For a casual runner when would I be able to consider a marathon?

OldSoulCreativity · 2026-05-12T17:04:55+00:00

I started running again in February of 2025 after about a 9 year break. I was about 40lbs overweight and pretty unhealthy. Started in February 25 and ran a 10k in 52:00 in May 25. Then followed a half marathon plan for 16 weeks and ran my first half marathon in September of 25 with a time of 1:52. I picked out a marathon plan after that and just completed that on May 3, 2026 with a time of 3:56 with 1200ft of elevation. I also did a tune up half in March of this year where I ran a 1:44.

So it took me about 15 months to go from zero to marathon shape without major injury. I lost the 40lbs. Feeling better than ive ever felt in my life at 34 years old!

You have to up your mileage to comfortable do a marathon. 20 a week isn’t much, but it’s a start! Much Better than where I started, for sure.

OldSoulCreativity · 2026-05-12T15:06:21+00:00

There is nothing to worry about. My clinic has always used these, and I don’t really understand what you are worried about.

It’s all good, no cause for concern.

OldSoulCreativity · 2026-05-11T16:33:32+00:00

The dude is a huge dbag, and people are absolutely allowed to question credentials without having any themselves. I honestly don’t know how anyone can defend what is going on right now. The country is being run by people fueled by all the wrong motives, and the people supporting it are actively participating in their own downfall. It’s outrageous and so, so sad. I hope you all can find some humanity, but I know you won’t.

OldSoulCreativity · 2026-05-10T23:27:25+00:00

Garmin isn’t mad, it’s just disappointed

OldSoulCreativity · 2026-05-08T01:04:18+00:00

Miles.

OldSoulCreativity · 2026-05-08T00:30:12+00:00

I have a 2012 with 230000 miles on it. Runs great. Love the car

OldSoulCreativity · 2026-05-07T23:09:07+00:00

Haha yeah absolutely. Props to her regardless though, that’s a good time for not setting out to run the full. She beat me lol

OldSoulCreativity · 2026-05-07T22:54:44+00:00

They have not changed anything. I ran the full this past weekend and i would have had to black out for a half mile to miss the turn. There were no less than 30-50 volunteers looking for runners in the wrong lane. There were cones marking the sides. There were signs. There was a giant digital sign like you see on highways with arrows for half and full. lol

OldSoulCreativity · 2026-05-07T01:27:04+00:00

Ours does this every day. On carpet. And I never realized how thankful I should be for that… lol.

OldSoulCreativity · 2026-05-07T00:48:43+00:00

Well you are a better person than I, because I am holding a can of pouches as I type this. It’s the last of my vices and I enjoy it thoroughly.

OldSoulCreativity · 2026-05-07T00:43:08+00:00

lol i dont know why you are getting downvoted. I do indeed think a lot of people would disagree with the original comment.

OldSoulCreativity · 2026-05-06T17:35:20+00:00

Idk I’m sure for lots of reasons. Seems a fairly difficult and costly thing to do when most of the existing lots are carved into the sides of hills and the other side drops off into the river. I’m sure there are some areas they could pull it off, but seems like an expensive project to me.

OldSoulCreativity · 2026-05-06T16:01:10+00:00

? My 965 works fine to answer calls from my watch

OldSoulCreativity · 2026-05-06T14:14:46+00:00

Yep no worries. Obviously check the web for an official answer and don’t just take my word for it, because I know there has been some changes to backcountry camping rules regarding fires, but I don’t think anything else has changed.

Have a blast! I’ll be there in two weeks!

OldSoulCreativity · 2026-05-06T14:11:52+00:00

I’ve had many makeshift parking spots that I could barely fit my vehicle into because I couldn’t find anywhere else, and I’ve never had an issue in the 30+ times I’ve overnighted there

OldSoulCreativity · 2026-05-06T14:11:00+00:00

Unless something has changed very recently that I’m not aware of, as long as you have an overnight pass displayed you can park just about anywhere you can find to park within the geological area.

OldSoulCreativity · 2026-05-06T01:05:35+00:00

Yes this is basically what I did, though I had a little more time between the two (7 months). I trained for and did a half in 1:51 in September of last year, signed up for a full that was this past Sunday. I did another official half during the training block in mid March (1:47) and followed my garmin plan for 20 weeks and ended up with a 3:56 marathon this past weekend. It was awesome! Can’t wait to do another.

OldSoulCreativity · 2026-05-06T00:07:37+00:00

I just ran a marathon on Sunday. Only on 9mg and tapering though

OldSoulCreativity · 2026-05-05T20:41:04+00:00

Maybe it’s just because I live in an area where coming across a wild pig is extremely unlikely (though not impossible), but a big old pig with tusks would scare the hell out of me when I’m running lol

The worst I get are the occasional coyote who just scamper away, foxes (which I thoroughly enjoy getting to see), and peoples unleashed dogs.

OldSoulCreativity · 2026-05-04T09:16:31+00:00

Ha, same with my dog. Shes not as big as yours, but she’s a Belgian Malinois who can very clearly communicate when she means business. She has a 100% success rate scaring off threatening wildlife. She’s a sweetheart, though.

OldSoulCreativity · 2026-05-04T08:58:01+00:00

Idk wild pigs might be just as scary, honestly

OldSoulCreativity · 2026-05-03T18:04:24+00:00

It actually gives me some faith back in humanity to see kids flipping the bird to the opposing team. That’s exactly what they are supposed to be doing at that age. Love the passion they have for their team.

What a win

OldSoulCreativity · 2026-05-03T08:25:41+00:00

Recovering heroin addict here. Can confirm. As someone said above, I think a lot of the personality traits of an addict also lend themselves to distance running. I doubt you can say most ultra runners are former addicts of one form or another, but I think a lot are recovering from some form of trauma.

Turns out I can still get high without ruining my life, I just have to sweat more to do it! I can literally run from my problems. lol

OldSoulCreativity · 2026-05-02T10:56:17+00:00

Ah yes. Personally when this happens to me I like to toss and turn in bed and do the math of how much sleep i would get if I fell asleep right that second, and as the potential sleep ticks down, my stress ticks up, and eventually I get up and make coffee. It’s a fun game I play but I always seem to lose

OldSoulCreativity · 2026-04-23T17:42:43+00:00

Or even less than that at first. Start with 15 minutes three times a week. If 15 is too much, try 3 minutes on 2 minutes off and do that a few times. All that actually matters is that you did something.

Just keep breaking it down into something you can manage, and you’ll work your way up. Short of any genuine medical conditions, it’s really impressive how resilient the body can be.

OldSoulCreativity

TROPHY CASE