Runners, am I nuts?

jessejames3ball

My hometown has a yearly marathon now with a few other races on that weekend. Saturday has a 5k. Sunday has a 10k, 1/2 marathon, relay marathon and the full marathon.

I'm thinking about doing the 5k on Saturday, the 10k Sunday morning (starts 1/2 before the marathon and relay marathon), and the anchor leg of the relay marathon. I would have 90-120 minutes between the 10k and my leg of the relay.

I have almost an entire year to train for this. Crazy? Or crazy like a fox?

BTW, I worked at it yesterday at a hydration station. I was on the first one that was 2.4 miles from the start, so the runners were still very bunched up. That was insane!!!

Josieimdoinmenow

I am just responding for you!!! I have no idea.. have never run one of these..LOL!! But I care about you and don't want you to hurt yourself!!!

nexangelus

If you like running and are prepared for the distance and know how to fuel up, refuel, rehydrate and what not safely, then no reason why not, there are really insane runners (who have been doing it for years) who do back to back marathons (different days) and really long off-road runs (hundreds of miles)...it is possible. like most things are if you put your mind to it : )

nphect

your not nuts, your just not going to get the best time you could get if you rested for your 10K.

if it was me i would just run the 10K and get your best time.

Culley34

I've done something like this - where we did a relay race and we were running every 3-4 hours -- all of us had four legs between 4-8 miles.

It's possible, but I'll be honest -- It's an easy way to get injured. You may want to take it easy on one of the races.

T1mH

Well how far is the relay leg?

Add up the distance. If you can train to run that distance in a year then you should be able to easily run that distance with the breaks.I love having goals. If you have a goal to run that distance and your committed to it then you'll be able to do it. If your goal involves other people then your likely to get motivation and support to reach that goal from your relay partners. You should be able to go that distance before race day, don't make race day the first time you've run that far.

Edit: I also think you should train and run it as if it was one long race. As someone else mentioned your not going to get your best time in each race as if you had run them individually because your going to have to run a pace that lets you finish all 3 so a lot depends on why your doing it. Your relay partners should also be aware and ok that you are doing this since you won't be running the same pace that you would be running if you were only running the relay. So it depends on why they are doing it as well.

scottb81

With a year to train that is doable. Pick one race to run all out for a PR and the others at whatever effort is left over.

jessejames3ball

Relay leg is about 6.5 miles. The legs are all pretty even on that. And honestly, I wouldn't be too concerned with times, and running personal bests, or anything like that. It would purely be for fun, and to be able to say that I did it. That kind of thing. I'm not going to win any races, but not too many people, if any, will do what I'm going to try to do.

jessejames3ball

Well how far is the relay leg?

Add up the distance. If you can train to run that distance in a year then you should be able to easily run that distance with the breaks.I love having goals. If you have a goal to run that distance and your committed to it then you'll be able to do it. If your goal involves other people then your likely to get motivation and support to reach that goal from your relay partners. You should be able to go that distance before race day, don't make race day the first time you've run that far.

Thanks. The nice thing about this race is the map is nearly the same each year, and posted well ahead of time. So I'll run each race a few times, as well as gearing up to the ~13 miles that I'll have to do on Sunday with the break in the middle.

summertime_girl

That sounds like you could very easily train for the distance in a year.

hypotrochoid

Totally doable. Just keep a nice, easy pace and have fun!

3dogsrunning

Definitely doable. I wouldn't be "racing" all the races but don't see an issue.
We have a similar race only the 5 k is the same day. I ran the 5k race for PR, then met my friend with 10k left in her marathon and ran in with her. I feel I could have done the other 5 k.

MassiveDelta

I just did a Full yesterday. I think you could easily do it. but Ive been training for a marathon. 5k the day before is Nothing....It has no bearing on the whole thing. So you are going to do 2 10k' races. 1.5 hours apart. GRAVY!!!! Do it!!!

kinrsa

So it's a 5K on Saturday, a 10K Sunday morning and then just about another 10K after a break?

Yeah, that's fine if you can run a 20K. I run 12K trail races nearly every weekend while my friends run the 15 - 20K races. A 5K the day before is part of their training. (Well, maybe not THE day before.)

I would try something like that if I had the opportunity. I'm not quite up to the 20K level but if there was a lekker break in between I'd go for it.

BrianSharpe

Pick one race to run hard and the others more along the lines of a training run (eg 5K easy on Saturday, kill the 10K and the run the relay leg at a relaxed pace).

In terms of endurance a half-marathon plan should be able to get you there.

Madholm

With a year to train it should be easy. I certainly wouldn't go for a fast time on the 5K the day before your 10K and relay marathon. You should have at least an hour break between the 10K and your portion of the relay; make sure you stay loose and warmed up so you don't cramp in the second race.

jessejames3ball

I think it would be kind of neat to cross that finish line 3 times in 24 hours. Granted the 5k finish line is in a different part of town, but still.

This marathon has become a bit of a family affair. My bro-in-law, brother, and dad have been on a relay team the last two years, and my mom and her group she works for has sponsored a hydration station each year of it (three years total), where I worked yesterday with some more family members.

jessejames3ball

Pick one race to run hard and the others more along the lines of a training run (eg 5K easy on Saturday, kill the 10K and the run the relay leg at a relaxed pace).

In terms of endurance a half-marathon plan should be able to get you there.

Yeah, that's kind of what I was thinking. I would get picked up after the 10k to take me to my starting spot and make sure I have the proper things to rehydrate and fuel up for the next one, keep my legs warm, etc... The relay team I run with won't be a team competing to win either, so that will make it better that I can't rip off a great time there.

jessejames3ball

I've thought a little about doing a marathon, but after seeing the people come through my station yesterday and still having nearly half of the race left (they came through my station twice), I don't know. I'll see how the one next year goes, and maybe decide from there.

samblanken

Not nuts! One of the races I'm am registered for in the spring does 5K/10K on sat and then half and full marathon on sunday - one of the registration options is to run one event each day. Perhaps next year I'll be ready for a half mary - not ready yet!

I think that's a pretty awesome sounding event. Good luck to you!

RunnerInVT

Sounds like you are ready to go!! Whooootwhoooot! Ill start cheering now!!