Forums >General Running>Three weeks before a marathon
Is it better to race a half marathon three weeks before a marathon instead of the traditionnal 20 milers? Or does it simply matter?
Thanks!
Is it better to race a half marathon three weeks before a marathon instead of the traditionnal 20 milers? Or does it simply matter? Thanks!
It all depends on what you've been doing, what your goal is, your background of training, your current fitness level, etc.
A single run 3 weeks before a race is unlikely to make a significant difference either way.
I think races are fun... so I'd race the HM if it was me. You can always do a few miles warm-up if you feel that you should be running a bit further.
Man in Tights
I wouldn't trade a 20 Miler for a 13 mile race. I'd stick to the schedule.
Good Bad & The Monkey
One of my favorite long runs in the lead-up to a marathon is a half marathon with enough warmup and cooldown miles to get me to a daily total 17-20 miles. So yeah, I would do it. And 3 weeks out is about perfect. 2-4 mile warmup. Race the HM all out. 2-3 mile cooldown.
When I do this, I do not stick to the 20 miles just because that is arbitrarily what my program says, but instead run a number of miles that feel right to me for the day.
And what Nobby said.
I'm running somewhere tomorrow. It's going to be beautiful. I can't wait.
Poor baby
If you could handle doing enough warm-up and cool down to get the 20 miles in, I think 3 weeks out is enough time to recover. I might not race it all out, there's a big difference between recovering from a real 100% effort and holding a hair back.
Take it a little easy the week after the race, eliminate your interval workout in favor of more easy running. You probably want to cover 20 miles all easy a couple times before that if you're going to do 20 miles with a ½ race as part of a workout.
MTA: WOW, Trent and I disagree on the all out bit, but I'm with him. run it.
If you fitness level is high or low? And we better define racing.
Remember that thread from a couple years ago when I raced (and I really, really raced) a half three weeks before my goal marathon and hardly recovered? Considering I ran sub 1:23 my fitness level was decent. Looking back, recovery from that half was about the same as the recovery from the BQ marathon I ran three weeks after. I don't do that (race long and hard three weeks out) any more.
oops
x you ran that 1:23 at a time when your fitness was being acquired superquick, though. If I remember right you eren't even in 1:30 shape just a few months earlier. That's phenomenal and awesome, but maybe there's a difference between that and someone who's been in 1:23ish shape for a few years and wants to race 3 weeks early. Don't know, just conjecturing.
It might also depend on how you think you will react mentally to the race. I like the race three weeks out thing, but I also know myself well enough that I may a) freak out because I raced better than I thought and maybe I should reeveluate my goal, etc. or b) freak out because this race was so damn slow and maybe I'm not fit and this marathon will be a disaster, etc. But if you aren't a freak like me then maybe it's not an issue.
I guess it boils down to how wasted you are going to be at the end of the race (HM) .. i wouldnt go all out because even if i do "recover" in time, i wont be in the best "energy state" possible at the start of the marathon 3 weeks later. But thats me, as it takes me atleast 2 weeks to get back from an all-out effort on a half marathon. If your recovery is a lot faster, then it might make sense for you.
If, like others have opined, you run a hard comfortable effort - it will definitely make you feel good. Plus you could potentially reduce chances of injury going that wee bit slower.
Just my 2c.
I dont sweat. I ooze liquid awesome.
(I haven't checked the log)
Good point. From whjat I can see there aren't any 20s in there and the base isn't huge. Different people have different views on this, but I guess for me personally this changes my opinion, and I'd run the 20 (whether that's racing with warm up and cool down or whatever). I also know for me, I can't race a HM and count on being able to walk for 7 more miles, much less run.
I also know for me, I can't race a HM and count on being able to walk for 7 more miles, much less run.
Hell, 90% of the time I can hardly jog to the car after racing anything 10 miles or longer. This has been a constant through my running adventure. Also, any race of 10 miles or longer impacts my training with missed or recovery miles. One probably needs to learn how they react to racing, both on good and bad days, to really know the answer. Therefore, the OP might just consider running the race to see how it goes. Of course, it could derail his training but something would be learned for next time.
I can't race a HM and count on being able to walk for 7 more miles, much less run.
That's why you gotta do some of them as warmup miles
And I ALWAYS feel better after a nice cooldown or next-day shakeout run.