"B" race strategy during BQ marathon training

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2012-12-22 9:06 AM

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Subject: "B" race strategy during BQ marathon training

Howdy! Reattempting my BQ marathon in 2013. The reason it's a reattempt is because my 2012 marathon got derailed due to an injury in March running a PR during my "B" race (the NYC half marathon).

The injury was a long time coming, but I think a few things made it worse. Namely, the race was a week after I ran an 18 miler way too fast (ok and probably several other long runs before that one, too), and then of course, I blew it all on the half, put it all out there and ended up with an injured hamstring. Lesson learned: just 'cause you can, doesn't mean you should. It's my new mantra!

2013 will hopefully be different -- I've been pretty serious about rehabbing the injury. My training plan is somewhat modified, I plan to run my long runs slower and I'm thick into strength training to avoid injury -- but I wasn't sure what my race strategy should be for the half.

Just like this past year's marathon training, the half will come somewhere between my 18 and 20 mile training runs. Do I run my BQ marathon race pace? Do I run it at long-run training pace? These are steady paces for me, but also pretty darn easy for a half, which seems counter-intuitive during a race.

Do I just "run" the race and not "race" the race? What do you do? 

Thanks for your advice, as always!

 

2012-12-22 9:26 AM
in reply to: #4545066


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Subject: RE: "B" race strategy during BQ marathon training

Sounds like BQ race pace is the  compromise.

Faster than a long training run.

Slower than you can/should run.

 

2012-12-22 9:28 AM
in reply to: #4545066

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Subject: RE: "B" race strategy during BQ marathon training
I run halfs a lot before my marathons and my rule of thumb is if I am 3-6 weeks from my marathon I'll run it at slightly faster than marathon and use it as a training run. If I am longer out then I race it as hard as I can, I have also been known to race it hard 3 week from a marathon but do not plan on doing that again.
2012-12-22 1:28 PM
in reply to: #4545066

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Subject: RE: "B" race strategy during BQ marathon training
I always do a half around 6 weeks before a marathon. Pace is slightly faster than marathon pace, but a couple times I've backed way off if something started to not feel right. Three years ago I had piriformis/sciatica and it was the half that made me realize I finally better see a doctor. Sent me to the chiropractor and I was able to hit my marathon goal time. So yes, run hard, but keep in mind you need to be healthy for the marathon.
2012-12-22 2:57 PM
in reply to: #4545066

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Subject: RE: "B" race strategy during BQ marathon training

If you are more than four weeks out from your marathon you really should be able to do the race at true HM pace. I'm not sure what your injury was, but I'd bet it wasn't caused solely by running at HM pace, which is only tempo pace.

What was your training like for your marathon cycle? Is it possible that you were under-trained, and in that case, overdid yourself? Did you do a proper warmup prior to the race? For a half, I always do at least 1.5 miles as a warmup with about 4-5 minutes at race pace.

If you are worried about getting reinjured, I'd question your overall training plan. You could do the race at marathon pace and practice nutrition, but why pay to do that?

By the way, I'm not trying to be negative here.

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