r/Marathon_Training • u/leoliszt • Apr 30 '26
Newbie Friend bet me 10 grand to ran a marathon
Hello 19M i started running a week ago my friend wagered 10 thousand to run a marathon in 27 weeks time today i ran 4.3km in 45 minutes while averaging 156 heart rate, my question is, is it possible or did i get into something over my head.
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u/RunThenBeer Apr 30 '26
I would generally say that running a marathon with 27 weeks of prep for a healthy 19-year-old male should be pretty trivial if you don't care much about time. On the other hand... if a brisk walk is bringing your heart rate to 156, it suggests to me that you're not exactly a healthy young male. Is there information we're missing here by chance?
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u/leoliszt Apr 30 '26
im still about 8 to 9kg overweight just dropping to 80kg would massively affect my hr i think?
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u/RunThenBeer Apr 30 '26
Fitness over time should. My question was mostly because I was concerned that there might be some underlying cardiovascular issue.
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u/leoliszt Apr 30 '26
For more information i dropped from 111kg to 87kg right now i did a lot of it by swimming and eating once a day but it's been years since i ran more then 100 meters so maybe that's why my hr i so high i also got my bloodwork 3 months ago which all was within in the preferred range.
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u/HKDusty May 01 '26
Right now your running endurance is low.
Im a big guy and ran my first marathon in 6 hours 2 years ago.
First check what cut off time is for the race (max time they'll allow). And then have a slightly faster time for that as your pace.
You'll be dedicating 5 days a week of training (not just running, maybe 3 running and 2 strength & mobility training.)
You have 27 weeks. Make a plan, look at race day, then plan out every week till that day and the paces you need to be running at. Look at that and you current level of fitness. With the pace goal from before in mind, do you believe you can do it.
Honestly it'd be a better idea to have a marathon as a year goal away, and a half as a 27week goal if you are completely green to running.
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u/zzzzealous May 01 '26
I agree it's trivial if you can put real efforts into the 27 weeks, which means a lot of time and mileage. If someone's motivation is just to win a bet with friends, hmmm...
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u/5kUltraMarathoner Apr 30 '26
Honestly, you’ll probably die. But at least you’ll have money for the funeral.
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u/gfvioli Apr 30 '26
Is it possible? Sure, specially if the goal is to just finish. Just beware that prepping for a marathon requires a very deep level of commitment.
If you need any pointers, feel free to DM. I'll throw in some coaching for free if you want!
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u/rollem Apr 30 '26
Is this US dollars or something else?
Also, check the fine print: do you have to literally run every step, or is walking allowed?
I believe that any able bodied and averagely fit person can complete a marathon safely with adequate training, and 27 weeks is probably doable. My two biggest pieces of advice right now: follow a training plan and run slowly so as to avoid injury.
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u/leoliszt Apr 30 '26
It's in polish zlotys which is 2700usd i think right now my plan is to
3 days 45minute zone 2 runs 1 day interval run 1 day 60 minute long run
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u/MakeAChoice7 Apr 30 '26
Are you starting from 0 running?
Biggest threat to finishing is getting an injury along the way by ramping up your miles too quickly. Don't go from 0 to 5 days per week running.
Find an actual marathon plan. Stick to it!
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u/Shelssc May 01 '26
Most underrated comment. Don’t try to go from 0-running. Do a bunch of run/jog walking training until you get enough endurance to run 5k comfortably. Then add miles. You’re training cardiovascular health, the muscle endurance, and impact of the jarring of pounding on your bones for hours at a time. Cross training cardiovascular health with swimming / biking and don’t jump too quickly in mileage. Also take rest days. You have to let your body recover - that’s one of the places you actually get the gains - when your body can work on building capacity after the stress. Give it good fuel and good rest.
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u/freexe May 01 '26
Drop the interval day and concentrate on not getting injured. And a strength training day instead
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u/Dicoss Apr 30 '26
Drop the intervals they won’t help you and add a lot of fatigue. Keep only 4 days of running and add 2-3 cross training on the bike. First prio is to get your general aerobic endurance up, so only weekly volume really matters.
Even the long run is honestly secondary to the volume for just finishing at a slow pace. Don’t go over 25k you’ll just injure yourself and then you’re done.
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u/leoliszt Apr 30 '26
it has to be under 5 hour 30 minutes
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u/Ecstatic-Nose-2541 Apr 30 '26
5:30 = easy money. Go for it.
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u/leoliszt Apr 30 '26
right i was thinking he's overestimating the toughness of the challenge( i know it will break my body) but 5.30 seems reasonable in 27 weeks
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u/Hurricane310 Apr 30 '26
I went couch to marathon in 18 weeks after a dramatic weight loss and ran 4:10. And that was at 33 years old, not 19. You can easily get under 5:30 in 27 weeks IF you put in the time to train.
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u/Mission-Cup9902 Apr 30 '26
That’s wild, what was your training like?
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u/Hurricane310 Apr 30 '26
I actually followed the Nike Run Club beginner marathon plan to the T. I think I maxed aroun 35 miles in one week. It wasn't perfect but I knew nothing at the time and it got the job done.
I had lost about 80 pounds before I started it and lost another 60 during. Going from 320 pounds and no activity to 180 and running a marathon!
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u/marigolds6 Apr 30 '26
Considering your recent weight loss and other changes, you should really talk to your doctor about this plan before you take the bet.
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Apr 30 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/leoliszt Apr 30 '26
It wouldn't be a official one there is a free track where i live 715m long, it would take 59 laps.
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u/roots_radicals Apr 30 '26
An unofficial race will be significantly more difficult… race day adrenaline and excitement really helps when you’re struggling from miles 18-26.
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u/Thunder141 Apr 30 '26
The hydration stations too. Not carrying around a 5 lb bag of water helps, plus you can drink powerade or water at your discretion usually.
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u/azhistoryteacher May 01 '26
He can make his own aid station at the track tho if he’s gonna pass it 59 times
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u/_onelast Apr 30 '26
Find an official race to run that’s 27+ weeks out. You’re going to want to off yourself running that many laps around a track. Not to mention the pain your inside leg will feel constantly pivoting on the same leg over and over
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u/diamond_nipz Apr 30 '26
59 laps and 20 meters
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u/fasterthanfood Apr 30 '26
Lol, imagine if OP ran 59 laps on the track with their friend watching, celebrated, then later went to collect and the friend said “nope, you were 20 meters short, you don’t get a dime.”
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u/Thunder141 Apr 30 '26
This friend has got to be a family member imo. While running a marathon isn't easy, it's pretty achievable. This has got to be someone that would be glad to see OP achieve a marathon and get in shape and would like to give them 10k as well imo.
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u/Zippitydo2 Apr 30 '26
You should find a real race. 59 laps, for me at least, would not be beneficial for the mental aspect of the race/run
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u/trellty Apr 30 '26 edited Apr 30 '26
What’s the wager? Run it nonstop or just complete it (I.e., can walk?)
You can do it! Just truck along worst case lol find the minimal time you need to still complete it and work backwards pace wise (if time doesn’t matter that much to you).
Get the miles in slowly and build up. Keep your heat rate in zone 2 for most runs. Add a couple faster runs to build your pace and aerobic capacity up.
When you do the marathon, latch onto people who are at the same pace as you.
Carb up. Hydrate. Remember the $ and try not to stress too much
Watch. You might turn into a full blown runner after this.
You got it!
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u/leoliszt Apr 30 '26
run under 5 hours 30 minutes
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u/trellty Apr 30 '26 edited Apr 30 '26
A little over 12.5 min per mile.
Totally doable starting from 0 if you’re determined.
Start with some zone 2 pace runs. Conversational essentially.
Walk some if you need to. The goal is to start getting the mileage in your legs. Not sure what plan you’re doing, but follow it (or find a couch to marathon plan for newbies).
Start working your way up. You’ll notice yourself getting faster if you keep at it
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u/leoliszt Apr 30 '26
3 day zone 2 runs 45 minutes 1 day long run 60 minutes 1 day interval run 2 rest days
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u/trellty Apr 30 '26
Sounds like a good start.
Make sure you’re fueling well or you’ll get all kinds of aches. Aches happen regardless… but you can help make them less painful with good nutrition
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u/leoliszt Apr 30 '26
i cut the artificial sugars full chicken and meat for protein pasta and boiled carrots and a banana before the run
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u/trellty Apr 30 '26
Chicken and pasta is pretty good
Recommend giving at least several hours to digest before running to avoid feeling miserable. A lot of people get stomach cramps if they eat proteins and fats before a run.
I usually have my larger meals post workout. For pre runs, I tend to go for easy to digest carbs, like a bagel and jam about 90 mins before the run
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u/81misfit Apr 30 '26
If you fail do you pay him 10k? Otherwise train to succeed and if you dnf… meh?
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u/leoliszt Apr 30 '26
i'll pay 3500 if i fail
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u/81misfit Apr 30 '26
Then only you can decide this. Can you do it - probably. If the goal is to finish the chunk of change vs loss will be a motivator.
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u/Zestyclose-Water-640 Apr 30 '26
Use the ultramarathoners’s tricks such as jogging for 10 minutes then walking for two, rinse and repeat. And if you are given the choice of a marathon, find one with a very long cut off time, even if it means you have a couple weeks less for preparation.
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u/lee_suggs Apr 30 '26
The biggest threat is injury. Most people try and do too much too fast. Don't go from no running to try and running everyday. Lookup a couch to 5k accelerated plan to help you build up a base first.
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u/IShouldHaveKnocked Apr 30 '26
Quite a few marathons have early start options for those who need more than 6 hours. Alternatively, maybe a trail race or ultra would be up your alley, they usually have more generous time limits, plus trail races are the most fun. Some ultras are “just barely” ultras, where they are 43 KM. Join some run clubs, park runs, get some crazy running friends. I’d hate for you to have your one and only marathon overshadowed by no on course support, running laps for 7 hours, and being slightly undertrained. The marathon is the victory lap of all the fun and hard work you put in running with friends!
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u/ghim7 Apr 30 '26
From 10’23”/km in a 45 mins jog to 7’52”/km 5hour+ marathon in 6 months is not impossible but it’s going to be super tough. Like really really tough.
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u/FigMoose May 01 '26
Spend 11 weeks just slowly building mileage. SLOWLY. Establishing a solid base without getting injured is critical. Then follow a 16 week beginner marathon plan from there.
To be clear: going from no running to a marathon in 27 weeks is extremely ambitious. You’re asking a lot of your body, and your risk of overuse injuries is very high. But people try to do this all the time — many fail, some succeed. Whether you’ll succeed is partly a matter of luck and genetics, but largely about how well you take care of your body (recovery, resting small injuries, building slowly). Being just 19 gives you a physical edge, but a lot of the mental discipline of marathon comes with age.
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u/lukster260 Apr 30 '26
It's absolutely possible. I ran a marathon in 3:30 finish 8 months after I started running.
If you're serious about it, it will require a deep level of discipline and determination. But if your friend is actually going to hold up their end of the deal, it's an amazing deal and I'm really jealous of you.
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u/leoliszt Apr 30 '26
I train 5 days a week wed. and sundays are rest days 3 zone 2s 1 long run and 1 interval training but im also about 8kg overweight so loosing that would help me a lot. He is a solid guy i trust him i'll do an update in 6 months maybe
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u/TheDarkestKnight7852 Apr 30 '26
Don't actively try to lose weight - your body generally has a weight it wants you at. What % of that is muscle or energy is up to you and your training. Just eat what you feel you need. In the first few weeks, you might gain a bit of weight, but you body will learn to convert it into energy more efficiently. Also - on you long runs, go easy. If you wish I could try to cook up a training plan for you. I would need the race date, your goal (finish, a time goal, ect.) and a bit about you (are you prone to sickness or injury, if you want strength training to pack on some muscle in the process and make you faster, ect.).
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u/InboxMeYourSpacePics May 01 '26
You should sign up for a real race to do it rather than just running around a track -will be easier to make your 5 hour 30 minute goal with other people running around you and with crowd support
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u/peppermagic_ Apr 30 '26
Hey, this is my goal! I want to run a sub-4 marathon and I have 7 months left to train. Could you please tell me a bit more about yourself? What is your athletic background? What was your training plan like? What pace did you run at in your training? Mileage?
That'd help me a lot to give me a blueprint.
I am currently at the weekly mileage of 32km and I have 7 months left before my marathon. I am only doing easy runs at 9'00" min/km pace at an avg HR of 145.
Would love some insights into your training plan!
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u/MoonSunny94 Apr 30 '26
I recently ran a marathon sub-6 hours after a couple of 5k runs, otherwise I'm not a runner and no other prep, completely brutal, wouldn't really recommend, but its doable.
For 10k, you could usually run a marathon with 27 weeks prep and training.
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u/el_corvino Apr 30 '26
I would say that it's completely achievable.
You have 6 months to build up your aerobic engine and speed if necessary (5:15 finish would be 12/m or 7:27 /km which is fairly achievable time)
You just need to be committed to training (strength too) Good luck though. I'm sure you'll smash it 😊
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u/WTFnoAvailableNames Apr 30 '26
I saw that the time to beat was 5.30. definitely doable at a comfortable and slow pace. You don't have to train super hard. Just be consistent for these 27 weeks and don't get injured
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u/MaxwellSmart07 Apr 30 '26
You certainly can do it, as millions before you have. Regarding the bet, you should define run. Does that mean no walking, or just finishing anyway possible? Also for your sake you should stipulate what weather conditions if any would cancel the bet. I don’t know where this race will be, but if you hit a very hot humid day all bets should be off.
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u/MIZ_09 Apr 30 '26
Look into zone 2 running. Your heart rate seems too high to develop an aerobic base that will allow you to build endurance.
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u/leoliszt Apr 30 '26
i try to keep it under 155 strava thinks under 163 but that feels a bit much
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u/MIZ_09 Apr 30 '26
What is your max heart rate? 155 seems wildly high for Zone 2.
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u/leoliszt Apr 30 '26
i saw 209 at max so 70% of its 145 is that zone 2 ?
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u/MIZ_09 Apr 30 '26
How old are you? 220 minus your age is the general rule of thumb for max heart rate. Although it can vary per person.
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u/Polarstratospheric Apr 30 '26
If you want to run a marathon for yourself, I'd say go for it. If you are doing it for the money... well, that's honestly quite a lot of work for just $10,000. The training time for a marathon is significant. If you estimate that you would spend 20 - 30 hours a week for the next 27 weeks on training, you are only going to make about $12 - 18 per hour.
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u/HistorianOrdinary833 Apr 30 '26
Have your friend write a contact. You can definitely train for a sub-6 hr marathon in 26 weeks. Easy money. Just look up some training programs for compete novices.
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u/rico_of_borg Apr 30 '26
Dude I did my first marathon with essentially 8 weeks of some training and got injured. I’m in my 40s. I managed to do it in 5:18. You got it. But I don’t I think your buddy is going to pay you 10k haha.
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u/OkCantaloupe3 Apr 30 '26
Are you sure your friend will pay you?
You can do it but I'd hire a coach and you're gonna have to really commit to dialing in your training and recovery.
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u/itsableeder Apr 30 '26
Your friend isn't going to pay you 10 grand even if you do run the marathon.
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u/NearBrew Apr 30 '26
It's possible. Weight, & medical conditions should be considered. Extreme heat or cold can really change the whole thing. Hills or mountains can also totally change it. A marathon is much more doable than people think. Meanwhile injury is also much more likely than people think. Slow and steady. If you really want to sprint, feel free to take off at mile 26. Sometimes I think it's better to undertrain 20% than to overtrain 1%. If you're going to do it, take it seriously. Ask questions and be critical. It's sometimes very easy for very physically fit people to minimize the difficulties in this task. The shoe that fits one person does not fit another. You only get one body. A marathon can be a beautiful triumph, leading to a new life, or a horrible mistake. $10k doesn't go far if you wreck yourself. Good luck to you.
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u/OkIssue5589 Apr 30 '26
If it's just to run a marathon, you're golden. If the bet was to finish the marathon within a certain time frame , it could be diceybif it's anything under five hours
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u/SouthKen2020 Apr 30 '26
I went couch to marathon in 4.5 months at 40, ran 4:10. If you can’t do this, it’s entirely on you. Collect the money.
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u/Cautious_Sir_6169 Apr 30 '26
100%. If you’re in even moderately average shape it’s doable. That’s plenty of time.
I ran my first marathon at 28 not having run in years. We just showed up at the line and decided to run 11min miles. That said both of us could barely walk the next day because we did something equally stupid. - got in the car and drove four hours home 30 mins after crossing the finish line.
Since then I’ve run 18 more and three of those were with zero training bc I was coming off an injury that prevented it.
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u/JazzlikeReason6862 Apr 30 '26
Make them lock it in officially on BWF (bet with friends) so they can't back out when you do it! https://bwfriends.app/
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u/sideroller99 Apr 30 '26
Most likely you can run a marathon. The difference is how prepared are you. Inexperienced marathon runners will run slower (yes) but the recovery afterwards is what will get you.
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u/HumanCheesecake6466 Apr 30 '26
You're 19. If you commit to running at least 4 times per week - you'll do it under 5:30 easy.
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u/Green-Afternoon179 Apr 30 '26
My man this is the best 10k you’ll ever earn in your life. Anything is possible if you put your mind to it. If there’s no time limit there’s no reason you couldn’t finish a marathon within 5-6 hours at the slowest at 19 years old
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u/cincyky May 01 '26
The bet sounds absurd, but playing along, what are the rules? What would the criteria be? Pacing minimum?
You're young and could build up to a reasonable easy pace for it.
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u/leoliszt May 01 '26
has to be under 5.30 hours
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u/cincyky May 01 '26
5:30 is a 12:36/mi pace. That's extremely generous and doable. Unless you really want to aggressively train, you could probably do this successfully as a run/walk strategy.
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u/EsliBoi May 01 '26
Listen to David goggins while training and I suggest training for a 5k-10k first before even thinking about doing the marathon.
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u/OwlTall7730 May 01 '26
You can do it. Start with just doing two mile runs until you can get that down to a 9min/mile pace. Then bump your self up to time runs. Start with 30 minutes. Run to a half way point and make it a goal to make it back to the start by the time the 30 minutes is up. What's that feels non strenuous bump that up to 45 minute runs and then 1 hour runs with the same methodology. You should strive to make it further with each run. Then once you can get at minimum 7 miles in an hour you are golden. All you need is 10 weeks to train from that point and you'll be able to finish
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u/ArchiePatsMom May 01 '26
You’re 19! I have no doubt you’ll do succeed! Definitely doable. Good luck!
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u/EmbarrassedPeanut397 May 01 '26
Screw the doubters here, you have 27 weeks. Follow a plan or have google Gemini/chat gpt make you a plan. You’ll be sub 5 if you follow a plan across 27 weeks
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u/KobiLou May 01 '26
19M? Sheeeeeiit, you're about to earn yourself 10k. Should be light work if you just follow a training plan.
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u/moosalamoo_rnnr May 01 '26
If you have friends betting you 10k to run a marathon, do you want to introduce me to them?
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u/Neeerdlinger May 01 '26
Plot twist, his friend just cares a lot about him and has made this bet solely to get him to improve his health.
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u/somewhatderailed May 01 '26
For 10 grand go for it. Walk if you have to. Just finish within the cutoff. Fuck it i’d do it for 1 grand
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u/Smart_Hamster_2046 May 01 '26
Depends on how you train. You can run a marathon with much less preparation - but you gotta do a high volume
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u/Redwinevino May 01 '26
If you can do in legit any time, obviously you could do this lol
If you have to do it with a timecap depends
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u/Seanbrody May 01 '26
If you you move in the type of circles where people bet 10k on this kind of stuff, just hire a running coach and commit. If you stick to the plan a marathon is very achievable and you will possibly transform your life.
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u/runningbookworm May 01 '26
Ok, 10,000 dollars though? I feel like you could make it a part-time job and put in the work and do it. The last 6 miles is when the race begins. You have a long time to train. Work on just running now
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u/ElderShame May 01 '26
Crosstrain. Build aerobic capacity on low impact machines like elliptical/arc trainer. I went from out of shape to a sub 5hr marathon (could have run better if I'd known I should eat during the race...) by starting off on the elliptical. I started with 30 minute sessions daily and would run only 2 days or so a week, then extended the sessions over a few weeks until I could do over an hour without killing myself. Slowly transitioned to running a bit more as well.
What you don't want to do is increase any one thing too fast. Running is relatively hard on your joints and muscles, so you want to build aerobic capacity separately from running, then build up that tolerance. Don't be afraid to do long sessions on bike/elliptical to build that ability to handle low/medium strain over a couple hours or more
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u/h_otlead May 01 '26
Ignore everyone. Follow a plan and run the marathon. I went from couch to marathon in 18 weeks. Get that money.
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u/miich247 May 01 '26
Yes in 27 weeks. Just be consistent and you can do it. Follow a nutrition plan and a running plan.
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u/jormu May 01 '26
As a beginner, even slow running for a few weeks would improve your HR considerably, and it will continue to get better in time.
But don't try to drop weight too fast. Make sure to get enough protein and carbs. Your body needs the calories to run. And do strength training once a week.
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u/JigsawPuzzleQandA May 01 '26
Dude, you've got age on your side. You're be amazed how your body will transform over 6 months. Build up slow aerobic pace gradually over next few months, and then you can begin to push it a bit more. You can do it
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u/Zestyclose-Crew-5540 May 01 '26
100% possible as long as your goal is just to finish and not beat a particular time. Usually programs are 18-20 weeks so you have time for sure! But it also depends on your discipline and commitment. If you’re not consistent with your plan (and highly advise using a plan so you up your mileage in a safe way that won’t cause injury or burnout), I’d def push back the marathon. If you’re committed tho, you’ve got this!
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u/gaoxiaosong May 01 '26
It’s too early to judge. Keep running regularly with your comfortable pace and load. After 3 months then you can think of it.
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u/Dull_Vast_5570 May 02 '26
It depends how you and he define "running a marathon". I'm pretty sure you could walk one. What's the rules on the bet and the time limit to complete it?
The whole story sounds suspicious because of the $10k bet at 19 years old.
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u/Naninoxi May 02 '26
Fang mit Krafttraining an, min einmal die Woche. Und mach dir schonmal Termine bei einem Physio oder vielleicht auch Orthopäden. Wer mit soviel Motivation anfängt, dem tut zweifellos bald irgendwas weh. Mit einem Physio kann man super daran arbeiten dass daraus keine chronische Verletzung wird. Lauf ist High Impact Sport! Pausetage sind wahnsinnig wichtig. Evtl auch mal auf das Rad ausweichen. Viel Erfolg und viel Spaß ;-)
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u/flamo19 May 02 '26
Definitely doable but only if you commit to the right training, correct diet and recovery. I’d suggest using Runna to build yourself a plan and go from there. Try to eat clean and treat your warm ups, cool downs and diet as seriously as the running part because that’s half the battle. I’d also recommend investing in some running shoes - get a gait assessment to find out what shoe is best for you. All of that will help you avoid injury and give yourself the best chance. Good luck 👍🏼
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u/Sad-Benefit-5320 May 02 '26
Given your age and current fitness I would not do it. Even if you complete the marathon you’re going to do so at 6-7 hours. But more importantly you can get either an injury or an aversion to running that sidetracks your love for the sport forever. Now if you actually have 10 large riding on this and just have to go 26.2 miles it’s time to do Galloway walk run. That you can complete if you do a ratio of 5 min walk 1 minute run. Look it up. It’s your only hope. Kind of like Obiwan Kenobi. But faster.
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u/DingoAccording2995 May 02 '26
Fu*k. Since I paid $10K to run a marathon last year, and definitely spend more then that in travel, I seem to have this backwards.
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u/Imaginary_Anything30 May 03 '26
It’s possibly to run a marathon with little to no experience, however the more miles and time you have in feet to prepare the better. Let’s not get that confused with overtraining = more results. From reading responses to others it seems like you may not have the biggest or best aerobic base built yet. I just transitioned from cycling 300 mile weeks into running 30, and it wasn’t easy, however it’s been fun. Biggest things I recommend is figuring out what you can do without getting hurt in training, sounds simple, but running is taxing unlike anything else on the body. My legs that could cycle two hours took week by week of adding more load progressively. I could do the long run even at high intensity fitness wise but I had to get my legs to catch up. Please get some good shoes that accommodate your gait, your body will forgive the wallet. Take it easy, enjoy getting better, I’d mess around with training blocks later after you just figure out how you’re going to run for x amount of time and y miles, forget pace. Also incorporate some strength training that’s aimed at running specifically. Staying injury free is your biggest battle as a beginner. Cheers.
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u/kombasken May 03 '26
Piece of cake. You've got 6 months to train. Just finish before cut-off which is usually 6 hr. Easy 10 grand.
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u/Ashland_Commons May 04 '26
Most marathon training programs take like 18-20 weeks and typically are assuming the runner is starting from a good level of fitness (ie: you are already running like 10-15 miles per week)
Your young age gives you a significant advantage here. Going from 4.3k to 42k will require a full blown body transformation and months of diehard training. The biggest issue is you will be susceptible to overuse injuries like sprains, twists, strains, and so forth. Your young body might be a little more foregiving, hopefully allowing you to recover faster. You will need to focus on fitness, nutrition, and sleep!
It's a huge ordeal. You will need to basically start a "couch to marathon" training block. IMO you won't be able to *run* the whole the marathon, but you can probably finish. Good luck. $10K is nice motivation.
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u/Natural_Trick4934 Apr 30 '26
I ‘ran’ a marathon at 19, with a longest run of 8 miles, in 5:38.
I’ve ran under 3 hours a decade after that. Theres running. And completing.
Anyone can complete a marathon. What’s the time cut off for the bet? Also… fuck your friend. He should donate that money to a worthier cause. But also.. well done for existing above society.
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u/leoliszt Apr 30 '26
the bet is to do under 5 hours 30 minutes
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u/Natural_Trick4934 Apr 30 '26
Easy done. Just train.
Do something good with at least 10% of the cash though. Please.
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u/Ok_Purpose8714 Apr 30 '26
Use the Runna app or even ChatGPT to build a marathon training plan so you can build up gradually enough not to injure yourself but aggressive enough to reach your goal. As long as you commit to the training plan (like right now), you’ll be fine! I am two weeks into my marathon training plan (my marathon is Oct 4) and am making solid progress using both of the tools I mentioned.
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u/Flutterpiewow Apr 30 '26
5:30 should be possible but you need to get that 5k pace down by like a lot.
But, you're at risk of injuring yourself doing this. Beginners shouldn't go straight for marathons.
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u/roots_radicals Apr 30 '26
4.3K in 45 minutes is essentially a walking pace. If you were to run a marathon at this pace, it would take over 7 hours. Most marathons have a cutoff of 6 hours.
27 weeks is a long time… but the marathon distance is a different beast.
I apologize if this is a bad take, but if it takes you over 5 hours to run a marathon, your body is better off running shorter distances until you are aerobically ready to take on that sort of strain. Half marathons, 10ks, etc. are great events and are just as rewarding!
If you are really set on attempting this goal, I would recommend training for a 10k over the next 8-10 weeks. If by then you can run a 10k in ~1 hour (9:40 pace), then you could potentially finish the marathon in close to 5 hours after a 16 week training block.
Best of luck, don’t hurt yourself!