adidas half marathon or 20 miler??

gaffo7

your views please!
Have been plagued with injury during my training for first DCM. Things starting to settle during the last few weeks and I managed to do my first 18 miler last sunday after a few 14 and 15 milers, thing is I am enrolled for the half marathon in phoenix park on the 26th but cant help feeling that I would benefit more from doing a 20 miler that weekend instead as i am behind on long runs?

Peckham

You probably would benefit more from the endurance of a 20 miler than the race practice that the half marathon would give you.

My only concern would be that stepping up to 18 and then 20 in consecutive weekends is a big jump if everything else has been 14 and 15 milers. You may find the 20 miles very tough going.

In balance though, I'd recommend the 20 miler.

Poncherello

In a similar enough situation and I was thinking of running from home down to the race about 3.5K and also running home. Will try and time it so that I am not hanging around before the start.

gaffo7

thanks guys for advice. Had done 15miles week before last didnt suffer too much doing 18 for first time on sunday. My thoughts were to do another 18 miles this wkend and then 20 on wkend of half marathon, another 20 the following week which would bring me up to 4th oct in time for 3 wk taper??
should I decide to to half marathon I would only get one 20 miler under belt before DCM, feel that 2 would be huge benefit, definately swaying towards ditching half marathon!!

christeb

My first thought was similar to the guys above, you;d get more out of the LSR instead of the HM.
Your sched sounds tough though - 18 (last week) / 18 / 20 / 20 in consecutive weeks??

I would think something like 18 (last wk) / 20 / 16 / 20 (or 18) would minimise the risk of injury a lot more. You don't want to do too much, fair enough you've missed some training but at some point you have to let it go and not try to make it up, thus forcing yoursefl too much and risking injury...

smmoore79

In the same situation myself. Did my first 16 miles on Sunday and plan to up it to 18 next week followed by the half marathon on 26th. Though I would prefer to do an 18/20 miler on the half marathon weekend.

hawkwing

My LSR's have been Aug 1*16,1*19m,sep 1*15 1*22 so far, with something like 10m,13.5,23,15 and 10 planned for the last few weeks.

thirstywork

Its a tough call and probably the sensible option is to run the 20 mile training run.
Have you done many races in the lead up to the marathon?
training and racing can be alot differen't mentally.
Plus the race will give you a real good idea where you are regards times.
Only problem with the race it will take longer to recover event han a 20mile training run and also if you have a disaster run(considering you have missed some training)this is possible.ps don't mena to sound negative.
if i was in your shoes id do the race !!!
you could maybe run it @ marathon pace and keep going for a few mile after or you could run it for a time.

theFinishLine

I would be very much in agreement with THIRSTYWORK - do the race. I remember when I ran my first marathon - I used both Frank Duffy and the Half Marathon (not the big events they are now) as "long runs". I always feel that a distance race like that is worth DISTANCE * 1.5 - so I would feel that I was getting 20 miles LSR out of a 1/2 marathon run at your marathon pace - or even a bit quicker.

If I was you I would do the following.

Do about 20 minutes continuous, slow, easy warm up to try and fit nicely with 10am start. The start of these are always delayed so you will probably be starting at 10:10 or 10:15. Then as thirstywork and a few others have said when you are finished do another mile or two. I would believe that after you going through the finish line, collecting your goodie bag and shirt, and then having to get yourself to do another 15 - 20 minutes running - that will be a test of both your physical and mental endurance.

The Half, with almost 8,000 entrants, will also give you the Dublin Marathon big race feel. You can't learn how you will react to a crowd, to the sound of the starting gun, until you breast the tape.

Best of luck with the race - and best of luck with your first marathon. May it be the first of many.

kevinkilbane

id say do both.

just dont race the half marathon. do it at a pace you would run 20mile in. when the race is over, take off the race number, put your goddie bag in the car and off you go for another few miles. sure why not????

maybe its stupid but i think its a great idea, especially because its your first marathon, the water stations during the race will help, and the crowd, and toilets also....
the half marathon was vital for me when i did my first marathon. an eye opener.


ive done this before, but i was lucky, i had a family member with me, gave him my bag, had a drink and off i went for a few more miles.

DublinDilbert

Do the race on the Saturday then on the Sunday do a 7 or 8 miler, this way you'll cover the same distance.

This is what i'll be doing, will be pacing myself during the race.

buck65

Same situation myself - entered into Kilkenny half this Sunday when I should be doing an 18 miler. However I will do the race as I think the experience of racing, water stations, crowds around me etc. will be good practice for DCM. As another poster said I will do an easy mile/mile half warm up - and another mile or 2 cool down and hopefully this will stand to me.

gaffo7

just want to thank you all for your advice on half marathon, decided not to do it after weighing it all up! Have done couple of half marathons, if I hadnt I would do adidas half for sure but going to head out on a LSR instead.

p.s I have passed on my race number so someone!