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Marathon training long run.

I'm in the last two weeks of my level 3 heart rate marathon training plan.
I can't understand why my long runs haven't been that long. I would have thought that I would have done 20 maybe 23 miles on a long run but my longest run has only been 14 miles.
I'm concerned that I won't finish with the time I want because I haven't got the really long runs in that I was expecting to do.

0 BunBun! over 4 years ago

Well, long runs in this plan base on time, so if you need, you can just run longer (more then training time) or try running faster.

And on organized road race - usually you will run faster then normal. There is better surface (asphalt), available drinks (so you don't need to carry), and no stops (like traffic lights). So, time should be better then on a training.

0 Carmen_F over 4 years ago in reply to BunBun!

That is why I rather train the distance, not the time. The plans I found are all with time. Well, then I would never run longer than 21km...

0 NickMN over 4 years ago

18-20 are common longest runs for a Marathon plan - i've read plenty of places for slower runners that time is a better goal, since over 3 hours of running you reach a pretty high risk/stress to bennefit ratio. Do you mean you have two weeks of training... or two weeks of tapering down to race day? assuming you are feeling healthish and you have two more long runs... I would just ditch the time, run a 16 and a 18mi. Maybe with a few really short high speed walk breaks (up hills works well to keep HR elevated). Also another shortcut to fitness is after a 60-120min run... add in a longer bike ride. Less impact but keeps your aerobic training going. Practice some fueling later in the run (gel per 25-30minutes maybe)