Sorry, but at the risk of being controversial and hurting some folks feelings, run/walk really doesn’t count, it just makes you look like an under prepared muppet.

3:28 suggests the opposite. I ultras, the tortoise beating the hare is also fun to experience. I like the smug look of those who wonder why I might be walking so early!!!

Great way to train/avoid injury too.

run/walk really doesn’t count, it just makes you look like an under prepared muppet

That might apply to running the first ten miles as fast as you can and having to walk the rest – but then that’s not a proper run/walk strategy which has walk breaks from the start

Run Walk Run

Sorry, but at the risk of being controversial and hurting some folks feelings, run/walk really doesn’t count

I sort of agree here. To me, doing a marathon is running 26 miles, not walking 26 miles, maybe with some running thrown in, which as I said I reckon most active people could do fairly easily. Of course YMMV on where the line is.

Plenty of people “run” marathons in >3:30, others run/walk in <3:30 – are either better or worse? Have the latter cheated??

It’s not a discussion on whether doing a marathon on a r/w/r strategy counts or not. It’s a question of ‘I’m doing a marathon in 2 months time, I haven’t run further than 5k and that not for 3 years, do i have any hope and if so what should my approach be?’

On that basis, I’d say a r/w/r strategy is perfectly valid, far more so than a run for 12 miles and then expire in a explosion of disintegrated joints approach.

[edit – although the latter would make a better photoessay]

Plenty of people “run” marathons in >3:30, others run/walk in <3:30 – are either better or worse? Have the latter cheated??

Well, you could turn that around and say have the people who trained for months to run it done the same as the people who trained for a few weeks to run some of it?

I appreciate that not everyone is in a position to easily put those yards in, but plenty do.

It’s not a discussion on whether doing a marathon on a r/w/r strategy counts or not. It’s a question of ‘I’m doing a marathon in 2 months time,

Indeed, as we were….

I was aiming my comments more at the couple of folks that say that if you don’t run it all, then it doesn’t count.

It’s a race. Fastest time wins. As long as you do it ‘on foot’ anything goes as far as i’m concerned – hop alternate miles to give the other leg a break if that works for you.

I know, I was agreeing with you!

I was aiming my comments more at the couple of folks that say that if you don’t run it all, then it doesn’t count.

If it counts for you, then it counts. No argument there.
My main point was that if the OP just wants to get round, he can probably do that with no real problems. If he wants to run for 26 miles, he’s probably going to struggle.

Sorry, but at the risk of being controversial and hurting some folks feelings, run/walk really doesn’t count, it just makes you look like an under prepared muppet.

I trained hard for the Snowdonia Marathon in 88 and still didn’t manage to run all the way, taking 3.29 to finish. In 97 (aged 36) and not running much at all, a friend asked me if I wanted to take a mates place in the London Marathon two days later, as he was dropping out with an injury.

Always up for a challenge, I took it on, but decided to just ‘get round’. I ran 9min miles to the 20m mark and from then on, suffered/walked/jogged to the finish as Dalmations et al overtook me. I finished in 4.14.

So as others have said, its doable, but take it very easy….you can always finish fast!

For charity I’ll sponsor people to suffer so that’s perfect 🙂 If you ran marathons all the time then no chance 🙂
take a leaf out of this blokes book
http://markallisonjogtole.blogspot.com.au/
Did one for charity as a self confessed football fan who liked pies beer and Newcastle United

Thanks for the input folks.

I’ve decided to put it off till next year. Look at something i really want to do. I don’t think i’ll do the cause justice if i rush into it, Also there is the injury factor which does worry me.

Walking 26 miles would be painful enough

Wise choice S S, I attempted the Edinburgh marathon this year which was the last Sunday in May. I started the training in January managed fine until Easter with a few niggles then had an issue with my left ankle which really impared the final stage of my training.
Managed to complete the route with a mix of mostly running and the occasional walk, never actually stopped moving forward. It was horrible though not an experience I would like to do again, probably!

I’d say that’s a very wise choice, you’ve now got more than enough time to build up to it.

there a trail marathon end of November – with about 5k of up. can only fit in 1 long run a week, do you think i’ll die a horrible death in the 2nd half? or will i be OK?

That’ll be fine – I’ve done 2 ultras and a marathon this year doing one long run / week, usually somewhere around 25-30km. Just make sure it’s got lots of hills, and don’t be afraid to walk some of them.

Hmm, I’d say possible rather than fine. November isn’t far away. It might be a bit rough…

Much easier when you’ve done one or two in the past, than setting out for the first time.

I did a marathon with 2 days notice when a colleague dropped out and I was tempted by a 2 night stay in London 🙂

I was in reasonable shape however so it wasnt a problem. Did take it easy on free bar the night before.

What made me laugh was the early to bed lot who were up the next morning sipping juice and eating Muesli when it was clear they hardly trained a day in the build up. Some of them were absolutely destroyed at the end 🙄

Its true what they say. “the will to win is nothing without the will to prepare”