Marathon Training Question: Mid week runs

rmcannell · October 2012

Is it absolutely necessary to do a middle distance run during the week? The numbers I'm seeing are to do a run at about 75% of your weekend long run. I'm up to 12 miles now, but a 9 mile (or more, later) mid week run seems hard to fit in, time & energy wise.

Additionally, I'm working with minor adrenal fatigue (from a chronic illness), so I'm supposed to keep as many of my runs as possible under 75 minutes.

Will it affect my training later if I don't do a mid week run longer than 8 miles?

perfectingpatti · October 2012

I trained with USA Fit. During the week, it's timed runs and not distance runs. We do one long run on Saturdays. I think they have a training schedule you can find online.

ejwme · October 2012

I think you can break your runs into two smaller runs on the same day, if that helps. it might be hard to find an hour and a half, but maybe two 45 minute sessions are easier to find? Some days I end up running 5 at lunch and 5 after work - my lunch hour isn't long enough for a 10 mile run + shower (shower is vital), and after work it gets dark too early in the winter to do the whole thing.

nickinac · October 2012

google hal higdon training programs. hes awesome.

Culley34 · October 2012

Hmmm... the longest mid-week run I had in my plan was only 8 miles, and that was typically sandwiched between two 5 mile days. And, that was when I was doing my highest weekly mileage.

Which plan are you following?

t1dude · October 2012

No. I ran marathons for several years only doing 3 mi daily runs during the week and longer runs on weekends. I ran 12 marathons in 2004 and only ran 3 miles on Tues, Wed, Thur, then did LONG runs on sat and 7-10 on sun.

Cheval13 · October 2012

When you say middle distance, I assume that it is not your long run? I remember my training plans asking me to do 8-10 miles 3/5 days (one of them in intervals) and it was rough... not just time-wise. I also don't think I ran that much better for it. I think it is a personal issue, but I think that you can safely keep your runs 5-7 miles a day, keep one interval day and your long run on the weekend, and it should be fine. I think there is also an argument for more intense workouts rather than really long ones... Is this your first marathon?

rybo · October 2012

All the reading & research I've done, leads me to believe a mid-week "Semi-long" run is very helpful for marathon training. I took my mid week run up to 11-12 miles.
It seems your battle with adrenal fatigue could really impact your ability to properly train. Good luck.

wolfgate · October 2012

What is your goal? I'm assuming from the question this is your first marathon which (assumption again) means your primary goal is to finish - hopefully feeling good and with enough left to enjoy the rest of the day and bask in your accomplishment.

If so, are the longer mid-week runs necessary? No. Good solid running during the week and focusing on the long run will give you enough to get to the finish as long as you run (and don't race) within yourself.

Will it help you if you're trying for a certain time goal that you'll need to work to reach? Absolutely. Or if you want the best opportunity to feel good quickly after the race? Yes to that also.

The two biggest indicators of how well the marathon will go are first total miles and second long run success. The more miles you can get in, the stronger you'll be during the race. The mid week longer run also helps with your true long runs - and those runs are big indicator of how you'll do and key to preparation.

runningchick70 · October 2012

Marathon training is tough mentally & physically. Listening to YOUR body is key. If you feel you need to keep the runs under 75 minutes, then do it. IMO, a longer run during the week is not necessary. I don't do over six. Good luck!

fzyfrog · October 2012

I think it depends on your experience. I was training for a 2nd marathon simultaneously with an ultra marathon and due to work and school schedule I could only run 2 days during the week. Both days I ran 5 miles each and then I ran my long run on Saturday. I didn't get injured or overtrained and I finished my 2nd marathon by a 10 minute PR.

amyjslp · October 2012

I have run 5 marathons with one of those qualifying for Boston. I never ran more than 40-45 minutes during my mid-week training runs. My distance runs were on weekends (Saturday or Sunday) with my mileage building each week up to the marathon. There are many different training plans out there. You can find one to fit your needs. I originally followed the USA Fit training plan for my first marathon, but then mixed and matched plans after that depending on my goal. However, I never did a long distance run during the week. Good luck!!!

josavage · October 2012

I think it's important to get that longer mid week run in. I used Hal Higdon and my longest mid week run was half the distance of my weekend run. So I trained to 20 and my longest mid week run was 10 miles. I got up at 4:40 a.m. to get those runs in before work.

The person who said he did 3 mile runs during the week did two longer runs on the weekend. Perhaps you could try that. I think it's important to put the miles in though.

CarsonRuns · October 2012

As a general rule of thumb, the more miles you run, the more fit you will become. The more fit you become, the better you will perform. With that being said, it's most important to not overreach what you body is capable of. The primary goal of marathon training is to get to the STARTING line. You'll never get to the finish if you don't start.

So, with that being said, I think that the mid-week mid-long is a critical component of marathon training IF you have the base to support the mileage. Is it necessary? Obviously not. But if your goal is to perform your best, then that run of 10 to 12 miles is pretty important in my opinion and the opinion of many running coaches.

OP, not knowing your goals, what you base is or your running background, it's difficult to advise you specifically. As others have said, you know your body the best. Listen to it. If it's burdensome or painful for you to do that run in the middle of the week, then cut it short.

Good luck with your training!

rmcannell · October 2012

Thank you very much, I really appreciate the replies.

Yes, this is my first marathon, and my goal is only to finish before they close the course. I have run 1 half (will be doing a 2nd one on Thanksgiving), and many 5 & 10 ks. I've been running fairly consistently for many years now and felt great after the half.

I had to make up my own training plan, pulling mostly from Hal Higdon, as I'm now on IV therapy for 1 year (I did get the OK from the doc & nurse), and can't guarantee on any given week that I'll be up to running. I wanted to allow myself extra time for step down weeks or repeating a week if needed. Basically it's HH's Novice 2 plan with plenty of buffer weeks. My marathon is the end of April.

It's good to hear that for a newbie marathon runner with no time goal, I should be OK with shorter mid week runs. I was concerned that leaving it out might lead to an injury of some sort. I have runs up to 7 miles on Wednesdays in my plan, sandwiched between 5 milers. Before my taper, I'm running 42 miles per week.

I do my long runs on Sunday and have always felt fine and like I could keep going at the end, but the next day I'm more or less couch bound - not from muscle issues, just fatigue/migraine/assorted yuckiness. I wasn't sure how I could realistically train if I did need to do another longish run during the week. It would knock me out just as much, I think.

Sounds like when I run my 2nd marathon with a time goal, I should make sure I'm in a position to add the middle distance run during the week. At the moment, since I signed up for my race (Big Sur), before I learned I needed IV, I'm going to do as much training as I can safely, at as reasonable a level as possible, and see if I can get to race day! If not, at least I tried.

brandyk77 · October 2012

first off, agreed that mid week longer run is a great thing to do to improve fitness and stamina. Given your situation, I wouldn't sweat it too much.

Secondly, Big Sur is AWESOME. I went out there this spring with some friends. I did the 10.6 (which was kind of a cluster) but they all did the full and had a great time. Lots of hills but even witht them, they all posted great times.

mlb929 · October 2012

I used the FIRST training program from Run Less Run Faster. I did an interval day, a tempo day and a long run. So as your training runs get longer, your tempo runs get longer, they cap at 10 miles. IMO - YES, you do need those middle distance runs.

rmcannell · October 2012

OK, so here's a question: for those of you saying a middle distance run IS important - how high does one need to go? 10 miles? 12? More?

I know this would change based on goals, personal experience, etc. Just curious what you might consider to be the minimum requirement for a mid distance to compliment the long run.

I'm enjoying learning more from those who have much more experience than I do.

scottb81 · October 2012

For a mid week run its the time on feet more than the distance that matters. If you can you should go a minimum of 90 minutes and ideally around 2 hrs.

CarsonRuns · October 2012

OK, so here's a question: for those of you saying a middle distance run IS important - how high does one need to go? 10 miles? 12? More?

I know this would change based on goals, personal experience, etc. Just curious what you might consider to be the minimum requirement for a mid distance to compliment the long run.

I'm enjoying learning more from those who have much more experience than I do.

I don't know that there is a magic number. I'm just finishing up training for my 3rd marathon. My mid-week mid-long run hasn't exceeded 11 miles. I have had days where I've run 10 miles in the morning and 5 miles in the afternoon. I've also had back to back days of 10 miles.This is with my weekly mileage topping out just over 80 miles per week.

For my first marathon, my mid-week mid-long was again topped out at 11 miles. I didn't do nearly as many doubles and they weren't 15 miles total either. My weekly mileage in that cycle topped out at 62 miles per week.

So, there are many ways to get the mileage in. The mid-week mid-long is but one component of it.

Marathon Training Question: Mid week runs

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