Crazy Legs wrote:
My mileage is really low. I haven't actually kept track. I have been running 3 times a week on average. I did Boston twice on high mileage (70+mpw average over 12 weeks prior to taper) and found myself over-trained. I then had some other health issues that dictated that I am unable to run that mileage even if I wanted to. As a result, I have been training with HIIT (crossfit, but don't tell anyone) and running either hard or long about half the times I do run. Have a 21 and a 22-miler in so far, one with a 7:00/mile last 4 miles. 22-23 miler planned this week.
I did a 55k trail race last fall and have 10,000+ miles of running over the last decade with a few IM thrown in there, so the legs have seen their fair share of distance.
I was asking partly because I am no longer running with a group and was looking to hear some fun or creative or beneficial workouts people have done for marathon prep. I tend to do either track repeats or tempo stuff when its left up to me to decide. This morning I did 3 x (800, 1600, 800) - 10 miles total with 6 miles of speed.
Perhaps the most substantial marathon workout I will do is 20~21mi, with 3x5mi at marathon pace during. Warmup, then 3x5mi with 5min of jogging between. It's as much of a "workout" as it is a long run.. but all said and done you're looking at 20 miles at least. Very hard, take a few days very easy afterward. I do it four to six weeks out.
Another is 2x10km at slightly slower than MP, with 8min jog between. You're looking at 14~15mi, done as a mid-week workout. Again, very hard.
4x400, 10min tempo at MP, 4x400, 10min tempo, 4x400. Hard with the variation between 400 speed and a marathon pace. It's another that will leave you pretty tired, but feeling great once it's done.
It's those big workouts that are big confidence boosters, and for 26 miles, you need all the confidence you can get. All that said, you could run 20 miles at your goal pace in training, and have a completely terrible race. That's the marathon distance for you... but those are my favorite, big workouts to do in a marathon cycle.