How long prior to a race does a workout directly affect a race performance?

I think they all prepare you for the race. You gradually build fitness throughout the entire period of training for the race. I don't think you can pick a time when workouts begin directly affecting the race.

All of the workouts affect race performance - some positively, some negatively. The trick is to make the workouts affect race performance in a positive way. If you're running yourself into the ground from day to day without adequate recovery instead of building yourself up then the workouts will have a negative effect on your race performance. Also, a lot depends on what your body can tolerate. Joan Benoit ran a 17-miler a few days before the '84 olympic trials marathon and won. That's not to say that the 17-miler helped in any way (perhaps mentally). But if someone else tried to do that they might not make it past mile 10 in the race. So a lot depends on the individual too.

I've read the same thing, that it takes about 10 days for a training effect to result from any particular workout. But then you read that there's nothing much you can do during the last 2-3 weeks before a marathon to increase your conditioning. There is a contradiction in those two beliefs. From personal experience I believe that you get a training effect much sooner than ten days. I haaven't seen any scientific evidence to support the 10-day thing.

bump

pretty common question, but it cant be answered.

there are too many variables, its impossible to tell what/when a workout will be most beneficial, stupid question dw about it.