RunningAHEAD - Topic: Best way to recover from a marathon and train for a 5K

Kimmie

posted: 11/4/2008 at 11:50 AM

I ran MCM on 10/25 (6th marathon) and I want to race a 5K on Thanksgiving Day. I don't usually do 5Ks.... like at all.... most of the time I'm training for something longer- either a half or a full marathon and they just seem so short. But I'd like to see what I can do for this distance. i feel recovered from the marathon- but wondering what my runs should be like over the next couple of weeks. I also will be ramping up to train for the Myrtle Beach Marathon in Feb. here pretty soon. Any advice? Also, not sure of a time goal for a 5K. My PR is back in 1998 and I had just started running- 24:06 My marathon PR from Sunday was 3:56 Over the summer, I ran a timed mile with my running group in 6:43. But, that was on a track and it was only a mile.

heelgrad92

posted: 11/4/2008 at 1:56 PM

Your fitness is pretty much all it needs to be for a good 5K, you just need to run enough to keep things firing right. I would aim for a 7 minute pace in the 5K race, and train nice and easy leading up to it, maybe 60% of your pre-marathon mileage. I always run 5K's in the weeks following a marathon, though my PR's have all come in the weeks prior to my marathon. You'll beat your old PR easily though.

Kimmie

posted: 11/4/2008 at 3:25 PM

thanks heelgrad... I went today and my legs felt heavy...trying to do some speed and now I'm thinking I should just run easy until my legs get totally back to normal. I saw on your profile that you qualified for Boston at Chicago. Nice job... I ran that one last year and had a hard time with the heat... glad it went well for you.

mgerwn

Hold the Mayo

posted: 11/5/2008 at 9:27 AM

I remembered reading an article on Runner's World about this very subject a while back, and thought I'd pass it along. I haven't tried the schedule recommended (still training for my first marathon!), So I have no comment, but perhaps it will work for you or give you some guidance toward your goal... http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244-255-10415-0,00.html

"You're Not Winning"

Connecticut Runners' Forum on RunningAhead

Kimmie

posted: 11/5/2008 at 2:00 PM

thanks Michael. That article is really interesting and it's going to help me focus for the next three weeks.

Save Cheevers

posted: 11/5/2008 at 2:14 PM

My running group coach counsels easy running only for the next 3-4 weeks. Of course, I'm preparing to run a very different Thanksgiving race (JFK). Still, if it was me, I'd wait a minimum 3 weeks before adding anything resembling speedwork.

Kimmie

posted: 11/7/2008 at 6:58 AM

Yeah that's what my running group says too. Where are you located in MD Cheevers? I'm in Norhern Virginia. I'll be at the JFK supporting a friend. That's very impressive. good luck!

Save Cheevers

posted: 11/7/2008 at 7:51 AM

Quote from Kimmie on 11/7/2008 at 6:58 AM:

Yeah that's what my running group says too. Where are you located in MD Cheevers? I'm in Norhern Virginia. I'll be at the JFK supporting a friend. That's very impressive. good luck!

Potomac, unless I pass out halfway through JFK and take up residence somewhere along the canal. BTW, I would bet that even with easy running for a few weeks, you will kill the 5k. The marathon training really crosses over.

Kimmie

posted: 11/7/2008 at 8:15 PM

thanks... that's good... because basically I've run very few miles since the marathon

Run To Win

#2867

posted: 11/7/2008 at 8:26 PM

I'd just run easy miles, and do a reverse taper back towards your normal pre-marathon taper mileage around the time the 5k comes up. That'll leave you in pretty good shape to run without giving you too much too fast after your race. I've done a 5k race 3 days after both a marathon and after a 50k. They were both much slower than the 5k races that I then ran a few weeks to a month afterwards.

Run to Win
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Best way to recover from a marathon and train for a 5K (Read 677 times)