Doubles Experiment

brah, nice experiment!!

i love the deuces, brah. no joke.

but, brah, don't get caught up in quantity. are you able to get quality workouts in with 95 miles and deuces under your belt?

remember to bump this page, brah. i'd love to see your updated 5k time and how well the deuces have been treating you.

The large increase in volume will help lower your 5k time some (barring injury). More likely however, it is just more mileage to help build strength/endurance. Prediction 2:48 marathon.

More miles to a point will make you faster at everything from the 400 on up. Just stay healthy and run them very relaxed.

I'll be that jerk who predicts you have trouble handling the mileage and may run a slower 5k.

But, in a few months you'll increase your mileage again, and the second time it will be easier. You'll be stronger and better prepared for more quality work.

In the long run, it'll help. In the short run? Try and see! :)

This will be an interesting experiment. If I remember to check back, it'll also be an interesting comparison with me, since I have virtually the same PR's (17:58 5k this year, and 3:12 marathon last October after I exploded and then jogged to the finish while trying to run sub-3), am only a few years younger (38), and have also recently increased my mileage from low-60's to 80+ while building up for another sub-3 marathon attempt in November. So my mileage is a bit lower than yours, but I'm trying to do it in all or mostly singles. I've been loosely following the Pfitzinger/Douglas structure but modify it freely to suit my schedule and what seems to work better for me. Obviously, if one of us runs much faster than the other in the Fall, that won't prove that doubles or singles are universally better for marathon training. But it might be an interesting comparison. I don't plan to do any more 5k's this year, though. But starting in September I'll race some other distances on the way to the November marathon and will try to remember to check back for your updates as well as to report my own race times, if anyone cares.

Excellent job...don't get caught up in 28 days in a row of doubles...

Think of doubles as the way you train. You don't do it every day, but most. Sometimes you'll need a day off. Don't sweat it.

Hit 85 miles the 2nd week and then backed off to 60 last week. I started another cycle of doubles on Sunday and have 3 days in a row. I'm very tired mentally but feel pretty good physically.

You're on the right track with this sort of thinking but the singles versus doubles issue is a red herring. High mileage works. As a marathoner, I'd rather see you do longer runs and maybe a 2-3 doubles if you fancy that. You're very lucky not to be injured right now with such an aggressive bump in mileage.

Another thing to consider is your peaking plan before the marathon. Move from volume to strength, to V02 max, to goal-specific training.

Thanks. I've never had a problem with mileage. Regarding your comment of moving from volume to goal-specific training -- I was planing to add or include 3x5k, 4x5k, 5x5k and 6x5k marathon pace runs.

In addition to those long intervals on short rest, try to simulate sustained, hard runs of 16 miles + at the end of the cycle with fluid/nutrition intake rehearsal.

85 is good, but not if it requires you to drop down to 60 the next week. aim for 75 each week and you wont need to take down weeks

85 this week off 5 doubles. Closed the week with a 13 miler @ 7:15 per mile. Started out slow and finished strong.

The only complaint I have is how tired I am at work. I can barely stay awake in the afternoon.

That's a lot of doubles for only 85 miles.