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The long run on the trained body (Read 187 times)


ultramarathon/triathlete

    My twins were born last December and my mileage for the end of Dec, Jan and Feb dropped off significantly.  Once routine set, in I managed to figure out new ways to squeeze in the miles throughout the day, and I'm back to a good number now but the distance per occasion has drastically changed.

     

    Last year I ran several marathons and regularly ran 15-20 miles a pop through the week.  I like those runs the most.  Mileage was around 70-80/week. THIS year I'm running to and from work (5.5 each way) most days and logging 8-9 on the treadmill at lunch a few times a week and have a few evening runs which tend to be 5-8 miles, but I haven't figured out the time to run longer than 45 min to an hour.  I run more often (lots of 2x days 5-8 miles a pop) but almost no double digit runs.

     

    Since Boston last April I think I had 1 run around 11 or 12 miles leading up to November when I paced the NYCM 4:30 group.  No real "long runs" though. Still, the race went well and I felt great.

     

    Was this just because it was a slower marathon pace than I'm used to (usually around low 3 hours)?  Or can one really get by on experience and lots of short runs?

     

    I reg'd for a trail marathon in Jan so I guess I'll find out but I'm curious if anyone have experience with this kind of schedule? 

    HTFU?  Why not!

    USATF Coach

    Empire Tri Club Coach
    Gatorade Endurance Team


    Latent Runner

      Don't know if this will help or not, but back in 1979 I ran my one and only marathon on lots and lots of relatively fast 8-mile training runs.  My time you ask?  I missed breaking 2:50 by something like 20 seconds.

       

      Of course back then I was a young indestructable runner who could take on the world with a week of training.  Joking

       

      Long story short, given your substantial base, I suspect you'll be able to get down near the three hour mark, errr, depending on the difficulty level of the trail; after all, there are trails, and then there are T-R-A-I-L-Z (the former being fast, the later being, uhhh, not so fast).

      Fat old man PRs:

      • 1-mile (point to point, gravity assist): 5:50
      • 2-mile: 13:49
      • 5K (gravity assist last mile): 21:31
      • 5-Mile: 37:24
      • 10K (first 10K of my Half Marathon): 48:16
      • 10-Mile (first 10 miles of my Half Marathon): 1:17:40
      • Half Marathon: 1:42:13
      DaBurger


        All the imperfect training you've done is infinitely better than all the perfect training you thought about doing.

        Know thyself.

         


        Why is it sideways?

          Is it possible to fill a 10 gallon bucket with a teaspoon?

           

          Of course!


          ultramarathon/triathlete

             Long story short, given your substantial base, I suspect you'll be able to get down near the three hour mark, errr, depending on the difficulty level of the trail; after all, there are trails, and then there are T-R-A-I-L-Z (the former being fast, the later being, uhhh, not so fast).

             

            Yeah, good point.  I ran that Jan trail marathon (28.4 miles, counting getting lost and back tracking) 2 years ago in somewhere around 4:20 hours (good enough for 2nd place).  I guess I really need to find a road marathon to see if my speed's still there, but I am anxious to see if I can do better at on the January trail marathon this time around (and to not get lost this time would also be nice).

             

            I just wonder if NYCM felt "easy" just because it was slower than usual, or was it because it was slower than usual and I was well trained despite the lack of long runs.

            HTFU?  Why not!

            USATF Coach

            Empire Tri Club Coach
            Gatorade Endurance Team

              Is it possible to fill a 10 gallon bucket with a teaspoon?

               

              Of course!

               

              That's probably the best way to make sure you don't over-flow the bucket.

              AmoresPerros


              Options,Account, Forums

                Is it possible to fill a 10 gallon bucket with a teaspoon?

                 

                Of course!

                 

                This belongs over on the running ad survey thread, doesn't it?

                It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.

                runbum


                  Not a marathoner, but I have a decent base, and went through a six month stretch where I had only one double digit run, and very few runs over an hour. Most of my runs were between 25-45 minutes long. Then, on October 1st, I felt like going long, and popped out a 14-miler with no undue stress. I was able to run as usual the next day.

                   

                  I have been including a nominal weekly long run in my schedule recently (~11 miles), but I still mainly run short doubles to pack in my easy miles. I don't have any endurance problems handling anything up to and including the half-marathon distance.