I asked this in the racing forum on the main site, but I'm going to ask it again for the HURT Locker members,
The reason for the question is that a lot of races seem to fall on a Sunday and nearly all the training plans I've seen call for the long run to be ran on a Sunday. The tapers end on a Sunday as "RACE" day. The race I'm going to train for is held on a Saturday and I was thinking that I should move the schedule back a day so the long run is ran on Saturday instead of Sunday.
What say you?
The pain that hurts the worse is the imagined pain. One of the most difficult arts of racing is learning to ignore the imagined pain and just live with the present pain (which is always bearable.) - Jeff
2014 Goals:
Stay healthy
Enjoy life
Run it when you can.
In the past, for me, that might even be a Wed.
I've become a believer that the quanity and quality of the1.5 hr run is much more important than the long run at the end of the week.
Run it when you can. In the past, for me, that might even be a Wed. I've become a believer that the quanity and quality of the1.5 hr run is much more important than the long run at the end of the week.
+1 What's the biggest difference between a training plan and life? A training plan has structure. Sure it would be nice to do exactly what the training plan says but that would only lead to obsessive behaviors and poor decisions being made. I've done long runs anywhere between Thursday - Monday. Things like home and work schedules, recovery, etc all play an important roll when the long run is done. Fit it in where you can and don't sweat it too much.
Feeling the growl again
This, word-for-word.
My treadmill 33-miler was on a Wednesday IIRC. Why? I had a vacation day and found myself with an empty house...no responsibitites or distractions.
But I am not nearly as disciplined about my training structure as I used to be. Even if I were, I don't see that one day shift would be a big deal. Back in the day I ran both Saturday and Sunday marathons, and always did long runs on Sundays. I never even thought about the need to shift the long runs.
"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand
I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills
Self anointed title
For me, Sunday tends to be long run day.
However... whatever fits best for your life.
And... I don't really get this. So you stick to the Sunday long run as per the schedule, your race is on a Saturday rather than a Sunday - so you have one less day of taper right? Big deal? No.
MTA: Spaniel beat me to it.
Agree with run it when you can. Sometimes I will do it to/from work on a Friday, otherwise Saturday or Sunday depending on when DW is running long, the kids schedule, etc. If you know in advance and can adjust the rest of your training schedule (usually the speedwork) so it doesn't impact anything even better.
I do my long runs on SUN, mainly because it fits in my weekend life and because I can run with a group of friends on SUN.
As others have said, one less taper-day isn't a big deal. Roll with it and enjoy the training!
"I want you to pray as if everything depends on it, but I want you to prepare yourself as if everything depends on you."
-- Dick LeBeau
For me, Sunday tends to be long run day. However... whatever fits best for your life. And... I don't really get this. So you stick to the Sunday long run as per the schedule, your race is on a Saturday rather than a Sunday - so you have one less day of taper right? Big deal? No. MTA: Spaniel beat me to it.
My thought was getting used to running long on the day that I will race. If things don't work (life, work, family, recovery needed) I have no problem switching up the days. I was thinking it may not be a bad idea to run my long runs at the same time and day as the race. Adjusting the training plan back a day is no big deal either so I'm looking for a reason NOT to switch it up so the long run and race are on the same day of the week.
Do the elites and next teir runners change the schedule if the race falls on a Saturday?
I guess I was the tier below the tier below the elites or something like that....I knew a good number of runners the tier below the elites and a few elites. I am not aware of any of them worrying about this; at least, it never came up.
Frankly, race day won't be like practice anyways because if you do your homework you will be so well rested anyways (unlike training). With travel and stuff the days before the race likely won't be on your normal schedule either.
I wouldn't sweat it, but it won't hurt you do do this anyways.
My thought was getting used to running long on the day that I will race. If things don't work (life, work, family, recovery needed) I have no problem switching up the days. I was thinking it may not be a bad idea to run my long runs at the same time and day as the race.
I'm a fan of this. Especially if you're not a morning person or you don't normally run at 0700.
My answer is that I don't know what they do but I suspect the time of day is likely more critical than the day of the week. As Clive pointed out.
Well I will +2 this part. Especially as I get older the time of day makes a big difference. I find it difficult to race well in early mornings anymore.
I'm going a little off topic here, but my solution to the early morning races is to get up 2-3 hours before the race and eat early. A shower and coffee help get my system going too.
#artbydmcbride
I move mine around. I like to run long AFTER I've raced for the weekend, but sometimes you do what you can.
Runners run
BT, thanks for asking, I actually had the same question. Not so much to optimize for the big race day, but more to accomodate several Sunday races in my training program. I dont really like the idea of 18-20mi on Sat and a 10k race the next day, it seems like a formula for a pulled muscle.
Those weeks I'll probably move the long runs to Thurs or Fri a.m., and just pray I dont have early meetings at work. (Just cant stand the thought of setting a clock for 4:30 am...I cant stay awake much past 9pm as it is.)