Anyone have experience doing 35k long runs at 80-84% of maximum heart rate? If so, did you find it useful? If so how often did you use it?
Marathon pace is about 86-88% of MHR for me, and easy runs are about 72-77%. So this is the middle ground.
Sorta a good steady pace about 30 seconds per mile slower than marathon race pace but also 30 seconds per mile faster than easy pace.
Think I remember Mayeroff recommending this once.
How far is 35K? Like 20 miles?
I say the longer, the better. But do 'em slow. They're more enjoyable that way.
21 plus miles. The best way to run long runs is progressively- that is don't slow down. So the idea is to start out comfortably slow, and pick it up as you go. The goal is to maintain pace and not deteriorate, even as you are feeling badly. This is exactly your goal on race day, so you should practice this in training- not pace, but not slowing down and maintaining pace. So running a slower pace in training is geared towards increasing that pace- both in a single session and throughout a schedule- you will be running your long runs faster (and farther) as the marathon race date nears.
Thanks MM. That is actually how I was thinking of running them. Maintaining an even set pace the whole way. One that would yeild about 80-84% MHR on average. Would start on the low side but move up some late probably.
Hopefully as the weeks went on either the pace would be faster or at least the HR wouldn't climb.
This pace just seems to have more benefits in that its closer to race pace yet slow enough to allow for 21-22 mile runs.
I would def do what MM said and I would build up to atleast 22-23Miles a couple weeks before the Marathon. I wish I would have done that. I did some solid 17-20mile long runs and was running pretty good(2:18 pace at 22miles)then fell apart. I could just feel the physiological change and then my hamstrings were cramping, I had to walk/jog/stretch the last 4miles. The lead women didnt catch me till 24miles and she ran like 2:23. Then I started working full time and never ran again haha. I finished up at 2:28.
once you can run easy for 23 miles without crashing, start doing 3 x 5 miles if very strong 4 x 5 miles at MP with 5 minutes rest/drink between.