If nothing else, an all out half marathon 6 weeks out from a goal marathon is a great workout. It's also a chance to PR since most of us are training at goal marathon pace. 

Again, for me, no correlation.

 

https://www.runnersworld.com/race-training/tune-up-for-successful-racing

 

I like to do it as a fitness test to see if I've gained fitness and if my marathon goal pace is reasonable. It's easy to run workouts slightly faster than MP and then start thinking maybe that is your MP.

 

I know from past cycles how my half marathon pace 4-6 weeks out relates to my marathon pace on race day.

Ok. It makes sense that you get used to racing and get used to looking for missing port-a-potties on the starting line, but they advise against making training changes if your tuneup was too difficult. They also say that you should not race it, but a make it solid effort. I find it funny to rely on a tune-up race when you're not supposed to really "race" it. If you're not really racing it, then how does it tell you what MP you should use? And you should not change your training?

I must be dumb, or hard headed and refuse to understand (obstinate I am). They seem certain enough that it is almost necessary in the article, and yet they fail to convince me.

People like racing, and that is a great reason. Make something enjoyable (racing) part of something that is a chore (training). That, I would understand. But the article failed to show me what the tuneup race was useful for, that a solid workout would not achieve.

 

 

Ok. It makes sense that you get used to racing and get used to looking for missing port-a-potties on the starting line, but they advise against making training changes if your tuneup was too difficult. They also say that you should not race it, but a make it solid effort. I find it funny to rely on a tune-up race when you're not supposed to really "race" it. If you're not really racing it, then how does it tell you what MP you should use? And you should not change your training?

 

I must be dumb, or hard headed and refuse to understand (obstinate I am). They seem certain enough that it is almost necessary in the article, and yet they fail to convince me.

 

People like racing, and that is a great reason. Make something enjoyable (racing) part of something that is a chore (training). That, I would understand. But the article failed to show me what the tuneup race was useful for, that a solid workout would not achieve.

I have never heard that one, it makes me lolz. I have yet to show up at a race and not race it all out. (Although sometimes the results seem to suggest otherwise.) I only think it may not be your optimum performance because you are usually doing it without a normal taper.

MTA: I am not ruling out ever doing a race at less than full effort, but it would have to be some special circumstances.

I know I have done races other than to race them, but if the plan is to see where your training is at, I don't understand why you wouldn't want to race it.  Otherwise, it won't tell you anything about that part, IMO.

If the results are not ideal, you should take into consideration you're in the middle of training, but also keep it in mind before your goal race.

 

What's your margin of squeak?

1:25

I ran my last 20 of this training cycle. Thank you jeezus. It also felt the most horrible of all my 20 milers  I think my legs are just still tired from the half last week.

Pittsburgh 14 Penn State 28 

:thumb up: