Question:Anyone here have opinion/experience on using a marathon 8 weeks before goal
marathon as a training run?
Answer:
I am scheduled for three 20 milers before my
fall marathon. I plan to run the 'thon at 8 weeks prior, at LSD pace. That
weekend calls for me to do a 10 and a 20 so I thought I would do the 26.2 on
Saturday and then 4 very easy on Sunday. The goal Marathon (Twin Cities)
will be my second (did one last year). Why do I want to do this?: I like to
mix up my training runs and go new places to keep it interesting, The one I
want to use as a training run would be Pavo Nurmi in Wisconsin. (supposed to
be very hilly and beautiful a great opporunity to bring my camera along)I am
Following Hal Higdons intermediate II training plan. Any input or words of
wisdom are very much welcome. I don't post often but lurk daily and learn a
lot here. Some day maybe I can inspire others as well.
An issue that might come up if you do this is burnout. By the time the TCM
arrives you might be exhausted. In my opinion, I think I would run the
training marathon, but drop out sometime after 20 miles or so (when the body
is having problems moving forward).
WTF are you talking about? How does one "drop out sometime after 20 miles or
so" and run a training marathon at the same time?
You can "mix up my training runs and go new places to keep it interesting"
w/o doing the full 26.2. What's the point? What's the advantage? I don't see
any. Since you've already run a marathon you know there's a *BIG* difference
between running 20 miles and running 26.2. All you're doing is increasing
your chances of being injured and possibly not being able to do the Twin
Cities.
I would advise against it. Training for a marathon is a great thing for
most people's bodies. Running one is a different matter. Most people are
going to receive much more in the way of injuries (wear and tear) from a
marathon than benefit. Few if any authorities suggest such a thing, and I
believe the advice is good.
There are some people who can do fine, but most I know would not. I
know I would not be in my best condition to run a marathon eight weeks after
running one. I try to keep my longest training runs under 20.
What are you talking about? I know many people who have run marathons for
the fun of it and dropped out at any distance. No one is forcing these
people to complete the whole distance. Plus they get the marathon
experience without killing themselves. Check any marathon. At Chicago last
year, 37,000 people started, 28,000 crossed the finish line.
I ended up doing a marathon in place of a missed 20 mile run. I tried my
best to shut down at 20 miles, but I just couldn't let so many people pass
me.
I did a 22 miler the next week as training for the marathon I was training
for, and once again tried to shut down at 20. I shut down a little better
that week.
There was a girl that was running her first marathon, the same time I did
mine and her longest run was only a 10k race. She broke down at the 19 mile
marker, but wasn't that far behind me at the end. She even looked good when
she got her award. I don't know how she felt a few days later though.
Bottom line is. It is possible, but take it a little easy.
Did you read my post??? I said: "I ended up doing a marathon in place of a
missed 20 mile run."
Are you one of the trolls we are supposed to filter? I lost count at 3.
I suppose I didn't clarify that this is to be a training run only at about 1 to 2 minutes slower than
mp. I would walk about 4 miles of it. I do not want to jeopardize my chances
at TCM so I would drop out of the training 'thon if I felt too fatigued. I
am mostly interested in enjoying the sights and scenery as this is a small
marathon and in beautiful ccountry I am told.
