As race day will get nearer, you’re beginning to fear in case your longest long term is lengthy sufficient. Questioning if 10 miles is a long term? Do that you must run greater than 20 miles? How far do you have to run earlier than a marathon or a half marathon is a vital query. Proper alongside, do you have to restrict your long term to three hours!
As a longtime operating coach, I spend a whole lot of time speaking you out of doing MORE than it is best to. Which could not be what you’d anticipate to listen to, nevertheless it’s true. Doing extra usually mentally makes us really feel higher, however on the expense of our efficiency.
Right this moment 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 may’t run over 3 hours!
We’re going to deal with this query for each distances since you’ll see a whole lot of overlap!
How Lengthy Ought to Your Longest Lengthy Run Be?
The vast majority of half marathon coaching plans for newcomers will high out at 10 miles and for marathon runners 18-20 miles. Does that imply it’s the longest long term it is best to do? Typically, sure.
The explanations that operating coaches so usually advocate you observe a plan from begin to end is that all of them construct in direction of peak runs barely otherwise.
I’ve in contrast the high marathon coaching plans right here.
- You’ll be able to see that whereas the Hanson Methodology would possibly advocate solely a 16 mile lengthy, it’s primarily based on excessive mileage and excessive depth the remainder of the week. You run that long term at purpose tempo on drained legs.
- In the meantime a Strolling Marathon Coaching Plan might deal with an extended stroll day of 4-5 hours fairly than a particular distance.
- Superior marathon coaching plans will usually include 22 and presumably 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 have to 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.
An enormous variety of runners will probably be doing 3:30-4 hour lengthy runs, run/walkers and walkers might completely be on the market for over 4 hours.
That is NOT to say it is best to pressure your long term to be longer than 3 hours simply because you may. Observe the plan that guides you thru what’s greatest to your objectives and your physique.
In truth, that is such an enormous matter that I needed to give you extra science and extra information to make your personal knowledgeable alternative!! Run Coach Laura Norris and I chatted about this on our podcast Tread Calmly.
Ought to You Run 26 Miles Earlier than a Marathon?
No. Onerous cease until you’re a very long time runner who can be coaching for an ultramarathon or doubtlessly an Olympic Qualifier. Although truthfully whereas elite runners hit large 100 mile weeks, they’re not often operating 26.2 within the coaching for a purpose 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 long term.
That restoration time can influence the standard of your subsequent run and set you up for harm when you don’t do sufficient straightforward days or take break day.
Ought to You Run 13 Miles Earlier than a Half Marathon?
Now we begin to see a bit of little bit of a change within the reply as a result of for knowledgeable 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 might run as much as 16 miles. That is what I’ve accomplished myself previously and what works for a lot of athletes working for 1:40 and quicker races.
NOT REQUIRED, nevertheless it does work for some athletes. That is largely since you’ve pushed your endurance a bit farther after which there’s a psychological part to figuring out that on race day you don’t have to go as far so you are feeling extra assured selecting 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 because of this you observe a good newbie half marathon coaching plan.
- Throughout coaching you’re constructing your whole endurance
- Every week you’re operating on barely fatigued legs from the gap and any velocity 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 totally recuperate
- Race day sees your muscular tissues 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 a bit of bit extra that can assist you perceive what the longest run of your coaching ought to seem like.
Listed here are the components we wish to soak up to consideration:
Expertise Stage
How lengthy have you ever be operating? Is that this your first marathon? If that’s the case we wish to err on the facet of a extra conservative long term 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 long term, most runners must be contemplating whole time on ft. In truth, it’s why most 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 method for runners underneath a 5:00 marathon:
Most long term = [Marathon time – 30 minutes] as much as [marathon time + 15 minutes]
In different phrases in case your marathon purpose time is 4:00 you then would possibly do a long term 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 truly takes tempo in to account.
Merely saying 20 miles must be your long term may not be correct if it takes you 5 hours. We’d nonetheless cap your time on ft at 4:30 normally and fewer in others primarily based on further components.
Harm or Sickness Historical past
Some runners merely are inclined to get injured extra simply. May very well be as a result of genetics, operating gait, lack of power coaching or the basic coaching errors: an excessive amount of, too quickly, too quick.
Both method in case 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, you could discover a larger profit from doing a long term that maxes out at 16 miles after which doing 8-10 miles the day after. That is much like what number of extremely runners practice. It reduces the stress of the complete long term and forces you to observe doing an honest run on drained legs the next day.
Keep in mind that each coaching cycle and run will probably be completely different. Which implies you could want to regulate the period of your long term as a result of life, operating within the warmth and humidity or a shift in objectives.
Don’t anticipate them to all really feel good.
I like this assertion that about 1/3 of your coaching must be enjoyable, 1/3 ought to really feel arduous and 1/3 must be straightforward. It’s a reminder that it modifications and studying to embrace the arduous helps on race day.
When Ought to You Do Your Longest Marathon Run?
After months of slowly increase your mileage, the most important long term for the marathon or half marathon must be TWO weeks from race day.
Old style coaching plans used 3 weeks, however almost each operating coach I do know now agrees with the expertise I’ve seen in our athletes of a two week taper.
Which means two weekends earlier than your race you’ll do your huge run on Saturday or Sunday after which start to taper. The week earlier than your race your long term will most likely 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 lots for the long term, the query turns to how usually do you have to run them.
First time marathon runners will probably solely do 1 run of 20 miles throughout peak week. You’ll most likely additionally solely do 1 run of 18-19 miles. The purpose is solely to construct your capability for operating lengthy, nothing extra.
Skilled runners who’re aiming for a Boston Qualifying time, will probably have a few 20 mile lengthy runs, plus 18 mile runs that embrace purpose marathon tempo miles.
What’s the Shortest Lengthy Run To Run A Marathon?
As a coach I at all times hate this query as a result of it’s often a sign that you simply haven’t accomplished sufficient coaching, however are decided to do the race and both hate it or get injured.
I’d say at least 16 miles, assuming you haven’t been following the Hanson Methodology.
Working a half marathon would possibly make you are feeling just like the marathon is totally doable and so that you decide one out in just some months. I like the keenness, however belief me when you hit 18 miles it looks 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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