Training through a marathon

Doing exactly the same routine myself.

I expect be a little beat up and take the following week easy. Doing a low key marathon in Erie. Best thing that works for me to recover from tough runs is stand in a garbage can full of cold water for 15min. Sounds trivial but works. I've bounced back from 3hr long runs this way.

With half a year to recover and build your training back up, why is it so crucial to avoid taking a few weeks off or down after a fall marathon?

Especially if you haven't raced one before (you didn't say), race the damn thing - almost nobody runs a great debut; you learn and adjust. For most running a mediocre-to-awful marathon(s) is a step in "training" to actually run a good one. You won't learn much simply extending your long run to 26 miles one weekend.

Run Consistently wrote:

I plan on running the Boston Marathon next year. I need to run a fall marathon in order to qualify, however, I want to train through this fall marathon. I should be in 2:45-50 shape by the fall marathon. If I run the race in 3:09 and qualify will I need to recover? Basically I would like to approach the fall marathon as a long run rather then a race but do you think the pace required to run 3:09 will force me to back off of training for a few weeks or?

Why would you need to train through it? Boston will be months later. Be a man and run it as hard as you can and then take the needed time to recover. Or half ass it and still take the needed recovery time, unless you're on Pfitz's 1000 week marathon plan.

If you only run a 3:09 to get in, you'll be back in corrals 4 or 5 for the Boston Marathon. You can still run fast from there at Boston, but you'd have less traffic and congestion if you qualify with a time to get you in Corral 1.

Run Consistently wrote:

I plan on running the Boston Marathon next year.

Have you ever run it? Why is it such a cherished goal that you are planning for it 1 year in advance? You're putting a lot of pressure on 1 race. I hope you won't be disappointed by your performance that day.

I need to run a fall marathon in order to qualify.

Have you ever run a marathon?

If not, by all means, race your fall marathon. You need to learn the distance. Like all the other posters said, you have plenty of time...your question is ridiculous.

I should be in 2:45-50 shape by the fall marathon.

If it's your first marathon (and even if it's not), do not underestimate the distance, as they say. Sorry to burst your bubble, but your "2:45-50 shape" might translate into a 3:10 marathon. Good luck.

Get real wrote:

[quote]Run Consistently wrote:

Why would you need to train through it? Boston will be months later. Be a man and run it as hard as you can and then take the needed time to recover. Or half ass it and still take the needed recovery time, unless you're on Pfitz's 1000 week marathon plan.

I'm not sure I agree here. I raced my first marathon in about a decade in October, and haven't been able to train consistently since. I've had one small injury after another - back problems, knee, hamstring, calf - nothing major, but enough to keep me off the road for a week or so with each one. I've had to cut my mileage back from ~90/week leading up to the marathon down to about 50, just to stay healthy and try to recover.

I guess my point is, you never know what's going to happen when you run hard for 26.2 miles. Maybe nothing. But if this guy breaks down after going all-out in some little qualifier in the fall, he's sure as hell not going to have much of a shot at running his best in Boston. I think in this case, if the ultimate goal is having a good race in Boston, just take it easy and go for the qualifying time.

reader of posts wrote:

If you only run a 3:09 to get in, you'll be back in corrals 4 or 5 for the Boston Marathon. You can still run fast from there at Boston, but you'd have less traffic and congestion if you qualify with a time to get you in Corral 1.

Good point.

What do you need to get into Corral 1 or one of the upper corrals so you're not swimming in bodies for the first 5 miles?

The BAA seeds all the bib numbers in order of your qualifying time. It looks like #1999 this year qualified with a 2:56. But it changes every year depending on who enters. You'd probably be safe to get in corral 1 with a 2:55 or faster. But the faster your BQ, the better chance you have of getting into corral #1.

As long as you are in the first corral whether you qualify with a 2:35 or a 2:55, you're in the first group behind the elites. They don't sub-categorize people within the corrals.

I'm sorry you have been hurt, but who's to say you wouldn't have been injured anyway even if you had run easier? Hindsight is 20/20, I'd rather run hard and assume I'm going to learn something and improve.

I am getting married in mid August and going on my honeymoon. I told my wife to be that I wouldnt train over are honeymoon. So I am going to peak for some races in June and July. However, the fall marathon I want to run is early October. I want to Base for 6-7 months with a buildup to 100+ mile weeks. If I do train through the marathon. What type of mileage should I run the week of and weeks preceding.

Also, I have run one marathon before (2:55) off of 25-50mpw

reader of posts wrote:

The BAA seeds all the bib numbers in order of your qualifying time. It looks like #1999 this year qualified with a 2:56. But it changes every year depending on who enters. You'd probably be safe to get in corral 1 with a 2:55 or faster. But the faster your BQ, the better chance you have of getting into corral #1.

As long as you are in the first corral whether you qualify with a 2:35 or a 2:55, you're in the first group behind the elites. They don't sub-categorize people within the corrals.

Thanks!

BTW, can you update your qualifying time? IE if I qualify with a 3:00 and then run a 2:45 a few months later can I use the 2:45 to be sure I get in the 1st corral?

Yes, I am getting back in shape and don't know how long it will take...