Manchester Full > Sheffield Half - is 2 weeks enough time to recover ? - Events

carterusm

30/10/2012 at 12:27

I have entered the Manchester full marathon on 28/04/13, this will be my first ever marathon. As a local to Sheffield, I am also considering entering their half marathon on 12/05/13, this is 2 weeks after Manchester.

Ideally, if I was to enter Sheffield, I would like to be able to run my best time as apposed to 'just getting around'. So, is 2 weeks sufficient time for me to recover and enter the Sheffield half marathon ? My training plan only (at the moment) includes the build up and taper for the full marathon; I have not yet investigated what I need to do to receover from a full marathon and how to build back up my milegae following that event. My current mileage is about 45 per week but I will be increasing that over the forthcoming weeks as I will also be running the Ladybower 50 (miles) next October.

Any advice on my training plan would be greatly appreciated as I am not sure if it would be best to train for the next event only or if I could/should also consider the longer term and plan and start training for the LB now or wait ?

Many thanks

Cake

pirate

30/10/2012 at 12:52

Carter everyone is different on this but as a gerarel rule it takes about a month or so to recover from a marathon conpleatley so you will proably be just getting around. But think on it with all the marathon training just getting around for you will probably be a PB. Realistically you need to be in training for the LB race and incorperate manchester and anything else your doing next year as a build up to the 50 miler beast. Mental perperation will be as inportant to that as the miles so depending where you are at the moment might be worth while doing sheffield as a training run.

If you would rather not do sheffield half so close to your marathon there are halfs in eyam 19th may and Buxton 6th June but they are both very hilly so a lot harder halfs than sheffield. The good news is through they are both very hilly and being a local you every learn to hills or you don't

Edited: 30/10/2012 at 12:52

cougie

pirate

31/10/2012 at 08:12

I think it's too close after a first marathon.

seren nos

pirate

31/10/2012 at 08:15

i agree probably to close to PB it..but everyone does recover differently.so no doubt some will have done it before......

you would probably be ok to run it but not race it

Bearsted Plodder

31/10/2012 at 08:21

Probably to close to it - I have PB a 10K that close (but a half maybe asking too much) but hey go for it and see

HeOw

31/10/2012 at 08:40

I did Manchester this year, it was my first marathon (although I had ran 26.2 in training too) and I did Chester HM 2 weeks after it, and PB'd by 2 secs... (my original HM PB was set a month before Manchester at Blackpool, on a flatter course than Chester too) However, I had to fight some demons to finish, it wasn't easy (harder than I usually find HM distance). I would say, just err on side of caution and see how you feel, enter by all means but don't set your heart on doing it.

runningowl

31/10/2012 at 20:37

It took me 6weeks after white peak to get back to anything resembling a race performance but white peak is an harder marathon than Manchester and I did racea 4mile fell race two days after still running a quick time.

in. my opinion you possibly could but I would do no heavy training just very light stuff and have lots of massage to be ready for sheffield half. you could still PB but will have to work thru those demons. Working out the half course and learning where you can push and where you can just maintain effort would help too. for example brightside. road is flattish and you could push on there but would need to just run the hills. only you know your recovery

The Egyptian Toe

01/11/2012 at 06:55

I PB ed at HM three weeks after my first (and only) marathon but still felt 'not right'. A fortnight is likely to be too close. You could look for a good HM or 10k time a month or so beforebthe full? You could easily eod with Sheff HM if you felt up to it rather than waste ??25 quid now.

Edited: 01/11/2012 at 13:40

carterusm

04/11/2012 at 22:37

Thanks everyone. The consensus seems to be that I will struggle for a PB so I will just enjoy the day and take it as another training run. Entering races is all new to me so it will take me some time to work out what races I want to run and when and which ones are my priority etc.
Cake - I'm quite enjoying the hills of Sheffield. Tonight, on my LSR for example, I ran from Woodseats up Ringinglow Road to. Burbage Bank, which as you know is quite a nice little incline. I've got my eye on Eyam so thanks for the tip.
Cheers everyone

Cake

pirate

05/11/2012 at 12:58

Oh good speed bump

The Egyptian Toe

05/11/2012 at 15:46

Carter! I'm in Woodseats too and I did Eyam last year!

carterusm

05/11/2012 at 18:57

Hi Egyptian Toe. Which hills do you use for hill training ? How did they compare to Eyam ? I've only driven up sir William hill road and it does look a bit naughty !! Mind you, I'm often running up whirlowdale, dore road and twentywells lane so I'm hoping they can't be much worse than those !

The Egyptian Toe

06/11/2012 at 09:42

Hi!

To be fair, I`d say that Eyam is tougher. Twentywell is a breeze by comparison! I just did Eyam as a `b` race not intending to push too hard but it is tough to run it `easy`. Think I did 1.48 or something. At times it did feel that I was in a Tour de France mountain stage! The field is strong and completing it is an achievement imo.

My usual long run is upto Owler Bar via Holmesfield and then back through Totley which is 12.5 miles for me.

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