I'm starting to plan my 2017 race calendar and my grand return to marathon running. Sounds crazy until you realise that 2017 is in five weeks! But I've run into a dilemma and need to pick between the wiser of two strategies.
Strategy 1: Do two marathons next year: Providence in May and Baystate in October, with the first as a dust-the-cobwebs-off warmup and the second as the Big Hairy Audacious Goal Race. That's two 18-week cycles with nearly two months of #runwhatever in between.
Pros:
- Cost. If I sign up early for each race, 2 marathons = less than $100 apiece. Sure, we'll probably be overnighting in town for at least one or the other, but the non-race hours are all family time and we'll spend that time exploring the area.
- Providence gives me the chance to remind myself how to run a marathon. I used to know this. I don't necessarily want my goal marathon to be my first marathon in three years!
Cons:
- Time: do I have the time to train for a spring marathon? I suppose I'll have to bite the bullet and do it one way or another. I'm going to have to find the time to train for a fall marathon, anyway. For us back-of-the-pack folks, a 20-miler takes more than three hours. THREE HOURS. In what universe do I have three uninterrupted hours on a Saturday morning? Do I want to inflict this on myself and my family TWICE?
Strategy 2: Develop some speed: Race a bunch of 5ks (Craicfest, Spring Classic, BAA 5k etc) in winter and early spring, 10ks, and a half (Providence or Run to Remember) in spring. Then train through summer for Baystate in October.
Pros:
- I'm really bad at finding that extra racing gear on my own. I'm sh*t at time trials. If I don't have a hare and a free t-shirt, I'm the most unmotivated runner you'll ever meet.
- I reckon I have a couple of short-distance PRs in me, aided (ahem) by the good old cold-weather discount. My 5K PR is almost three years old. My 10K PR is so old it's ready for kindergarten. A little short sharp racing might give me a few more things to feel smug about.
Cons:
- Time. Part of the reason I don't race much is all the downtime. You have to get to the start line, wait around for the race start, finish, pick up a drink and a snack, extricate yourself from the crowd, and get home. In a 5K the downtime generally turns out to be longer than the actual time spent running.
- Cost. If I'm late or lazy, all those registrations add up. $$$
- I have a sneaking suspicion that to train for a marathon, I have to train for a marathon. In other words, my training should be distance-specific.
Other stuff:
I'm actually thinking of using a 50K plan for the October marathon, as I always wind up slightly undertrained - so if I pretend to train for a 50K I might actually be properly trained for a marathon?
My biggest problem, in the past, has been cramping in the same muscles every single time, at or around the 35k mark. Is that a strength or imbalance issue? An undertraining issue? I doubt it's a pacing issue as my pacing has always been pretty conservative (10:00 miles during a marathon, on track for a 4:30 finish). Believe me, I've already been faithfully doing my MYRTLs. #teamgluteusmedius
What do you think? Do I have any alternatives to these two strategies?
Strategy 1: Do two marathons next year: Providence in May and Baystate in October, with the first as a dust-the-cobwebs-off warmup and the second as the Big Hairy Audacious Goal Race. That's two 18-week cycles with nearly two months of #runwhatever in between.
Pros:
- Cost. If I sign up early for each race, 2 marathons = less than $100 apiece. Sure, we'll probably be overnighting in town for at least one or the other, but the non-race hours are all family time and we'll spend that time exploring the area.
- Providence gives me the chance to remind myself how to run a marathon. I used to know this. I don't necessarily want my goal marathon to be my first marathon in three years!
Cons:
- Time: do I have the time to train for a spring marathon? I suppose I'll have to bite the bullet and do it one way or another. I'm going to have to find the time to train for a fall marathon, anyway. For us back-of-the-pack folks, a 20-miler takes more than three hours. THREE HOURS. In what universe do I have three uninterrupted hours on a Saturday morning? Do I want to inflict this on myself and my family TWICE?
Strategy 2: Develop some speed: Race a bunch of 5ks (Craicfest, Spring Classic, BAA 5k etc) in winter and early spring, 10ks, and a half (Providence or Run to Remember) in spring. Then train through summer for Baystate in October.
Pros:
- I'm really bad at finding that extra racing gear on my own. I'm sh*t at time trials. If I don't have a hare and a free t-shirt, I'm the most unmotivated runner you'll ever meet.
- I reckon I have a couple of short-distance PRs in me, aided (ahem) by the good old cold-weather discount. My 5K PR is almost three years old. My 10K PR is so old it's ready for kindergarten. A little short sharp racing might give me a few more things to feel smug about.
Cons:
- Time. Part of the reason I don't race much is all the downtime. You have to get to the start line, wait around for the race start, finish, pick up a drink and a snack, extricate yourself from the crowd, and get home. In a 5K the downtime generally turns out to be longer than the actual time spent running.
- Cost. If I'm late or lazy, all those registrations add up. $$$
- I have a sneaking suspicion that to train for a marathon, I have to train for a marathon. In other words, my training should be distance-specific.
Other stuff:
I'm actually thinking of using a 50K plan for the October marathon, as I always wind up slightly undertrained - so if I pretend to train for a 50K I might actually be properly trained for a marathon?
My biggest problem, in the past, has been cramping in the same muscles every single time, at or around the 35k mark. Is that a strength or imbalance issue? An undertraining issue? I doubt it's a pacing issue as my pacing has always been pretty conservative (10:00 miles during a marathon, on track for a 4:30 finish). Believe me, I've already been faithfully doing my MYRTLs. #teamgluteusmedius
What do you think? Do I have any alternatives to these two strategies?
If you're not feeling up to do two marathons, you could swap a spring marathon for a spring long race. For example there's the Eastern States 20-miler in March (http://www.easternstates20mile.com/). You still need to train for it, but it doesn't take as much commitment as a marathon and the training will provide you with a nice foundation for fall marathon training.
ReplyDeleteThat's actually a pretty good idea! Thanks. Have you done Eastern States?
DeleteI went with strategy #2 this year (as you know) and I've really enjoyed it for the most part. I've set PRs but I've also broken through some mental barriers of how fast I think think I can run. The fast finish long runs have really helped with mental strength towards the end of a race. Personally, I think it's really hard to "just train" for a marathon, even if it's a practice one because it's so much sacrifice in your day-to-day training and for race day. Instead of a marathon, I'd recommend doing some kind of base building long run race that's not a marathon distance, like Elle suggested. As for finding short races - are there running clubs that sponsor weekly or monthly 5K/10Ks where you are? There are a few here and the logistics are always way easier, not to mention that they are either free (parkrun) or very cheap ($5-10). As for cramping, I do think it was probably being undertrained and/or muscle fatigue. Was it always hot too? For a marathon, it's likely that you've never run this fast for this long during training, and that's when the cramping kicks in. I don't know what the cure is. Maybe FFLR will help? Or more long runs?
ReplyDeleteI agree - FFLRs are a great training tool and a huge confidence booster!
DeleteAhh. Yes. This was my dilemma this past year. I went with strategy #1, knowing that the first marathon would not be fast & that my training would not be perfect, but it did help me dust the cobwebs off & feel ready to train hard for goal marathon in the fall. But this next year I'm thinking I'll turn it around & go with #2 for many of the same reasons you said. Which is all to say, I am no help at all. :-P
ReplyDeleteGah :) I'm actually going full crazypants and leaning towards just making the spring marathon my 2017 goal race.
DeleteThat's a tough one, so I'd go with whichever type of training you prefer - I know that doing both is basically impossible! My marathon training kills my speed!
ReplyDeleteI did what Jen did this year (without the marathon part) and really enjoyed it. It made me love my running much more this year. I think it depends on how badly you want the goal time at your Autumn marathon.
ReplyDeleteYou should also think about some trail races because they 'spark joy'.