Marathon Condundrum

partyguinness

Hi guys,

Part of a running club (not athletics club) where a bunch of us recreational runners run 3-4 times a week and enter events (10k and HM mostly). Aged from 30-70- its very much focused on fitness and social but anyways....

5 of us have entered a marathon in October and we have our long runs on a Sunday morning (I'm actually the only one who has entered and completed one before- Manchester in April...3:58:something) but we all have run countless HM and a few 20 mile events.

Most training programmes have the long runs up to 20 but I disagreed and felt the longest should be up to 22-23 as miles 20-26 is the hardest part so it made sense. One of the lads ran this past a 2 time former Olympic marathon runner and she agreed and said 22 mile should be enough.

We started our long run plan in July and our long runs at the moment is lke this:

3/9 19 miles
10/9 20
17/9 22
24/9 20 mile (race event we have entered)
1/10 13
8/10 8
15/10 marathon

Now, here comes the conundrum, after our 20 miler yesterday the lads have changed tack and are going for 13 miles next week rather than the 22 and carrying on the plan so there will be no 22 miler at all.

What should I do?

1. Follow the lads with no 22 miler under my belt
2. Ignore the lads and run 22 myself next week...yippee
3. Follow the lads but run 22 on the 1st October but leaving 2 weeks to the big day to tapper down?
4. Any other suggestions?

All things going well between now and the finish line I would hope to come home between 3:45:00 and 3:50:00 as I am in a far better place this time around than 6 months ago. I'm 38 and only ran my first 10k last summer...:o Would like to break 3:30 next year.

I should state that we run 2-4 times during the week anyway (speedwork, hills, 8-9km trail runs) so it is just the long runs.

Any suggestions welcome?

Cheers.

denis b

I would suggest 1.

Reasoning:

a. Running 3 Lr's of that magnitude on successive Sunday's is very demanding.
b. From what you have outlined it seems your group is "very much focused on fitness and social"
c. I do not think that a 22 mile LR for runners of our pace (we have similar times) has any real benefits

Best of luck whatever you decide.

Itziger

Funny, isn't it. Two replies and two different ones at that! I see what Denis is saying about three or four LRs in a row, but I think a 22 miler, done fairly easily, will stand you in good stead. I get the vibes that you're a little more ambitious than some of your club mates.

I think most runners will benefit from LONG Long runs. Why do so many mid pack runners have such trouble getting from mile 20 to 26?

My advice, go for the 22. But be nice about it!!

Kennyg71

22 miles ran at LSR pace could well bring you towards 3.30 hrs time on your feet, which I think is bit excessive if you plan running a 3.45 marathon, and also if you are racing 20 miles the following week, could leave you crocked, I think with your race in mind this is why you have a step back week rather than 22 miles on plan.
20 miles may well bring you over 3 hrs and IMO that is enough, an Olympian would probably only be on feet for 2.30 hrs covering 22 miles so would not take as much out if the body. I'd say stick to your original plan. I ran similar time to your target on first Marathon only did 20 miles as longest run, and from your running history you look more prepared than I was. Best of luck.

partyguinness

Itziger wrote: »

Funny, isn't it. Two replies and two different ones at that! I see what Denis is saying about three or four LRs in a row, but I think a 22 miler, done fairly easily, will stand you in good stead. I get the vibes that you're a little more ambitious than some of your club mates.

I think most runners will benefit from LONG Long runs. Why do so many mid pack runners have such trouble getting from mile 20 to 26?

My advice, go for the 22. But be nice about it!!

I hear what Denis is saying in that it will not add to my time and I agree.

It is more the psychology really and to get used to it and feel the pain but mentally you know you have done it before and can get through it- that was my logic anyway. But of course don't want to crash and burn and over do it.

Funny you should spot that I am a little more ambitious as the 2 guys I ran with yesterday (others missing) are the slowest and often often branch off and run together on 'easier' routes than the rest of us i.e. no hills. I will average 5:05/5:10 per km like clock work whereas they average 5:35/5:40.

I think mentally I've been geared up for a 22-23 all along and I know one of the other faster lads (not there yesterday) will be up for it. He will easily do it as he cruises 20 miles.

Biggest test will the 20miler the following week and making sure to treat it as a LSR and not an event as such.

It's work in progress and the podium is quite safe....:o

I will do 22-23 next week (sensibly) and leave the 2 other boys to run their 13 miler.

Sorry..do you think I should do the 22 miler next week or the 1st October?

partyguinness

I should add that I got to 20 miles in Manchester at 2:47:something on a flat course and mentally I knew I was well under 4rs as long as I didn't cramp up so I eased myself over the last 6miles and I have to admit I didn't push myself as hard as I could have. I have done 20 miles in 2:44 in training.

So this time I want to avoid that at all costs and maintain consistency.

Singer

partyguinness wrote: »

I should add that I got to 20 miles in Manchester at 2:47:something on a flat course and mentally I knew I was well under 4rs as long as I didn't cramp up so I eased myself over the last 6miles and I have to admit I didn't push myself as hard as I could have. I have done 20 miles in 2:44 in training.

So this time I want to avoid that at all costs and maintain consistency.

20 miles in 2:44 is 5:06/km / 8:12/mile / 3:35 pace. That's a good LSR if you're training for a 3:15 marathon, otherwise you're probably running it too fast - they're long slow runs, not long faster-than-marathon-pace runs, if 3:45 really is your marathon pace.

Alternatives to increasing the distance could be to add some quality into the runs, for example do repeats at marathon pace. I guess if you're already running your long runs at faster than marathon pace then that doesn't sound very intimidating :pac:

What else are you doing during the week aside from the long runs?