1

advice about pre-Boston long runs (Read 394 times)

    Just two weeks ago, I found out that I'll have the opportunity to compete in the Boston Marathon in honor of a college teammate who passed away in 2004. I'm really excited about the opportunity and am doing my best to prepare with limited time. My question is about the number of "really long" long runs I should try to fit in before the race. Some background info: I've been running for 12 years, have run one marathon (in 2006) and was running between 50-60 miles a week with one 12-14 mile long run when I found out I'd be running Boston. I had coincidentally just entered a 25k race on a whim, so my longest run in several months was that race. On the weekends since, I have run 17 and then 18 miles. In both cases, my legs felt absolutely sapped by the end (like the shock absorbers were gone) but I recovered really quickly--I did take the following day off in each case, but more out of precaution than because it seemed necessary. I'm planning to run a 30k "race" (very casual, will probably just do it as a harder effort long run) on March 30th and am going to do a 20 miler on April 4th (as my last really long run before the marathon). As for this weekend, does it make more sense to try to get 20 miles in or to take a sort of "down" weekend? Mentally, I feel like knowing I had been on my feet for 2.5 hours a few times would be a big help, but at the same time, I don't want to put myself at risk for injury. Thanks for any advice, and for reading this long post!
      A 20-miler this weekend versus something shorter (say 15 or 16) will not make or break you, so if you're feeling at all beat up from the recent 25k, 17 and 18'ers, I'd say give yourself a bit of a break this weekend. You'll probably get more out of your last 2 long runs (the 30k and 20-miler) if you take this weekend to let the last 3 weekends worth of long runs "soak in." That's my take. Good luck at Boston. You will do well and I'm sure it will be a great experience for you.

      Runners run


      #2867

        I agree with Mike, I'd just run 15 or 16 miles or so and then concentrate on a quality race next weekend and an easy 20 the weekend after that.

        Run to Win
        25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)

          Thanks--that was my inclination, too. Sometimes I think I just need confirmation that I'm not going to be woefully unprepared by only doing two 20 milers (hopefully with warm up and cool down I'll be over 20 for the 30k).