Need help with last long run for marathon training

pobalita

I screwed up. For a couple months, I've had the Beat the Blerch half marathon on my calendar for the weekend of the 27th which was perfect because it was the first taper weekend before the Chicago marathon. I was wrong. Beat the Blerch is on the 20th instead - and that is supposed to be my last long run (22 miles). What do I do? Anyone who knows about The Oatmeal and The Blerch, knows that this is a much anticipated event, so I really don't want to miss it. I've already run two 18-milers (one yesterday) and one 20-miler as part of the training, but feel like I should a last long run.

Any suggestions on what to do?

1. I could run the half, collect the medal, and then run 9 more miles, but not sure if there are other trails out there, as I don't want to re-enter the race course and get in the way of others. This would give me a pretty continuous 22 miles.

2. I could run the half and then drive home and do the other 9 in my neighborhood. There would be about a 90 minute break, but I could still get 22 miles in one day.

3. I could run the half on Saturday and then run another 13 on Sunday. It's not 22 continuous miles. I don't know if this would have the same training benefis for the marathon, but it might help with Quadzuki.

I can't do it during the week, as I work full time and commute 3 hours per day.

Any advice appreciated.


ETA: Option 3 is the most appealing to me, but I'm not sure how much it will help for the marathon training.

litsy3

Are you just going to run it at your normal long run pace, and not at half marathon race pace? If so, (1) makes the most sense but why not do some (or even most) of the extra miles beforehand as a warm-up?

If you want to actually race it (which I wouldn't myself so close to a marathon), then just write off the last 'long' run; you've done plenty already, and if you do 2 miles warm-up and 1 mile cool-down plus the half that's already 16 miles anyway.

UrbanRunner81

I would race the half and call it my long run. Maybe do 2 mile warm up and 1 my cool down like the previous poster suggested.

laurasuzanne2006

is it your first? Personally i would just run it as is and not bother with the extra miles. If i absolutely need to get more miles in when i have a race i will usually do the race, go home and add the extra miles.

beeblebrox82

I have a trail half on the 27th that's supposed to be a 23 miler. I'm going to bookend the race with easy fives. You could do the same, run 4 before and 5 after. If you lose a few miles I don't think it's that big a deal either you'll be pushing it during the race.


I'm doing the Blerch digitally this weekend as well! Going to pace out a half and then finish my long run, go home and eat some cake!! Oatmeal, simply the best.

GillianMcK

I don't know about this race, but would you be likely to get in anyone's way by re-entering the course??
How long do you expect to take to complete the half, that gives anyone behind you that much time of a head start for the next 9 miles and you're unlikely to get in anyones way (just a thought, I don't know anything about this race).
Or as everyone else is saying, just to run the half at race pace, warm up, cool down and call it quits at that!!

pobalita

Thanks everyone. I was making it too complicated! (I'm pretty nervous about Chicago, as my first marathon was a disaster.) I like the idea of a couple miles warm up and a couple miles cool down before and after the race to get close to the miles. I'll do that and call it good.

jmcowan42

I've run into the same dilemma with my race... thanks for the post!

dan323

I did my last 20 miler on Monday, for Chicago. I have 1 half on the 28th then the marathon on the 12th. I plan only on maybe 9 miles total the week before the marathon. You'll be fine. What coral are you in...I am in corral J. I put a 5 hour finish time but with my training I think I'll be closer to 4.5 hrs.