Suggestions for Multiple Marathons

So?
So?
So?
Lo!
Lo!
Lo!
O!
O!
O!
O!O!O! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~>

Shawn Pennington said:

I just finished my first marathon last weekend- US Air Force Marathon,
Dayton OH.

I trained all Spring and Summer for it and, now that I am at a fitness level
that I can complete one, I think I'd like to do one or two more before
winter sets in.

Why ?

Quoted message said:

I am not a die hard fan of running and will probably not be
too committed during the winter and it is "iffy" whether or not I'll be
dedicated enough to start the program again next Spring.

You're even less likely to continue if you burn yourself out running a whole
bunch of marathons.

Run some shorter races instead, this will help keep you motivated to train
without asking for trouble.

Quoted message said:

My question is whether or not I am just asking for a knee or other injury by
doing a couple more about a month apart.

Yep.

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi
http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

"Suggestions for Multiple
Marathons ~

You're even less likely
To continue

If you burn yourself out
Running a whole bunch of marathons.

Run some shorter races instead,
This will help keep you motivated
To get to the train
On time,
Without asking for Trouble."
~ Don Von

"Trouble took an earlier train ~
She's already
In Amsterdam ~ !"
~ Leona

"Shawn Pennington" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I just finished my first marathon last weekend- US Air Force Marathon,
Dayton OH.

I trained all Spring and Summer for it and, now that I am at a fitness
level that I can complete one, I think I'd like to do one or two more
before winter sets in. I am not a die hard fan of running and will
probably not be too committed during the winter and it is "iffy" whether
or not I'll be dedicated enough to start the program again next Spring.

Shawn - it takes me about a month to recover properly from a marathon. Even
if you didn't feel you pushed yourself to the limit in the race, your body
still suffered a fair amount of strain.

In your postion I would take it easy for a few weeks, and then look around
for some shorter distance races which are less of a strain on the body. 5k,
10k.

Anthony.

"Anthony" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Shawn - it takes me about a month to recover properly from a marathon.
Even if you didn't feel you pushed yourself to the limit in the race, your
body still suffered a fair amount of strain.

In your postion I would take it easy for a few weeks, and then look
around for some shorter distance races which are less of a strain on the
body. 5k, 10k.

Anthony.

Yeah, that seems to be the consensus. I think I will wait until
mid-November for my next marathon. That will give me 8 weeks between runs.

I guess I just kind of "caught the bug". I had wanted to do a marathon for
about 15 years and, now that I actually finished one, it is hard to overcome
the desire to jump in and do another right away.

As for shorter races, I tend to steer clear of them. Because,
psychologically, since the distance is shorter I push myself to run faster
and I end up hurting much more than I do from a steady, slow, long run.
Long runs give me a bit of normal muscle ache but I tend to be flirting with
a real injury when I actually try to run, rather than jog. I know that I am
not going to win the marathon, in any division, so there is no pressure. I
don't feel quite so relaxed in the smaller, short runs.

I'll just stick with Higdon's recommended running schedule for 2 months
between marathons and do the runs out here in the boonies where I live.

Thanks for the advice,

Shawn

You won't be "asking for injury" though you do increase the risk if
you are over-stressing your body. If you race each one as hard as you
can go, I'd advise against it. If you don't really push it and
it's just a moderate effort, you'd probably be ok.
Andy Hass

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

You won't be "asking for injury" though you do increase the risk if
you are over-stressing your body. If you race each one as hard as you
can go, I'd advise against it. If you don't really push it and
it's just a moderate effort, you'd probably be ok.
Andy Hass

Thanks for the input, Andy.

I definitely don't push it. I maintain a pretty consistent 10 mpm pace
whether I am out on a 4 mile jog or long run and that was the pace I held in
my only marathon.

My goal in running is primarily weight control (lost 40 lbs in the last two
years) but that alone tends to not be quite enough motivation to get me out
there on the road as much as I ought to be and I'll let any excuse I can
come up with sidetrack me.

Having the goal of a marathon, though, really kept me true to course and I
was much more faithful to the training than I would have otherwise been. I
think having a marathon goal every few months will continue to help keep me
out there exercising.

Thanks again,

Shawn