Ok i am 12 weeks out from my first marathon.
I have been running about 70 miles per week for the past 4 weeks. Probably a little less before that but i just wasnt keeping track. Over the next 6 weeks i will probably work my way up to around 85 miles or so.
I have done a 14 mile long run so far, and of course its just a short enjoyable run. I have run up to 18 before when i was in college. i have time to work my way up to longer long runs, but still in the past when i did a long run that was too much of my weekly mileage i came up lame with a nagging injury or something..
So my question is, could i still run a sold marathon if my longest long run was only 18 or 19 miles.
I am shooting for sub 2:36 generally, but sub 2:33 or so is the real goal.
I was a good runner in college and i train hard, but still when i look at all the hobby jogger marathon schedules and see a 22 or 23 mile long run 4 weeks out from the marathon, i start to wonder if it is really that necessary to get closer to the full distance.
i plan on completing a 15 mile run at marathon pace in the build up, and maybe ill just fee like doing 22 or 23 beforehand is no big deal. i just dont want risk a late injury if its not necessary. i just kind of know how my body responds to long runs. i am better at keeping the miles pretty consistent from day to day