Undertrained for Charlottesville Mar. Should I Run?

BrunoRuns

BrunoRuns

Barefooters
Jun 5, 2010
135
0
16
#1
Hello everyone!

I know I saw some suggestions on here earlier about running a marathon when slightly undertrained. I believe Abide had only a few weeks to get millage in for a BF marathon at some point. I have been registered for the Charlottesville, VA marathon on April 9th for a long time. This winter while cold and snowy I ran a bunch of miles in VFF's in order to keep up the pace and it ended up bringing back my ITB problem. I am an idiot and will never run in them again. HA, I need my BF or my form goes to $H!+.

Basicly, I have recovered mostly from the dreaded ITB and have been getting in good milage. In Jan/Feb I was putting in MORE miles than I really needed and since have been swimming, cycling, and keeping a modest level of BF millage till my ITB was fully recovered.

I have 3 weeks till the marathon and have only done one run of 13 miles. I plan on doing at least one longer run of 16+ before then, maybe 2. If so, I wouldn't really have more than 10 days for a "taper". My feet are in good condition and my cardio is more than likely up to the task with the cross training. I am going to put in a call to the marathon and see if I can downgrade to the Half they are running, but I kinda just want to run the whole if it seems sensible.

Anyone who has been in this position before have suggestions? This will be my second BF marathon and I don't plan on going for any type of speed. I just want to enjoy the race (and not loose my money, NO DEFERRALS for 2012) . I don't think it will be my ITB that will be hampered, just the rest of the body not taking in the usually long runs of 14,16,18,20.

Anyone feel free to talk me down from the ledge. I could be sensible and run the half instead of going for the full, getting to 18 miles and dying. HA!
 
#2
How soon will you know if you

How soon will you know if you can downgrade to the half?

Do you feel your plantar skin is ready for 26.2? What about walking some of it if you have to?
 
#3
C-ville is really nice this

C-ville is really nice this time of year. Go and do whichever you feel like. You want to run just a half, what are they going to do - force you to finish the other 13.1?

As to your feet and the rest of the body being ready, I can't say. These days I feel like I can run a lot farther than I train just because I am running so easy. I think your form, being relatively pure (like your heart) should sustain you farther than a conventional runner's would.

Good luck whichever you go for!
 
#4
Just found out it is no

Just found out it is no problem to downgrade so that gives me a back up plan here in the next week. My heart wants to do the full, but my head kinda says do that half.

My skin feels great. I feel ready like I did last year, but the long miles on the legs is what is worrying me.

Tree, I totally agree with you about running further than training, especially with good form, which by the way is what saved me from being totally sidelined after the winter. With a gun to my head I would probably finish fine with walk breaks etc. I am just so torn.

The race director asked me to decide by early next week so there was no rush in changing my info and bib number for the half, i so I have about 7 days to decide. Maybe with 5 more runs under my belt it will be an obvious choice.

Thanks for the feedback
 
#5
This is easy my friend...run

This is easy my friend...run the full and here's why:

1. You want to

2. Things like a taper apply to those who are logging long miles and are looking to run fast on the day of the race so with all do respect you don't really need that taper time

3. The skin on your feet can handle it and that really is the big issue

4. Your pains from injury have subsided

5. You have successfully run 13 so the general rule of thumb is you can finish the full with at least one more good long run in so get that 16 in once and I would say you can log the full

6. You'll finish the half and wish you had gone all the way
 
#6
BrunoRuns wrote:Anyone who

BrunoRuns said:
Anyone who has been in this position before have suggestions? This will be my second BF marathon and I don't plan on going for any type of speed. I just want to enjoy the race
Click to expand...

Do the full, just do as you said and enjoy the race. Walk when you feel like it, slap some hands, stop for a beer and have fun. You've done it before so you know what to expect.
 
#7
You've run a marathon before

You've run a marathon before Bruno. You already have the base you need to finish. You probably wouldn't even need to run longer than a 16 miler. Your feet will be fine. Takes some minimal shoes just in case and quit your bitchin' :)
 
#8
Thanks all for the kick in

Thanks all for the kick in the butt. I'm going to try and hit my 16 this week without any ITB issues and hope that everything else feels "right" enough. Some extra gravel training will probably ensure as well.

I WILL feel bad finishing the half, knowing I could have gone the whole way.

I'll be carrying my Zem's if I do the full (wish I had some new 360's Jimmy!) and hope that my base gets me through with my classic smile in the finisher photo!
 
#9
Well I assume you've all been

Well I assume you've all been dying to know what happened here....HAHA. I went down to Charlottesville Friday night with the intention for running the Full Marathon. "Screw it" I said, "why not." It didn't feel like that big of a deal and with all the advice I was prepared to run it in 5 hours or more if I had to just go slow and walk some of it.

The race was very small, 3,000 people ran the half and only 389 took the turn for the full and joined me on the 26.2 route. I felt prepared, motivated, and excited, I was ready to have fun running which is all I ever want out of a race.

Right out of the box, I felt great and realized that I was running way too fast for a relaxing marathon that I wasn't sure I could finish. But as the race went on I actually ran even to negative splits for a time. As I passed the half turn off I really felt like a million bucks.

I ended up running most of the second half with a girl from PA and she was running swiftly so I decided to keep up. By the time I noticed anything, I was at mile 24 or so feeling better than I had ever during a marathon. I finished in 4:15:13 over 10 minutes faster than my first Barefoot Marathon. My feet held up great and I almost couldn't believe how well I did. I guess I was in better shape than I anticipated. The lack of long runs didn't seem to hamper my time. BUT I know that my cardio was still better than my leg strength. I guess some speed work and long runs could have really helped me more.

The Charlottesville course is very scenic and the hills weren't too bad. The downhills were the worst for me and for the second half of the marathon I would have preferred not to run two 6-mile loops around the same area. But all in all, a great race.

Since it was such a small race, I had an enormous amount of questions and comments about the feet which turned me into the official spokes person. I saw a few VFF's, a few Huracha's, and I heard that 1 girl ran the 8k BF. OK, and that's that. Rock and Roll, time to stretch the calfs!
 
#10
Nice Bruno, glad to hear it

Nice Bruno, glad to hear it went well. See for once our advice worked :)

That is a crazy difference between the amount of half and full runners.
 
#11
That is WONDERFUL!  I am so

That is WONDERFUL! I am so proud of you, Bruno! You rock!
 
#13
Congrats! This story gives

Congrats! This story gives me some much needed confidence for my race in may! Thanks for sharing it!
 
#16
Next time, when we tell you

Next time, when we tell you to jump off a cliff, will you? Teasing, Mr. Bruno.
 
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