Best time for long race

XFR Bear

Hi!

I like to do a long race - about 20 miles, just before FLM, to test out my race pace (not quite, would be a bit slower on the day).

The Worthing twenty is three weeks before - is this too close or not? I'm in south London - any other suggestions slightly earlier (Thanet on March 2nd looks the best bet)

[Deleted User]

no I dont think so - that would be a bout right especially if you're fit by then anyway

Hilly

Iain, I'm doing Mad March Hare 20 on 2nd March to test out race pace. My last long run of 20+ miles is on 23rd March, then an 18 on the 30th. I think as long as you don't go 'flat out' it should be fine.

XFR Bear

Thanks Hilly - I did really want to have a crack at "race pace", so maybe I'll try something earlier than Worthing.

I'll probably do a 20 or two closer to the day, but slower - something similar to your schedule Hilly.

How far do you go for the "long" run the weekend before?

Hilly

Iain, I'm planning on doing 20 miles the weekend before also, but at an easy pace. The actual week of the race though I'm dropping back on mileage and taking 2 days complete rest before the race.

Throughout my schedule I've tried to make every 3rd or 4th week an easy week, the Mad March Hare falls on such a week.

XFR Bear

Wow - I've read a lot about 2 week tapers, any particular reason for your not going with that school of thought?

Hilly

Sorry Iain, I think I misunderstood what you were asking. You're obviously talking the marathon, I was referring to the Mad March Hare

3 weeks before the marathon I will do my longest run to date, 3hrs 20, the only run I'm doing by time on feet. Then my taper begins and I'll do 15 miles on 30/3 and 10 miles easy the Sunday before the marathon.

Guy

I generally try to do a 20 mile race about 3/4 weeks before the marathon. I am planning to enter Worthing (I have done it the last two years) with the aim of running at around marathon pace or slightly slower.

If you are looking for a good race a bit earlier, the Cranleigh 15/21 is the week before Worthing. I did it last year, and it is very scenic and reasonably flat (only a couple of decent sized hills).

XFR Bear

Just re-read your post Hilly and I see what you meant! Confusion over the term "the race". Thanks for clarifying it, your taper is pretty much the same as mine then.

Your 3hr 20 run is presumably at a slower pace than your target marathon pace, othewise you'll end up running the full marathon distance?

I couldn't fidn the Mad March Hare in the RW listings, whereabouts is it?

XFR Bear

Thanks too Guy - I'll check out Cranleigh.

Hilly

Iain-yes the 3hrs 20 running will be at slower than marathon pace.

The Mad March Hare is at Christchurch, Dorset. If you're interested I'd enter asap as there's only a 300 limit. You can find the details and entry form on the following site on the League Homepage

http://www.dorset-athletics.freeserve.co.uk/homepage1.htm

[Deleted User]

Iain,
I'll be doing Canliegh the week before Worthing and then I'll do the 8 mile race at Kingston followed by another 2 laps at easy pace. This should combine a good fast race with a long run. Hopefully getting the benefits of both.

Hilly, another scenic photo. Where's this one?

Hilly

Hi PM,
photo is Portland again, just a different part to the other photo.

[Deleted User]

the mad march hare sounds ideal for my preparation how do i get involved.

Hilly

Entry forms are available on the following web site. Go to the League homepage.

http://www.dorset-athletics.freeserve.co.uk/homepage1.htm

XFR Bear

Thanks for that guys - I have rellies near Christchurch so I might make a trip of it.

3 lasp of Kingston - isn't that what they do for the full marathon PM?? It sounds like a lot that close to London. I know it's not full race pace all the way but even so...

[Deleted User]

Iain -

I think 3 laps at Kingston is about 18-19 miles, it was the year I did it, although it was the foot and mouth year and the course was a bit odd.

my feeling is that if you're going to run 20 milers within three weeks of London you could blow your marathon if you are planning on running them at 20 mile race pace. even marathon pace for this distance this close to the date could well be damaging. it takes a long time to get over racing that kind of distance. frankly you can only run a marathon so often and it takes so much work to do so, so why risk blowing it on a build-up race? I know of scores of runners who've done just that on 20 milers.

I'll shut up.

XFR Bear

Depends on the lap I suppose - I did the half in 2001 which was one big lap and two little ones of 2 and a bit each, which makes the big one around 8 and a bit (roughly). It might well be a different course - I've never done the Breakfast Run ones in March.

Thanks for the input too Achilles, what you said was pretty much wht I was concerned about. I know people who did it last year and did very well in FLM, but a lot of the club stayed away as it was too close.