"Long Runs in Perspective" (Read 3129 times)

Something that the article doesn't say that I think is a notable point is that I not only finished the races, I finished feeling strong. I don't say this to brag at all, so please don't take it that way. Both in New York and Boston I was able to pick up the pace in the end. My final 5Ks were my fastest. The limited long runs didn't limit my endurance at the finish. Several people have asked me about this. Maybe I should go get an extra copy before they are all gone! I am not aware of any stalkers! I knd of doubt that! My own parents haven't bought a copy or read the whole article!

Well if you knew about the stalkers they wouldn't be very good stalkers would they!   I'm kidding, mostly.  There is probably someone local featured as well and it is just a coincidence.

I think the fact that you were strong at the finish and able to pick it up says a lot! 

Well if you knew about the stalkers they wouldn't be very good stalkers would they!   I'm kidding, mostly.  There is probably someone local featured as well and it is just a coincidence.

 

I think the fact that you were strong at the finish and able to pick it up says a lot! 

Jeff:

 

I'm actually impressed how well your one line answered on my behalf and more!  Beautifully said.

 

Heelgrad:

 

I took a glance at your log and, all due respect, as far as I'm concerned, I don't think your training is very effective particularly if marathon (sub-3?) is your goal.  I can see you are a decent runner with 5k PR of 17:37 and your training reflects that.  According to our VO2Max driven performance predictor, and you can check with any other available calculator, be it McMillan's or Daniels, your marathon time, based on your 5k PR, should be way below 3-hours.  Ours says 2:48.  If your target is sub-3 marathon, which is roughly 6:50 per mile pace, I'm not sure what 5:45 pace interval or 3~4 mile long of tempo run at 6:20 pace would do for you.  In other words, IF your target is to crack 3 hours for a marathon, what you're doing really don't show much of race-specificity EXCEPT for perhaps trying to do your long run as close to the marathon distance (well, not quite...) as close to marathon pace (well, not quite...) as possible???  It seems to me so many people are trying to do that; trying to do close to a marathon disatnce, 20 to 22 miles, as close to a marathon pace--well, slower folks seem to have not much difference between marathon race pace and long run training pace and that makes the situation even worse.

 

To me, you're trying to do your long run way too fast; if 3-hour is your target, I'll hang around closer to 8-minute pace; and your tempo run way too short and way too fast.  To me, training is to work on different elements and on the race day put them all together.  You work on distance but not quite as far and certainly don't need to be as fast; but you want to work also on very close to the actual marathon pace continuously but not as long but not too short either; for a marathon, I'd say 1:00 to 1:30 would be a good target.  So, for you, 10~12 miles at 7-minute pace.  I'm sorry, but it seems none of your training reflects that.

 

Of course, whatever turns you on.  If you get a kick out of tough fast short workout, that's your call.  If you want to slog along a super long run, that's your call.  If you want to do all your long run close to a marathon pace, that's your call.  If you insists singles is just as good or even more effective than doubles, that's your call too. ;o)  But you've got to realize there's a difference between a hard workout and a right workout.  I don't know just exactly what kind of intervals you do; but doing intervals at 5:45 pace or even faster would be pretty tough and you may get a kick out of it.  And that probably works for you to get your 5k time down to 17-minutes.  But Ii don't think that kind of workout is really helping you to get to your supposedly your marathon potential of 2:48.  Just my observation.

 Great article in RT!

Great advice. Very solid.

Keep up the good work, and all the best!

I just bought the RT.  Excellent article, though it wasn't really profiling Wannabe nor Nobby.  That's okay; probably belongs in a different article.

Anyway over the two+ years I've been reading Nobby's posts, it's starting to sink in:  You don't pick up a cookie-cutter training plan out of a magazine or online and expect it to be the right plan for you.  Nobby takes the various elements of training and assembles them like a mosaic that finally culminates on race day.  A work of art.

Lorraine's article reinforces that.  Thanks, all three of you, for showing us how it's done.

I don't want high quality stalkers anyway. I would bet they are stalking Nobby and Lorraine and not some wannabe!

Those of us who are wannabe joggers have to stalk you wannabe runners. Besides, you're easy on the eyes.

The article is now online.