So as some of you know I've signed up for my first full marathon (oct 20th). I've been working on increasing my long runs through the summer, generally sticking to the 10% increase per week. Some minor setbacks here and there, races plus tapering, and a couple trips left me with about half the long runs I planned on for the summer. Right now my longest run was about 18 miles, and its been over a month ago.
I've got exactly 2 months left to go, and wondering if I should do anything different for my final training. Besides my tapering back up from my half marathon (which I think I'm good to go finally) I generally do 2 midweek runs, ~8miles each (varying between either easy, trail with small hills, or speedwork with 1 mile fast intervals). The a long run on the weekend.
There are 9 weekends from now until the race. This weekend I probably wont push the mileage since I've been down in mileage for the last several weeks, but I plan on trying to get back to where I was at 16-18 miles. Should my taper start with cutting down the last long run weekend or the last two? I've got one more race I'd like to do between now and then, one I've done now a few years in a row, my hometown festival 5k run Sept 21. Not sure if I need to taper much for a 5k, I havent done one since spring and wasnt up in my mileage yet back then. I was going to really push that one hard though, in an attempt to break 20 minutes finally. If I take it a little easy the weekend before and after the 5k, and cut my long runs down the last two weeks, that gives me only 3 weekends worth of long runs! At 10% each time that gets me to maybe 24 miles for the first time. Maybe I'll try full long runs before and after my 5k to give me a couple more?
Should I maintain my couple of 8ish mile days during the week or change anything up there? Any advice appreciated. Been thinking a lot how I really havent been following anything structured for training this year except this routine I've kind of settled into.
I've got exactly 2 months left to go, and wondering if I should do anything different for my final training. Besides my tapering back up from my half marathon (which I think I'm good to go finally) I generally do 2 midweek runs, ~8miles each (varying between either easy, trail with small hills, or speedwork with 1 mile fast intervals). The a long run on the weekend.
There are 9 weekends from now until the race. This weekend I probably wont push the mileage since I've been down in mileage for the last several weeks, but I plan on trying to get back to where I was at 16-18 miles. Should my taper start with cutting down the last long run weekend or the last two? I've got one more race I'd like to do between now and then, one I've done now a few years in a row, my hometown festival 5k run Sept 21. Not sure if I need to taper much for a 5k, I havent done one since spring and wasnt up in my mileage yet back then. I was going to really push that one hard though, in an attempt to break 20 minutes finally. If I take it a little easy the weekend before and after the 5k, and cut my long runs down the last two weeks, that gives me only 3 weekends worth of long runs! At 10% each time that gets me to maybe 24 miles for the first time. Maybe I'll try full long runs before and after my 5k to give me a couple more?
Should I maintain my couple of 8ish mile days during the week or change anything up there? Any advice appreciated. Been thinking a lot how I really havent been following anything structured for training this year except this routine I've kind of settled into.