Oh wait, that's already been confirmed. But now I'm considering kicking it up a notch in my marathon training. I had written out a pretty beginner marathon training program and envisioned myself struggling through every step, but now I have this new confidence (based on how well I felt after 14), and I'm wondering if maybe I could kick it up to a different level of training. I'm thinking that as long as I listen to my body and take precautions to prevent injury, that maybe I can indeed handle it.
My friend, Robin, sent me a link to
SmartCoach from Runner''s World. So I entered in my data, and voila, a training plan. Now, while I do like following training plans, I can rarely do them exactly due to my somewhat heavy race schedule, so I will translate this into something that works in my own training spreadsheet... but basicly it comes down to adding tempo runs and speedwork (which I admittedly never do) and ramping up my long runs quicker. This plan actually has me running three 20-mile runs. I'm thinking I should just go for it, and if it becomes too much of a struggle, or I'm feeling pain in places I didn't know existed, then I'll pull back some.
Am I crazy? It's my first marathon. Should I really push for THREE separate 20-mile runs? Will I over-tax my body? (Side note: I am VERY good about taking 2 days of complete rest - usually Wednesday and Sunday.) Do you follow a training plan? Do you do speedwork/tempo runs?
Yeah, pretty sure I am crazy. I do believe I have to go get in 7 miles if I'm going to start this out right!
(Another side note - you'll see where I input my info that I chose a 13 week training plan... that's only because I'm already 7 weeks into my training. I certainly don't recommend ramping up all the way to a marathon in 13 weeks.)
5 comments:
I have no true advice for you since I am still training for 5k's!, but I think you are doing awesome and if you believe you can kick it up a notch you probably can. Either way, you'll do awesome!
Try a beginner plan. Google Hal Higdon; he has a really good one that will ease you into your first marathon. He makes it so you don't feel burnt out. He also has a really good marathon training companion book.
I only have one 20miler in my current plan, but I've been fiddling around with adding in another one. I think it will help me mentally, just need to make sure it doesn't hurt me physically.
Tricia - That's the same thing I'm struggling with. My last long run went so well, that I think I can do it. What I don't want to have happen is for race day to be so hard on me that I feel like a trainwreck when I finish. But I think there is definitely a "too much training" point too... I'm staying consistent about my 2 days off, so hopefully that will keep me in the clear.
You're not crazy! 20 miles doesn't sound like much. :) As long as you taper for like three weeks, your body should be fine. Just watch your pace on the long runs. Slow, slow, SLOW! You'll so a shorter long run the week after a 20-miler, right? Like only 12 miles?
I do a tempo run and a speedwork run every week. I don't follow a plan. Instead, I read a bizzilion running books and took the best info from each one. At the beginning of each week, I take into account how my body feels and schedule my runs for the week.
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