Now there are 8 weeks left until the starting shot goes off! And when it hits, yes, there is a part of the training in particular that I hope I have done thoroughly enough, namely: stand the race all the way through! In other words: have good legs even after the transport stage is completed - the first 30 kilometres. It is only after 30 km that a marathon really starts. Then I get the answer: has the training been good enough, or not!?
As I wrote in the previous post, the difference was only 2 km between thinking I could immediately increase the speed properly (at 30 km), to wondering very much how I was going to get to the finish line running in the hollow hemp (at 32 km ). This was the experience of my first and second marathons in 2005 and 2006. At the time I thought I was well prepared. It was wrong. It won't happen this time! I hope...
If you want to run a faster marathon, which is closer to your half-marathon time x 2 + 5-15 minutes (a typical estimate of what you can do), yes, then you have to run at a good pace also for the last 12 km . Then a training session must be put in place to ensure that the legs do not stiffen during the last 12 km. Does not help with fitness if the legs are stiff sticks! That's exactly where I was when I finished the Copenhagen half-marathon in 1:21:30 on 4 September. I would be out of luck on clear e.g. 2:50:00 in a full marathon. And the hairy goal is 2:48:48... So here, good training must be done in the 11 weeks between the Copenhagen half-marathon and the Valencia Marathon!
But the following must also be said: you don't need to train the number of km I do, or even many more km that other more professional runners do before a marathon! You can get by even with moderate amounts. But, then the vast majority will experience very heavy kilometers in the last 12, or 21.1... But: you will also reach the finish line that way and you should then have every reason to be very proud of yourself. You've made it! Cheers!
These 11 weeks between Copenhagen and Valencia, I have therefore aimed to improve my capacity to be able to run many kilometers on tarmac. And preferably 42.2. I now follow the following simple training principles:
- The weekly number of kilometers has been increased from approx. 70-80 km/week to around 110 km/week
- Tuesday and Thursday: larger intervals (longer and more strokes) and/or longer tempo sessions
- A smaller and easier interval Saturday - feel the marathon speed, but not cost much.
- Monday, Wednesday and Friday: Cool runs of 60-80 minutes
- Long trip Sunday, 25-35 km.
I have now carried out this for three weeks. The long ride is gradually building up in length - last Sunday it was 30 km along Frognerkilen. Was run progressively, and well below the planned competition speed of 4:00/km. The legs held up reasonably well - but started to get a little stiff at the end. But then there is a big difference between what the legs are able to do in the middle of a training period with a large volume and after a peaking period that should give profit. Starting number on the chest, lots of adrenaline, pushing along the course and running in large fields also helps a lot!
Here are a couple of the sessions I have run in the last three weeks and which I am most satisfied with:
- 3-2-1 km x 3, @ hhv. Marathon-, half-marathon-, 10-km pace + 5sec | 120s break
- 20 km progressive (increase 5 sec/min every 5 km) | No breaks
- 2.7 km x 6 | 90s pause
- 5,2 km x 3 | 3 min pause
- Speed play 16 km on the mill | No breaks
- Long distances: 20 km first week, 25 km second week and 30 km this week.
So in the last 3 weeks it has been 104-114-115 km.
So: Do I believe in 2:48:48...? Do I manage to adjust my legs to the distance, i.e. don't harden, then it can go. I run a half-marathon reasonably easily at 4:00 pace, so my fitness is good enough. BUT, if the legs last twice as long... I know they DON'T now! Whether I will get there is uncertain, but it doesn't matter. An absolute main goal is sub 3 hours and it should go fine. Will be disappointed if it doesn't work. But beyond that, it will be so much fun to be a participant that the experience will trump the time anyway! Well, almost anyway. If I reach the finish line in 2:48:55, or something like that... then I probably won't be disappointed, but more a little pissed off... falling out is never fun!
Competitions ahead. I'm going to run the Hytteplanmila in two weeks, but I don't think I'll let up on the marathon training before this race this year. It will be a good session. The only preparation I will have is to run the Rekordløpet Lier, as the 5k distance (10km and 1/2m are also arranged) this weekend, to get some pace in my legs. But a little splash in the legs is nice to get anyway - also for the marathon distance. Dissolve a little. And: then it's fun - and that's the most important thing!
Monday 10 October starts week 4 of the run-up. Will be good!
We are running!