Marathoners - am I ready for 20 miles??

louiseg13
louiseg13 Posts: 16 Member
edited November 24 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi, looking for some advice from anyone who has run a marathon. I began training for a half in summer last year, and although I haven't actually been able to race (I ended up being on holiday at the time of the first race I'd planned, the 2nd was postponed until Feb due to snow) I have completed the half marathon distance twice during training with other long runs ranging 15-19k.

At the moment I am running 3 times a week (usually 8-10k-ish, a speed and a long run, down from 4/5 runs per week before Christmas because it was taking over my life so am now trying to run faster and longer instead of shorter more frequently).

I will be running the postponed half on Feb 18th, and am hoping to complete a full marathon in May, so am using the half as part of the full marathon training. My dilemma is the 20 mile long training run. There is a 20 mile race three weeks after the half. I know this isn't really enough time to go from 13 to 20 miles, but I would really like to do my first 20 miler on a pre-defined route with other people, rather than getting lost and bored/lonely on my own.

So, should I enter the 20 mile race and do it as a walk/run, or is this a recipe for disaster? How long should it normally take to go from 13 to 20 miles?

Replies

  • KarenSmith2018
    KarenSmith2018 Posts: 302 Member
    If you have already ran 13 miles a couple of times you could up your long run by a mile every week to be suitably conditioned to the 20 mile race 3 weeks after the half marathon if you start now and certainly if you intend to run/walk the distance.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    What's the longest you have run in the past 2 weeks? And how long will be your longest run before your half in Feb?
  • louiseg13
    louiseg13 Posts: 16 Member
    karenbeckwith5 wrote: »
    If you have already ran 13 miles a couple of times you could up your long run by a mile every week to be suitably conditioned to the 20 mile race 3 weeks after the half marathon if you start now and certainly if you intend to run/walk the distance.

    Yeah I suppose you're right, the only thing being I haven't run 21k in a few weeks (Christmas etc), so my long runs for the next few weeks I was planning 15k, 18k, 20k, 10k (taper), 21k race, 24, 27, 32k race - but I guess I don't have to taper for the half if I'm using it as part of the training, but then should I taper for the 20 miler?? Or should I up my long runs from this week? I don't want to increase mileage too quickly and burn out (I got a rotten cold after my last 21k run, but I guess that could have been a coincidence).
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    louiseg13 wrote: »
    karenbeckwith5 wrote: »
    If you have already ran 13 miles a couple of times you could up your long run by a mile every week to be suitably conditioned to the 20 mile race 3 weeks after the half marathon if you start now and certainly if you intend to run/walk the distance.

    Yeah I suppose you're right, the only thing being I haven't run 21k in a few weeks (Christmas etc), so my long runs for the next few weeks I was planning 15k, 18k, 20k, 10k (taper), 21k race, 24, 27, 32k race - but I guess I don't have to taper for the half if I'm using it as part of the training, but then should I taper for the 20 miler?? Or should I up my long runs from this week? I don't want to increase mileage too quickly and burn out (I got a rotten cold after my last 21k run, but I guess that could have been a coincidence).

    That looks like a reasonable plan. I'm not sure you'd have to drop all the way down to a 10k before the half, a 15k should be fine, depending on your recovery abilities.
  • louiseg13
    louiseg13 Posts: 16 Member
    rybo wrote: »
    What's the longest you have run in the past 2 weeks? And how long will be your longest run before your half in Feb?

    My longest run in the last 2 weeks is just 10k, but I'm confident about doing 15 this week and have been doing speed work etc - this week's 15 will probably be a bit slow but I can cope with that, and then after that I reckon I should be OK to build the miles back up.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    louiseg13 wrote: »
    rybo wrote: »
    What's the longest you have run in the past 2 weeks? And how long will be your longest run before your half in Feb?

    My longest run in the last 2 weeks is just 10k, but I'm confident about doing 15 this week and have been doing speed work etc - this week's 15 will probably be a bit slow but I can cope with that, and then after that I reckon I should be OK to build the miles back up.

    Your long runs should be slow. Don't push the pace on them. Keep them easy and comfortable
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,749 Member
    Your longest run shouldn't be more than 50% of your total weekly mileage. Do 20 when your weekly mileage is 40 or more miles a week. If you really want to do the 20 mile race, build your mileage, both base and long run, between now and then and then run just the amount that works for your mileage a the time. i.e. 9 this week, then 10, then 11, then 12, then 13, then 14, etc. If you are only up to 16 miles, run 16, and either walk the rest, run/walk it, or just DNF the race.
  • kticoulet
    kticoulet Posts: 8 Member
    I ran 2 marathons with Team in Training years ago. Your longest run should be about 20 miles if you are training for a marathon at 26 miles. Work your way up to it. If I remember correctly the 20 miler is done 2 weeks before the race, so you can taper properly.
  • louiseg13
    louiseg13 Posts: 16 Member
    Thanks for the replies, I've adjusted my plan slightly based on what you've said so fingers crossed I can do it!
  • speedingticket
    speedingticket Posts: 73 Member
    Is there a particular reason you want to do the 20 mile race? I know you said you don't want to get lost/bored/lonely on your own, but you will need to be running that sort of distance closer to the time of your marathon for multiple weeks in a row anyway...so you will still fact the exact same problem(s). I would personally stick to the plan, and build slowly so that you peak at the right time and limit your risk of injury 8 weeks out from the race, but it can be done (as other comments show), and I am particularly risk-averse.
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