Of Mice and Marathons

I was thinking about you coping with the marathon pace; was it 7:03? Are you planning anything faster than mp and if so, what and when?

If you were to drop in something a touch quicker now, the pace might feel easier etc. Just a thought...

Yep. 7:03. Other than 2 5ks and a 10k I haven't done any speed work in 4 weeks (some strides, but I don't include them as speedwork even though they are great). I have a half marathon two weeks from now and I need to run it hard but smart. I should have some guys to compete with as it is competitive (but not overly so). Next week I'm trying to decide between 8 or so miles at half marathon pace (like the hour long marathon tempos but 20-25 or more seconds faster) or 5 x 2 miles at half pace or something like 3 x 2 miles at 10k pace.

I also need to get some more 2-2.5 hour long runs in. Saturday I'm looking to get out for 2+ but I will probably be raining, which might be great as long as it isn't pouring.

I'd suggest the 3x2 miles or even 4x1 mile. The half marathon will take care of the tempo end of things.

5x2 miles is a great session but I think you need a bit of speed first. I'd go 4x1 (5k pace); 3x2 (10k pace); 5x2 (half pace) and keep doing the tempo runs. The 7:03 pace will feel easy after the faster stuff.

Watch your long run too. Don't plod. Make sure during the second half of the run you're putting something in. Maybe a progression starting at 90% of mp up to 95% and then mp for the final couple of miles. Perhaps, during the second half - as you get nearer the race - you could do, 4 miles at mp followed by 4 miles at half pace:).

If you plod through your long run, you're not training your body to cope with the marathon and you'll introduce bad running form etc. You'll find, if you mix it up in the second half of the run, the time passes quicker (obviously) and that you'll be getting more bang for your bucks out of the long run - make it count as a workout.

It's better, imo, to get the speed in early and then mp feels easy(ish). Then when you're banging out the tempo runs, your body isn't stressing to cope with the pace; it's tuning into the pace. On top of this, the long run with a bit oomph in the second half will prepare you for the marathon.

Just some things to consider..

Thanks, Bam. I don't like to throw out speedwork altogether because I sometimes run my regular runs too fast because I don't satisfy my need for speed. I did a 3 x 2 mile @ 10 pace session before my last half and ended up running about 8-10 seconds slower on average (several miles at the same pace) for my last half. I think I will work that one in instead of my tempo run next week and hit some marathon miles at the end of my long run this weekend and next.

As for the long runs, I couldn't agree more. From what I have been reading here and there this is the way to go. I also know from my first marathon that 20-22 miles at 8:30 translates to about 8:10-8:15 (that's what my training and marathon pace looked like last year).

I also plan on doing 2 works of 18-20 miles of about half moderate half goal pace. Three weeks out from the marathon I am going to do 8-10 moderate + 10-12 @ MGP.

All sounds good. Just watch your peculiar penchant for vigilantism - you might pull something if somebody chases you:)