When to schedule my long runs

Triathlon Forum
1

Here’s the deal

Marathon training Target race is Oct 14.
Last 5 weeks mileage: 40, 43, 39, 43, 48
Last 5 weekly long runs: 14, 15, 15, 16, 18

My weekly schedule has been
mon: rest or recovery spin on the bike
tues: track/speed
wed: semi-long
thurs: rest or short run
friday; medium
sat: short
sun: long

running 20 this week…but the 2 weeks after I’m running in half-marathon races on the days I normally would do my final 2 long runs. I’d like to do another 20 and maybe 22 before starting my taper.

Should I

A) do the races, than run some additional distance in a second run to get the miles in? OR
B) run long mid-week

interested in hearing some responses.

2

Run long mid-week, run the half-marathons at projected marathon pace.

3

Who are you, and what have you done with Paulo? That answer was WAY too straightforward to be the real Paulo. :slight_smile:

4

You forgot that smiley when you called me an asshole yesterday… oh and… :wink:

5

no thread hijacking! :slight_smile:

And thanks for the response Paulo, that is what I was thinking. The challenge will be to dial it back during the races…hard to do that once the gun goes off.

6

For a twist, do the last 3miles at threshold pace. Incredible workout and really fun to see how many people you can pass :slight_smile:

7

I was just summing up the thread. I wasn’t calling you an asshole, you asshole! :slight_smile:

8

I would run the two halfs keeping in mind that the marathon is my goal race.

Get to the race site early for both races. For the first half, run 7 miles at a very slow pace. Try to time your finish within five minutes of the start of the half. Then run the first three miles of the half at a slow pace, and pick up your pace at mile 4 to the finish at planned marathon pace. At the end of the race you have run 20 miles in total, with half of them at race pace. For the second half marathon, I’d do the same, except if you want to go 22 miles, then run 9 before the race very slow and controlled, and then run the first 8 of the race at same pace. This would allow you to kick up miles 8-13 and finish at marathon pace.

The reason I would do it this way is that you will feel more fatigued at the end of these races and less likely to (a) stop running and short the workout, or (b) flat out race the half. If you do it the other way around planning to run after the half is over, then you might get too caught up in the race and blow your wad.

I think practicing marathon pace is key to running a solid pace in the actual race. If you had scheduled the half four or five weeks out from your goal marathon, then I’d say “go for it” and really race the half hard. That far out you could have still done your longest runs and then tapered.

Good luck.