My strava is full of “friends” that run marathons on 25 mile weeks…. Um…why?

I ran 2:37 on 35 MPW. I understand why many people enjoy running rather than training to race.

Nice weekend trip, big event, respect at work, empathy from partner. Not so much for 5k.

For a hobby jogger, some of us have to fail with 25 mpw before we get a reality check and realize it's gonna take a bigger commitment.

This is actually me. Most of my marathon training has been 25-35 miles a week. Cos I'm over 40 and need more recovery, I gotta reduce a little mileage to recovery from those 15, 18, 20 mile runs.

I very well might blow up but not at mile 18. This is because this is my first marathon attempt and I'm not gonna have a 25 mile long run before this one. Last long run will be 18 or 20. When and if I complete the marathon it will be the longest I've ever run.

The marathon is a weird event. For whatever reason, large chunks of the population think that "running" 26.2 miles makes one a serious runner. Lots just want to check a marathon off the bucket list.

Why? Don't even "beginner" plans go up to like 45 mpw at least?

Interesting because mine is full of people grinding out decent mileage, running through injuries, and generally making running the entirety of their social life/free time, all to run...decent age group times? Adult converts to the sport seem to just latch on to the marathon for whatever reason. I don't really get it either.

Yes they do. Here's the thing, I started running at 40. I've only been running a couple years. It seems much more important to recovery correctly than to follow a written plan to the T. I've gotten injuries before from trying to go too hard too fast or too much mileage too soon. So far my highest mileage was about 40 miles so far actually. Then the next week I had to dial it back to recover and prevent potential injury. Then I will dial it back up. For myself, I've noticed that a 10 day cycle is much more realistic than a 7 day cycle.

That being said, I'm a beginner and don't really know what the hell I'm doing. That's probably why us hobby joggers undertrain and set ourselves up for failure.

OP I feel you. I did this as a 40 yo onset hobby jogger (but learned my lesson)

I knew I was gonna blow up tho so had a mercifully slow target pace (~30m slower than 5k/half predictions)

waited till mile 25 to blow up. got injured, now I focus on 5ks

but I think I had to blow up on a 'thon myself to learn this lesson

could have done without the ~6 month injury timeout post 'race' tho

bumper sticker swag.

Why not. Most people have not the talent and time to run more.
I would say that 25 miles per week should be the minimum for at least 6 month to run a first Marathon. Will it be fast? No. Will it be pretty? No. But you might get the first Marathon out of the way.

And just yesterday we had a talented runner visiting our running group. Sub 65 minute HM and sub 2:20 Marathon with a top 100 finish in the OT in 2020. That's what a lot of talent and 90+ mile weeks get you.

More importantly why do you have friends on strava?

You haven't really lived until you try to run a marathon PR off of a 25 miles per week training block. It hurts so good, both emotionally and physically.

Is this the weekly gatekeeping thread for the 'thon? No one cares how many miles you think they should run before entering a marathon. If you're young, reasonably fit, and don't mind hurting a bit then completing a marathon on 25 MPW isn't a big deal. Sure, you're not going to run it at your full potential, but who cares?

As a side note, most running injuries I encounter in the therapy world are from overuse injuries from folks running high mileage. I don't really see folks running 25-30 MPW ending up injured. I'm sure they are out there, but the former is more prevalent.

Most people who run 25 mpw are not spending money on PT. That's why you are not seeing these folks.

My GF and I are in our late 20's. I run 30-40mpw and I'm in approximately 4:45/17:00 shape.

My GF does not run on any sort of training plan or schedule, but I'd guess it averages out to less than 10mpw. But much more importantly, she has completed several 4-5 hour marathons and time-based ultramarathons.

If we're somewhere as a couple and talking to someone we just met about running, it's generally assumed that my GF is super hardcore into training and I just run casually.

It doesn't bother me, but I assume it would bother most, and that's why everyone runs marathons even if they don't have the time or ability to train with decent mileage.

Are you suggesting there is a correlation between miles per week and income? Be an interesting study, but I haven't found that to be the case in my experience. I've also found that people of all income levels will present in a therapy clinic if the problem becomes enough of a hindrance.

Unless they're attractive members of a sex you like to look at and have copious photos why keep them as 'friends'?

That's cuz they don't need PT.

You mad us hobby joggers can break 3 on 3 runs a week?stay mad bruh. Life gets harder.