Long run in the rain - JP Fitness Forums

ReadyDad · 09-21-2006, 05:27 AM

I know there was a recent thread on running in the rain, but this is slightly different.

On Sunday, I plan to do 24-28 miles in preparation for a local marathon. It's my last run before tapering. The forecast calls for rain, heavy at times. I've run 12 or so in rain, and it wasn't too bad other than being soaked. However, I'm afraid of blistering or some other development that will undercut all my training to this point. Is this a legitimate concern?

Maybe I could do 12 in the morning, dry off, and then do another 12 later that same day?

twinsavsvikingsfan · 09-21-2006, 06:46 AM

Wow. That's a long training run. I personally hate running in the rain, unless it happens when it's really warm out. As far as blistering/chafing I'd say good socks and shoes and some bodyglide would probably keep you safe. What if you waited a day?

Has your taper madness already set in?

BamaDave · 09-21-2006, 11:19 AM

That is a really long training run. You probably don't need to run more than 21 or 22. I don't think the effect (physical or mental) of 12 early/ 12 later is the same as running the miles all at once. Plus, you're probably not going to feel like going back out there later at all after running 12.

Do you have to start your run at a particular time? I would watch the radar and look for a break in the rain, especially the heavy rain. Or change the day of your run. Running in heavy rain for that distance would suck. Are you doing a three week taper?? If Sunday is a complete washout, I might consider trying to do a shorter long run on Mon. or Tues. AM (11 - 13 miles) at a faster pace than you normally run a long run. Then go for the longer run the following weekend, but shorten it up somewhat versus what you are planning. Maybe 20 miles max. These things happen with the weather, you just have to work around it, and it's not going to screw up your training to go off schedule with this one single run... so don't worry about it too much!

Jimbo · 09-21-2006, 01:12 PM

Why would 24-28 miles be a long run considering it being the last run on the training schedule for a marathon? Not being argumentative here...I'm a running novice myself...so I'm just asking.

I thought that most marathon training schedules had you hit some high mileage before the tapering phase?

Some programs I've read actually have you hitting higher mileage than that...

I respect both you guys twins and Bamas response on this as I know you are experienced runners.

gobbla · 09-21-2006, 02:16 PM

there's a point to where running further at any particular time doesn't really gain you enough training effect to be worthwhile. if you're running 25 miles you're not "preparing" for a marathon...you're running it. a lot of plans will go 20-24 or so...if you can do that, you can make the rest no problem on race day.

instead of running further you'd run a little faster...mabey your race day pace for the shorter distance to get you ready to run the pace @ distance. then just concentrate on healing so you start race day ready to set a PR

Jimbo · 09-21-2006, 02:48 PM

Readydad - I'm so sorry. My question did hijack your thread a bit. Hope you don't mind my inquiry here. But there seems to be 2 trains of thought that I have heard regarding marathon training.(though not in this thread)

One train of thought is to condition your body to run in excess of your race mileage. This will enable you to easily make the race and will actually allow you to finish with a better time...

The other is the one I hear in this thread...

Sounds like the second works for most folks. Has anyone tried the first? I actually like it myself. I run 10k runs regularly to condition for 5k and my last race I improved by 3 minutes.

Jimbo · 09-21-2006, 02:53 PM

Just a thought...but could it be that conditioning is more important for novice runners like myself...so longer runs are more important than doing speed training? Perhaps different kinds of training for different fitness levels??

BamaDave · 09-21-2006, 04:22 PM

I think most people go farther than their target race in training runs up to a point... maybe the half-marathon. With a full marathon and longer, you start getting into other issues - your muscles become completely depleted of glycogen, they are hard to recover from, etc. If you can run 21 or 22 as part of a long week of training, then you aren't likely to have a problem finishing 26.2 at the end of a pre-marathon taper with plenty of rest (assuming you can keep yourself fueled). So most people, as far as I know, keep their longest pre-marathon training runs down in the low 20's.

Going longer than the low 20's is probably fine if you keep your pace down pretty substantially. Some people do it, but most save that distance for the big day. I don't think experience plays a role too much -- in fact, my take is that first-time marathoners run fewer 20+ long runs as part of their training than more experienced marathoners, because they are so demanding and your body isn't adapted to runs of that length yet.

UpNorth · 09-21-2006, 05:51 PM

Back to the original question -- Go as far as you can, but stop before you cause any injury that would prevent you from finishing your training comfortably. Not finishing the last long run in your schedule isn't going to harm your race day performance.

ReadyDad · 09-22-2006, 07:33 AM

Thanks for all the perspectives.

My aim for 24-28 is personal. It's actually a little outside the plan I have been using to this point. When I did 22+ two weeks ago, I felt great -- tired, as you might expect, but no pains or injuries.

I figure Sunday will be my last chance to push the distance. But it will also be my first time trying Jeff Galloway's run-walk method (run 7-8 minutes, walk 1). I'm really curious to see how it affects my running pace in the 16-20+ mile range, as well as how my legs feel. I don't really have another day to try a long run like this.

Next week, I have a 10 mile race, then a week of easy running, and finally the marathon pn the 15th of October. If I like the run-walk method, I'll use it in the marathon itself.

Jimbo · 09-22-2006, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BamaDave

I think most people go farther than their target race in training runs up to a point... maybe the half-marathon. With a full marathon and longer, you start getting into other issues - your muscles become completely depleted of glycogen, they are hard to recover from, etc. If you can run 21 or 22 as part of a long week of training, then you aren't likely to have a problem finishing 26.2 at the end of a pre-marathon taper with plenty of rest (assuming you can keep yourself fueled). So most people, as far as I know, keep their longest pre-marathon training runs down in the low 20's.

That makes sense. Thanks Bama

Sorry again for the hijack..RDAD

I Seem to have a bad habit of that.

BamaDave · 09-22-2006, 01:49 PM

I like the old days when people didn't care about thread hijacks!

I always thought it was interesting to see the flow of thoughts within a thread. Feel free to hijack mine. LOL!! Oooops - I'm hijacking this one!

UpNorth · 09-22-2006, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReadyDad

I figure Sunday will be my last chance to push the distance. But it will also be my first time trying Jeff Galloway's run-walk method (run 7-8 minutes, walk 1). I'm really curious to see how it affects my running pace in the 16-20+ mile range, as well as how my legs feel. I don't really have another day to try a long run like this.

Thanks for the head's up on Jeff Galloway. I hadn't seen it before but its interesting stuff. Let us know how the run goes.

ReadyDad · 09-24-2006, 03:47 PM

No rain and no 24 miles, but I did the Galloway run-walk method -- 7 minutes runnning, one walking. I liked it. It kept my pace fairly consistent throughout, and I liked being able to use the minute-walks to regroup and keep my form in the running parts.

I definitely think I'll use this for the marathon. Thanks for all the feedback and no sweat about "hijacks" -- it's a free forum (flow of ideas, yatta-yatta).

UpNorth · 09-25-2006, 06:22 AM

Glad to read you missed the rain! I was not so fortunate

I'm curious how the run-walk method affected your overall pace. Was it slower, faster or about the same? Did you recover faster as Galloway claims?

BTW, are you running the Cape Cod marathon?

ReadyDad · 09-29-2006, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UpNorth

Glad to read you missed the rain! I was not so fortunate

I'm curious how the run-walk method affected your overall pace. Was it slower, faster or about the same? Did you recover faster as Galloway claims?

BTW, are you running the Cape Cod marathon?

My pace ended up about the same. On the other hand, I put in a lot of effort to run easy. I did feel good the next day, so I think there's something to be said about faster recovery.

No, not the Cape Cod marathon. I'm running the Bay State up in Lowell. Supposedly, it's a fast race.