Tired after long run?

valentine4

Hi all,
just on for a bit of a moan - did first marathon last october certainly didn't break any records (4.40) but they gave me a medal anyway

After that I took a bit of a break, then in the new year I started gradually building up my long runs again. Did a couple of half's in march - one where I nearly dnf'ed and the other the following week that I got a pb.

Weekend before last I got to my longest run 19 miles, then during the week went to speed work with the running club and did a six mile run.
On Saturday I went out and did 18 miles, similar to the previous week I was wrecked after it - had wee granny naps on the sofa saturday and sunday, made sure to eat well had a protein shake straight after the run and a good dinner.

I didn't run Sunday, did 4 miles monday but was sluggish did nothing yesterday but cycle to and from work and did 5 miles this morning . However this morning I was still kinda heavy in myself and sluggish.

Do you think this is because of the long runs? I had 9 hrs sleep last night ( I like my zzz's) but didn't eat well last night had lots of chocolate and because I was out first thing I had nothing before I left but its not like I was going very far....

Another long and complicated moan from me sorry thanks to anyone who trawled through it.

regards,

Valentine

p.s sorry I should add I am eyeing marathon no.2. The options are the moment are either newry city ( cheap cheerful & closeby but a boring route), Derry city ( alot further away will be an overnighter but apparently a brilliant marathon with great support & fab medal) both of these are at the end of May if I don't do one of them then it will be the mourne way in early june which is a trail.
Whatever happens it looks like it will happen in northern ireland

litsy3

Are the club session and the 6 mile run the only other runs in your week? If so, it sounds to me as though you don't have enough base mileage to make long runs of 18 and 19 miles sustainable. I'd want to be doing at least 50 miles in the week total before routinely doing long runs of that distance. And if I wasn't, I certainly wouldn't be doing very long runs on consecutive weeks. I'd say: cut back on the long runs, but start to gradually build up the shorter runs during the week till you're used to running 5 x a week, then gradually build longer runs back in.

Samstan101

It sounds like you've had a few hard weeks on the trot with a PB plus some much longer runs. I was finding I was getting wiped earlier in my marathon training and someone from my RC suggested that after a few hard weeks just cut back a little (reduce the mileage by 20% and make the runs easy pace - no hills, intervals or speed work) and then following week back to schedule and ramping up the mileage. I tried it and find it sorts me out completely with the next week me running much better, as well as not feeling totally wiped out. I'm hoping after my last long run this weekend my taper will have similar effect for my marathon.

lporter229

A little background info on your base mileage leading up to this would be helpful. If you ramped up your mileage quickly, then yes, it's probably wiping you out. Also, how fast are you running your long runs? Running your long runs at or near race pace is guaranteed to wipe you out as well.

As others have said, building up your base mileage with lots of slow and easy miles is necessary to support those long runs.

teacton11

To me that sounds like you are a victim of cumulative fatigue at this point. Especially if you started hitting up back to back long runs plus speed work a week or so after you left it out on the table at a half.

5512bf

Sounds like you need a step back week to recover a bit. My step back weeks were typically similar mileage during the weekly runs, maybe cutting a semi-long run back a few miles with the weekend runs 60-70% of were you were at the week before. If you did a 9 mile Saturday run and a 19 mile Sunday run you'd do a 6 and a 12. Really helps recharge the batteries and prepare you for the 10/20 weekend runs the next week.

CarsonRuns

Are you in the middle of a marathon training block right now? If not, why are you doing 18 and 19 mile runs? You'll get the adaptations you need doing 12 to 16 miles and you won't have the fatigue that comes from those longer runs.

ETA: I missed the part where the OP said the marathons were at the end of May.

_Waffle_

CarsonRuns wrote: »

Are you in the middle of a marathon training block right now? If not, why are you doing 18 and 19 mile runs? You'll get the adaptations you need doing 12 to 16 miles and you won't have the fatigue that comes from those longer runs.

That brings up an interesting point. I wasn't planning on doing another one till December this year but I do enjoy (shorter) longer runs. Should maintenance be good enough this summer/fall if I was doing 13 - 16 mile runs 2 - 3 times a month. I'm not sure what weekly miles would be. 30 - 40 I guess. I really want to improve on my base but I could live without doing 18 mile runs till October. It's just so flipping hot here in the mornings during the summer. 84 before sunrise.

Carrieendar

I didn't go up to 16 until hill training for the marathon plan started. Then I didn't go above that 16 until I got into the 12 week plan proper.

valentine4

Hi all thanks so much for the replies!

I am also doing hill runs in between the speed work etc.

I I had a look at my splits the last long run was done a full minute faster than last years long run pace , it felt comfortable so I just went with it. I may go back to keeping an eye on my watch.

I had a 20 mile run planned for the weekend, I won't do it now and as you say do my mid week runs a little longer. My long run the following week is a trail half marathon that still leaves me 3 weeks running before I start to taper for the full.

Its all a learning process! thanks again for the advice I really appreciate it,

regards,

Valentine

CarsonRuns

_Waffle_ wrote: »

CarsonRuns wrote: »

Are you in the middle of a marathon training block right now? If not, why are you doing 18 and 19 mile runs? You'll get the adaptations you need doing 12 to 16 miles and you won't have the fatigue that comes from those longer runs.

That brings up an interesting point. I wasn't planning on doing another one till December this year but I do enjoy (shorter) longer runs. Should maintenance be good enough this summer/fall if I was doing 13 - 16 mile runs 2 - 3 times a month. I'm not sure what weekly miles would be. 30 - 40 I guess. I really want to improve on my base but I could live without doing 18 mile runs till October. It's just so flipping hot here in the mornings during the summer. 84 before sunrise.

Yep. That will be a good base with 12 to 16 3 times a month. The closer to 40 (or even 50 ) you get the better prepared you will be.

_Waffle_

CarsonRuns wrote: »

_Waffle_ wrote: »

CarsonRuns wrote: »

Are you in the middle of a marathon training block right now? If not, why are you doing 18 and 19 mile runs? You'll get the adaptations you need doing 12 to 16 miles and you won't have the fatigue that comes from those longer runs.

That brings up an interesting point. I wasn't planning on doing another one till December this year but I do enjoy (shorter) longer runs. Should maintenance be good enough this summer/fall if I was doing 13 - 16 mile runs 2 - 3 times a month. I'm not sure what weekly miles would be. 30 - 40 I guess. I really want to improve on my base but I could live without doing 18 mile runs till October. It's just so flipping hot here in the mornings during the summer. 84 before sunrise.

Yep. That will be a good base with 12 to 16 3 times a month. The closer to 40 (or even 50 ) you get the better prepared you will be.

40 MPW isn't difficult to achieve. I suppose if I'm doing them as mostly easy miles I can even break 50 some weeks.