Recovery Time between marathons

Krusty_Clown

I'm not even doing my first marathon for another 9 weeks (Longford, 24th August) and I'm optimistically already planning my next marathon. :rolleyes:

There's around 9 weeks between Longford and Dublin in October. Is this enough time to recover from Longford and get back on the band-wagon for the end of October? I'm thinking that it'll take two weeks to recover from Longford, and then build up the mileage over the next six weeks. Am I being over-optimistic?

SUNGOD

i did my first marathon in april(connemara) and my second 8 weeks later in cork . i felt stronger in cork and went around a couple of minutes faster i benefitted from the expierence of my first and adjusted the mistakes i made for the second , mainly my early pacing.
it took me a couple of weeks to recover and then i built up again to two 20 miles before tapering about 10 days from marathon. everyone is different and i got quite run done after connemara getting everthing going chest infection/cold/mouth ulcers/cold sore so just be careful as i found my immune system was quite low after the first marathon.
so if you prepare as well as you can giving your self time to recover after longford and building back up before you taper for dublin i dont see a problem.
most importantly just be sensible and listen to your body , best of luck with it

Woddle

I have paid for both, and am looking forwrad to the challenge my plan is to take the week after Longford off and hopefully rejoin the hal higdon 20 week program at week 13 so this should include a couple of 20 miles and a taper for Dublin, but thats the plan I am by no means talking from experience with only one marathon under my belt.best of luck.

--amadeus--

I did both in 2006 as my 3rd and 4th marathons so it can be done, and - like SUNGOD - I was lucky enough to PB both. That said running Longford ruined my chances of my first sub 3:30 in Dublin as I was resting at the point in my schedule that I should have been at peak mileage.

What I would say is that it is a little high risk for your 1st and second races. The official advice is to take a day off for every mile raced so you should have a full month (more or less) of recovery after a marathon. This can be active recovery (recovery runs at low pace and intensity) rather than rest but it's to prevent trauma to already damaged muscle. Different runners recover differently - I know runners who are out the next day after a race whereas I can't even face lacing up my trainers for weeks afterwards. As a first timer you don't know how your body will react, trying to force yourself back into training because of Dublin could be dangerous.

Final thing is that you should nominate one as your "main" race. Either take it easy in Longford and treat it like a supported LSR before going balls out in Dublin or push it in Longford and just enjoy the atmosphere and craic in Dublin. The reason for this is that it will be very hard to give peak effort in two marathons so close together so focus on one.

And good luck!

Krusty_Clown

Thanks for all of the very helpful advice. I had already nominated Longford as my 'special race' as it is my first marathon, and am considering doing Dublin for the occasion. Because Longford has such a (relatively) small field, I know it won't have the same sense of occasion as Dublin, but will be more about the personal sense of achievement. I used to go out and cheer on my Uncle in the Dublin marathon when I was a snapper.

As for personal bests, maybe if I take it easy in Longford, I can guarantee two personal bests?!! My training is going well, and did my first 20 mile run the weekend before last, at a comfortable pace. The last mile was difficult, but I guess that is to be expected.

Is Longford all water stops, or do they do any energy-type stations too?

Odysseus

As its your first marathon its hard to say, my first was Dublin 04, I did little running in 05 due an an injury from a bad landing when parachuting. Started back running on the day of the 05 marathon. In O6 I did Belfast in May, Lapland 100k in June, Longford in August and Dublin in Oct.

Why not aim for that as your goal and I think its achieveable but if you have to adapt and leave Dublin out so be it. Hope that helps and best of luck with it.

belcarra

Hey,

I did my first marathon last October in Dublin in 4Hrs 36mins. I then decided to do 6 marathons this year and so far I've done four.
They were/are:
Connemara, 6th April, 4hrs 35mins PB
Belfast, May 5th, 4Hrs 23 mins PB
Newry, May 26th, 4Hrs 43 mins
Cork, June 2nd, 4 Hrs 29 mins

I've Dublin and Longford to go. It can be done easily if you take it handy. If you really go for it it may be tough. Basically you'll need to balance it out. However, Newry was very difficult for me yet I managed to do Cork a week later and take 14mins off my time.

I'm planning to PB in Longford and then improve again for Dublin (Hopefully getting close to 4Hrs 10mins). 9 Weeks should be plenty. Although if you're at the top end it may take more out of you!

I say go for it!

frankboleyn

Take a week off after Longford. Then ease yourself back in. Before you know you will be bobbing around as normal. Do NOT have a hot bath after Longford, you will be in tatters for longer. If you manage it at all, walk for around a mile after it, and the next day.

Duffman'05

frankboleyn wrote: »

Do NOT have a hot bath after Longford, you will be in tatters for longer.

Does that go for all endurance sports? Whatever it is- marathon or triathlon. It's just that I've always been told it was good for your muscles. So is the hot bath only for shorter events or a total myth?

Thanks

Racing Flat

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

I'm not even doing my first marathon for another 9 weeks (Longford, 24th August) and I'm optimistically already planning my next marathon. :rolleyes:

There's around 9 weeks between Longford and Dublin in October. Is this enough time to recover from Longford and get back on the band-wagon for the end of October? I'm thinking that it'll take two weeks to recover from Longford, and then build up the mileage over the next six weeks. Am I being over-optimistic?

If you want to run PBs 2 marathons a year is more than enough if you ask me. If you want to complete as many marathons as you can, do them all slowly and keep your fingers crossed that you don't get injured and you might get away with a lot more.

hunnymonster

hot: gets blood (and oxygen) to the muscles which can help speed recovery. Ideal 24-28 hours after the damage from what I can tell
cold: minimises pain and inflammation, ideal immediately post race (again from what I can tell but I've not looked into this too much).

Most people go with cold therapies but some use contrasts (alternating hot and cold)

Krusty_Clown

I just noticed that Hal Higdon also has a Post-Marathon training guide, which would probably hepl greatly with getting ready for Dublin, after Longford. Has anyone tried this guide and if so, would you recommend it?