Marathon Training Thread

[PaloAltoCougar]

I've never run with a face mask, so I don't know, but I've skied with one and it certainly helps. I've heard people that have cold-induced bronchospasm/asthma (which is sort of what you're describing) who say that it helps. They also claim that there is an acclimatization aspect to things--it goes away the more you do it

Thanks for this. And it's too soon to know for sure, but I've noticed I haven't been as wheezy more recently; perhaps I am getting acclimatized.

[ERCougar]

Thanks for this. And it's too soon to know for sure, but I've noticed I haven't been as wheezy more recently; perhaps I am getting acclimatized.

I thought of you this morning as I got up to run and was super excited to shed my hat, gloves and long sleeves because the temp was 39 degrees.

Now I'm just mad I don't live in Palo Alto.

[Pheidippides]

I've had the worst training cycle ever this time around, but I finally am back in a groove. Woke up to 41 degree temps this morning - perfect to try out my new tights - and pounded out 8 miles of awesomeness.

Found another great shoe, btw - for people who like the idea of the Kinvara but need just a bit more, I recommend the Saucony Cortana. Similar concept, a bit more structure, still quite lightweight and with a 4mm heel-toe drop.

[Borg]

Weekend #2 of my 24 week training for the Salt Lake Marathon...tomorrows "long run" for me is 7 miles. Kinda looking forward to it.

It's supposed to snow tonight...grrr. Bought some gloves and a knit cap....ready to go tomorrow. Bring it on Mother Nature!

[Eddie]

I'm trying to ease back into running after pulling my soleus again 2-3 weeks ago.

I've been alternating walking a quarter mile and then jogging a half. I can feel some tightness in my calf, but it doesn't hurt. I figure I'll just follow that same pattern until the tightness is gone, and then slowly work on extending the running sections. And I'm back to a compression sleeve full-time again.

Only running three times a week. I'm hoping to just build up some mileage and be in good shape to get serious in January.

[Joe Public]

Hurry up - it sells out quickly. If you do the half, look for me, my wife and my Dad near the back of the pack.

The odds are good that I'll be out there, so I grabbed a spot in the half just in case. I wonder if any other CUFfers will be there. If I do go, then I may have to shoot for the coast-to-coast medal during 2012.

[Pheidippides]

The odds are good that I'll be out there, so I grabbed a spot in the half just in case. I wonder if any other CUFfers will be there. If I do go, then I may have to shoot for the coast-to-coast medal during 2012.

I have a coast to coast medal. It's pretty sweet.

[BigPiney]

Had a bone spur removed this morning on the top of my left foot. Walked out of the surgery center. Hopefully I will be out running in a month. The marathon did not cause the spurs, but it made them known, that is for sure. At least I know why my foot was killing me by mile 3.

[Eddie]

Had a bone spur removed this morning on the top of my left foot. Walked out of the surgery center. Hopefully I will be out running in a month. The marathon did not cause the spurs, but it made them known, that is for sure. At least I know why my foot was killing me by mile 3.

What does a bone spur look/feel like?

Just curious - I have a son who gets to complaining at times about his heel hurting. At first my wife and I thought it was the bottom of his heel, so we've gotten better shoes with more padding. This has been going on for the last couple of years. Finally, just a month or two ago, he tells us that it isn't the bottom that hurts, it is the back of his heel. He's never gotten blisters, so I don't think it hurts from rubbing.

Now I'm curious if it could be a spur - but my wife and I have hesitated to run in for x-rays.

[Pheidippides]

There is absolutely a carry-over effect from marathons. Of this I am convinced.

I am now training for the Goofy Challenge in four weeks (this is half marathon on saturday and a full on sunday - total of 39.3). This will be my fifth marathon or longer race in the last two years (I've run two half marathons as well).

This weekend was the hardest workout weekend I've ever had. I ran six miles on Friday morning, 14 and change on Saturday morning, and just got done running 20 and change. 40 miles over less than 60 hours. I feel magnificent. Did the last three at half marathon pace just because I could. And yet I've had to take off a ton of time in this training cycle (most of October) because of some injuries.

No way I do this without the previous marathons to rely on. No way.

[Surfah]

On the radio the other morning I was listening to some report about running marathons maybe being bad for you. The study tested elite athletes whose hearts were shown to be damaged after running a marathon. In most it seemed the heart recovered after a week or so. In others the damage was permanent. Anyone else see this?

[Parrot Head]

There is absolutely a carry-over effect from marathons. Of this I am convinced.

I am now training for the Goofy Challenge in four weeks (this is half marathon on saturday and a full on sunday - total of 39.3). This will be my fifth marathon or longer race in the last two years (I've run two half marathons as well).

This weekend was the hardest workout weekend I've ever had. I ran six miles on Friday morning, 14 and change on Saturday morning, and just got done running 20 and change. 40 miles over less than 60 hours. I feel magnificent. Did the last three at half marathon pace just because I could. And yet I've had to take off a ton of time in this training cycle (most of October) because of some injuries.

No way I do this without the previous marathons to rely on. No way.

I'm intrigued by your training. I often notice your Daily Run posts and see times that seem quite slow to me (3 miles, 30 minutes), but I'm pretty sure your longer distances are much faster. Are you stopping at all during these shorter runs or just taking it really slowly? I was doing a 10:30 mile while running with my wife for the first few miles of our recent half and that killed my gait and my right knee is still reeling from it.

[Pheidippides]

I'm intrigued by your training. I often notice your Daily Run posts and see times that seem quite slow to me (3 miles, 30 minutes), but I'm pretty sure your longer distances are much faster. Are you stopping at all during these shorter runs or just taking it really slowly? I was doing a 10:30 mile while running with my wife for the first few miles of our recent half and that killed my gait and my right knee is still reeling from it.

My long runs are intentionally slow (as with most marathon training programs), but for the short runs I typically walk about a half mile (sometimes a full mile) or so back to the house these days. That really skews the time but give me a good cool down and helps me to work out any residual soreness. Also, at this point for this training, I've cut out all my speed work. I'm doing pace runs but nothing faster - I've been fighting injury too much this year. Part of the injury issue may have to do with mileage - I am about to run my 1000th mile this year (that's on top of 700 cycling). My previous high was 800 or so (with no cycling).

I'm not quite as fast as I was this last spring, though. I did set a PR in the half this September but this spring I think I could have gone sub 20 in a 5k. No way I can do that now without a couple of months of good speedwork.

[SteelBlue]

A nice preview of the upcoming US Olympic Marathon trials from Running Times:

http://olympictrials.runnersworld.com/2011/12/16/209-and-226-to-make-the-team-not-so-fast/

Hall predicting the third and final men's slot will require a 2:09. I thought this bit was really interesting:

But wait, this is the marathon we’re talking about here, right? And the depth these days, oy, the depth, of course it’s going to be fast.

Again, not so fast. Consider the men’s 1984 marathon trials. Among qualifiers that day were one 2:08 guy, four with bests in the 2:09s, and nine with PRs under 2:11:30; that time, 2:11:30, is the PR of the 6th-fastest qualifier for Houston, Nick Arciniaga. In Houston, we’ll have Hall (2:04 or 2:06 PR, depending if you count this year’s Boston) and only one other guy, Meb Keflezighi (2:09:13), who’ve broken 2:10. Dathan Ritzenhein has run 2:10:00, and Brett Gotcher has run 2:10:36. That’s it for sub-2:11s. Behind the top tier, the difference between 1984 and now is even greater. The 40th-fastest qualifier in 1984 was a 2:14:17 guy, Bryan Pownall. This time Ryan Bak is seeded 17th with his 2:14:17 qualifier.

That 84 field was incredibly deep.

[ERCougar]

On the radio the other morning I was listening to some report about running marathons maybe being bad for you. The study tested elite athletes whose hearts were shown to be damaged after running a marathon. In most it seemed the heart recovered after a week or so. In others the damage was permanent. Anyone else see this?

Cardiac linked some studies alluding to this a while ago.
Personally, it doesn't surprise me at all that marathon running might not be beneficial, at least to your cardiovascular health. However, I suspect that most of the detriment would be found in true marathoners--not the type who run one or two a year and aren't doing it competitively. Even one marathon probably isn't good for you--almost certainly not better for you than running 10Ks. I think most people do marathons for other reasons than health--the challenge, motivation, even spiritual reasons.