Attempting a 17 mile run this weekend... (Read 170 times)

So, I've got a friend who is in the middle of marathon training and he has asked me to do a 17-mile long run with him this weekend.

My currently long runs are only 10-13 miles and I usually do them at 7:10-7:30 pace which is easy/steady for me.

So, 17 miles is a bit long for me but I want to attempt it anyways.  I'm afraid that if I go at a 7:20 pace, I'll probably make it up to 14 miles and then bonk or end up walking so....I'm trying to figure out what pace I should aim for.   I think if I go at 8:30 pace, that's really too slow for me.

Or is it?

I don't have a lot of experience with really long runs.  I don't want to run it hard, and I don't want to shuffle it.

Any suggestions?

8:30 pace is not too slow for you based on your race paces. In fact it seems like you run most of your training runs too fast.

(my 2 cents based on a 30 second look at your log.)

 

agreed...most of your long runs are done just 15-20 seconds off your half marathon race pace.  Slow it down to 8:30 to start and if you and your friend are feeling peppy after 12 miles or so you can crank it up a bit.

The half marathons that you see in my log were done for fun and I did not actually race them.   I ran 18:53 for a 5K a couple weeks back if that gives everyone a point of reference.  Also, a majority of my easy runs are done without a watch.  I estimate that some are in the high 7's in terms of pace....some are even 9 minute pace when I run with my wife.

I'm thinking 8:00 flat would be a good pace to shoot for the 17 miler.   My friend runs only 40 mpw and ran a 3:10 marathon recently, but he is weaker at speed workouts and shorter distances where he has never beaten me.  He has one gear!  Most of his runs are at 7-flat pace...so I'm thinking he'll have to go a lot slower to accommodate me.

Thanks!