Training advice for a marathon?

sheepy19 · Post by **sheepy19** » 26 Sep 2016, 17:19

Hello
a very niche question, I know,
I'm running a marathon next year and I wanted to know if any posties have done this before and how they trained for it?
I've looked online about training for it, but my legs are already tired after walking 4+ hours every day!
Only getting 22 days off a year I don't want to use all my holidays up because of it. So I wanted to know whether
the legs can take the running every day after a hard days work, if the work-related exercise can count towards the training
or if it basically messes it all up and the best thing is to not work for 16 weeks before!?
I'm 31 and I know a lot of posties of all ages have ran them so i'd be interested to hear about it

cheers

Justanotherstar · Post by **Justanotherstar** » 26 Sep 2016, 19:42

Just take a few ephedrine tabs half hour before...you'll do it in an hour or so.

Someone helpful will be along shortly.

salomon2 · Post by **salomon2** » 26 Sep 2016, 19:43

I've done a few and find walking 12 miles a day supplements my training, but best training is strength work, insanity classes, Pilates for quieter sessions and some cross training with a long run on weekends and a few shorter runs during the week. I'm 50 and not fast but some short hill reps are good for not overdoing the miles as well. I aim for 8 minute miles on short runs and 10mm on longer runs.

Mobey · Post by **Mobey** » 26 Sep 2016, 20:35

salomon2 wrote:I aim for 8 minute miles on short runs and 10mm on longer runs.

10mm sounds good to me, I do more than that when I get out of bed.

Stunl3y · Post by **Stunl3y** » 26 Sep 2016, 20:39

Ive done a couple , ive found that rest days are as important as training days , I also found that as I increased my training it was easier using Sundays Mondays and Tuesdays for my longer runs , take things easy or even just rest on Wed/Thursday then go on steady runs Friday and Saturday. I really found grabbing an hour or two kip before I ran helped as well, not easy I know with the way things are in this job but if you can I really recommend it. Plenty of pasta and carbs and when you get nearer the race you really want to have done at least three or four 18-20 mile runs then taper down your training 2 weeks before you race. This is what I did, managed to get under 3.20 and to be honest if I had not gone off so fast I reckon I could easily get under 3.10 but unfortunately my right knee has caused me all sorts of problems (Thanks Royal Mail) and I don't think it can take the pressure of the job and marathon training so I just run 4 times a week now im 47 btw.

Good luck !!

madmax1 · Post by **madmax1** » 26 Sep 2016, 20:46

stewart · Post by **stewart** » 27 Sep 2016, 18:57

Doing all the walking on my round whilst training for a marathon certainly helped me . My round was on average 10 miles a day 5-6 days a week . I ran on average 90 miles a week in a 16 week build up to London Marathon with 120 miles a week when on holiday . This was done in my forties . To cope I just said it was all in the mind and got on with it . Running 26.2 miles is tough and being a postie in all weather toughens you up !!

sheepy19 · Post by **sheepy19** » 27 Sep 2016, 20:18

Cheers everyone for the advice and stories

looking forward to it (and also not :) )

3:42 is very impressive!

hazzeem025 · Post by **hazzeem025** » 27 Sep 2016, 21:26

Use your walking miles as your base training. Mix up your training sessions. Do interval sessions, absolutely do hill reps, tempo for an hour. Don't get obsessed with the idea that you have to run 18-20miles 5 or 6 times to do a marathon! Don't over train. If you're tired, rest! If you run when tired you stand a higher chance of injury. Mix a little cycling into your training. My main bit of advice is quality hard miles over the quantity of miles. Eat a mix of protein and carbohydrate after training sessions. And also eat well when you're at work, otherwise training won't happen, you'll be to tired! Best of luck!!

Dorset Plodder · Post by **Dorset Plodder** » 28 Sep 2016, 20:32

I'll take my hat off to any Postie that's got the energy to train and run Marathon's

Maybe if you've got a correctly set up duty BUT TBH when I get home I'm knackered!

Quite a few in my DO are getting into the cycling perhaps they're just missing their old Bikes, but I suppose you could argue it's less impact on the knees etc!

mrpostiepat · Post by **mrpostiepat** » 29 Sep 2016, 16:54

You won't need to take time off before to train but i recommend you try and get some time off after your race as your legs are going to be tired for quite a while afterwards.
I followed an 18wk training plan and always did 'the long run' on the Sunday when you're not working and have all day. Three 20 mile runs in your training is enough as any more than that you risk injury. It's actually good practice to run on tired legs in your training as you are teaching your legs to keep going when you're fatigued. Good luck, hope it goes well.

Post by **PHARRY** » 30 Sep 2016, 20:23

Eat 3 full English fry ups everyday and drink 20 pints of Guinness a day

Post by **PHARRY** » 02 Oct 2016, 13:24

sheepy19 wrote:Hello
a very niche question, I know,
I'm running a marathon next year and I wanted to know if any posties have done this before and how they trained for it?
I've looked online about training for it, but my legs are already tired after walking 4+ hours every day!
Only getting 22 days off a year I don't want to use all my holidays up because of it. So I wanted to know whether
the legs can take the running every day after a hard days work, if the work-related exercise can count towards the training
or if it basically messes it all up and the best thing is to not work for 16 weeks before!?
I'm 31 and I know a lot of posties of all ages have ran them so i'd be interested to hear about it

cheers

If your running marathon your round can't be very big

sheepy19 · Post by **sheepy19** » 26 Mar 2017, 20:10

I tried the Guinness and fry ups every day just made me podgy!
update:
So im 2 months away been training since January and i did a 18 mile run today so going good...(after a 6 day week, with plenty of overtime, collections etc)
Surprisingly enough I'd say all the running hasn't affected my walking or vice versa, in any case it's made the job easier....
the first couple of runs i had to hobble round the next day in work but since then it's been okay.
Don't want to speak too soon but anyone worried about running and overworked legs, i guess its okay and the legs can take Full time walking with lots of running afterwards
(38 miles a week over 4 running days). I've seen some marathon schedules of 80+ hours of running a week!

P.S. I haven't been given any time off after the marathon!! Despite requesting this at the first opportunity. This has gone to all the people who've also asked for that time off, and since they've all been there longer they get it off. I'll be possibly calling in sick though if my legs are in a bad way, so their loss...

South_London_Postie · Post by **South_London_Postie** » 26 Mar 2017, 20:35

"This has gone to all the people who've also asked for that time off, and since they've all been there longer they get it off."

Seniority is not allowed to be used as a tool for annual leave allocation