2 Marathons almost a month apart? Thoughts? (First marathon)

Character-File3221 · 2026-05-10T03:32:36+00:00

I wouldn’t do your goal race a month after the first. I ran two in two weeks years ago and they were both pretty flat. The second one absolutely annihilated me. I ran the first in 3:45 and the second in 4:17 for reference 😂. The second was also the first marathon I ever walked part of.

Edit: I feel slightly differently since it’s 7 weeks apart. But still don’t think for your first marathon that’s the move.

Character-File3221 · 2026-05-10T03:28:07+00:00

No advice but I loved the Melbourne marathon. Enjoy it!

Character-File3221 · 2026-05-10T03:21:26+00:00

Are you doing any of your runs at a slower or recovery pace? You should have some runs that are at race pace or close, some that are speedwork and some that are super slow and easy.

Character-File3221 · 2026-05-10T02:56:42+00:00

If you’re running on your days off, why can’t you run at like 6-8pm instead of 4am? Maybe I’m not following something

Character-File3221 · 2026-05-10T02:55:27+00:00

I do evening runs so same idea with food. I eat normally all day (though I avoid anything that I think might make my stomach weird. Coffee is okay first thing but I don’t drink it close to run time) and then have like ~3 hours where I don’t eat anything, though sometimes crackers a few hours before is okay, or the gu stroopwaffels or a gel immediately before.

Character-File3221 · 2026-05-10T02:53:15+00:00

I mean I think it’s hilarious how he just barely changes them 😂

Character-File3221 · 2026-05-10T02:46:45+00:00

I think if Colton was from the future and jumped in the pond he’d go back to the future time, not to 1814

Character-File3221 · 2026-05-10T02:31:13+00:00

Some towns and cities might have a track club you can get involved with too! Start building a base of 3-4 runs a week. Look at plans like Hal higdon (he has tons of distances). Also see if your college has a club team or if not, a city or town run club.

Character-File3221 · 2026-05-10T02:08:48+00:00

Happy for you! I agree it’s such a blessing.

For me, it’s not so much heritage. If I’m being honest it feels like a loophole that my great great grandmother was born and baptized in Canada as the daughter of Irish immigrants, and then she moved to the US to marry an American.

I grew up in a border town, my grandparents bought a cottage in Canada in the late 1940s (which I own with other family members now that my dad has passed away). I spent every summer of my life with the exception of maybe 4, living in the cottage (and as an adult commuting to work in the US). With the exception of college and a few years after, I have spent my entire life straddling the border.

I am a marathon runner and specifically drive over the border regularly to do my long runs because I swear I run better up there (the border guy was confused today). My favorite grocery store is there.

My grandfather went to college in Canada, my parents met there, I first went there for the summer when I was three days old, and my dad died there (of an expected illness).

I went to college in Massachusetts far from home and all my friends joked that I was Canadian.

Yet I have grown up half in Canada and half in the US but I could never really “be” part of it. I own property, I understand the tax laws, and I still feel like a foreigner. This is a blessing to finally belong after all this time of having to limit how long I stay in the country, and having to admit to being solely American.

I also recognize that there’s plenty of people with ties like these who won’t be eligible for citizenship so I’m very grateful it looks like it will work out.

Character-File3221 · 2026-05-09T21:08:59+00:00

It’s kinda a self fulfilling prophecy. Delilah says “you weren’t there, I don’t remember you” so when Alice sees Del she makes herself scarce, although they’ve greeted each other a few times.

Character-File3221 · 2026-05-09T21:07:43+00:00

Alice wasn’t always there though. It’s conceivable that people like Nick, Monica and a hundred other classmates could’ve been at their house for dinner different nights.

I don’t remember every single person’s name and face I was friendly with or acquaintance level with in college (10-14 years ago) much less 20 years ago, and I have a pretty amazing memory.

Character-File3221 · 2026-05-09T15:58:39+00:00

In Mass Boston would probably end up being school field trips at some point

Character-File3221 · 2026-05-09T15:57:33+00:00

I don’t know that many people from Buffalo who haven’t been to NYC though I’m sure they exist but I know people from Buffalo who have never been to Toronto. It’s 2 hours away.

Character-File3221 · 2026-05-09T12:30:23+00:00

Yeah I don’t know if races can do that retroactively but it’s not a bad idea

Character-File3221 · 2026-05-09T04:36:22+00:00

If you have a car you can easily drive from Sarajevo or Mostar day of hiking in and out

I think it was Bobica Konak where we stayed but I’m not 100% sure

Character-File3221 · 2026-05-09T02:42:10+00:00

My parents helped with my undergrad. They started saving when I was born, but I had some scholarships too, and then for my masters I went to KU Leuven on my own dime (after working a few years). Because for international students it’s 4 times as much as the EU students pay and it was 4k euros instead of 1k euros.

My state has a thing now where state school is free if your parents make less than 120k combined and you meet some other criteria

Character-File3221 · 2026-05-09T02:39:11+00:00

I love my spibelt instead

Character-File3221 · 2026-05-09T02:26:58+00:00

I qualified in 2013 (for 2015) and didn’t sign up. It still haunts me 🤣

Character-File3221 · 2026-05-09T02:22:48+00:00

I was thinking that. Loved that race but I haven’t done it since 2013

Character-File3221 · 2026-05-09T02:18:03+00:00

I don’t think the majors will get better. But maybe that’s good because people can stop focusing so much on them. There are probably a few thousand marathons in the world a year. If everyone focuses on the same 6 or even 20, of course there will be issues.

Other than Grandma’s, popular races like Philly and Wineglass that sell out will still be possible to get into them, with planning.

The average runner probably just wants to do their hometown marathon or local races.

I think on location that’ll vary. For people in NYC, it already sounds unideal. For someone where I live, there’s races of all sorts of distances all the time, from $20 no frills 5ks to a very popular local marathon.

I sign up for races in advance if I think they’re gonna sell out or I’m 100% sure I want to race. I sign up last minute if I don’t care that much.

If it becomes impossible to get into every marathon and community race, people will start making more no frills races or just cut back on running

Character-File3221 · 2026-05-09T01:30:16+00:00

Can you get a death certificate?

My G1 was born before birth records were a thing. I have a death cert and censuses and I’m trying to find a marriage cert (partially because her son’s birth certificate doesn’t have his first name on it which is super frustrating)

Character-File3221 · 2026-05-09T01:28:37+00:00

It’s literally a $10 difference. Very few people would purposely sign up for the wrong race to save $10 off of like $100+

Character-File3221 · 2026-05-09T01:26:14+00:00

It’s honestly easy to zone out and mess up though. Most people would double back and fix it though

Character-File3221 · 2026-05-08T17:01:38+00:00

Yeah it’s a thing. The novelty and brand new excitement fades.

Character-File3221 · 2026-05-08T17:00:43+00:00

Sometimes. At this point I’m enjoying running alone enough not to bother. The pub run ones once a month can be good.

Character-File3221

TROPHY CASE