My first three marathons wiped me out.  I started my recovery the next day though with real easy jog/walk workouts.  It took about two weeks until I started to feel good again, and about a month until I could really get back at it.

 

For my last marathon this past May, I was running again two days later and did 25 miles that week (plus the race).  The marathon was on a warm day.  My legs didn't get taxed because my body spent all of it's energy trying to cool me down.

That has been my experience as well.

This past weekend I ran the Charleston Distance Run.  It's a 15 mile race with serious hills (about 1,000 feet of elevation change between Mils 3-8) and then 7 miles of flat ground with no shade.  It was over 70 degrees with high humidity at the start and there wasn't a cloud in the sky.  I faded hard after I was back on the flats due to the heat.  My marathon PR pace (in cool weather) is 6:51.  My pace the last few miles of that 15 mile race went something like 7:01, 7:04, 7:08, 7:18, 7:22, 7:08.  The whole time, my legs are telling me I can go faster but any effort to do so sent my heart rate skyrocketing.  I recognized that I was overheating but there is nothing you can do about it.

I am now 5 days post race and you would think that a 15 mile race would require about two weeks of recovery.  Instead, I am very close to feeling fully recovered and my legs weren't even sore the next day.

I have already made my training plan with the LBL marathon in mind  and it includes the recovery period. I definitely plan on taking the few days after the race completely off from running unless by 2nd day I am feeling well enough for an easy 30 minute run and then pretty much easy runs and an easy LR of no more than 10-12 miles throughout the rest of November.  My next training plan is going to involve lots of hiking up the hilliest trails, probably 3-5 miles of hiking after my LR which will either be on trails or roads depending on weather conditions, and a Thursday run on those same hilly trails, a MLR on flatter trails during my Wednesday runs and two easy trail runs Tuesday and Friday and an easy road run on Saturday.

My focus or desired focus after this road marathon in November will be to move towards trail marathons and eventually ultras, as of now I have decided not to worry about speed when I begin this new journey.

Just two cycles in a row did me in.

Spring/fall 2012 pretty much shaped my current views on MRT and barring a miracle is something I will never, ever do again.

I am better for the experience though and came to terms with the fact that while there are those who excel at or relish multiple/continuous cycles, I am not one of them.

...because running marathons is a choice I make).

I can dig it.

You go girl! 

But it's not even the races, it's the training. And I know you don't slack on that.

Exactly. It's the 18 weeks cycle of high mileage, long steady distance runs, speed endurance medium long runs, fast finish runs that wears on me, physically and mentally. By my last marathon cycle in 2010 I believe I'd finally dialed in a training schedule that worked best for me; 8-10 weeks of intense, race-specific training following a high mileage foundation.

But unlike most runners I do not pour my heart and soul into my training and then turn around and not give 100% in competition. Essentually what turned me off on marathons other than the individual workouts, which I do not look forward to, is the unpredicability of race day. While this is no different when you race shorter distances the difference is that you can [possibly] reload and make another attempt quickly should the weather gods frown on you. That is not the case should you procede and not abort the marathon. Which only leaves you with unfulfilled expectations and bad memories.

I read a quote from a famous runner [name escapes me] what you only have so many [quality] marathons in you. I tend to believe this. I've only run 20, and most of those were quality attempts if not ulltimately quality races. To will yourself to give your best effort for 26.2 miles is not something that doesn't come without a price. Yet, I do not regret my choice, in fact I embrace it. I will not forget those efforts - whatever the outcome - but training runs [supported or solo] tend to become non-descript memories that support peak moments.

How's everyone's recovery going? I'm looking forward to at least a week off!

 Not so good. I was looking forward to NOT taking a week off, but could be at least that. On the flip side, I figure if I can't be back into heavy training, I can still eat like I am.

 

Exactly. It's the 18 weeks cycle of high mileage, long steady distance runs, speed endurance medium long runs, fast finish runs that wears on me, physically and mentally. By my last marathon cycle in 2010 I believe I'd finally dialed in a training schedule that worked best for me; 8-10 weeks of intense, race-specific training following a high mileage foundation.

 

But unlike most runners I do not pour my heart and soul into my training and then turn around and not give 100% in competition. Essentually what turned me off on marathons other than the individual workouts, which I do not look forward to, is the unpredicability of race day. While this is no different when you race shorter distances the difference is that you can [possibly] reload and make another attempt quickly should the weather gods frown on you. That is not the case should you procede and not abort the marathon. Which only leaves you with unfulfilled expectations and bad memories.

 

I read a quote from a famous runner [name escapes me] what you only have so many [quality] marathons in you. I tend to believe this. I've only run 20, and most of those were quality attempts if not ulltimately quality races. To will yourself to give your best effort for 26.2 miles is not something that doesn't come without a price. Yet, I do not regret my choice, in fact I embrace it. I will not forget those efforts - whatever the outcome - but training runs [supported or solo] tend to become non-descript memories that support peak moments.

Definitely, I am just hoping and praying that the weather next Saturday is sunny and chilly like it was last year. I think I would lose my flipping mind if the weather goes sour, I can run 13.1 miles in crappy weather, hell I ran in a monsoon last October during the Evansville Half Marathon but I don't think I am mentally prepared to run 26.2 miles in a monsoon or an extremely windy day... though I'd take the windy day over the monsoon.