RunningAHEAD - Topic: 8K one week before Marathon

Berner

posted: 9/25/2007 at 11:40 AM

I'm doing an 8K a week before the Chicago Marathon, and I'm struggling to decide how fast to run this tune-up. I'm not fast enough for the race results to matter, i.e., even if I raced all-out I wouldn't win or anything. So its really just a question of how best to help -- or more importantly, not hurt -- my marathon prep. Some options are: = marathon pace (MP) (marathon practice) = HM/15K pace (MP - 20-30 secs) (LT workout) = 10K pace (MP - 40-50 secs) (hard run) = 8K pace (MP - 60 secs) (full effort) FYI, the two days before will be: Off, 12 Easy. The two days after will be Off, 5 Slow/4 Slow (am/pm).

How To Run a Marathon: Step 1 - start running. There is no Step 2.

Jeff

Why is it sideways?

posted: 9/25/2007 at 12:21 PM

I'd choose this:

Quote from Berner on 9/25/2007 at 11:40 AM:

HM/15K pace (MP - 20-30 secs) (LT workout)

But I'd do it as a progression, starting out miles one and two at MP, then working down to LT/10k pace over the last mile. My thinking is do something that won't hurt you and will make MP feel easy. Or, don't do it at all.

mikeymike

posted: 9/25/2007 at 1:01 PM

I have a similar dilemma but it's 2 weeks out and a half marathon. Still with the longer race/longer recovery needed I am having the same struggle. Here's what I think I'd do in your case and a variation of what I will probably do in my case. Aim for effort, since pacing could be kind of tricky a week before your marathon--you'll have too much nervous energy. Treat the first few miles like a tempo run, try to get to the 4 mile mark breathing about as hard as you would near the end of a 5-mile tempo, then do the last mile almost all out. That should result in about a 90-95% race effort and a very quick recovery. Or something like that.

Runners run

perfesserr

Imminent Catastrophe

posted: 9/25/2007 at 4:02 PM

That would be an ideal workout at MP.

"Able to function despite imminent catastrophe"

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Run To Win

#2867

posted: 9/25/2007 at 9:16 PM

If it makes you feel any better, I had to decide how fast to run a 5k on a Wednesday before a Sunday 50k race. If you want to read about it: A case study on choosing a race plan The results of that case study The 50k The 5k race series final results Basically, my original plan made months ahead of time was to treat that second to last 5k (in a 19 week series) as an interval workout. However, I had a good chance of winning free shoes for a year, so I decided to let the guys who had a chance of beating me pace me through it, which wound up being pretty close to my race times from previous weeks (10-15 seconds slower only). I should have just raced it, though; I only wound up winning by 6 seconds in the end. The last race of the series I ran really slow, but I enjoyed the 50k. The 5k didn't hurt my performance at all, despite only being 4 or 5 days before it. I just couldn't recover for another 5k in 3 days.

Run to Win
25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)

Berner

posted: 9/25/2007 at 11:38 PM

Good advice from all ... thanks for responding. I really like the idea of starting at MP and ramping up the pace if I'm feeling good. If the vibe isn't there, I'll just hold MP all the way through (should be easy). If I'm having a good day, I bet I'll find myself finishing somewhere between Jeff's 10K last mile and Mike's all-out last mile. Either way, I think the risks are managed and I should get a nice workout to boot. Thanks for the wealth of information Blaine. I guess I'm not really worried about recovery from the 8K ... I'm pretty confident that I'll be back to 100% within two days at most. I suppose I was more worried that I might injure myself with an all-out effort from the start line, mostly because I have less experience with shorter races than longer ones. (This will be my 3rd marathon, and I've run 5 halfs, and yet I've never even run a 5k race. Odd, doncha think?)

How To Run a Marathon: Step 1 - start running. There is no Step 2.

Run To Win

#2867

posted: 9/26/2007 at 11:56 AM

Quote from Berner on 9/25/2007 at 11:38 PM:

(This will be my 3rd marathon, and I've run 5 halfs, and yet I've never even run a 5k race. Odd, doncha think?)

A bit, yeah, but then again I know some trail runners that think nothing of an ultra, but don't do short stuff either. I enjoy them all.

Run to Win
25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)

Berner

posted: 10/1/2007 at 11:49 AM

Thanks all again for the advice. I ended up running my miles as follows: MP, MP, MP-10s, MP-20s, and 5K pace (all out). Felt great within minutes afterwards, and no soreness the day after. All-in-all, a nice, fun tune-up for the marathon.

How To Run a Marathon: Step 1 - start running. There is no Step 2.

8K one week before Marathon (Read 826 times)