain. I am concerned that you will hurt yourself or make yourself sick. I also worry that you might never run again, and that would be a pity.</div>
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<div class="content animateRow" id="user_d2fccb23e7ca46369023e45491f1f361"><span style="background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">If you are set on running this, I will give you some advice, but my advice right now is this. Think long and hard. Really hard. 4 weeks is really not enough, not nearly enough. Maybe you could try the 10k or the half? Is it too late? </span> <span style="background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">If you really are set on doing this, I have some advice:</span></div>
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<div class="content animateRow" id="user_6b904d6656554761a22ec5e24ced2490"><span style="background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">1) Don't try for speed. Try for consistency, try for endurance. Slow runs with walking breaks.</span></div>
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<div class="content animateRow" id="user_47496542ad6643ac8624cada478697e0"><span style="background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">2) Get good shoes now. Break them in.</span></div>
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<div class="content animateRow" id="user_e1d46f3914d64271b448e55941f9a792"><span style="background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">3) </span> <span style="background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">Run every other day. Don't push it. One run a week is long. By long it has to be at least 2 hours. That is slow SLOW S L O W!!!!</span></div>
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<p>4) One run a week find a hill that you can run up a slope for at least 2 minutes. Run a warmup of about 10 minutes, then up the hill for about 90 seconds, down to the start, and repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Don't race up the hill, just steady effort. Then 10 minutes to cool down.</p>
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<div class="content animateRow" id="user_61059abab61e4d1e968b64a1112755c8"><span style="background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">5) Start the race with the walkers, an hour ahead of the runners. This isn't to humiliate you, but to ensure that you have the support you need by the end of the race. The hour will make a difference.</span></div>
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<div class="content animateRow" id="user_77e8ce8c84694d7f8597bf1c36faa34b"><span style="background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">You can walk about 4 miles in an hour at a very reasonable pace, that's about a 7 hour marathon. If you do something like 5 and 1 or 5 and 2 and keep it slow and within yourself you should be able to make it. Understand that at about 20 miles you will want to die.</span></div>
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<div class="content animateRow" id="user_d5106de913914405bc6717d001e3cf40"><span style="background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">I am here if you need any advice.</span></div>
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[GaReb770]

<p>Have you considered running with him to kind of control him from running too fast and in case he needs to dnf he won't feel so bad if you dnf with him.  Based on his current mileage even 1/1 run/walk will be a stretch, although if the course is open for six hours I have paced a marathon group in hilly Atlanta at a 1/1 pace that hit the mark in exactly six hours (maybe 5:59:45 but it was right around there) - it was a nice, slow pace but finished with no injuries, or pain.  As I remember we had 20-25 people in the group, including an Army Captain.   May not be the  pace he's looking for but probably offers the best chance of finishing the marathon.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If the race has an early start for walkers, as you seem to indicate, be sure and check the rules out.  Oklahoma City allows walkers and those runners who will take more than 5 1/2  hours to complete the marathon a 2 hour start before the course opens (i.e. they start at 4:30am instead of 6:30am).  HOWEVER, THE FOLLOWING CAVEAT:  runners/walkers must use the sidewalks as the roads are not yet closed to traffic;  will be responsible for their own water/sports drink until the course officially opens two hours later;  if any runner uses the early start and completes the race in less than 5 hours they are automatically DQ'ed.   So carefully read the fine print if he starts earlier with the walkers.</p>

 

[Grizzly]

<p>Reb,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I have not run outdoors since last summer and not nearly enough mileage.  If I can overcome health issues I might be up for a half this fall.  I told him that with stress on the might, but he's 600 miles away.  The fall half is the Royal Victoria Marathon's and my son is training for it.  The three of us might run it together... if my cousin doesn't burn himself out.</p>