should i avoid the long run?

robpett2001

So here's a question for my fellow runners:

I've been running regularly since the spring, and I've managed to work up to the point that an 8 mile run is no big deal for me (not bad for a sloth who couldn't run for 60 seconds when he started, eh?). My longest run was an 11 mile run earlier this month.

Then one of my MFPals pointed me to the Virtual Florida "Halfathon" which happens on December 9th, a week from Sunday. I'm going to do it.

But the last couple of weeks I haven't been getting in my usual long runs. My 11-mile run was three weeks ago, I've only done two or three runs a week since then (mostly 2-4 miles), and the longest run since then was 8 miles. There's just a little over a week 'til the half-marathon. So here's my question...

I'll do several short runs in the next week, but would it be a bad idea to do an 11-13 mile run the weekend before the half-marathon? Should I be "tapering" if I haven't actually done any long runs recently? What would you do, and why?

Thanks!


PS: Come join us on the Virtual Halfathon! http://www.active.com/running/madeira-beach-fl/11th-annual-florida-holiday-halfathon-2012

arc918

I see the dilemma, whether or not to taper while undertrained.

Here is the truth, as long as you can run 9 or 10, you can run 13.1. Assuming you recover pretty well, I would plan to run 10-11 this weekend. I would also be prepared to cut it off at 8 or 9 in the event you are just not feeling it.

Good luck!

robpett2001

Thanks! Sounds like a good plan for the weekend. I'm probably just over-thinking all this...

Regardless, I'm going the full 13.1 the day of the race, doggone it!