Completed 18 Miler No sweat :) 1st timer Sorry!

In article said:

So once again, should I just taper down the last 4 weeks, or do you
think I need to make a 20 mile run. I just cant see the major
difference between the 2. I feel if i was able to complete this run
with a 3:39 pace (going by my split) , and my goal was 4 hours, i can
always just slow down some at the end?

I think if you can do 18 miles at 3:39 minutes per mile, you don't
need to bother with doing the 20 miler to make sure you meet your
4 hour goal. Good luck 🙂

Paul

RCase said:

This will be my first marathon, and I have worked very hard, and am
very excited.

Great! After 25 years of racing, I still get all excited about my next big
one.

Quoted message said:

My question is should I try to get one more long run in? I was fine,
and even sprinted the last 1/4 mile of my run, on sunday. My legs/body
have recovered completely after 2 days of rest. I think im doing
pretty good? (Im only 22 though! 🙂

Being 22 means you recover fast, and injuries heal fast. Just don't feel
invulnerable and push it!

BTW, most experienced racers don't end a run going real fast. They throw
moves into the middle, and give themselves time to warm down. Save the
sprint at the end stuff for the race :-)

Quoted message said:

So once again, should I just taper down the last 4 weeks, or do you
think I need to make a 20 mile run. I just cant see the major
difference between the 2. I feel if i was able to complete this run
with a 3:39 pace (going by my split) , and my goal was 4 hours, i can
always just slow down some at the end?

I ran some pretty strong marathons (6:00 pace) and only occasionally ran
longer than 18 miles. You're tapered for the race, so the extra distance is
no sweat if you've gotten your mileage base and shorter races in.

I think a four week taper is silly. You'll start getting out of shape. 10
days is sufficient, and a medium long run 7 or 8 days before the race is
good for you. Here's how I'd do it, although there are as many taper
techniques as runners:

I'd do another 18-ish one on the 12th. Don't try to race it. Pace it so
that you're still strong (not bashed) at the end.

Then a 70% week from the 13th to the 17th.

Then a 12 miler (not too fast, but not dogging it) on the 18th, take a day
or two off, then easy tues and wed, and Thursday, ramping the mileage down
to 3 or so on Thursday. If you do any speedwork, do a 3-4 30 second pickups
(not sprints!) on Thursday. Then you're done. Eat, relax, don't do
anything physical the day before the race. You'll gain a few lbs, but a lot
of it will be extra glycogen stores.

The first few miles should feel too easy. That's normal. They get harder
and harder as the end approaches. If you still feel good at 20, then pick
it up there. Normally, if you're running at your capacity, you're pretty
tired and starting to hurt at 20 -- just hang in there and maintain your
pace.

Good luck, and let us know how you do. Oh, how many miles/week have you
been doing for how long, and have you run any 5k or 10k races during your
built-up, and in what times?

-- Dan

Quoted message said:

So once again, should I just taper down the last 4 weeks, or do you
think I need to make a 20 mile run.

That depends, how often have you been doing a 20 miler? Weekly? Monthly? Was it
your first ever 20 miler? If you've been doing it weekly then do it up until a
week or 2 before the race. The last week taper.
If however it was your first-ever 20 miler, you should probably not repeat it
before the race. You may THINK you've recovered, but the body's a surprising
thing, and you may not feel it, but you haven't recovered completely.

Quoted message said:

2. I feel if i was able to complete this run
with a 3:39 pace (going by my split) , and my goal was 4 hours, i can
always just slow down some at the end?

The last part of your last sentance "i can always just slow down some at the
end?" has caused more people to DNF than any other phrase in marathoning. If
you do, you'll likely be one of those guys around miles 20 to 24 who are laying
on the side of the road awaiting help, as guys like me (never DNF a race or
marathon) run by laughing (well, inside anyways). Save it for the last few
miles.

Quoted message said:

I still get all excited about my next big
one.

Is that when you hump someones leg? But I frankly doubt you still get erections
at your age.

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

Quoted message said:

In article said:

So once again, should I just taper down the last 4 weeks, or do you
think I need to make a 20 mile run. I just cant see the major
difference between the 2. I feel if i was able to complete this run
with a 3:39 pace (going by my split) , and my goal was 4 hours, i can
always just slow down some at the end?

I think if you can do 18 miles at 3:39 minutes per mile, you don't
need to bother with doing the 20 miler to make sure you meet your
4 hour goal. Good luck 🙂

Paul

I meant my pace is for a 3:39 Marathon, not a 3:39 mile (IE 3 hours,
39 minutes? lol 🙂

I wish 🙂

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

Quoted message said:

RCase said:

This will be my first marathon, and I have worked very hard, and am
very excited.

Great! After 25 years of racing, I still get all excited about my next big
one.

Quoted message said:

My question is should I try to get one more long run in? I was fine,
and even sprinted the last 1/4 mile of my run, on sunday. My legs/body
have recovered completely after 2 days of rest. I think im doing
pretty good? (Im only 22 though! 🙂

Being 22 means you recover fast, and injuries heal fast. Just don't feel
invulnerable and push it!

BTW, most experienced racers don't end a run going real fast. They throw
moves into the middle, and give themselves time to warm down. Save the
sprint at the end stuff for the race :-)

Sorry its a habit, I have always been a big "kicker" at the end of a
race. When i was little , my dad always encouraged how many positions
I can pick up at the end. I usually pick up 30-50 places in the BIX 7
on the last straight... 🙂

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

So once again, should I just taper down the last 4 weeks, or do you
think I need to make a 20 mile run. I just cant see the major
difference between the 2. I feel if i was able to complete this run
with a 3:39 pace (going by my split) , and my goal was 4 hours, i can
always just slow down some at the end?

I ran some pretty strong marathons (6:00 pace) and only occasionally ran
longer than 18 miles. You're tapered for the race, so the extra distance is
no sweat if you've gotten your mileage base and shorter races in.

I feel confident that with nutrients and liquids i should finish fine.
I just didnt thinkg running a long run at this point (20+) would do
anything but make me more worn down for the big day.

Quoted message said:

I think a four week taper is silly. You'll start getting out of shape. 10
days is sufficient, and a medium long run 7 or 8 days before the race is
good for you. Here's how I'd do it, although there are as many taper
techniques as runners:

I'd do another 18-ish one on the 12th. Don't try to race it. Pace it so
that you're still strong (not bashed) at the end.

Ill do that, i feel comfortable, i actually run across the the bridges
for the race on my 18 miler, so that will be more encouragement. 🙂
Ill try again on the 12th.

Quoted message said:

Then a 70% week from the 13th to the 17th.

Then a 12 miler (not too fast, but not dogging it) on the 18th, take a day
or two off, then easy tues and wed, and Thursday, ramping the mileage down
to 3 or so on Thursday. If you do any speedwork, do a 3-4 30 second pickups
(not sprints!) on Thursday. Then you're done. Eat, relax, don't do
anything physical the day before the race. You'll gain a few lbs, but a lot
of it will be extra glycogen stores.

The first few miles should feel too easy. That's normal. They get harder
and harder as the end approaches. If you still feel good at 20, then pick
it up there. Normally, if you're running at your capacity, you're pretty
tired and starting to hurt at 20 -- just hang in there and maintain your
pace.

Good luck, and let us know how you do. Oh, how many miles/week have you
been doing for how long, and have you run any 5k or 10k races during your
built-up, and in what times?

I have been training consitently since early June. I was already
running 10 milers at that point, as I run the Quad CIties BIX 7 road
race every year. Earlier in the year i was posting on hear about
running a PR for the race, and recieved tons of negative feedback 🙁 ,
as it turned out , i was unable to run due to a wedding (first time in
9 years!) , but was still able without intensive training to run the
official traingin runs at 51:00 for a hellacious 7 miler.

I am running a couple charity races in next weekend. (5k) , that
should be fairly fun.

I will definately post my results, im soo excited!

Im running in memory of a local woman that went to my church that
recently lost her battle with cancer. The entire congregation is
signing a t-shirt that i will wear during the race. 🙂 , then i have
someone from above helping out i suppose!

thanks guys!

Quoted message said:

-- Dan

Quoted message said:

then i have
someone from above helping out i suppose!

You just alienated half of this NG with that part. God is dead, we all know it.

Quoted message said:

So once again, should I just taper down the last 4 weeks, or do you
think I need to make a 20 mile run. I just cant see the major
difference between the 2. I feel if i was able to complete this run
with a 3:39 pace (going by my split) , and my goal was 4 hours, i can
always just slow down some at the end?

You should try to stay slower at the beginning to keep your energy up.
Its easy to get caught up in the excitement of the race and run faster
than you had planned.