Running two marathons - Training

Doc Pete

04/01/2013 at 19:35

Hi,

Planning to run two marathons this year about 4 weeks apart and wondered whether anyone has previous experience of doing this that they could share. I am wondering about what do I do in the way of training / keeping going during the four weeks. I feel that I would need to recover from the first but not drop my training too much before the second. Any experiences gratefully recieved!!

Doc.

cougie

pirate

05/01/2013 at 01:14

How many marathons have you run ?

Are you planning on racing them both flat out ?

What are your distances like ?

If it were me - I'd aim to race one and use the other as a slow long practice run before it, or race the first and take it steady on the second.

As to training In between - it depends.

Emmy H

05/01/2013 at 07:22

Everything cougie said

Millsy1977

05/01/2013 at 07:46

What they said.

Running Rodent

05/01/2013 at 08:33

Have a look at Pfitzinger and Douglas ('P&D') Advanced Marathoning. They have a chapter on multiple marathoning which includes a schedule for races 4 weeks apart. Having looked at it, it's pretty brutal and doesn't allow much recovery time, although the longest run they recommend, in the middle of the week before the second race, is only 15 miles.

Dubai Dave pirate

pirate

05/01/2013 at 08:52

You sure as hell aren't going to race both of them, but its very doable. It's all about recovery from the first one. But how quickly you recover will depend on your experience and the pace you run the first one at. As said above more info needed

Also-ran

05/01/2013 at 10:50

If you want to race both of them, I think the best you can do is try to maintain your fitness after a period of recovery following marathon 1. I would be using a fair amount of cross training for this as your body recovers from marathon 1 (low impact cardio stuff)

I raced 2 one Week apart (as in I gave it my all, and didn't hold back). If you are being sensible, then treat the 1st marathon as a LSR, and give 100% to the second

Barry B

05/01/2013 at 16:12

I ran Abingdon and Florence last Autumn 5 weeks apart and raced both. PB at Abo 3:15 and 3:18 at Florence , thought I was going to beat 3:15 at Florence but struggled in last 3, whether that was down to 2 maras in 5 weeks or too much sightseeing in days before.

Training between the 2, I took a few days off after Abo then finished the week with a couple of short ones then 8 miles on the Sunday. . Then a week of easy running finishing with 13 on the Sunday( 33 total miles), Then a week of 6.5 miles a day( to and from work) finishing with an 18 on the Sunday( total miles 47). Then a week of short runs and raced a 10k on the Sunday. Then nothing apart from a recovery run the week before Florence.

Edited: 05/01/2013 at 16:18

Doc Pete

05/01/2013 at 19:58

This is all really really helpful. Cougie, in answer to your questions I have run two manathons previously, my times were 4:33 and then 3:43. I wasn't planning to race both. I have previously done Liverpool in 3:43 and the second marathon of the two would be Liverpool so if I were to be racing one then this would be the one as I will want to better my time.

I can see lots of sense in your idea Also-Ran of using the first marathon as a part of the training programe and could have this as the peak before starting to taper. I don't think I am fit enough or disciplined enough to race both.I'll have a look at the race plan but don't tend to do the mileage I ought to during training due to work and family committments so will never hit the times or speeds that I possibly could.

Thanks for the above. Food for thought!

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