Forums >Racing>"4 Week" marathon training tips needed
No, I'm not stupid enough to jump into a marathon with only 4 weeks training!
Long story made short: I trained 20+ weeks for the LA marathon in March. I got hit HARD with illness leading up to the race. My training was derailed. If you add the 90F weather on race day, I did not get to run my race. Feeling disappointed, I immediately began looking for a race to qualify me for next year's Boston. I just received a transfer bib to the Ojai Mountain-to-Beach Marathon in May today.
Since LA, I haven't run longer than 16 miles though I am averaging 40 miles per week including hills and tempo runs. Granted, I haven't been running with any great intensity or focus. I train all-year round. I have 11 marathons and countless halves or shorter under my belt. Experienced runner. My PR is a 3:31 at Boston in 2014. I only need a 3:55 (or faster). Though this is short notice, this isn't entirely unrealistic, I think?
I am determined to do this but would like to have a plan to follow so I don't do anything stupid. Any suggestions?
Interval Junkie --Nobby
I'm not experienced enough to give you sound advice, but just out of curiosity: did you finish LA? If so, what was your time (in otherwords, how hard was your effort? -- did you just blowup or was it a long training run)
I'd say that if you didn't beat yourself up at LA, and you've been maintaining a 16miler, I would say 1 20miler with 8 @ MP in the first of four weeks would let you know if you're close to 3:55 shape. Actually, with 24mins between your PR and the BQ, I bet you will have no problem at all doing this as long as you shoot for 3:53, and not get sucked into something faster.
I ran a PR then ran Boston 5 weeks later on almost no training and a stress fracture and finished PR+30min - and I walked a lot.
2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do
Thanks!
I ran handily for 13 miles. Then just got tired of the the heat and hills and checked out mentally and chalked it up to a training run. I was only 2 minutes off BQ'ing. 3:57. I stopped a lot at water stops. Something I only do during training runs. Had I not, my "running" was solidly in the 8s.
I just ran hills well today. Talked to some friends. Feeling confident I can do this. Yes, nothing crazy like a PR. Even if I don't actually go to Boston, I just want a decent marathon.
I welcome more input.
I just went back and checked my logs for my training for CIM last December. I'd strained a glute or hamstring about 7 weeks out and had to take a week off more or less. Training kicked in to high gear 5 weeks out. Week 5 mileage was 51 miles with long run of 18.5. Week 4, 70.8 miles with long run of 18.5. Week 3, 51.1 miles with long run a double that totaled 12.7 miles. Week 2, 44.5 miles with 10K race (44:12) 10 days prior to marathon and longest run of 8 miles Tuesday before 10k. Week 1 was taper week, but included 5K race day before marathon (21:30 PR) followed by marathon 3:34:13 (PR). Prior to marathon week, any day I didn't run, I walked at least 5 miles (3 days). Typical week had faster runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with a Medium distance run on Fridays and long runs on Sundays.
From reading the Hanson method book, your body needs 10 days to benefit from a workout, so used that 10K for speed work. The 5K right before the marathon was to try and win race series and so trying to put in a good effort w/o really racing hard. Before the injury, I was in the 50-55 miles per week range.
Anyway, seemed to work for me - lowered my PR by 19 minutes, YMMV.
Ray
rmcj001, Helpful! I've witnessed many success stories of training plans derailed by injury and illness and life only to PR! I just need a solid marathon to feel justified. Thanks. Inspiring!!!
#artbydmcbride
Ojai has a lot of downhill, I think you should do some of your training at Signal Hill and get lots of downhill running on your legs. I know you'll do great!
Runners run
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The Pfitz book has a four week plan for people who run multiple marathons. It could be something you could handle. I ran the Ojai one last year. It's a good race and the weather should be good. The hard part is running by the finish when there are still a few miles to go. Check the course. Good luck.
Consistently Slow
3:31 = 8:01 pace
3:53= 8:54 pace
9:00 pace on a gradual downhill sounds like something you can coast for 20 miles.
20 miles @9:00 = 3:00:00
6.2 miles 53:00 = 8:33 pace. This is probably 7+ miles more than your PR.
Last 6.2 at Fox Valley marathon mainly flat I believe(2011). Did you notice your time beat mine by 5+ minutes. I over trained and had to taper for 5 weeks.
Run until the trail runs out.
SCHEDULE 2016--
The pain that hurts the worse is the imagined pain. One of the most difficult arts of racing is learning to ignore the imagined pain and just live with the present pain (which is always bearable.) - Jeff
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