RunningAHEAD - Topic: What is up

gfischer

Cryptic

posted: 9/20/2007 at 5:54 PM

What is up with all these training plans that have your long run at 20 miles. I don't know about you but I typically do better at things I have done at least once before. I can't imagine doing my first marathon ever and not having trained for it by doing more mileage than the race itself. I mean dang we have to run a 10k further than we ever have before in a race. The idea just seems insane to me. I know plenty of people have used these plans and I want your opinions on how prepared you felt and in future marathons did you make your long run more like 24 to 28? If you did make your long runs further did you feel better about it at the race and stick with that plan or go back to the 20 mile long run? Thanks ahead of time I am interested in what everyone is thinking out there. I

va

posted: 9/20/2007 at 6:00 PM

I just read (5 minutes ago) this Amby Burfoot article about long run pacing. What he says about long run distance... " A couple of decades ago, marathon runners and coaches argued endlessly about how many miles to cover on long training runs. Some thought 16 miles would do; others argued for 30. Many settled on the nice, round 20-miler, which has become a standard of sorts, unless you're lucky enough to live in a metric country. In that case, you only have to cover 18.6 miles on long runs, since 30-K is the nearest round number. Today, I take it as a matter of marathon faith that longs runs of 18 to 22 miles suffice."

rockenmamaof5

posted: 9/20/2007 at 7:30 PM

Quote from gfischer on 9/20/2007 at 5:54 PM:

What is up with all these training plans that have your long run at 20 miles. I don't know about you but I typically do better at things I have done at least once before. I can't imagine doing my first marathon ever and not having trained for it by doing more mileage than the race itself. I mean dang we have to run a 10k further than we ever have before in a race. The idea just seems insane to me. I know plenty of people have used these plans and I want your opinions on how prepared you felt and in future marathons did you make your long run more like 24 to 28? If you did make your long runs further did you feel better about it at the race and stick with that plan or go back to the 20 mile long run? Thanks ahead of time I am interested in what everyone is thinking out there. I

Finished my first marathon in 2005 with nothing longer than 20 miles. Finished second marathon 2 weeks ago with only one 20 mile run during training and then the long runs and the marathon in 2005. Did it as a Slow long distance run to help for my "A" marathon in 2 1/2 weeks. Cut a half hour off my time too! I think the biggest thing that helped me with this marathon was just the total of milage I got in each week (and my base).

Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson

Bonkin

posted: 9/20/2007 at 9:12 PM

From my reading on marathon training, it seems the consensus is that *some* people benefit from long runs longer than 20 miles - us mere mortals normally take too long to recover when running more than 20. This has an affect on the next week's training - etc. etc. In my opinion, the only "training" benefit people derive from running the actual race distance or longer during a training program is a little extra confidence.

When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?

Daddyo

Go Pre!

posted: 9/20/2007 at 9:29 PM

I sit in between. My last 11 'long runs' for my first Marathon were... 13, 15, 18, 20, 18, 20, 21, 20, 22, 13.1 (HM race) , 10 , Marathon - I finished and felt pretty good, and debuted with a time of 3:56:21, exactly 14 months after I started running. This time around (4 weeks away) my 11 final long runs will be... 18.5, 20, 21, 15.5, 22, 12 (injured), 21, 23, 13.1 (HM race) 18, 12, Marathon Only a slight increase this time around, but enough for me to handle...hopefully : ) Anyway, the point of most articles is that if you run the full 26.2 in training you get too tired to train properly during the week. There are many plans and the long run of 20 seems to be working well for the masses. Dave

https://twitter.com/BeachesRunner

rockenmamaof5

posted: 9/20/2007 at 9:33 PM

Quote from Daddyo on 9/20/2007 at 9:29 PM:

I sit in between. My last 11 'long runs' for my first Marathon were... 13, 15, 18, 20, 18, 20, 21, 20, 22, 13.1 (HM race) , 10 , Marathon - I finished and felt pretty good, and debuted with a time of 3:56:21, exactly 14 months after I started running. This time around (4 weeks away) my 11 final long runs will be... 18.5, 20, 21, 15.5, 22, 12 (injured), 21, 23, 13.1 (HM race) 18, 12, Marathon Only a slight increase this time around, but enough for me to handle...hopefully : ) Anyway, the point of most articles is that if you run the full 26.2 in training you get too tired to train properly during the week. There are many plans and the long run of 20 seems to be working well for the masses. Dave

I'd LOVE to go into a marathon with those kind of long runs!! Now that the kids are in school I maybe able to next year.

Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson

Dave23

posted: 9/21/2007 at 9:26 AM

This will be my first marathon. Here's a glimpse into the last few weeks: 12.5, 9, 12, 16, 11, 13, 19, 13.1 (race), 11, 12, 21, 15.6 (trail race), taper, taper, marathon (Oct. 21) I guess we'll see how it goes.

gfischer

Cryptic

posted: 9/21/2007 at 10:50 AM
modified: 9/21/2007 at 10:55 AM

the plan I am following has me going 10,11, 12,6,14,7 16,8,18,10,20,10,22,10 24,10,26,10,8, race. Seems a bit agressive but the rest of the week isn't too bad on the body. I dunno I can always scale down if I feel fatigue I suppose. edit- thanks for the article val, run until you puke hehe

Daddyo

Go Pre!

posted: 9/21/2007 at 4:31 PM

Quote from rockenmamaof5 on 9/20/2007 at 9:33 PM:

I'd LOVE to go into a marathon with those kind of long runs!! Now that the kids are in school I maybe able to next year.

Can you believe it Pam...I love Sundays!

https://twitter.com/BeachesRunner

Daddyo

Go Pre!

posted: 9/21/2007 at 4:33 PM

Quote from gfischer on 9/21/2007 at 10:50 AM:

the plan I am following has me going 10,11, 12,6,14,7 16,8,18,10,20,10,22,10 24,10,26,10,8, race. Seems a bit agressive but the rest of the week isn't too bad on the body. I dunno I can always scale down if I feel fatigue I suppose. edit- thanks for the article val, run until you puke hehe

Man thats some serious long running! What's thelongest you've dione to this point?

https://twitter.com/BeachesRunner

gfischer

Cryptic

posted: 9/21/2007 at 7:36 PM

well in the past I have run those distances but I haven't ran a marathon in 3 years so it has been a while. I ran 14 miles a few months ago...other than that run I have been around 8 and 10 most of the time for my long run of the week.

jdmcgregor

All business

posted: 9/22/2007 at 11:04 AM

Quote from Bonkin on 9/20/2007 at 9:12 PM:

In my opinion, the only "training" benefit people derive from running the actual race distance or longer during a training program is a little extra confidence.

Just wanted to throw in my two cents and say i agree with Bonkin, adding that you also increase your chances of injury as well. But you sound like you know what you're doing. That's a long training schedule you've got and looks like it builds up nicely. You should keep us posted on how this goes. Maybe you'd make your log visible...?? [options] --> [my log prefs] --> allow members of my group

"If trees could scream, would we be so cavalier about cutting them down? We might, if they screamed all the time, for no good reason." J. Handy

Marathon Training and Discussions

What is up (Read 351 times)