Dublin Marathon -- did any RunningAhead users make it to Ireland? (Read 926 times)

Like everything else it depends on the runner but I think most runners would (and in fact do) run much better on a plan that includes a lot more easy running versus three relatively hard runs and a lot of cross training.

You may be right about most runners. For me, I don't really know what the answer is. Part of the fun of running (for me), is finding out what works and what doesn't. Also, mixing-up the training keeps things interesting.

Here's a thread from letsrun on the FIRST method. It stayed pretty sane and there are good (and bad) arguments for and against it. It should be noted that the driving idea behind the program is that the volume of running does less for you than the intensity of running, so the three runs per week emphasize quality. In the end, the volume of training in this method is still pretty high--just that recovery is done by cross-training instead of running slowly.

Hey Cordovez, I ran Dublin - It was a fabulous race for me, my first marathon as well - probably the most fun I've ever had during a race. Clocked a 2:55:35 and felt awesome. My last five miles were my fastest section of the race. Also loved the course. Probably because I studied in Dublin for a semester in college, and Phoenix Park is my favorite place to run in the world. Wrote up a novella on my post for that day. The marathon distance is really interesting. I'm used to much shorter races, so it was a really new experience to talk with the guys running next to me and to fight dead legs instead of oxygen debt for the final third. I enjoyed it though, it was a blast. This is a little late responding to this thread...just got internet access at home (France, for now) for the first time in a couple months.