As race day will get nearer, you’re beginning to fear in case your longest future is lengthy sufficient. Questioning if 10 miles is a future? Do that you must run greater than 20 miles? How far must you run earlier than a marathon or a half marathon is a vital query. Proper alongside, must you restrict your future to three hours!
As a longtime operating coach, I spend plenty of time speaking you out of doing MORE than it’s best to. Which could not be what you’d count on to listen to, however it’s true. Doing extra usually mentally makes us really feel higher, however on the expense of our efficiency.
At this time we’re going to dive in to the distances that you must full and why they’re sufficient. How far you run earlier than a half marathon or how far you run earlier than a marathon are depending on all kinds of things.
Plus we’re going to bust some myths like you’ll be able to’t run over 3 hours!
We’re going to sort out this query for each distances since you’ll see plenty of overlap!
How Lengthy Ought to Your Longest Lengthy Run Be?
The vast majority of half marathon coaching plans for inexperienced persons will high out at 10 miles and for marathon runners 18-20 miles. Does that imply it’s the longest future it’s best to do? Typically, sure.
The explanations that operating coaches so usually suggest you comply with a plan from begin to end is that all of them construct in the direction of peak runs barely otherwise.
I’ve in contrast the high marathon coaching plans right here.
- You possibly can see that whereas the Hanson Methodology would possibly suggest solely a 16 mile lengthy, it’s based mostly on excessive mileage and excessive depth the remainder of the week. You run that future at objective tempo on drained legs.
- In the meantime a Strolling Marathon Coaching Plan could concentrate on a protracted stroll day of 4-5 hours somewhat than a particular distance.
- Superior marathon coaching plans will usually comprise 22 and probably even 24 mile lengthy runs.
Can Your Lengthy Run Be Over 3 Hours?
Sure. As famous above there are conditions the place you’ll completely must observe being in your ft for longer than three hours. That is an unlucky generally relayed message that isn’t backed in research.
It was initially from Jack Daniels, who is a good coach, however labored largely with elite stage runners. And what they cowl in 3 hours is vastly completely different from the runner averaging 12-15 min miles.
A giant variety of runners shall be doing 3:30-4 hour lengthy runs, run/walkers and walkers could completely be on the market for over 4 hours.
That is NOT to say it’s best to pressure your future to be longer than 3 hours simply because you’ll be able to. Comply with the plan that guides you thru what’s finest to your objectives and your physique.
In reality, that is such a giant subject that I wished to offer you extra science and extra knowledge to make your personal knowledgeable alternative!! Run Coach Laura Norris and I chatted about this on our podcast Tread Frivolously.
Ought to You Run 26 Miles Earlier than a Marathon?
No. Onerous cease except you’re a very long time runner who can be coaching for an ultramarathon or doubtlessly an Olympic Qualifier. Although actually whereas elite runners hit big 100 mile weeks, they’re not often operating 26.2 within the coaching for a objective race.
The rationale we don’t run 26.2 miles previous to the race is the period of time it takes to recuperate from this future.
That restoration time can impression the standard of your subsequent run and set you up for harm in case you don’t do sufficient straightforward days or take day without work.
Ought to You Run 13 Miles Earlier than a Half Marathon?
Now we begin to see slightly little bit of a change within the reply as a result of for skilled runners it’s a particular risk, whereas for first time half marathon runners it’s a NO WAY.
Very long time runners aiming for a half marathon PR could run as much as 16 miles. That is what I’ve carried out myself previously and what works for a lot of athletes working for 1:40 and sooner races.
NOT REQUIRED, however it does work for some athletes. That is largely since you’ve pushed your endurance a bit farther after which there’s a psychological element to understanding that on race day you don’t must go as far so you’re feeling extra assured choosing up the tempo.
For a primary time half marathon save that HUGE milestone for race day! Don’t freakout about not having coated the complete distance in coaching.
Once more for this reason you comply with a good newbie half marathon coaching plan.
- Throughout coaching you might be constructing your whole endurance
- Every week you might be operating on barely fatigued legs from the space and any pace work
- After your longest run (roughly 10 miles for first timers), you go in to taper
- Throughout taper for a race, your physique has time to completely recuperate
- Race day sees your muscle tissue stuffed with glycogen and in peak form to carry out.
- Plus you get the added bonus of race day adrenaline which can carry you a lot farther than you understand!
This graph is a good visible of how restoration lets you slingshot previous your present stage of health when used accurately.
How Far Do You Must Run Earlier than a Marathon?
Let’s break this down slightly bit extra that will help you perceive what the longest run of your coaching ought to appear to be.
Listed here are the components we need to absorb to consideration:
Expertise Stage
How lengthy have you ever be operating? Is that this your first marathon? In that case we need to err on the aspect of a extra conservative future to keep away from any accidents that may stop you from making it to the beginning line.
Extra skilled runners are sometimes going to be doing extra or longer runs. And by skilled we don’t imply you’ve run 1 marathon, we truly imply that you simply’ve been operating for years with out harm and you know the way your physique responds to lengthy runs.
Your Tempo
As an alternative of specializing in the mileage for a future, most runners ought to be contemplating whole time on ft. In reality, it’s why lots of the lengthy runs I prescribe have a run interval adopted by a number of miles of strolling.
Whole time on ft issues.
Coach Greg McMillian makes use of the next components for runners below a 5:00 marathon:
Most future = [Marathon time – 30 minutes] as much as [marathon time + 15 minutes]
In different phrases in case your marathon objective time is 4:00 then you definitely would possibly do a future of three:30 to 4:30 hours. Whereas this high finish is unlikely to be on most coaching plans for a 4 hour runner, it’s one methodology that really takes tempo in to account.
Merely saying 20 miles ought to be your future may not be correct if it takes you 5 hours. We’d nonetheless cap your time on ft at 4:30 most often and fewer in others based mostly on extra components.
Damage or Sickness Historical past
Some runners merely are inclined to get injured extra simply. Might be as a consequence of genetics, operating gait, lack of power coaching or the traditional coaching errors: an excessive amount of, too quickly, too quick.
Both approach when you have discovered your self plagued previously with getting injured or sick throughout marathon coaching it pays to be extra conservative with the long term.
On this case, chances are you’ll discover a larger profit from doing a future that maxes out at 16 miles after which doing 8-10 miles the day after. That is just like what number of extremely runners prepare. It reduces the stress of the complete future and forces you to observe doing an honest run on drained legs the next day.
Keep in mind that each coaching cycle and run shall be completely different. Which suggests chances are you’ll want to regulate the length of your future as a consequence of life, operating within the warmth and humidity or a shift in objectives.
Don’t count on them to all really feel good.
I like this assertion that about 1/3 of your coaching ought to be enjoyable, 1/3 ought to really feel laborious and 1/3 ought to be straightforward. It’s a reminder that it modifications and studying to embrace the laborious helps on race day.
When Ought to You Do Your Longest Marathon Run?
After months of slowly increase your mileage, the most important future for the marathon or half marathon ought to be TWO weeks from race day.
Old-fashioned coaching plans used 3 weeks, however practically each operating coach I do know now agrees with the expertise I’ve seen in our athletes of a two week taper.
Meaning two weekends earlier than your race you’ll do your massive run on Saturday or Sunday after which start to taper. The week earlier than your race your future will in all probability be 8-10 miles for the marathon and 6-8 for the half marathon.
How Many 20 Milers Ought to I Run?
Now that we’ve satisfied you 20 miles is loads for the long term, the query turns to how usually must you run them.
First time marathon runners will doubtless solely do 1 run of 20 miles throughout peak week. You’ll in all probability additionally solely do 1 run of 18-19 miles. The objective is just to construct your capability for operating lengthy, nothing extra.
Skilled runners who’re aiming for a Boston Qualifying time, will doubtless have a few 20 mile lengthy runs, plus 18 mile runs that embrace objective marathon tempo miles.
What’s the Shortest Lengthy Run To Run A Marathon?
As a coach I all the time hate this query as a result of it’s often a sign that you simply haven’t carried out sufficient coaching, however are decided to do the race and both hate it or get injured.
I’d say a minimum of 16 miles, assuming you haven’t been following the Hanson Methodology.
Working a half marathon would possibly make you’re feeling just like the marathon is completely doable and so that you decide one out in just some months. I like the passion, however belief me when you hit 18 miles it appears like a complete completely different factor than the half marathon.
Your bones, ligaments and tendons want time to adapt to longer distances.
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