Back to back LSR's

Git101

I'm looking for some advice about back to back LSR's

I ran the Dublin marathon a few weeks ago and, all going well, I hope to run the Edinburgh marathon May 2011 but in the mean time I want to do the Art O Neill challenge a 55k on/off road run in early January.

I took 2 weeks off after DCM and used last week to get some easy miles in. I now have 8 weeks to prepare, my plan is to use the last 8 weeks of my marathon training programme but do 2 LSR's on the weekends.

I've never done back to back LSR's so I could do with some help.

• Should the back to back runs be of a similar length and if not should the longer or shorter one be first?
• What distances should I be doing. My marathon programme called for 20,12,20,12 20,12,8, race. I'm guessing that doubling these would not be a good idea.
• I was hoping to run these at about 1.15 - 1.30 slower than marathon pace. does this sound right ?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

Chris

RacoonQueen

When I do back to backs I usually do a longer run on the second day and do the second one at a slightly faster pace than I did the one the day before. Back to backs are great fun, you get a real buzz when you hit 17 miles with a few miles still to go the day after a 18 miler and you still feel great and know that you're more than capable of knocking out another 5 or so

Git101

Thanks RQ.

Did you go to 20/20 miles ?

I'm trying to work out a reasonable breakdown so I get the most benefit without increasing the risk of injury too much.

Magnet

my 2 cents
I ran 20 on saturday and 28 sunday, my plan is 50miles on the weekend in any way so if I run 30 on saturday and don`t have time on sunday ill run at least 15 on a very hilly route, either way I don`t go over 30miles because I feel it`s counterproductive.
Pace wise I run at my LSR pace.

RacoonQueen

Git101 wrote: »

Thanks RQ.

Did you go to 20/20 miles ?

I'm trying to work out a reasonable breakdown so I get the most benefit without increasing the risk of injury too much.

Nope, I was always too lazy and too weary of injury, I'd built up very fast as it was my LSR's would have been 16/18, 18/20 etc never got to do two 20's. I never fueled up on my runs either which wasn't ideal, if I'd looped home I wouldn't have gone back out. If you can park the car somewhere and loop back to the car every 45 minutes or so to fuel up you'll find them much easier.

Next time I do an ultra I'm sorting a nutrition strategy. Never felt like I needed it in Dingle but I do know it'd have boosted my performance if I had.

sarsfieldsrock

Git101 wrote: »

I'm looking for some advice about back to back LSR's

I ran the Dublin marathon a few weeks ago and, all going well, I hope to run the Edinburgh marathon May 2011 but in the mean time I want to do the Art O Neill challenge a 55k on/off road run in early January.

I took 2 weeks off after DCM and used last week to get some easy miles in. I now have 8 weeks to prepare, my plan is to use the last 8 weeks of my marathon training programme but do 2 LSR's on the weekends.

I've never done back to back LSR's so I could do with some help.

• Should the back to back runs be of a similar length and if not should the longer or shorter one be first?
• What distances should I be doing. My marathon programme called for 20,12,20,12 20,12,8, race. I'm guessing that doubling these would not be a good idea.
• I was hoping to run these at about 1.15 - 1.30 slower than marathon pace. does this sound right ?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

Chris

For the Art O Neill you will probably have to do a fair bit of walking. If you cannot navigate the route on your own then you will have to go with a group and go with the slowest persons pace.

For a 55K race I wouldn't feel that you need to do any different training than you would with a marathon. Its 8 miles longer so maybe a slightly longer LSR would be fine in preparing for it.

What will be much more important would be hill work and maybe working out a walking strategy for the climbs that may be encountered. Also making sure that your nuitrition and clothing is correct.
I am signed up for it too and will be attending the information meeting in Basecamp in 108 Middle Abbey Street tonight at 7pm.

MaroonTam

Bit of a thread hijack (sorry Git101) but still on topic:

Anyone tried back to back LSRs as a training tool for 'regular' (26.2) marathon training?
Is there any benefit?

ThePiedPiper

MaroonTam wrote: »

Bit of a thread hijack (sorry Git101) but still on topic:

Anyone tried back to back LSRs as a training tool for 'regular' (26.2) marathon training?
Is there any benefit?

Yeah, I did 20/18 one weekend, and 20/15 another. I don't think it did me any harm. Both times, the Sunday run was with runners who were going maybe a minute a mile slower than my Saturday run so I viewed them as long recovery runs.

I'd only consider doubling up on LSRs at weekends if I was at a high level of fitness. When my base level isn't quite high enough, my body does be fairly sore the day after a 20 miler. Unless I'm feeling 100%, I wouldn't do it.

Git101

sarsfieldsrock wrote: »

I am signed up for it too and will be attending the information meeting in Basecamp in 108 Middle Abbey Street tonight at 7pm.

Great..See you there..