Marathon advice - how many 20miles+ runs

busterjones

Hi All -

Currently training for DCM '16.

Marathon history to date is:

1. Connemarathon - 3:57 in 2012
2. DCM '15 3:30

For first, just trained for distance and last year, limited training but had a good base built up through running in/ out of work daily (3m each way) plus a long run at weekends running up to the marathon.

This year I'm aiming for 3:15 and am taking training more seriously, lately.

Over past 2 weekends ran 16 miles at 7:30 average pace (so in 2 hours) and last weekend did 20 miles at race pace (followed marathon route for 2:29 hrs, 7:26 average per mile) - last 4 miles were very tough though - not aerobically but in my legs. In terms of how I recovered - did 30 min slow run on Mon, 60 slow on Tues and some long interval on Wed (warm up plus 7 x 2 mins at 5:30 pace, 2 mins recovery) - then continue to cycle through easy day, moderate and hard. Have recovered well by Wednesday.

What I'd like advice on is how many long runs to do and when to ease off - my plan is to do a slower 22 mile this weekend (at approx. 8 min/ mile avg) and then do likewise to 24 miles the following weekend - then take a step back to 12 miles at faster than race pace the weekend afterwards and finally do a 22 miler at race pace before tapering for 4 weeks.

What I want to do is be comfortable with the mileage leg-wise and also confidence wise after 22 miles at race pace.

What I'm worried about is over training/ tiring legs or will 4 weeks be plenty to recover in advance?

Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Thanks,

BJ

28064212

busterjones wrote: »

last weekend did 20 miles at race pace
...
finally do a 22 miler at race pace

Madness. 4 weeks out from the race, and you're planning to do 85% of it. How long do you think it will take you to recover from the marathon itself? And you'll be doing that when you're fresh after tapering.

Most plans would have, at a maximum, 16 miles at race pace. You're likely doing one of:

• over-training (injury-risk)
• under-estimating your potential (and not training to it)
• not putting near enough into your non-long runs (and hence not training to what you're capable of)

busterjones

Thanks 28064212 - advice taken on board.

Given where I am, and probably too late to correct training plan done to date - where's best to go from here e.g. 1 - 2 more 20/22 miles at a slower pace e.g. 1 min/ mile > race pace, with a two gap between each and no more long runs at race pace?

Cheers,

BJ

28064212

busterjones wrote: »

Thanks 28064212 - advice taken on board.

Given where I am, and probably too late to correct training plan done to date - where's best to go from here e.g. 1 - 2 more 20/22 miles at a slower pace e.g. 1 min/ mile > race pace, with a two gap between each and no more long runs at race pace?

Cheers,

BJ

The 22-24-12-22 plan you have for the next 4 weekends sounds ok, distance-wise, but I'd swap the 24 and 12 around (otherwise you have 2 hard weekends in succession). Possibly ease back the distance on the two slower ones to 20 and 22 miles, 24 seems overkill. And don't do the whole 22 miles of the last run at race pace. Do something like 7 mile warm-up (slowly building up), 14 mile race pace, 1 mile cool down.

So for the next 4 weekends:

• 20 mile LSR
• 12 mile fast (although again, you should incorporate a warm-up and cool-down, so only, say, 8 miles are fast)
• 22 mile LSR
• 24 mile (7 mile warm-up, 14 mile race-pace, 1 mile cool-down)

RayCun

24 is much too long in training
22 is probably also too long
what are you running during the week?

busterjones

Thanks - makes sense

@RayCun:

For past few months, to be honest had little quality in my training but probably built a good base - run in/ out of work 5 days a week (3 miles each way, plus crossfit x 4/5 days, plus approx. 10 - 13 miles on a Sun) for several months.

Been following a cycle for the past 3 weeks e.g.:

Sun - long run
Mon - easy - 30 mins
Tues - moderate = 60 - 80 mins
Wed - long intervals (10 - 15 w/u, e.g. 7 x 2 min at 5:30 & 2 min easy, 10 - 15 min w/d)
Thur - easy - 30 mins
Fri - moderate - 50 - 60 mins
Sat - short intervals (10 - 15 w/u, e.g. 7 x 0:30 min at 5:00 & 0:30 min easy, 10 - 15 min w/d)
Sun - Long

...repeat

RayCun

Those intervals are all very short for marathon training. 2 minute intervals at a fast pace aren't working on the things you need to get around a marathon. Substitute in some longer intervals at a slower pace, half marathon pace for 15/20 minutes X2 , or even longer at marathon pace

RuMan

I'd knock the intervals on the head. Other then those at a higher level i'm sceptical as to the benefits of "speed" training for marathon runners.

What sort of training history do you have ? If you've built a decent aerobic base over many years there may be benefits to tempo & MP runs. Wouldn't bother with anything quicker/shorter as speed training while simultaneously increasing mileage will lead to injury unless you have a background.


Long weekend run, medium long mid week, build both these up to 22/15. Step back every few weeks. Add as many easy miles as you can on other days.

Marathon is simply about getting mileage in without getting injured for most.