Should I Run a Marathon Without Having Trained?

Post-Baltimore Marathon…after I PR’d and thought I was going to start running like a marathon a month. And…#fail.

Have you ever run a marathon without really training? I signed up for the DC Rock n’ Roll Marathon back in November or so — fully intending on training like a pro throughout the winter. I bought some winter running pants, gloves and printed out a detailed schedule of training from Smart Coach. It was happening!

And then. The wicked Mr. Winter came in and broke me down. What is it about the bone chilling cold that causes your body to malfunction like whoa? It sure did for me. It’s like the cold invades my body and turns me into an old woman, with inexplicable back pain, weird joint aches and half-colds that never actually go away.

The back issue came and went, a couple times, but finally feels gone for the season. But then I had weeks of just feeling totally exhausted. I’d wake up on a Saturday after a full 9 hours of restful sleep and struggle to get out of bed. What was up?

This is how the cold made feel. WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME?!

Whatever it was, training was put on hold as I struggled to just get in minimal miles. I decided I’d just be running the half marathon, instead of the whole. For some reason, I couldn’t get myself to change it online though. I could change my registration to the half or just wait until race day and decide then. According to the website, if you downgrade to the half, it will automatically register on your shoe tag so I can essentially decide on race day which I’m running.

I’m 95% sure I’m running the half. I know I should. What is it that tugs at me to just “try it” on the full? It’s the nagging knowledge that I know I’m capable of running a sub-4 — but not without real training (I think.) Still, I know I will be jealous of the “fulls” at the end of the day. But, I keep reminding myself, I’m no SR — she’s one of a kind!

“You have to forget your last marathon before you try another. Your mind can’t know what’s coming.”
                       — Frank Shorter, 1972 Olympic marathon gold medalist

This seems to be my problem. I’ve forgotten the sheer agony of mile 22 alone! I remember only the glory of the finish line — that is, just before and after I’m done feeling nauseated 🙂

When I get real about it, it seems like a bad idea. I remember the awfulness of Marine Corps last year, running a marathon not two weeks after I’d just run one. Oh, the unforeseen hardship! I had no idea how hard it would be since I’d just PR’d like a rockstar. I think it would be the same with this. And, I’m not sure having “on more medal” would be worth the anguish of an untrained race.

However, I do remember just reading about Courtney’s on-a-whim decision to run a marathon in Hawaii and I think that’s what got me to this precipice! But…then again, she and her friend ran it leisurely and for fun. And I have no fun friends with which to do that with! (Anyone?)

Just after the very rough Marine Corps Marathon.

In the end, I think I’d be just fine. I wouldn’t get injured and I’m fully confident my body could handle running a marathon. But, at this point, do I want to push through a really tough 4+ hours of running — or breeze through 2 and join my friends for a fun, post-half brunch? I’m not saying I 100% won’t run the full but I’d need some really convincing to do it at this point!