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2000 Miles of Starting All Over
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Mikeymike - long run question (Read 286 times)
TonyP
posted: 10/28/2008 at 3:33 PM
I copied your post about the importance of the long run and have tried to incorporate what you and others have said into training for the Monkey. This will be my 3rd marathon. My first was Country Music Marathon and I finished in 4:24. The last 9 miles were miserable. My 2nd was the Marine Corps Marathon and I finished in 4:15, but still finished weak after 20 or so pretty good miles.

I’m a single dad, so I can’t run every day, but I’m trying to keep the weekly mileage higher than I did for my first two marathons. Also, I’m not doing as many long runs, and may not do one over 20 miles. My last long run was this weekend – 18 miles on the Monkey course, which took 2:55. The long runs I’ve done are 15.4, 17, and 18, and I’m planning on one more long run.

I’m trying to decide if I need to do another 18 on the Monkey course, a 20 on the Monkey course, a 20 on a flatter route, or “other” for my last long run.

I don’t feel like my body is “beat up” because my 8 mile run yesterday felt really strong except for sore calves, and that was the day after the 18 on the Monkey course. Also, if you look at my log, I started keeping a log on RA in early September. Before that my avg mileage was probably around 20-25 mpw.
So what would you recommend for a last long run before the Monkey? Thanks.
Purdey
2012?
 posted: 10/28/2008 at 3:38 PM
I await Mikey's response.

However, I've heard that you can't train for the Monkey.
24hrs 100miles £10,000
mikeymike
posted: 10/28/2008 at 3:56 PM
This weekend we should be 3 weeks from Monkey right? I should know that since I'm running it I guess....

I think if you've had a few long runs on the course already then I'd go longer, 18-20 maybe, but on a relatively flat course. Otherwise another 15-17 miler on the Monkey course might make more sense. Either way it's important to know that this last long run wll not make or break you so don't stress too much over it.

I'm sure others have some good opinions as well.

And I'm still trying to figure out what kind of long run I should do this weekend too, if anyone has any opinions on that. I'm feeling 95% recovered from Bay State and 85% recovered from that other thing at this point so I'm ready to do pretty much whatever. But I'm in NYC not getting home until like midnight tonight so there will be no run today...probably something short tomorrow, and I've run a grand total of 10 miles since the marathon. I'm leaning toward a 15 miler on a hilly course on Sunday, if I have time. That's probably what I'll do.
TonyP
posted: 10/28/2008 at 4:23 PM
Quote from mikeymike on 10/28/2008 at 3:56 PM:
This weekend we should be 3 weeks from Monkey right? I should know that since I'm running it I guess....

Either way it's important to know that this last long run wll not make or break you so don't stress too much over it.

I'm sure others have some good opinions as well.



You're right - 3 weeks from Sunday as the sun rises, a few of us who have ignored the warnings will confront the monkeys. What will happen for the next several hours may not be pretty.

Thanks for the advice. When you said the last long run will not make or break me I know what you meant...but there's a definite chance of it breaking me if I run it on the Monkey course...so I'm thinking the gain I would get from running another 18 or 20 on the course probably wouldn't be worth the risk.

And yes - I would welcome opinions from others. There's a multitude of people who know more about this stuff than I do.

Jeff
posted: 10/28/2008 at 4:32 PM
Keep the long run flat, but do as many other runs as you can in the park so you are familiar with the terrain. Just keep rolling, Tony. You're doing great.
a vagabond,..highway-beater; a rolling stone, one that does nought but runne here and there.
~Cotgrave, Randle A dictionarie of the French and English tongues, 1611
TonyP
posted: 10/28/2008 at 4:59 PM
Quote from Jeff on 10/28/2008 at 4:32 PM:
Keep the long run flat, but do as many other runs as you can in the park so you are familiar with the terrain. Just keep rolling, Tony. You're doing great.


Thanks Jeff - I'll do that. And I may be able to get one or two 11.2's in before Monkey stomping time. Big grin
Thunder
posted: 10/28/2008 at 5:00 PM
Quote from Jeff on 10/28/2008 at 4:32 PM:
Keep the long run flat, but do as many other runs as you can in the park so you are familiar with the terrain. Just keep rolling, Tony. You're doing great.


I would echo this.

I would echo this.
Ahhh milk was a bad choice!!!
jgoldsborough
posted: 10/29/2008 at 1:49 PM
Quote from Thunder on 10/28/2008 at 5:00 PM:
I would echo this.

I would echo this.


Wow...you did echo that.
Sack up and run.
dallas
Hoodoo Guru
 posted: 10/29/2008 at 4:44 PM
For the last two years I have done the 11.2 + 5.8 as my last long run (3 weeks out) before the Monkey. This year I will do the double 11.2 instead.

The results of my experiment will be available for the world to see on Nov. 23.
The tangents are moot.
JakeKnight
posted: 10/29/2008 at 6:20 PM
Quote from Jeff on 10/28/2008 at 4:32 PM:
Keep the long run flat


Blasphemy.
E-mail: JakeKnight2002@aol.com
-----------------------------
ʇuǝɹʇ
ʎǝʞuoɯ ʎʞunɟ
 posted: 10/30/2008 at 1:35 AM
Quote from Jeff on 10/28/2008 at 4:32 PM:
Keep the long run flat


Like PWP flat or EWP flat?

Wait, or do you mean red trail flat?

Yeah, that's gotta be it.
noʎ ɥʇıʍ ǝq ʎǝʞuoɯ ǝɥʇ ʎɐɯ
ʇuǝɹʇ
ʎǝʞuoɯ ʎʞunɟ
 posted: 10/30/2008 at 1:36 AM
I've heard that you can't train for the Monkey.
noʎ ɥʇıʍ ǝq ʎǝʞuoɯ ǝɥʇ ʎɐɯ
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