I am hoping someone can help me answer this question I have.
I am really bummed that I missed out on the Shamrock run, plus a little more distance. I was really looking to the shamrock run to help me figure out a baseline for a hard effort, along with figuring out some fueling strategies. Now, I have no full race experience yet this year.
The good news, this is the first long run I have missed out of my marathon training plan. This coming weekend is supposed to be 12 miles as my long run. Since I missed this last weekend, I figured I would do the 18 mile run I was supposed to do last weekend, this coming weekend, and count last weekend as my short weekend. Easy enough.
So, here are some options I have thought of.
1. Just stick to the plan, and use my long runs to tune in my Perpetuem and Endurolytes fueling.
2. Get a race in still. Do Race for the Roses Half Marathon which happens to be on a 12 mile step back week. But, it would mean I would do this on the weekends (19 miles, half marathon at race pace, 20 miles) with no real break weekends. After the 20 mile run, I start tapering for my marathon!
3. Maybe do the half marathon, but do it at a non-race pace, maybe at my goal marathon pace of 10 min/mile
4. Quit worrying, having a race in is not that necessary. Note to advice offerers, I have only done one half marathon race, and one 15k race, so I am not exactly experienced.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
My running dilema
Posted by Nick at 9:14 PM
Labels: advice, fueling plan, race, race for the roses, running, shamrock
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Going into PDX last year I didn't have a lot of race experience either, so don't race just for that reason...you can figure out fueling in training. One thing to note: coach said "No" to me in regards to using Perp during the marathon. I used gel, about a shot an hour. Of course, your planned pace means you'll be out there an hour longer than I was, so that is obviously a factor. Also, coach had me prepare for this by doing long runs at sub-marathon pace with no fuel; as long as three hours. This is supposed to train your body to utilize fat. I now believe diet helps a lot here as well (i.e., low-carb diet = low insulin levels = body uses fat for fuel most of the time). However, I'd also caution you to not change anything drastic this close to your race. If you have something working for you, probably best only to make minor tweaks during your last few long runs to really dial it in.
As long as you are feeling good and uninjured, it seems like doing the long run this weekend is ok since you are well rested. This means you have a long run this weekend, an easy run next weekend, and then maybe Race for the Roses? And the weekend after that another long run? Seems ok (two weeks between long runs, right?), but I'd be very careful about running Race for the Roses too fast. I think you are right...marathon pace at most, maybe slower. Maybe warmup for a few miles, run the middle half at marathon pace, and then cool back down. Use it to practice keeping yourself under control during a race, get a better intuitive feel for your marathon pace, and possibly practice fueling. If you don't think you can keep yourself from running too fast, I'd skip it. A 13.1 mile fast/"tempo" run seems too long for marathon training. Do your speed work on your shorter runs during the week. Don't risk doing too much this close to your A race. Better to show up to that 10% under trained than 1% over trained.
Hope this helps!
Tony, that was great advice. You are right. I am not going to get any performance benefit by doing race for the roses, and I need to be safe with my training right now. I think your better 10% under trained than 1% over trained. That is dead on!
Thanks for the advice, I am going to follow it.
Post a Comment