Need more info. You said this was your first time running 16. Since your long run should only encompass 25% of your weekly total, does that work with you? Was it hilly? How long have been running? And lastly, if you have never run 16 before, why did you run 14 the day after?!

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Fatigue is biochemical, not biomechanical.
- Andrew Coggan, PhD

Do you run on your toes? Ask someone to carefully watch you run - are you striking heel first or on the front of your foot?

There was some famous runner that never put his heels down, but it must put massive strain on your calves and can't be good for you really...

Check this out in relation to a forefoot strike asa opposed to a heal strike.

BB


http://www.blakebecker.com

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Professional Triathlete
Owner of Blake Becker Multisport Coaching LLC / Team BBMC
blakebeck@gmail.com
http://www.teambbmc.com

Oops, I wasn't clear in my OP.
3-10 I ran 16 for a long run. 3-17, 10 mile long run and 3-24, 14 miles. basically it was supposed to be 18 miles but the "coach" of the running group screwed up the schedule so had me drop back (I won't digress as to how annoyed I was by the error, but figure if I can make it till May 26, my 1st marathon, injury free, I'll be ahead of many other war stories I've heard.

I've been running 30 mpw for the last 4 weeks and this week was 34 miles including my 14 today. I've read varying things of "long run should be ___% of weekly mileage" I'm sorta following a very beginner, 20 weeks to a first marathon, with a half mary under my belt from last fall. Yeah, i suppose in a perfect world I would trained for another 1/2 mary and picked a fall mary but certain obligations prevented that so here I go...............

I'll have someone watch my stride to see if I'm running too much on my toes.
Thanks!!!!

get the book "Chi Running"...........it's highly likely that your form could use some work. i've been running/racing ten years and still found it very helpful

I don't know if you're running too much on your toes, but you're sure as heck running too much on your long run. Have you considered running a little more during the week so that long run isn't such a shock to the body?

You are probably tight in the posterior muscle groups like most runners. Stretch away. Definitely stay away from Pose, Chi stuff right now with an upcoming marathon and your calves are already hurting. Read for info purposes only, then a gentle trial if you wish in the winter/off season as you may do well with it. Perhaps not.

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____________________________________
Fatigue is biochemical, not biomechanical.
- Andrew Coggan, PhD

Joe Friel has a great blog, his last post is on forefoot striking:

http://www2.trainingbible.com/joesblog/blog.html

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Professional Triathlete
Owner of Blake Becker Multisport Coaching LLC / Team BBMC
blakebeck@gmail.com
http://www.teambbmc.com