Running Your First Marathon - March 29 - Post One
This is my friend Noah. He is a 24 yr old from Richfield Minnesota, and he has decided to run his first marathon; albeit with small amounts of convincing and me telling him he has no choice. Not a self proclaimed runner by any means, he has agreed to let me document his journey in training and attempting something less than 1% of the world has accomplished.
Running 26.2 miles in one sitting is no small feat. No matter how hard you prepare it is going to hurt, and Noah knows this. But the point of this series will not be to showcase how much pain and suffering must be endured to reach that finish line; Noah has agreed to let me share his training progression and status, to show how accessible it can be with just a little bit of effort and dedication.
To help put it in perspective where Noah is coming from, this first post will be an introduction to him and be the base for where we measure his progress along the way.
As stated above, Noah is 24. His previous running experience consists of a few years of Cross Country in High School, where he posted a PR 5K of around 20 mins. Outside of that, Spartan Races have been his passion over the last few years (Obstacle Course Races that range from 3-14 miles with 25-40 obstacles along the way) finishing them in Minnesota, Las Vegas, and Dallas.
This helped him stay fit over the years, without having to dedicate too much time to running. The obstacles help break up the run, so long distance endurance was never really a factor and the ability to climb a rope or throw a spear seemed more important come race day.
In this way the marathon will be a new challenge. Endurance will have to be brought to the forefront, and stopping to walk a sign of unpreparedness. I asked him to rate himself on his running skills and lay out a general plan for how he wants to prepare - I don’t know if I agree with everything that follows, but Noah is nothing if not his own man.
What do you think your current Mile time is, if you really tried?
“3:16, it’s been a while, but I think I can do it...but for real probably around 7 mins.”
(I tested him on this: It took him 7:20)
Hills or Sprints?
“Definitely sprints, but I want to mix in more hills, and rucking too.”
What is your favorite workout right now?
“Triceps workouts for sure. They make my arms feel heavier than biceps and when I get a string of good songs together I feel invincible.”
What is the most miles you could run in one sitting, right now?
“I’m in the belief that I could finish a marathon right now with no training because of my mental mindset, but if I really willed myself I could probably get 6 miles.”
Without giving it too much thought, how many miles do you expect to run each week to train for the marathon?
“Every week until the race I plan on keeping my workouts the same, but add a spice of running. I don’t want to lose any weight (He is currently 165lbs) but I want to build lung strength and stamina. Realistically, I want to run 1-5 miles every time I workout. I’m in Spartan [Race] mode.
Side Bar: We are both running a Spartan Race in Alberta Canada on 5/30, three weeks before the marathon on 6/20. (If it still happens, as international travel is restricted at the time this is posted.)
What is your goal for the marathon?
“My ultimate goal for the marathon is to complete a marathon. No time goals, just do it. Feel confident I completed it with one of my best buds (that's me) inevitably waiting at the finish line for me.
Do you plan on dieting during your training?
“I want to eat healthier/leaner foods but no limits to carbs/calories or food groups. Just maybe less bad shit, or eat that stuff in mild moderation. Something I am going to do is limit juices/pop. Basically anything with carbonation, or artificial sweetener/flavors.”
What is your favorite pre race meal of choice?
“Pasta the night before, with tons of garlic bread and Angel Hair pasta. The morning of I’ll eat either Golden Puffs or Trix cereal, or maybe a PB&J and some pop tarts.”
Favorite drink you like to celebrate with post race?
“Absinthe...or Everclear. I’ve never restricted myself anything before the race, so it’s not like a treat. Fitaid after a Spartan Race is always good, or anything Green Apple.
Our goal is to finish Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth Minnesota on June 20th, 2020. This will be Noah’s first marathon and my second (I completed Grandma’s in 2015 and DNF in 2016). As we train, we will be posting updates on what we did to prepare, and how Noah is improving along the way.
I was also a member of our High School Cross Country team, the Richfield Spartans and finished the Spartan Races alongside Noah. I have completed 5Ks (too many to count) and do at least a handful of half marathons and 10-mile races each year; so while I am a more seasoned runner, neither of us are experts and this training will be rigorous for us. While Noah’s goal is to cross the finish line on an amazing accomplishment, I am hoping to qualify for the Boston Marathon (if not this year, then sometime soon.)
A post will be made weekly to update on our progress and see how Noah’s new experience is shaping up. Marathon training is very difficult and time consuming. With running in large volumes, as is required, unforeseen obstacles could arise and as that happens this series my evolve. We look forward to sharing this experience with anyone who wants to follow it. More informal updates will be made on our social media, so additional progress can be checked there:
Noah’s Instagram - @sunnywentworth19
Tim’s Instagram - @timkillian
