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Maybe someone here can help! (Read 888 times)


Believe

    You guys are all quite intelligent people.  Can anyone venture a guess as to why I can do long runs like 22 miles in 3:31 or thereabouts and other distances that are long and never, never, never cramp, but the only 2 marathons I have attempted I have cramped up really bad and although I finished, it hasn't been pretty?  Any thoughts would be appreciated.  Thanks.


    sincerely silly

      Do you run at the same time of day as your races? 

       

      That's my only idea. :-) Otherwise who knows what race situations can do to you!  I know that I get sick at the sight of a finish line no matter how long the race was (1.5 miles, 5k, 10k...I think I remember feeling ill after a 400m relay leg) and seemingly unrelated to effort as long as I wasn't walking.  (And who walks through a finish line?  Even if you walked the rest of the race. =P)  

      shin splints are my nemesis

        Do you know MichiganFlyer by any chance?

        And we run because we like it
        Through the broad bright land

          It is likely something to do with: pace, hydration, fueling, training, or race environment.  Of course, those factors are pretty much everything that go into running a race.  I am fairly certain your running clothes didn't cause the cramps, but from what you shared that is about the only judgement anyone will be able to make. 

           

          Take the time and type out more details.  All the people that hang out here, who are much wiser than me, will help you out.

          Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.

          Slo


            Yep, A little more info would help.

             

            What are your long training runs like. Are you taking walk breaks? I'd guess your probably better hydrated during your training runs. Is your MP pace faster than what you have been training at?

             

            I don't think anyone can say with absolute certainty what causes muscle cramps but the three most likely causes would be:

             

            1) Dehydration

            2) Electrolyte Depletion

            3) Poor Conditioning

             

            Or maybe throw in a 4th and say a combination of any and all three.

              what kind of pace are you trying to run during the marathon compared to the training run?  

              (and I don't claim to be intelligent)

              Slo


                Hey BT...Are you doing Tecumseh again this year ?

                  Hey BT...Are you doing Tecumseh again this year ?

                   

                  Yes, we have a pretty decent size group coming this year.

                  I presume you are, too?  Last year was a lot of fun (in a sick sort of way) with the snow. 

                  Slo


                    Yes, we have a pretty decent size group coming this year.

                    I presume you are, too?  Last year was a lot of fun (in a sick sort of way) with the snow. 

                     

                     

                    The snow made it interesting.

                     

                    Yep, I'm in. I don't know about Wriglygirl and A1 who were both there last year too. I'm looking forward to seeing the whole course though this year.


                    Why is it sideways?

                      OP: the short answer is pretty easy. Anyone who runs a marathon off of 20-30 mpw is rolling the dice. You may have a good day and be able to hold it together, but chances are better that you will fall apart.

                       

                      Your long runs that are successful were days that were randomly good (and also probably why you ended up going so far and so fast.) But you can't pick the day that you will run to your potential because you are just not adequately trained.

                       

                      The good news is that with adequate marathon training (50mpw is the cut-off in my book) you will likely crush it.

                        OP: the short answer is pretty easy. Anyone who runs a marathon off of 20-30 mpw is rolling the dice. You may have a good day and be able to hold it together, but chances are better that you will fall apart.

                         

                        Your long runs that are successful were days that were randomly good (and also probably why you ended up going so far and so fast.) But you can't pick the day that you will run to your potential because you are just not adequately trained.

                         

                        The good news is that with adequate marathon training (50mpw is the cut-off in my book) you will likely crush it.

                         

                        You won't get better advice than this.


                        A Saucy Wench

                          OP: the short answer is pretty easy. Anyone who runs a marathon off of 20-30 mpw is rolling the dice. You may have a good day and be able to hold it together, but chances are better that you will fall apart.

                           

                          Your long runs that are successful were days that were randomly good (and also probably why you ended up going so far and so fast.) But you can't pick the day that you will run to your potential because you are just not adequately trained.

                           

                          The good news is that with adequate marathon training (50mpw is the cut-off in my book) you will likely crush it.

                           

                          This.  At that kind of mileage when you run a marathon (and I have, more times than I care to admit) then you are not racing a marathon. The only way you are going to finish in good spirits is if you start out much SLOWER than your training runs, not faster.

                           

                          I'm going to also say, looking at your log notes and the scant bit of recent racing, that you are running too hard most of the time, needing to revoer, running too hard, recover.  Every run is a race. 

                          I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets

                           

                          "When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7

                            The snow made it interesting.

                             

                            Yep, I'm in. I don't know about Wriglygirl and A1 who were both there last year too. I'm looking forward to seeing the whole course though this year.

                             

                            Funny story about A1 from last year.  I really didn't care what my time was last year. It was just a race for fun. So, I was perfectly content with jogging to the finish.  Well, about a mile to go (after the trails), I heard this guy coming from behind yelling and swearing, only to realize he was addressing me. It was A1 trying to motivate me to finish strong.  I did pick it up a bit, but not to his pace, and he flew by me.

                             

                            It will be nice seeing some RA runners down there again this year!

                             

                            Tom

                            joescott


                              OP: the short answer is pretty easy. Anyone who runs a marathon off of 20-30 mpw is rolling the dice. You may have a good day and be able to hold it together, but chances are better that you will fall apart.

                               

                              Your long runs that are successful were days that were randomly good (and also probably why you ended up going so far and so fast.) But you can't pick the day that you will run to your potential because you are just not adequately trained.

                               

                              The good news is that with adequate marathon training (50mpw is the cut-off in my book) you will likely crush it.

                               

                              This is a dandy of a post.  I am going to pass this along to several of my co-workers who just don't seem to get it regarding the mileage required to *train* for a marathon.  I've been preaching this same message tirelessly, but perhaps they will hear it when coming from another voice, even though Jeff is a stranger to them.

                              - Joe

                              We are fragile creatures on collision with our judgment day.


                              Believe

                                Do you know MichiganFlyer by any chance?

                                 No sure don't but I take it he has the same problem?

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