Buy Walking VideosVisualize Your Marathon
Have you ever dreamed of running a marathon? I have thought about running a marathon for years, but I’ve never gotten past training for a 5K. I’ve enjoyed the sense of accomplishment that I’ve gotten from running a 5K, but I think I’m ready for more.
This video from Zappos and The Las Vegas Marathon shows you all 26.3 miles of the Las Vegas Marathon. It’s an excellent visualization tool for imagining the race.
This reminds me of the Starling Fitness Walking DVDs. I wish they would sell me a DVD of the race route filmed at regular speed so I could use it to train on my treadmill. Wouldn’t that be the ideal visualization technique for running that race?
26.3 miles is a LONG distance. I didn’t realize how long until I watched this video. It’s fast forward (so much so that it gave me motion sickness to watch it), and it still took almost eight minutes to go through the whole route. After seeing what 26.3 miles looks like, I think it’s way too soon for me to start training for a marathon and maybe I should shoot for a 10K next.
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December 11th, 2007 at 6:15 pm
A marathon definitely seems very unobtainable right now. But when you think about it… marathons are something that you train 6 months for. If you were to be consistent I bet you could do a training plan for a marathon 6 months from now and do the 10k in there somewhere to make yourself feel successful, haha. I say you go for it. If you do, I will. We’d have to give ourselves 6 months though 🙂
December 11th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
I did my first “real” 5k last month. I did NO training in prep for it and I wasn’t even that into it. I walked the whole way 🙁 But now I’m doing the couch-to-5k program (C25k) and next year my goal is to be able to run the whole thing. Goals are good… especially small ones along the way. Laura, I applaud you shooting for the 10k next. YOU GO GIRL!!!!
December 11th, 2007 at 11:39 pm
I ran a marathon! It IS a long way! 🙂 I don’t think I’ll ever do it again and right now I can’t believe I did it, but, when I started training, I could barely run a mile, so you are way ahead of where I started out. I limited my running to three times a week as reccomended by the coach of the group I trained with, and it actually wasn’t that bad. My advice to anyone considering it: Make sure to take amino acid supplements and stretch- DON”T run through any pain. Get good shoes, run with a track club if you are new to running and like groups- much easier that way.
December 12th, 2007 at 12:19 am
It’s a mental game as well as a physical one, following a training plan for 16-24 weeks will prepare you physically for the time on your feet and the long slow runs, usually Sunday morning, will prepare you mentally for being “out there” that long. Build in some 10ks and half marathon races during the training so you don’t freak out with the crowd and you’ll be in good shape. Honest Laura you can do it…you just need to believe you can.
Pick a race, find a training program and back into it date wise…go on you know you want to!
December 12th, 2007 at 7:37 pm
Marathons are totally do-able. I did my first one in 2003, and I was never what you’d consider a “runner” growing up. I used The Non Runner’s Marathon Trainer by David Whitsett (et al). It had inspirational stories from first time runners, as well as different training programs for people who are just starting out running to those who run 3-4 miles at a time. I also hear the Hal Higdon marathon training program is good- and you can make personalized training schedules for free on the Runner’s World website.
Also, if you like the Vegas route video- the La Salle Bank Chicago Marathon (one of the flattest and fastest routes in the country) has something similar- though I think its offered through an affiliated New Balance website.
The journey of a million (or 26.2) miles begins with a single step- you can totally do this.
December 18th, 2007 at 8:25 pm
I want to do a marathon too. 26.2 miles is way out of my league for now. The plan is a 10k, half-marathon and then a full marathon. Who knows, given enough time – might do an ironman, but there will be a sprint and half-ironman first.
I’m training for a 10k in April. Nothing motivates like a race.