I have a friend who running in the Niagara Falls Half Marathon next month. I started looking at it, and thought it could be an interesting race. I first was only looking at the half marathon which runs along the river, and ends near the falls.
But then I started looking at the full marathon. The full marathon starts in the United States, crosses the border into Canada, runs along the river, and ends near the falls. Apparently it is the only marathon in the world that starts in one country, and ends in another.
The full sounded really cool. But then I started looking at the logistics. In order to run the full, I would HAVE TO be up there on Saturday to go through customs and stuff. So that would add the cost of a hotel room ($150-$200). We would also have to board the dog for a day or two.
After looking at the options, I decided it would just be easier to race the half marathon. We can drive up early Sunday morning, pickup my race packet, I can run the race, and then we can drive home that afternoon.
Though running across the border would be really cool! Maybe next year.
Hello Rob,
I’ve just read your article about treadmill training for marathons, and would like to offer you a few comments for your edification.
First of all, I have run 11 marathons, including the Marine Corps Marathon (4 times), Boston (twice), the Sugarloaf (Maine) Marathon twice, and a few others. After a major knee injury in 1998, I had to severely curtail all running, and am just now in the process of trying one last rehab program. In recent years, I’ve served as sort of an online coach for a group of runners who run in the Marine Corps Marathon as a menas of raising money fo the Big Brothers/ Big Sisters Program in Washington, DC. They are still using the training article that I wrote for them, and some can easily be found on the internet.
One of those articles dealt with the question of running in “rotten weather”, and was one of my favorite training articles to pass on.
As you know, marathons are scheduled well in advance, so there are fewer “surprises” in terms of the type of weather you might expect.
The point is that no real marathoner is going to travel to a marathon (paying all sorts of money to get there!), and then turn around and go home just because of some rain. Yet, the 1994 Marine Corps Marathon was run in a horrendous rainstorm. It was coming down in buckets more than 30 minutes before the starting gun. And then the skies REALLY opened up on us! The video tape showed that many runners were actually running with umbrellas UP!
This shows the importance of getting outdoors as much as possible. This is the best way to simulate what you will have to go through on Marathon day.
If the only training you do is indoors, you will get used to that, and used to “running” with no wind resistance. If you’re not used to it, what happens when you wind up going into the teeth of a strong headwind…for the last 6 miles of a marathon? The 1992 MCM was an excellent example. The final 6 miles were mostly into a 30+ MPH headwind, and that’s something that can really throw a monkey-wrench into your plans.
Since marathons are held in all weather, it makes good sense to train in all weather. Yes, the treadmill has it’s place, and it is better than nothing. If it is dangerously hot outside, run indoors. If the wind-chill factor is 40 degrees below zero: run indoors. But if the weather is just warm & humid? Get outside and run!
A friend who runs Ultras once told me that “training strictly on a treadmill is like making love to a mannequin…you get a little feel for it, but it’s still not “the real thing”.
A word to the wise: pound more pavement. It will make you a better, stronger, and faster runner. Learn to get used to running at specific speeds (and there are training methods that will teach you how to judge your pace).
Please feel free to email me with any questions you may have.
Sincerely,
Don E. Leeman
Comment by Don Leeman — October 2, 2007 @ 11:40 pm
Oh, please excuse a few typographical errors I made in the other email. That happens when I try to type too fast!
Comment by Don Leeman — October 2, 2007 @ 11:44 pm
Hi Don, don’t even worry about typos! If you looked through my posts, you would probably find hundreds. LOL!
Thanks for your comments!
I have only done the three fulls (Las Vegas, Buffalo, Rochester), two halfs, and an ultra (extreme trail running). And almost all of the training has been on the treadmill.
As far as weather, I deal with that as it happens during a race. Much of laster years Las Vegas Marathon was running into a head wind, and there was some brief rain. I can put up with most discomfort type stuff for the duration of a marathon. That’s no problem. I don’t think actually training in uncomfortable environments would help me much as they don’t bother me now. I have no problems ignoring short term discomfort (once in a while for a race). But if I was training in it often, I would probably come to dislike running more than I do now. I actually don’t like running much. I do it, and am reasonable good at it, and am getting better at it. I like the races…actually I like parts of the races, and having done the races. But often the training is just boring. And when I run outside, it is often more boring. On my TM I can at least watch a movie, or TV show. I guess I am wierd!
Comment by Rob — October 3, 2007 @ 10:36 am
Hi again, Rob,
Well, I’m not sure “weird” is the first word that comes to mind. (lol)
You can only measure improvement as a runner, and more specifically, as a marathon runner, by your own standards. If your times keep getting better, then you are obviously improving.
More important than finishing time, though, is being able to take something away from each marathon experience. By learning from each marathon, we also learn more about ourselves.
More to the point, though: Since all marathons are run outdoors, it makes sense to get “out there” as often as possible. For one thing, the scenery will continue to change as you run along the road, whereas if you are on a treadmill at home, there is no change of scenery.
I’d be curiuous to know what sort of times you have run, though, and in what sort of conditions. You see, the tougher your training runs, the stronger and better you will be as a runner.
If you run a Google on my name, you might be able to find some of the training articles that I’ve written for a group that runs in the Marine Corps Marathon each year. Those were mentioned in my first email, and they make as much sense today as they did when they were written. If they help you at all, then they will have been worth the effort!
Just curious, though: About how long before the marathons have you started training for them? Have you also kept a log book from day-to-day? Also, how long do you taper immediately prior to the marathon?
Enough for now. Good running to you!
Comment by Don Leeman — October 5, 2007 @ 8:01 pm
To answer your questions…
Here are my Marathon/Half Marathon times:
8/06-Bought treadmill/started running
9/06-Rochester Half Marathon(2:21)
12/06-Las Vegas Marathon (5:24 as Elvis including stops)
5/07-Buffalo Marathon (4:21)
9/07-Oak Tree Half Marathon (1:59..ran as training run targeting 9:30 pace…ran last 1.1 miles at 7:15 pace)
9/07-Rochester Marathon (3:51)
You can search Marathon Guide for my name Rob Jacob, and see my times.
I am signed up to run the Niagara Falls Half Marathon at the end of the month and am targeting a 1:45 time.
I have been continuously training. I use training schedules such as Hal Higdon for Las Vegas, 4 Months To A 4 Hour Marathon for Buffalo, a modified version of the 4 Months To A 4 Hour Marathon schedule for Rochester. I am currently training using the FIRST program schedule targeting a 3:30 time. I taper as the schedule calls for.
I don’t keep a log book, but have a print out of the schedule I am using taped to the wall next to the treadmill, and check off the days schedule as I complete them.
As I have finished one race, I have jumped into the training schedule for the next.
Just curious, what kind of times do you run?
I will check out your articles.
Comment by Rob — October 6, 2007 @ 6:57 am
Thanks to a major knee injury in 1998, I have not done any running since then. The doc said I’d probably never run again, and so far, he’s been right. However, it’s worth one final try to rehab the knee, and it’s going to be a long haul before we know for sure.
My last 2 marathons were both in October of 1995, with a time differential of about 5 minutes. Most of my marathons were in the low 4-hour range, and it never really bothered me that it never got much lower than that. Speed was not something that I was blessed with, although I could crank it up in the shorter races since merely finishing was never an issue. For example, my 5K PR was 21:20, and the 10K PR was 44:58. (Not great times, even for a man of my age and I’m in my late 50s now).
There were two marathons where I never really gave any thought to the finishing time after it was all done. Sugarloaf (Maine) in 1994, where the temperature was in the upper 80s by the time I reached the finish line (one person told me it was 91!), and Boston (1995), where I had been sick with a very high fever just one week beforehand. I really should have stayed home that year! If I’d had any brains, staying home would have been the wise thing to do! But, being the stubborn cus that I am, quitting was never an option.
The point, though, was that both of those “bad” marathons taught me some important lessons, of which the major one was that the real challenge of marathons is to be able to overcome any adversity that we might run into on the road. The idea now is to carry that same thought over into the rest of one’s personal life.
By the way, Hal Higdon’s book, “Marathon”, is one of the better books that I’ve ever read. He cited a lot of his own experiences throughout the book, and it was really enjoyable to read it.
One question: You said that once you finish one training cycle you jump right into a cycle for the next one. While consistent training is vital, how about having some “down-time” in order to allow the body to recover? I’m not talking about something like taking off for a whole month or more, but perhaps a week without looking at the running shoes might do a lot in terms of allowing a better recovery from the previous effort.
Oh, please excuse the length of these letters!
The next couple of weeks I will hardly see the computer at all. We are putting on a production of “The Crucible”, Arthur Miller’s play centering on the Salem Witch Trials. My character is Judge Hathorne(the Hanging Judge!), and it’s my first time EVER acting on stage. (YIKES!) We’ve got a lot of rehearsals between now and the end of this month, and learning my lines has to take priority.
Comment by Don Leeman — October 17, 2007 @ 4:50 pm
Hi Don,
I think speed is something that can be trained to a certain point. Many people complain that they aren’t fast. But I think a lot of times its just that they haven’t dont the right type of training.
I am going to have to disagree with you on the treadmill issue. I think if I had to do my training outside, I would have a hard time keeping up the pace. On a treadmill I have no choice but to run that fast or get thrown off the back. I helps keep me honest.
I have never actually run a 5k or 10k event. Earlier this year I ran the Chase Corporate Challenge which is 3.5 miles, and it is the shortest race I have done. I ran it in about 30 minutes. But that was also just 4 days after running the Buffalo Marathon where I ran a 4:21. I want to run the Chase Corp Challenge again this year, but I want to run in 25 minutes or less. I am pretty sure I can do it. I am much faster now. And I keep getting faster.
I just ran the Niagara Falls Half Marathon this last weekend. I ran it dressed in an Elvis costume, and ran a 1:42:49 time. I am running the full marathon in Las Vegas (also as Elvis) on December 2nd. I hoping to run a 3:30 full marathon and qualify for Boston. I am very close. If I don’t do it in Decemeber, I will bump up my training to a 3:20 schedule, and try again in May.
When I jump back into a training schedule, I will often cheat the first week or two. So if the weekend after a full marathon calls for a 20 mile run, I will only do 10. I may take longer breaks during the intervals, ro whatever else it takes. It has seemed to work for me.
I have Higdon’s Marathon book as well as many others. The book I am using right now is Run Less, Run Faster. The 3 days a week of running gives me much better recovery between runs. And I am getting faster.
Hey no problem about the length of your comments type as much as you want!
Let me know how the play went. I have never acted (or wanted to) in a play. You got a lot of courage! Good luck!
Comment by Rob — October 30, 2007 @ 9:23 am