Of Mice and Marathons

I've done it (squeezing in a faster workout) every time too, and kicked myself every. single. time.

My rule after the 10 mile race (which is actually significantly shorter than a 1/2) is nothing hard for 5 days. Full week of easy running after Indy.

You'll be alright, but just bookmark your thoughts here for future reference.

I knew better even several weeks ago when I was reviewing my training and I looked at last year's tempo: 7:00??!!!! Oh, yeah. An unprecedented streak of 80 days on before my tuneup half and I did the workout on three days recovery.

I almost sent you or Bam a message for advice last night. Should have done that.

You make more fitness GAINS from a half-marathon if you don't try to rush a workout too soon. Usually I'll do fine on the first one, then potentially struggle on workouts #2 or 3 (like I did after Phoenix - my third workout was when the lingering fatigue hit me a little on the 8+4x5). I keep saying "lesson learned" but I've also been a bad example of continuing to do that. Generally you want to wait until you feel ready to go... then wait another day or two :-)

Hold me to this advice in two weeks.

Agreed. Friday would have been perfect. I could have done it then or skipped it and just did my last long run or moved it.

I'll do my best, but I think we all know who the best person to keep your recovery sensible is :-)

She has seen the plan and will hold me to it.

We talked (argued) about amount of recovery time after Phoenix, and Jake tried to convince me it was a good idea to do a workout 3 days later. Maybe he'll listen to you, Jason, more than me! You can talk some sense into him next time.

3 days is great between workouts, but it is sometimes hard to see what a half marathon takes out of you (my problem is I am never really sore). I ran strong 8-mile tempos on Tuesdays after the last 2 races (okay, true they were 5k and 10k races), so I figured after three days I would be fine. Even though I spent the last two days going "remember what happened last year? And the enormous bonk at mile 21 of your 10 + 11 long run that weekend? and walking 2+ miles home?" "No, voice of reason Jason, stupid Jason wants to be a superhero runner."

In running, as in most things, I don't like to be categorical, but maybe race recovery should be: strict (at least) 7 days OFF after a peak marathon, 5 days of recovery for a half, and so on. Anything shorter is a workout for me, so 2 days there.

I will send Jake a "friendly reminder" as I do with delinquent authors. That is an important tuneup. Easy 8/4 or 8/6 as usual throughout the week after, wait until your long run on the weekend. You won't be able to squeeze anything in with your MANDATORY 5 days of recovery, and get 2 days of recovery before Saturday or Sunday anyway.

You're the voice of reason, Andrea. If he doesn't listen to you, just let him beat his head against the wall for a while :-)

Same here... rarely sore. But there is neural fatigue from racing that hard for that long. You can't "feel" it, though.

If there was ever a good time to have some stricter rules, I guess it would be after longer races, huh?

Great thoughts here.