Back to Back Marathons

1 down week after the marathon, then take about 2 weeks back at normal mileage then taper again race week. (From your post I can't tell if you already took the down week or not (aka if its 5 weeks or 4 weeks between the two), if its 5 then take 1 recovery week, 2.5 weeks up, and 1.5 weeks taper.

I have a friend who likes to do multiple marathons a season and that is what he does. Its also what I'm going to do between my Marathon and Ultra (3 weeks later) this Nov/Dec.

-RunnerSam

"Back to back marathons" means different things to different people. I see that and think you are running 2 marathons in a weekend.

I recommend one week of easy running and then just repeat the last few weeks of your previous training plan.

Hey RunnerSam,

They are 4 weeks apart (10/13 and 11/10). So I should do some normal workouts next week? Back to my average weekly mileage? I'm hoping to PR again but I understand that might be a little farfetched but I'm still going to try.

Thank you so much for your advice!

MM3307 wrote:

"Back to back marathons" means different things to different people. I see that and think you are running 2 marathons in a weekend.

I recommend one week of easy running and then just repeat the last few weeks of your previous training plan.

Yeah I opened the thread expecting to see two marathons on one weekend as well, and was prepared to answer as such. Also I second MM3307 on his second line.

As the other poster said taking a down week then re-doing your last 3 weeks of training heading into the first marathon is a pretty good idea. Not as a great of an idea if you did a 3 week taper of course.

The best advice I can give is simply tell you what I would do in your situation.

Too be specific

Week 1 - walk day after marathon, walk or easy run day 2 depending on how you feel, easy runs days 3-5, 'regular distance runs' day 6-7

(for me running 90MPW, easy run = 3-5miles, regular run = 8-11 miles)

Week 2 - About 10% reduction in base mileage (so I would do 80miles rather than 90), include 1 marathon specific workout on wednesday or thursday and a long run on sunday (3x5k, 20M LR for me),

Week 3 - One more marathon specific workout earlier in the week, lighter tempo+200s or 400s later in the week (3mi @ HM pace then say 200s @ mile or 400s at 5k pace, none of those should be too difficult, they are just for maintenance), a Medium LR instead of a real LR (13-15 for me), probably only 65-75 Miles for the week

Week 4 - easy running with 3x1mi @ M four days before the race, total 25-30miles in the 6 days before the race (again coming from higher mileage this is not much, adjust as needed)

You are going to have to listen to your body big time on this, good luck! It is certainly not typical but it is possible to PR again, your previous training (mileage and intensity) just needs to be "carried through" this, rather than rebuild.

-RunnerSam

MaverickSpitfire wrote:

I just ran a marathon PR and have another marathon coming up in 4 weeks. Any tips/advice on how best to train? Thanks! :)

I ran three PRs in three months -- 2:47, 2:45, 2:40. Labor Day, mid-October, late November, so 5-6 weeks between, and that seemed ideal. I took a week recovery, then three weeks normal training, and one week taper.

With just four weeks, I would still schedule a recovery week and a taper week. So two weeks of normal training, but I might max the long run at 18 miles.

Best wishes!

I've done back to back marathons -- that's two in two days. Two in four weeks is two marathons in four weeks...

The advice above is good. I'll add this: In the first race, you can't go 100%. More like 90ish. Whatever is the best possible race you could run that day (which has NOTHING to do with a PR -- I'm talking based on your then-current conditioning), you should run about 4-10 minutes slower. Then proceed as discussed above. Give it your all in the second one, which, if you've done it all right, should be even with or slightly faster than what 100% would have gotten you in the first one.

RunnerSam wrote:

Week 1 - walk day after marathon, walk or easy run day 2 depending on how you feel, easy runs days 3-5, 'regular distance runs' day 6-7

(for me running 90MPW, easy run = 3-5miles, regular run = 8-11 miles)

I reverse day 1 and 2, I like to get an easy 3 miles in the day after just to move the legs and then rest the second day after, for me it seems to help keep my legs loose.