[Tamster]

I've been following Higdon's Novice II plan and I just realized today, that I'm a week behind. I miscounted the weeks until the big day when I started and now that it's getting closer, I thought it just didn't seem like I had enough to get in the runs on my schedule and sure enough I'm off.<br>
I think that I am on week 12, but in order for it to fall into place with actually racing day, I should be on week 13. Which means, I've lost a week and now have to figure out how to best schedule the remaining long runs I have left.<br><br>
Tomorrow I'm supposed to do 13, which I want to stick with because I ran 6 today, plus other xtraining, so don't want to tack on a 20 mile run.<br><br>
This is what my schedule says for long runs for the remainder of the schedule:<br><br>
Mar. 29th: 13 miles<br>
Apr. 5th: 19 miles (but I'm making this 20 instead)<br>
12th:12 miles<br>
19th: 20 miles<br>
26th: 12 miles<br>
May 3rd: 8 miles<br>
10th: 2 miles + marathon the following day<br><br>
HOWEVER, Marathon Day is actually <b>May 4th</b>, so I need to 3rd to be my short 2 mile run, plus marathon the next day.<br><br>
So really my schedule needs to look like this:<br><br>
Mar 29th: 13 miles<br>
Apr 5th: ??<br>
Apr 12th: ??<br>
Apr 19th: ??<br>
Apr 26th: ??<br>
May 3rd: 2 miles<br><br>
(please fill in the blanks w/ what you think I should run those days)<br><br>
I prefer to have the 12th be a 20 mile day because I'm already running a 10 mile race that day and plan on running the course twice to get in my 20 miles. But I don't have to.<br><br>
Or, do I run 20 on the 5th and then do another 20 the very next Saturday (12th?), and just do shorter easier runs during that week, so my legs are fully rested by the second 20 miler?<br><br>
or do I just do ONE 20 mile run?<br><br>
My goal for the marathon is to run it, enjoy it and finish it . . . oh, and get there uninjured of course! No time goal. I'm not planning on being fast or anything like that. I thought two 20 mile runs would be wise so I would not only feel more confident about the distance, but also try a few different things as far as nutrition goes to see what feels best to me. But maybe it's not really that necessary to do two 20 mile runs and since I'm short a week here, and I don't want to risk injury by cramming something in in not enough time, maybe I forego one of the 20 mile runs?<br><br>
These are just some of my rambling thoughts as I try to figure out the best way to make use of the 5 wks I have left before the marathon. I'd appreciate any feedback that anyone cares to share with me.<br><br>
Thanks.

 

[evanflein]

Ok, Tammy, it'll be interesting to see what you get back from this. If it were me (and take with grain of salt cuz I prefer shorter tapers), I'd keep your schedule, and skip the 12 miler the following week. Do your 20 on the 19th, and then go to the 8 miler. You'd also have to combine or blend the two weeks of mid-week runs to make it all work. I bet you'll get many more conservative suggestions, and will be interested to hear them, but that's what I'd do.

 

[Ileneforward]

Make the 26th your 8 mile day and leave the rest alone.

 

[canalrunner]

You lost me at hello.<br>
No need to panic, I think you want to keep with 3 week taper so would suggest:<br>
Mar 29th: 13 miles<br>
Apr 5th: 19 or 20 miles<br>
Apr 12th: 20miles<br>
Apr 19th: 12 miles<br>
Apr 26th:8 miles<br>
May 3rd: 2 miles<br><br>
I would also convert the distances into kilometers so it will sound farther and your speed will sound faster.

 

[hup]

Same advice here .... except I'll add ..... <i><b>DON'T STRESS ABOUT IT!!! <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif"><br></b></i>(you're going to be fine)

 

[mariposai]

Do what Ileneforward said and apply what hup suggested.<br><br>
Good luck sister...you are ready to rock and roll. Just remember this will be your victory lap and treat it as such. Have fun!!!!!!!!!

 

[RunsTheBitterroot]

Hi Tammy! I don't know that it would be a good idea to run 20 one week and do it again the week after as that would be a high risk for injury and you wouldn't be able to run it at all.<br>
The<br><i>Mar. 29th: 13 miles<br>
Apr. 5th: 19 miles (but I'm making this 20 instead)<br>
12th:12 miles<br>
19th: 20 miles<br>
26th: 12 miles<br><b>May 4th: 26.2 miles</b><br></i><br>
Looks fine. You are a youngster and 2 weeks is plenty of time to recover from a 20 miler and taper for this marathon. I didn't know that schedules were so stringent that a change of a week would make any significant difference.<br><br>
Good luck on your marathon, you will do great! Larry

 

[Tamster]

Thanks for the feedback so far. Perhaps it sounds like I'm stressing, but I'm really not. I just probably type out too much of what is tooling around in my brain.<br>
so sounds like the majority so far are thinking a two week taper is enough huh? I thought I should have at least 3 wks like canalrunner suggested. But that's why I came here - to see what sort of feedback I got and then I'll consider it all and figure out what is best.<br><br>
keep the advice coming if others want to chime in.

 

[Hippo]

Yup, absolutely. Don't sweat the details, it honestly won't make that much difference.<br><br>
After all, how hard can running 26 miles be? <img alt="biggrin.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/biggrin.gif"><img alt="biggrin.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/biggrin.gif">

 

[Tamster]

it's just a warm up for running machines such as yourself Hippo! <img alt="biggrin.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/biggrin.gif"><br><br>
for someone as athletically challenged as me, it's a huge feat . . . but truth be told, it's not the 26 I'm concerned about . . . it's the .2 that is gonna get me <img alt="uhoh2.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/uhoh2.gif">

 

[Hippo]

Sadly, at the moment I'm a busted machine (if I ever really was a machine. <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif">)<br><br>
Sorry, I didn't mean to make light of it, but let me tell you that the last .2, actually the last 2.2 are not the hard part. I always expect mile 22-24 to be the hardest and just work to get through them. The last couple has the finish pulling you in. No matter how bad it is, at that point you realize that it would have to get 1000 times worse for you not to finish. Once your mind is at ease it gets easier all the way around.

 

[SkipAZ]

Hey Tamster - I'll toss in my 2 cents as well. <i>Do what <b>Ilene</b> says</i>. Here's why - The key things are your goals - get to the starting line, have fun, and finish. By alternating long/short every weekend you won't put as much stress on your body and be more likely to get to the starting line. By doing the two 20 milers, you will have a chance to practice that fueling strategy as you mentioned but mainly this will be a big mental confidence booster and contribute to the have fun & finish goals. Because you are not planning to set a land speed record, you should do the 20s at an easy "just go the distance" pace and so the two week taper should be fine. You're gonna to do great! I predict 100% success on all three goals.<br><br>
Skip

 

[SLOjim]

I'll go along with everyone ..... the 2 20 milers two weeks apart are the most important.... if you do them back to back you're risking injury. A two week taper can work ok .... I'd make sure to cut way back on mileage and make everything easy .... and an 8 on the 26th like Ilene said.

 

[dtoce]

I don't agree with the advice to force a second 20 mile run late in the program. This is a novice program, right? And Higdon only advises one 20 miler, right? He usually pushes the LR for two weeks in a row and then has a cutback week. At the end, though, he cuts back every other once you near 20.<br>
So, why would you do 2 twenty milers and cut short his recommended 3 week taper?<br>
You should never force schedules. Things come up. Know that when you can complete the bulk of the program, you've done a good and solid training block.<br><br>
I would do the 20 miler 3 weeks out, and complete the 3 week taper as he as advised. This will let you do the 10 mile race as you want. You can run 16 next week and add a little bit of intensity at the end and that is a very good training stimulus, or just run it easy. It doesn't matter that much.<br><br>
The <b>most</b> important things have been the steady progression of your training with the <b>increasing distances in total</b> and <b>lengthening LR</b> each week. Equally important is the taper so you are fully rested for the marathon race.<br><br>
This is the time you should be visualizing the race and knowing that you will be able to run the distance. Your training has gone excellent. You are strong. You will complete the marathon and it will be a blast. Do not worry about schedules. They are designed so you apply a training pressure on your body over a many month period. You have done that. So, be confident.<br><br>
Best of luck.<br>
Dale

 

[Labduck]

I think you should do only 10 miles on the 12th so we can eat pizza after the race... <img alt="cool.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/cool.gif"><br><span style="font-size:xx-small;">(I am really no help at all since I've never run a marathon)</span>

 

[Soundrunner]

I strongly agree with dtoce on this one. This is your first marathon. Your body isn't adapted as much to the kind of mileage and back-to-back 20s that those who have done several marathons can get away with. Please keep that in mind. I strongly advise against two more 20-milers and doing one 2 weeks out, Tammy. I would also do one more 20-miler, 3 weeks out (fyi, I did mine 4 weeks out for my first marathon and still bq'd), then a 15-miler the next week and maybe 8-10 the last weekend.

 

[wa5yom]

I gotta go with dtoce and soundrunner on this one too...again...this is your first.....if you had years of endurance training you might attempt the dual 20's..but not now.....<br><br>
Keep the 3 week taper....

 

[Spareribs]

First of all, please get out of your head any negative thoughts about "messing up" the schedule. The rational side of you knows these things are just guidelines and they take into consideration all kinds of unplanned for events.<br><br>
Second, know that you are running very well right now, and that is very important for your confidence. I saw your great post the other day of your recent strong run; that's good news about your training.<br><br>
For this first one, where your objective is quite reasonable, get through it, enjoy it, don't get hurt and so on, then be conservative, as Dale, Wi-Fi Ohm and Soundie advise. That last 20 miler should be 3 weeks out, and do the rest of the program by feel.<br><br>
Everything is working in your favor right now, so don't let any negative thoughts get in your way.<br><br>
I will also add that your avatar with Tet in it is very upsetting to me and I am thinking of ways to get even. Spareribs

 

[millbot]

Tamster, you need to try this: <img alt="" src="http://i25.tinypic.com/2ey9zqx.jpg" style="border:0px solid;">

 

[Coach Craig]

Personally, I prefer doing a 2 week taper, so I think you could do a 20 miler 2 week before the marathon. If you decide to try that, just keep it as easy as possible (a 20 miler is never truely "easy"<img alt="wink.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/wink.gif">.<br><br>
But, just to expand on the "it won't make much difference" theme others have mentioned. I've found that to be absolutely true. Before my first good marathon, I only had long runs of 16 and 18 miles. For the one after that, I got up to 20, and had a lot more over runs over 15, and I did worse. Before my PR, I didn't do ANY long runs during the last 5 weeks, and spent most of the last month swimming (or doing nothing) instead of running.