Long runs for marathon

Sainttoff

Hi;
First time doign marathon so was wondering, on your long runs do you do your race pace or do you go much slower?


Does anyone find the long runs over 15m hard?

Thanks

Bambaata

the longest ive gotten to so far is 20km and i find my hips get sore. I'm going to be picking it up now though distance wise as i have done all triathlons i can do this year so training will be 80% running focused from here on in. First time for me too. I generally run at what i expect to run pace wise in the race itself.

ZiggyStardust

Alot of stuff on this already, but in general, you should do your long runs 45-90 seconds slower per mile than your marathon pace.

Remember it's time on your feet for your long runs.

Sainttoff

So if you do your longs at 40-90 secs slower pace, how do we expect our legs to handle the faster pace on the marathon day?

Just curious about this part.

hunnymonster

the faster pace on race days comes about through three things: 1. long runs let you experience marathon-esque lengths of time on your feet without the stress of racing 2. speedier midweek runs along you to learn about pace 3. a taper to get you to the line in tip-top shape.

--amadeus--

The LSR is just one element of a training program and each element of teh plan trains a different function. Race day pulls all of these functions together.

So you do LSRs to teach your body how to run far - how to be economical, burn fat for fuel and also make physiological changes (addittional cappilaries, more mitochondria at a cellular level and tougened connective tissue for example). The LSR also prepares you mentally for the strain of running when fatigued and for the length of tim eyou need for a marathon. In short the LSR is just about stamina, not speed.

Speed comes from the rest of your program. General improvments in aerobic fitness if you are a novice (all those 6 and 10 milers you do midweek) or from specific speed sessions if you are more experienced.

On teh day you put the stamina from teh long runs with the speed from the rest of your training together (along with the rest from your taper) to produce a long, fast run.

Finally a fast run is tough on your body. A long run is tough on your body. Runs when fatigued are tough on your body. Standard advice is to take anything up to a month off after a marathon because it does so much damage to your body. Running long runs at marathon pace increases the risk of injury and means you will be too tired to train effectivley for teh rest of he week, so being counter productive.

ZiggyStardust

Hi saintoff,
Are you following a training plan? Can I ask which one? The rest of your runs (shorter runs) throughout the week would be faster for except for recovery runs.

Shorter runs should be ran close to race pace, tempo runs are run faster than race pace. Also ideally you should do at least one speed session per week whether it's fartlek, hills or intervals. For example intervals would be faster again than race pace.

In all you'd be suprised you would run your marathon at your predicted pace even doing the long runs alot slower.

ZiggyStardust

Sorry HM and amadeus, didn't mean to hog your replys. Started replying and then got disturbed.

Sainttoff

Hi Ziggy;

Not really following any certain plan, kinda have my own one which is mix of a few!


I run three runs during week, 5 mile at 8.25 -830 pace
7mile at 8.30-8.35 pace
10 mile at 8.35 -8.40 pace
Then long run at the weekend!


Ideal Target is under 4 hour mark but first aim is to complete the distance first!

ZiggyStardust

it's good that your first aim is to somplete the marathon rather than i time.

To do a 4 hour marathon you are talking just over 9 minutes a mile, so try and do your long runs slower than this and your fast shorter runs faster that this.
Check out the McMillan calculator it predicts times from a previous race for eg 10km or 5km, but also gives you a fair idea what your training runs should be pace wise.

Type in 4 hours for a marathon andwill give you an indication of your pace times.

Sainttoff

What slower pace would you recommend for the long runs to get under the 4hr mark?

ZiggyStardust

It's hard to tell, but I think the pace you are doing them already is fine as long as you're comfortable at that pace. 8.30-8.45 is fine if you can sustain that pace for the whole run.

Sainttoff

Sorry might of confused you.

The long run at the weekend i struggle with, and I read in alot of places that the pace at the long runs should be slower than your race pace, so a 9.30 be a good pace for the long runs to build me up for a 4hr mark?

ZiggyStardust

yeah i'd say 9.30-9.50 would be the right pace. do you have a time for a 5k or a 10k?

Sainttoff

I dont really do kms
In miles my best 7m run was 57 something and the 10 milers in the park was 1:23

ZiggyStardust

10 miles in 1h23m should get you in comfotably under 4 hours prviding you put in the miles.
Good luck at it.

hawkwing

ZiggyStardust wrote: »

10 miles in 1h23m should get you in comfotably under 4 hours prviding you put in the miles.
Good luck at it.

Good stuff-- i was 83mins in Frank Duffy 10 and hoping for under 4hrs too.

Rigsy

Good stuff-- i was 83mins in Frank Duffy 10 and hoping for under 4hrs too

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Me too!!