How many weeks out is too close?
How many weeks out is too close?
If you plan to run all out, you should be tired enough after that you can't do another hard workout for 2 weeks. Can you afford that kind of down time?
No closer than 4-6 weeks before your goal 'thon
3 weeks out is still fine in my opinion. Any closer and it should not be all-out (meaning you should run a few miles at marathon pace before cutting down to HM pace).
I'm staring down a race that's 3 weeks out. Part of me wants to race the 1/2 because a good performance would help me really feel like I'm dialed in. The other is worried about leaving my marathon laying out there on the 1/2 course.
3 weeks is fine (in my experience). SI and NYC?
geetar wrote:
I'm staring down a race that's 3 weeks out. Part of me wants to race the 1/2 because a good performance would help me really feel like I'm dialed in. The other is worried about leaving my marathon laying out there on the 1/2 course.
that actually may work out perfectly if you are a 3-week taper person.
i think where you could get into trouble is if you try and get in that last long run after running a hard 1/2 in that short of a time period.
Based on experience, 2 weeks is too close.
Depends on location, but I'd say about 1 hour and 5 minutes.
IMO, a week before is fine if you just save ~5 seconds/mile in the tank.
I have done 5, 4, 3 and 2. Anything will do, but there are a few catches here and there. If you do one 5 weeks before the FM, you still have time to put some serious training at MP pace in those last weeks. If you do 2 weeks before than it is straight to taper land.