Marathon Advice

ChuckProphet

Hi,

Currently training for the Belfast marathon in May, my first one. Am up to 14 mile LSR but am feeling fairly banjaxed after it yesterday :eek: - stiff legs etc.. - is this normal?
I also did about 6 mile the day before.
Should I be taking the Sat. off if I do my LSR on a Sunday to rest?

Also any advice on prep before and after running LSR every week

thanks

chinguetti

Everyone is different but imo if you have a good base, the 6 and 14 miles shouldn't be making you wrecked. There are far more experienced people on here than me and they might be able to give you far more info.

But my two cent worth is the following. I would ask if your long slow run is just that. Whats your race pace and what was your pace yesterday? You shouldn't be forcing the pace for a long slow run or for Saturday's run either, take it nice and comfortable. If you can, run with a friend and if you can talk away to each other, thats a handy pace to keep aiming for.

Other things to think about - Do you warm up, warm down? What do you eat and drink before, after and during the lsr?

Also did you have a pint or two the night before? Personally if i have a drink the night before any run, even a short one i'm really sluggish the following day.

Hope these few points might help and good luck with the training.

ChuckProphet

time was 2 hrs 5 mins so i'd reckon that's fairly slow
the run on sat. was a few hills so maybe i'll lay off that and rest sat.
will look into drinking more water b4 and during and warming up more b4hand
wasn't on the gargle the night b4, much as i'd like to :P
cheers

willowthewisp

Im doing the Belfast Marathon and it's my first Marathon too.
Good advice on here but its all about finding you're own level on the long runs.
I try and get a full days rest befor my LSR's and eat lots the day before if its a morning run, or have a good breakfast & Dinner if its an evening run.
I also ensure I have enough drinks stashed or at my car and even bring a few fruit Pasteels for the latter stages of the run.

village runner

ChuckProphet wrote: »

Hi,

Currently training for the Belfast marathon in May, my first one. Am up to 14 mile LSR but am feeling fairly banjaxed after it yesterday :eek: - stiff legs etc.. - is this normal?
I also did about 6 mile the day before.
Should I be taking the Sat. off if I do my LSR on a Sunday to rest?

Also any advice on prep before and after running LSR every week

thanks

If 14is a long one I am taking it you are running 4 times a week with a weekly mileage of 30. If one runs 4 days a week you should take the day before and after off after a long run or simply do some cross training the day after.
My first ever 16 miler i couldnt finish it. Had to stop at 15.73 miles and i aint a quitter. I bet when you do a 16 nxt week it will be handy. But dont run hte day before.
What time are you aiming for in belfast and what did the 14 mile sat take ???

ekevosu

I think fairly good advice from village runner there.

Are you following a plan or making your own and can you let us know what it is and what sort of mileage and pace you are doing the different runs at?

bart simpson

ChuckProphet wrote: »

Hi,

Currently training for the Belfast marathon in May, my first one. Am up to 14 mile LSR but am feeling fairly banjaxed after it yesterday :eek: - stiff legs etc.. - is this normal?
I also did about 6 mile the day before.
Should I be taking the Sat. off if I do my LSR on a Sunday to rest?

Also any advice on prep before and after running LSR every week

thanks

i did my first marathon last year and i felt the same... after the first 14 miler i was wrecked, i found the next two lsr easier two 16 milers, then my 18 miler i was wiped out for the day after it.., next 18 miler was grand, first 20 miler wrecked,.. second 20 miler... well stil wrecked but not as much,
i think its just the shock that your body gets when its breaking new ground regarding distance
i wouldnt get disheartened thinking that if a 14 miler hurts x amount a 20 miler will be twice as bad... if your training right your lsr recovery should improve even though your going futher

catweazle

2 hours 5 minutes for 14 miles lsr is decent going, you looking for well under 4 hours for the event with that pace? Deffo legs get stronger as you go along, my first 20 miler killed me, finished the second one last weekend in much better nick. I am hoping to come on again for the third one sunday week.

I think the 14 mile was the only LSR I missed, I couldnt run it with exhaustion, so you are going better than me so far.

ChuckProphet

would be looking for about 4 hours alright. i'd usually do 5/6 miles tue and thurs and sat. then lsr sunday...i might do wed. or fri. and rest sat. instead.
i'm pretty much following the plan on the belfast marathon website which recommends 3 x 20 mile runs in training - is this too much for a beginner?
saw another plan which only had one 20 miler, then taper off.
thanks for all the advice, i'lll take it on board

catweazle

Hopefully not Chuck, i am a first timer as well and I have two 20 mile runs done. Only one more to go now so I am nearly there

menoscemo

ChuckProphet wrote: »

would be looking for about 4 hours alright. i'd usually do 5/6 miles tue and thurs and sat. then lsr sunday...i might do wed. or fri. and rest sat. instead.
i'm pretty much following the plan on the belfast marathon website which recommends 3 x 20 mile runs in training - is this too much for a beginner?
saw another plan which only had one 20 miler, then taper off.
thanks for all the advice, i'lll take it on board

I think what the lads are getting at is that 2hrs 5 minutes for 14 miles is at or slightly faster than planned marathon pace (PMP) if you are going for a 4 hr marthon.
Convential wisdom is that you should run your LSR's about a minute per mile slower than PMP, i.e. about 10 minutes per mile.
I made the mistake of running all my LSR's at PMP for Dublin last year (was also planning a 4hr marathon) but couldn't reproduce it on the big day. Even though it seems unnatural it is better to run the LSR's slow, it is more important to get used to the time on your feet than running the LSR's fast.

I'd say it is normal to be wrecked after running 14 miles for the first time at PMP

dublinrunner

Im running my first marathon this year and have increased my LSR to 10 miles, i am finding it hard to understand why to run LSR at a min slower than PMP...... I feel like when i get to the marathon i wont be able to go faster for the 26 miles.... as in if i havent tried it how to i know i can do it!! I want to finish about 4 hrs to 4 hrs ten mins, and am running my LSR at 10 min miles (not much more than a jog really!) but at my current fitness with running am finding this a good pace, its slow enough to be enjoyable but always for the last couple of miles it is a challenge. Im just wondering do i keep continuing my lSR's at this 10 min/mile pace?? I currently do 3/4 sessions a week with some intervals, hills and cross training (stationery bike/ rower/ stepper) included. Im a long way from my marathon yet which is dublin in oct, but really want to enjoy it on the day and do a good time! Please advise!!

tyler71

Excellent thread here http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055825141&highlight=planned+marathon+pace on marathon preparation. As I've just finished my first marathon, I wouldn't be that experienced but I do think doing your LSR at a comfortable pace is vital, first to get your body used to burning off more fat than sugar and also just to get your legs stronger - going too fast will offset some of those benefits and anyway you will find that your 'comfortable' pace will increase as the weeks go by. You'll need to be doing speed sessions and/or tempo runs during the week as well though.
One thing that I didn't do enough of was running at my planned Marathon pace, I found I was having to continually readjust my pace slower or faster - more practice at the pace I wanted would have helped.
Regarding twenty milers, obviously the more you can do the better but only if you can 'absorb' them, I only did one twenty miler although I had planned to do two but canned the second one because it took me two weeks to recover from the first one and I reckoned I wouldn't have recovered in time before the race for it to be of benefit to me. However, after about 18/19 miles I found my legs starting to tighten up on me (lungs and heart were fine) and this started slowing me down causing to lose 5 mins off my target time. So if I was doing it again I would have done a few more twenty milers but would have required to add a lot more weeks to my training schedule to build up to that sort of level. Hopefully actually doing the marathon will help for the next time!

Husavik

One of the causes is doing too much too soon. They say you can increase 10% each week but perhaps 5% might be better. The LSR can still increase but then reduce a midweek run or better, drop the Sat run to 4 miles very easy.

Some also recommend an ice bath. Just immerse the legs for 6 mins.

Experiment with stretching. Try doing it 10 after your warm down for 30 - 60 secs per move x 2 and more comprehensively.

Finally, make sure to drink enough. The cold weather can deceive. It varies but 500 mls just before and 200mls for each 30 mins is ok. Be sure and eat good food like fruits shortly after your run to help build muscle repair.

These are things that I've read. But not all experts agree on the middle two.