I like progressive long runs, where the last 5 miles get progressively faster. I like pushing it when I am already tired.

I used to think I liked long runs. I also used to think I liked marathon training.  

So, you've returned from the dark side.  

What changed?

 

Well, I started doing speedwork and liking the challenge of it.  Now the idea of doing a slow 20 miler just sounds boring.  I need some kind of quality in there to break it up.  And I'm able to train harder now (vs my first marathon training where I was running easy, as many miles as I could at the time). Now I find that in the middle of marathon training I'm just exhausted and I feel like all I do is run.  And it feels more like a chore than anything.  But I've come to enjoy the racing more now. And I look forward to that.

Maybe part of it is no longer being a new runner. Doing a long run I think was more fun when it was the furthest I've ever run.

I like progressive long runs, where the last 5 miles get progressively faster. I like pushing it when I am already tired.

This is a good technique, and I think doing this during my training helped me a lot in my marathon.  I paced conservatively, and then was able to pull away the last four miles and finish strong.  It's a great feeling to be passing people at the end of your marathon, instead of doing a death march.  I think for your first marathon, the most important thing is to run as much and as often as you can without getting injured.  It's all about building your endurance to be able to run 26 miles reasonably comfortably.  Run a tuneup race 4-6 weeks out from your marathon to assess your fitness, use that to figure out what you might be capable of for a marathon, and then plan to go out a lil slower.  Pace groups are nice if you can find one around the time you're looking for, they help motivate you, keep you from constantly looking at your watch, and in the case of my marathon, can help block the wind for you.  If your goal is in between pace groups, go out with the slower group and then pick it up later in the race if you're feeling good.  Do a good three week taper prior to the race so that you're completely rested.  A very important part of tapering that I don't see a lot of people talk about, is sleep.  Even for short races, I always make sure to get at least 8 hours of sleep (more if I can) for at least the three nights leading up to the race, the whole week if possible.

I see a lot of people talk about how much their first marathon sucked, and that it sucks for everyone.  I don't think that has to be true if you train properly, and most importantly, pace properly.

I don't want mine to suck, which is why I am ready for whatever advice is given and why I want to have at least 2-3 20 milers in training.

After some debating and thinking on what everyone has said about a sixth day of running, runs that are like 2 or 3 miles of just easy, slow runs... I think I might just do that, Jumpstart is going on right now until July 5 when it will become Team 13 and they'll go from 3 miles to the 12 miles preparing for the October Evansville Half Marathon. They run on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, those 2 runs won't go past 4-5 miles and right now it is 1.5 miles (tonight) while the Saturday morning runs will go all the way to 12 miles (I probably won't run with them after they go past 9 miles). So my thinking is this:

Sunday: Long Run

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: Easy run with Jumpstart/Team 13 (1.5 to 5 miles)

Wednesday: Mid-Long Run

Thursday: Easy run with Jumpstart/Team 13 (1.5 to 5 miles)

Friday: Easy run of 5 miles

Saturday: Run with Jumpstart/Team 13 (maybe every other week instead of every week)

Of course, I won't start this until June 23 as these next two weeks are going to be taken easy, and I'll slowly add the sixth day (Saturday). Next week I am going to start resting on Monday though, after my long run and then meeting with Jumpstart on Tuesday evening. I figure it's probably best of my one rest day is the day after the long run, right?

This is a link to Jumpstart's calendar, Team 13 won't have their calendar up until July 5. 

http://evansvillehalfmarathon.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Jump-start-calendar-2014-in-progress1.pdf

With that kind of schedule in mind along with flexibility, what do you think?

 

This is a good technique, and I think doing this during my training helped me a lot in my marathon.  I paced conservatively, and then was able to pull away the last four miles and finish strong.  It's a great feeling to be passing people at the end of your marathon, instead of doing a death march.  I think for your first marathon, the most important thing is to run as much and as often as you can without getting injured.  It's all about building your endurance to be able to run 26 miles reasonably comfortably.  Run a tuneup race 4-6 weeks out from your marathon to assess your fitness, use that to figure out what you might be capable of for a marathon, and then plan to go out a lil slower.  Pace groups are nice if you can find one around the time you're looking for, they help motivate you, keep you from constantly looking at your watch, and in the case of my marathon, can help block the wind for you.  If your goal is in between pace groups, go out with the slower group and then pick it up later in the race if you're feeling good.  Do a good three week taper prior to the race so that you're completely rested.  A very important part of tapering that I don't see a lot of people talk about, is sleep.  Even for short races, I always make sure to get at least 8 hours of sleep (more if I can) for at least the three nights leading up to the race, the whole week if possible.

 

I see a lot of people talk about how much their first marathon sucked, and that it sucks for everyone.  I don't think that has to be true if you train properly, and most importantly, pace properly.

I'll keep that in mind, I'd have to write that crap on my arm or something lol.

It might but a little too rough, but you may want to consider the Daniel's LR/MP run: 2 miles @ Easy Pace + 15 @ MP + 2 miles @ Easy Pace. That run right there tells you if you're ready to run your marathon pace. I would do that about a month or so out from the marathon.

I'll keep that in mind, I'd have to write that crap on my arm or something lol.

 

This is only for once or twice during training, not every LR, mind you.

And yes, don't do what Lily said. Ha.

I see a lot of people talk about how much their first marathon sucked, and that it sucks for everyone.  I don't think that has to be true if you train properly, and most importantly, pace properly.

+1  My first marathon, I trained the least for and it was one of the more pleasant ones - I ran it close to my easy run pace and had a slight negative split. Felt good the whole time.  My 3rd marathon, I averaged 62mpw leading up to it and it was miserable.    (But it was also almost an hour faster than the first)

Also, I haven't run over 18 miles outside of a race since my first.  I do think the long runs make more of a difference when you're running lower mileage (or need assurance).