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At the end of the day, our bodies are our own and our choices are ours to make. I can only offer advice. It is for your to use or to disregard.
As many of you know, I am 50+. I am a former American Football Player and still weigh in at 93 kilos. I am more weight-lifter than runner. I have had 2 knee surgeries from the 1970's when doctors were less developed in orthopedic surgery than today. I was told in 1980 I would "Never run over 1 mile again" and that was, well, 30+ marathons ago! As a physiologist, I have coached now no less than 7,000 beginners to their first marathon, with 99% completion rate.
There are exceptions to every rule. But in let's say 95% of the time, the following principles are TRUE. Take them or ignore them at their own risk.....
1. Beginners should focus on FINISHING NOT TIME for their first marathon.
I did not listen and rarely do others. So I guess I can't complain. But it breaks my heart. I would say 95% of newbies with a time goal, MISS THE GOAL as they underestimate the marathon as a distance and event. Then in their disappointment they miss out on the joy they should be having of joining a very exclusive club! Only 0.1% of the world finishes a marathon in their lives! Please throw away the watch for TBR. Run for joy and finishing. You will have many more marathons to go for time.
2. You must recover after each run over 20 KMs. 2 weeks for 20-30 KMs, and 3 weeks for anything 30 Kms+
Yes the Kenyans do weekly 30 KMs runs. But this is after decade or more of consistent training. It takes YEARS to fully develop all the connective tissues properly. The body improves itself through a process of breakdown and rebuilding to keep it simple. When you don't take time off, and rest, you don't recover. At best this is dead legs. At worst it is injury.
Please follow the training plan. PLEASE. You will be stronger in the race if you listen to the advice and take proper recovery after long runs.
3. The optimal long run is 3 weeks out. When in doubt, ALWAYS push it 4 weeks out rather than 2 weeks out.
It takes an average person 3 weeks to fully "heal" from a 30+ kms run. You may think your legs feel "fine" after 3 days, and indeed in a 5 kms run they may be. But if you try to go long again, you will find out all the tissue damage! Because recovery is a function of age, it is often the case a 23 year old can go 2 weeks out, while many 50+ people like me start to move our long runs 4 weeks out. I can tell you this. Of my 30+ marathons, my 10 WORST nightmare races were when I ran my last long run ony 2 weeks out. I found my legs dead on race day and I was walking like crazy from 25 kms onwards. I learned my lesson----3 weeks out!
4. The world's best runners only race 2 marathons per year; So why do you do 4 and think you can get away with it?
The Kenyans will admit they run for MONEY....and so they are highly motivated to run as many marathons as possible. So why do they do only 2?
BECAUSE IT TAKES SO LONG TO HEAL! You pay a huge price if you don't allow healing.
In my day, the rule, and it worked, was "Take one day off from HARD running for every mile you RACE". This is how Frank Shorter and Bill Rogers and alot of sub 2:10 marathoners trained. So if you run a hard 5 KMs, you take 3 days (3 miles) off from hard running. If you run a marathon, THAT IS ONE MONTH OFF FROM HARD RUNNING.
If you take a month off from hard running (not "running" but speedwork or long runs) then plan to cycle back into training, you can see why it is really only 2 marathons per year. It works.
Manila is the "marathon capital of the world" and I love it! We have at least 8 marathons in our city when even New York has only 2! Most cities have only 1. We are special. And I am proud.
But there is a negative---TOO MANY OPPORTUNITES FOR PEOPLE TO RUN TOO MANY MARATHONS!
Please be prudent. Paula Radcliffe says, "No matter how many marathons you run, you have only 10 good races in your body" and i have found she is right. Plan for your marathons. Make them special and train right. Don't over do it and spend you time in injury and burnout.
That's it! I care about all of you, I cannot wait to see you and cheer you at TBRDM, and I hope this helps. But at the end of the day, it is your body and your choice. Good luck and Jaymie and I are with you every step of the way!
As many of you know, I am 50+. I am a former American Football Player and still weigh in at 93 kilos. I am more weight-lifter than runner. I have had 2 knee surgeries from the 1970's when doctors were less developed in orthopedic surgery than today. I was told in 1980 I would "Never run over 1 mile again" and that was, well, 30+ marathons ago! As a physiologist, I have coached now no less than 7,000 beginners to their first marathon, with 99% completion rate.
There are exceptions to every rule. But in let's say 95% of the time, the following principles are TRUE. Take them or ignore them at their own risk.....
1. Beginners should focus on FINISHING NOT TIME for their first marathon.
I did not listen and rarely do others. So I guess I can't complain. But it breaks my heart. I would say 95% of newbies with a time goal, MISS THE GOAL as they underestimate the marathon as a distance and event. Then in their disappointment they miss out on the joy they should be having of joining a very exclusive club! Only 0.1% of the world finishes a marathon in their lives! Please throw away the watch for TBR. Run for joy and finishing. You will have many more marathons to go for time.
2. You must recover after each run over 20 KMs. 2 weeks for 20-30 KMs, and 3 weeks for anything 30 Kms+
Yes the Kenyans do weekly 30 KMs runs. But this is after decade or more of consistent training. It takes YEARS to fully develop all the connective tissues properly. The body improves itself through a process of breakdown and rebuilding to keep it simple. When you don't take time off, and rest, you don't recover. At best this is dead legs. At worst it is injury.
Please follow the training plan. PLEASE. You will be stronger in the race if you listen to the advice and take proper recovery after long runs.
3. The optimal long run is 3 weeks out. When in doubt, ALWAYS push it 4 weeks out rather than 2 weeks out.
It takes an average person 3 weeks to fully "heal" from a 30+ kms run. You may think your legs feel "fine" after 3 days, and indeed in a 5 kms run they may be. But if you try to go long again, you will find out all the tissue damage! Because recovery is a function of age, it is often the case a 23 year old can go 2 weeks out, while many 50+ people like me start to move our long runs 4 weeks out. I can tell you this. Of my 30+ marathons, my 10 WORST nightmare races were when I ran my last long run ony 2 weeks out. I found my legs dead on race day and I was walking like crazy from 25 kms onwards. I learned my lesson----3 weeks out!
4. The world's best runners only race 2 marathons per year; So why do you do 4 and think you can get away with it?
The Kenyans will admit they run for MONEY....and so they are highly motivated to run as many marathons as possible. So why do they do only 2?
BECAUSE IT TAKES SO LONG TO HEAL! You pay a huge price if you don't allow healing.
In my day, the rule, and it worked, was "Take one day off from HARD running for every mile you RACE". This is how Frank Shorter and Bill Rogers and alot of sub 2:10 marathoners trained. So if you run a hard 5 KMs, you take 3 days (3 miles) off from hard running. If you run a marathon, THAT IS ONE MONTH OFF FROM HARD RUNNING.
If you take a month off from hard running (not "running" but speedwork or long runs) then plan to cycle back into training, you can see why it is really only 2 marathons per year. It works.
Manila is the "marathon capital of the world" and I love it! We have at least 8 marathons in our city when even New York has only 2! Most cities have only 1. We are special. And I am proud.
But there is a negative---TOO MANY OPPORTUNITES FOR PEOPLE TO RUN TOO MANY MARATHONS!
Please be prudent. Paula Radcliffe says, "No matter how many marathons you run, you have only 10 good races in your body" and i have found she is right. Plan for your marathons. Make them special and train right. Don't over do it and spend you time in injury and burnout.
That's it! I care about all of you, I cannot wait to see you and cheer you at TBRDM, and I hope this helps. But at the end of the day, it is your body and your choice. Good luck and Jaymie and I are with you every step of the way!
