8/30/2010

New York Marathon is just 10 weeks away, and it's long run time!



I'm going to be brutally honest with you. The New York City Marathon is just 10 weeks away and I'm a bit worried, at least. Well, more than a bit, actually. I'm just worried.

In the blogosphere I've read different blogposts on NYCM training (for example: Run Jen Run http://runjltrun.blogspot.com/ , Tracy http://www.gotracygo.com/ , Mrs. Duffy http://mrsduffysmarathonblog.blogspot.com/), and these posts were all about wrapping up the first 16 milers and 18 milers. Wow, girls, you go! But...Uhm....am I on a wrong schedule here? My first 16 miler is supposed to be THIS weekend, and the first 18 miler the weekend after that.
Seems like I have a long way to go before I can conquer this bridge:


To make these worries even worse, 'new york marathon training schedule' gives a lot of hits on Google (duh...), and most of the schedules say that you should do at least four 20 milers. Yep, FOUR! Uhm...I'm definitely doing something wrong here. My first 20 miler is scheduled in 3 1/2 weeks and the next one is scheduled two weeks later. That's just TWO 20 milers. One week after the second 20 miler I have a 22 miler scheduled. But that's it for the long runs.

And last but not least, and to top of my worries, at what pace should I run the long runs? My running group trainer told me to run them at LSD pace, being - for me - 9 to 9 1/2 minute miles. Based on my heart rate. That's the pace I did my long runs at for the Swiss Alpine Marathon training cycle, and it paid off. But...lately I've been reading blog posts and articles saying that you should run several long runs at marathon pace - to make sure you finish in your goal time. Uhm...that would mean 8 1/2 minute miles. That's a lot faster than my easy peasy long run pace. Let's just say that I'm confused...

I'm kind of thinking that I should stay on the safe side and stick to the long run pace my running group trainer adviced me on. However, on next week's 18 miler I will try to keep up with the 8 1/2 minute mile pace for a couple of miles, just to see what that does to my heart rate and how it feels. I guess that it would be a good way to figure out whether or not I can hold on to that pace for the full 26.2 miles. If I can't it's not too late to change my goal time. Hmmm...choices, choices.

Question: How many long runs do you have scheduled for marathon training? And do you run any of these long runs at your marathon pace?

17 comments:

JLT said...

hi! well i feel behind. but i dont think i am. my schedule (which is an intermediate one) had me at 16 this wk and 18 next week. BUT i was sick so my 16-miler had a lot of walk breaks. I don't think you'r ebehind on mileage. I usually run three-15->16milers two 18 milers and one 20 miler if i can squeeze it in. This marahthon I'm not doing a 20 miler. it wrecks me.

TMB @ RACING WITH BABES said...

Different plans work for different people. The plan I am using right now has 2 20's, 1 22 and I added a 25 miler so that I could run MCM Mama's virtual race. I do 10% of my miles each week at goal pace (sometimes during the long run, sometimes as a seperate run) and try to do my long run at my slower prescribed paces. You will be fine. I know people who are far less prepared than you who still finish!

T said...

Don't worry! Every training plan is different for different goals. Too many 20s can be just as bad as not enough, and it just depends on you. I think you're way ahead, having already run a marathon not that long ago. I've usually only seen tempo runs/marathon pace runs done in conjunction with or separate from the long run - either 5-10 miles at planned marathon pace or a tempo/pace run the day before (so you go into the LSD tired). But mostly, don't worry!!!

Becka said...

I don't even HAVE a "training schedule" so it seems you are on a better path than me... I bet I only get ONE 20 miler in. And no way could I do a training run that fast, lol. Of course my goal is to just finish without wanting to stab someone. You are gonna do great and look fabulous doing it!

Silly Girl Running said...

Thanks, girls! :)

@TMB: the thing is I do not just want to finish, I want to finish strong; I have a goal time in mind...hence the pace work outs. I will just try to stick to the LSD paces I used for the Swiss Alpine Marathon training cycle; don't want to force an injury.

Silly Girl Running said...

@ T: Great advice, thanks!

@ Becka: You're insane! Athens is in 9 weeks! Hahaha! You will look great no matter how hard it is. ;)

rinusrunning said...

Met je schema is niks aan de hand en vergelijken met anderen heeft geen zin.
In mijn beleving klopt je schema wat betreft de lange duurlopen dus geen zorgen.
Wat betreft snelheid op de duurlopopen, beter te langzaam dan te snel en langzaam maakt snel is mijn mening, dus gewoon genieten.

Wie weet ga ik je wel zien in newyork en natuurlijk spannend allemaal.
Groet Rinus.

www.rinusrunning.nl

RunningRonald said...

ga jij New York lopen?? wowow.. Jaloers.. welnee? *groooeeennnn* Heb jij al niet genoeg ervaring om die NYCM gewoon te doen :) ik zou 3 weken voor de M je langste duurloop inplannen (35km) daarna terug gaan in omvang. Daarvoor een aantal 2 en 2,5 uur duurlopen is voldoende.. maar he, ik ben geen trainer maar heb wel een beetje marathon ervaring :)

Unknown said...

Hey, I second what everyone else said so far: follow your program! It sounds like two 20's and a 22 are fine; much more than that and you'd probably wear yourself down - that's no good for time goals. You also still have the aerobic boost from your last marathon to build on. Last year for my first NYCM (and first marathon, period,) I ran 3 20's because I was paranoid, but I never went further than that. I will do two 20's and two 18's this time because I've been injured and want to run smarter, with 13 milers in between every other week.

I think you would benefit from some shorter speed work - tempos or marathon pace runs up to 10 miles separate from your long runs - and some "fast finish" long runs, where you run the first 3/4 of the distance at your LSD pace and then attempt to complete the run at MP.

Either way you are going to be prepared and you're going to love this race! Trust your program!

Run Jess Run said...

Slow and steady wins the race, sister!

Silly Girl Running said...

@ Rinus: Dank voor het advies! Zou leuk zijn om elkaar in NY te zien! Richt jij je op een bepaalde eindtijd?

@ Ronald: NYCM; Gaaf, hè? Nog 2 maanden; kan niet wachten! Dat ik dat kreng uit kan lopen, dat geloof ik wel (tenzij ik accuut last van chronische buikloop krijg ofzo), maar ja, deze muts wil natuurlijk weer een bepaalde tijd op d're eerste wegmarathon neerzetten... Goed idee? Ik weet het niet... ;)

Silly Girl Running said...

@ Jess: Hahaha; thanks! I'll try to remember that. ;)

@ Mrs. Duffy: Thanks for the advice! :) I already have some shorter speedwork in my schedule, so I'll be fine with that one, but I will definitely try the last 1/4 of the long run in marathon pace! Great advice! What kind of injury did you have?

Unknown said...

Fun with shin splints for me, yay

Last year it was plantar faciaitis

I really should have a consistent base before I jump into marathon training. Really.

Silly Girl Running said...

@ Mrs Duffy: Oh no, shin splints! Ouch! I know what that feels like! Have you tried the CEP compression socks yet.

rinusrunning said...

@Christel, jij ook bedankt voor je reactie op mijn blog en de Newyork marathon wil ik zo langzaam gaan uitlopen en gaan genieten onderweg....Voor de snelle tijden loop ik wel ergens anders een marathon!.
En wie weet ga ik je inderdaad zien?.
3Groet rinus.

RunningRonald said...

@Christel: New York is heeeel druk en niet het parcours voor een toptijd dus geniet van het publiek, die dragen je 26,2miles lang ;) Have fun!!!

Silly Girl Running said...

@ RunningRonald: Yep...had m'n hoop op een Bostontijd op m'n eerste wegmarathon al soort van opgegeven. ;) Ga dus maar gewoon genieten en foto's maken onderweg, beetje meezingen met de Gospelkoortjes, etc. En dan hopen dat ik met al dat geleuter en gekeuvel onderweg nog binnen de 4 uur binnen kan komen. Voordeel...de volgende voelen m'n benen waarschijnlijk in ieder geval niet als wrakhout! :) Win-win situatie! ;)