[rojewski]

Hi Everyone!<br>
I look up to each and every one of you guys on this board, so I would really appreciate your opinions. I'll give you a little background on myself first. I started running 5 years ago to lose weight and lost 70 pounds. I have run 14 marathons since! Last fall I gave my first ultra a try and I have never laughed so hard because I had so much fun with it! Last weekend I ran the Disney Goofy Challenge. I am a little disappointed with my marathon time. I planned to go out easy Sat for the half and did I finished in 2:15. Sunday I planned on doing the same for the first half and then see what I had the second half but I had not as much gas. I was blaming the heat and humidity but I know I can do better. I learned a few things about drinking well during an event. I have on my claender to do the Ice Age 50 miler. My question is would it be beneficial to run another road marathon the first weekend in April? Ice Age is May 10th and then in June I would like to attempt Mochican to see how far I get. I've paced two friends there for the past two years. What are your opinions??? Should I just give up on the marathon and focus towards Ice Age??<br><br>
Thanks Guys!

 

[jholtthief]

If it was me, I'd go ahead and run the marathon, but it all depends on your recovery rate. If you don't plan to race it you'll be fine. You'll want to do a 26+ mile run that weekend anyhow.

 

[RunLongVT]

Yeah, I would say go ahead. That is plenty of time to recover (don't lollygag, but don't race it), and as jholtthief says, a good run for that point in your training. Go get em!

 

[pithydoug]



<br><br>
The marathon before Ice Age, ok, but don't race your brains out. Use it for a training run and maybe pick it up the last few miles. As John noted, you should be doing a run in this range anyway.<br><br>
Now, Ice Age 50 three weeks before Mohigan is where you have to be careful. I would use the same technique as above, Use Ice Age as a long run for Mohigan. The more you race IA the less you will cover, or cover without great pain, at Mohigan. if you go easy at both the thon and IA, you will greatly increase your odds at finishing the 100.<br><br>
If IA is your real goal race and you do it hard, then Mohigan will be.....how far you get. <img alt="notworthy.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/notworthy.gif">

 

[rojewski]

This is awesome advice! But, I do have to say IA (May 10) is 6 weeks before Mochican (June 21-22) . That's why I thought it would be a great training tool for the 100. I should have plenty of time to recover and assess the situation. I'm not looking to "race" IA. I was surprised as to how fast I recovered from Disney. I felt as if I was ready to go again on Tuesday. I figure the only way I'm going to get experience is to just do it! Am I heading in the right direction? It sounds like the marathon is an all systems go, great. I'm not racing I just want to run a solid marathon and better than I did at Disney<br>
(4:44). This is not like me, I never run that slow. Also, would using a stair stepper in my training help? Or do you guys have any suggestions? Should I do any leg strengthening exercises that would help? I need to make some changes in my training and not sure where I should make the changes.

 

[jholtthief]

If you've got hills to train on, then definantly take advantage of them. I'm lucky enough to live in the mountains, so I run hilly routes every day, and find there's nothing like it for getting stronger and faster. If you don't have long, steep hills, then a stairclimber will help for sure. IA six weeks out from Mohican will be great, then do, say, a 6-8 hour run three weeks before Mohican and then hit your taper. If you're free of injury, you should have a very good shot at finishing.

 

[KateMD]

One thing to consider about the April marathon idea is incorporating the marathon with another long run that weekend. Do, say 15-20 miles on Saturday and follow that with the marathon on Sunday. I think doing marathons is a great opportunity to run a supported long run. Doing it as part of a back-to-back long run series makes sense as training for ultras in general.<br><br>
It's worked for me.<br><br>
Kate

 

[pithydoug]

>This is awesome advice! But, I do have to say IA (May 10) is 6 weeks >before Mochican (June 21-22) . That's why I thought it would be a >> >great training tool for the 100. I should have plenty of time to recover >and assess the situation.<br><br>
Mea culpa on the date. I read June I for June 1. The 6 weeks should be enough time. Especially since your not looking to race IA.<br><br><br>
>I was surprised as to how fast I recovered from Disney.<br><br>
Be a little careful. Feeling ok and really being recovered are different. With every long distance race there are lots of micro tears that linger long past that initial feeling better. Don't take the initial feel good sign as ramp up time. The fact that you do feel good in just a few days is a sign that you trained well and/or took the race very easy. In either case opt for conservative recovery. A little extra rest(easy running not necessarily on the couch eating bon-bons <img alt="biggrin.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/biggrin.gif">)<br><br><br>
> Am I heading in the right direction?<br><br>
You seem to be getting your arms around this endurance stuff with asking good questions AND understanding your recovery. As you run longer races recovery will mean different things. As you might expect there is constant adjustment over months and years.<br><br>
All to often people get ultra fever and do a race or two one year and then decide they are invincible and sign up for 6 the next year. It's a life style move to ultra races so why not grow it slow and last a long time.<br><br>
> Also, would using a stair stepper in my training help? Or do you guys<br>
> have any suggestions? Should I do any leg strengthening exercises that > would help?<br><br>
Ideal training is out on the trails but a stepper can be an aid. People that live without hills will use building stairs or step machines for strength when you don't have real thing available. I would not suggest you substitute a step machine for the real thing. A real trail will pound both the ups AND the downs. In a race with significant hills it is the downs that usually bring a person to their knees(toasted quads) or should I say to total walk. The down is equally important.

 

[rojewski]

Thanks doug! I am coming back easy and started back running yesterday. My plan is to keep it easy for a few weeks and then start back. I have plenty of trails here with plenty of hills so, my plan is to hit the trails for my long runs. With the weather we are having right now (bone chilling) sitting on the couch and eating bon-bons sounds so good! I hoping hanging around everyone here I'll learn alot and gain some ultra friends that I can meet up with!!!