Running marathons as marathon training

988 Views 18 Replies 11 Participants Last post by Coach Craig, Mar 10, 2008

bhearn

Discussion Starter · Mar 6, 2008

I used to share the view that it was not smart to run the full distance during marathon training: my first several marathons, I maxed out at 22- or 23-mile long runs. 
But then last year I joined Marathon Maniacs, and my perspective on marathons changed. Now it feels like deprivation to go an entire marathon training cycle without running a marathon. 
Not only that, but last fall when I ran 4 marathons in 5 weeks, I noticed some surprising training benefits. Specifically, I'm often plagued by calf cramps late in a marathon. Over the course of those 4 marathons, my calf issues went from moderate to zero. So it seems like there was a definite beneficial adaptation. On the other hand, of course the first of those 4 marathons, my fall target marathon, was the fastest. 
So... with that in mind, what is the best way to use a marathon as a training run for a goal marathon? I'm running Boston this year, targeting ~3:10, and I'm using the Georgia marathon, three weeks earlier, as a training run. Options include: 
1. Treat it as a normal long run (~8:00 pace, ~3:30 finish). 
2. Treat it as an MP run: e.g. 1st 10 miles at 8:00 pace, next 10 at 7:15, last 6 easy. 
3. Go for my now-standard "non-target-marathon" goal of a BQ, 3:20. 
Plan 3 has the interesting feature that it can be combined with plan 2: if I do the first half at 8:00 pace, then the second half at goal MP, 7:15, that works out almost exactly to a 3:20 finish. However, if I just wanted to finish in 3:20, and minimize effort/damage, it would be smarter to run the whole thing at 7:38 pace. Plus the second half is somewhat hilly. 
Oh, and the schedule I'm on (Pfitzinger 55) calls for a 20-miler that day. 
One more thing... I'm also considering a half the week after Georgia (two weeks before Boston), as a full-effort tune-up race. I always like to get in a half as a marathon calibrator, and that one seems to be my only local option. 
Thoughts? Opinions? 
Thanks, 
Bob

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crunningman

· #10 · Mar 8, 2008

I think it is a great idea if you can control the pace and your competitiveness. 
I've used marathons as well leading up to 50M and longer events 2-weeks and even 1-week prior to the event with good success. Then again, the risk of injury factor weighed on me as well. 
Take my advice for what it is worth, but I'd go into the race using "1. Treat it as a normal long run (~8:00 pace, ~3:30 finish)." 
-If you dip into the 7:40-7:50 for a few miles, it really isn't going to matter all that much. And you should be able to recover quite well from the effort. Just continue with your taper properly leading up to Boston and you should be set. "One more thing... I'm also considering a half the week after Georgia (two weeks before Boston), as a full-effort tune-up race. I always like to get in a half as a marathon calibrator, and that one seems to be my only local option." 
I wouldn't recommend this if Boston is your goal race, but since you asked for it. I've done this twice. The first time I had a decent half in wet/cold weather (2003 St. Louis Half (1:26)) - I bombed at Boston 2-weeks later. The 2nd time I did this (2006 Holy Half (1:25)) - one week out from Boston(3:11). If your base is strong, can recover from the effort and are not injury prone then go for it. The effort will be harder on your body compared to a slower marathon. At least that is what I've experienced.

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