Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Marathon Maniac?!?

Well my quads are still feeling slightly sore from Niagara, but here I am plotting my next adventure. I have already signed up for the Philadelphia Marathon on November23rd, and I can't wait to run it.

Having four weeks between now and then, it would be ideal to have another long run this weekend and then the usual three week taper. Hubs is running the Hamilton Marathon this weekend, and it is his third in a row. He belongs to the same Marathon Maniac club that Laura does.

Sooooo... since I would likely be running a 30+K (20 mile) run this weekend anyway, maybe I could run Hamilton as well and qualify for the Maniac club. Of course this idea does have the following


Concerns
1) I don't want to burn out for Philly. It is my main goal race for the fall running season, so I want to still be fresh and hungry for the race!
2) I don't want to get injured
3) My friends B-day is this weekend which could mean a late night Saturday.


Positives
1) I would have a long training run and complete my 10th marathon. I think it would be great prep for Philly.
2) I am curious to see how my body reacts to back to back marathons
3) I would become a Maniac!

So I need your help. What should I do? I am going to run tomorrow night to test the "post race" waters. If I do run Hamilton, I will likely aim for a slower race (4:30 ish), but then again you never know, so I should be prepared to stay out as long as needed. The body is capable of great things sometimes.


In the meantime, I have been making sure that I fully nourish my body with what it needs after a marathon for a proper recovery.
(And I don't really like beer either!)

Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks for reading.

27 comments:

Mel-2nd Chances said...

wow... tough decision. since i haven't yet tackled a marathon, not quite sure what to say... i know from your posts that you're extremely strong willed, determined and a running machine :) If you're aiming at Philly to be your A race of the season, then i agree that you want to be fresh for that one... but being a maniac would be awesome ... hmmm, i'm quite sure i haven't helped.... LOL

Sonia said...

Tough decision indeed... I would go for it, just for the maniac title but my crazy stunts have been known to cause injury.... so yeah don't always follow my advice lol

I do think tough that if you run it slow and steady then it can only help you for Philly.

Unknown said...

I have to say that I would likely do it. If anything just to say that I have. But I would surely be worried about the injury factor. Go with your gut!

RoadBunner said...

I say go for it. Just take it really, really easy so you can save it for Philly.

Julianne said...

Yeah, I think you should go for it. Just use it as a training run! And take it easy!! I mean, I used the Nike Marathon as my training run. It took me about a week to get to normal but it felt great and I think I'm ready for my CIM in 6 weeks!!

Marathon Maritza said...

hahaha! You're right, matching pictures of discarded candy wrappers! Post-marathon snacking rules!!!!

Erik said...

The chance to be a MM and the fact that you're physically able would definitely win if it were me.

The chance might not come along very often....

Just for you mentally to even think about it is a huge win in my mind!

E

Lily on the Road said...

Love your recovery food!!

Don't have any suggestions, hmmmm, you know yourself and what you want to accomplish, choose wisely.

J said...

i found your blog through Laura's when she was talking about running Niagara. I think the marathon this weekend is worth a try! Good luck!

Ali said...

do it ... become a maniac ... this is easy to say cause it isn't involving me running back to back marathons!

As long as you run it as a slow training run you'll be fine, plus you'll have bragging rights

Kim said...

I would die for a SLOW 4:30 marathon! Ha!

If you do it-I would try to slow that marathon time down by more than that. Take it nice and easy.

You're in shape and your body is used to marathoning-you would be okay. Just don't go all out. Take it slow and steady. Make it a nice recovery run.

That's my American two cents worth.

Denise said...

Run it but don't race it! Save yourself for Philly. I'm so excited for Philly...starting to wonder if I should really be this excited to run 26.2 miles!

tfh said...

I can't give advice, but I can say that it sounds like if you don't become a maniac for Hamilton, it sure sounds like you're going to sometime very soon!

Marlene said...

I would be tempted to go for it for the title, and because the timing works out pretty well (you still get a 3-week taper). BUT I would be concerned about burning out/injury. Sorry, I'm really no help here because I'm torn!

If you go for it, I'd slow it down even more...run the first 30K or so at a pace you normally would in a training run, but slow it way down for those last 12...or just see how you feel!

Good luck with the decision. Either way, hope to see you Sunday. :)

Stacey said...

You should do it! I ran 2 marathons 2 weeks apart and got a PR on the 2nd one. (took 47 minutes off the previous race!) It will be a great training run!

Marlene said...

Did you remember that daylight savings time ends this weekend? So we get an extra hour of sleep Saturday night!

Just sayin'....

Aron said...

well it sounds like you are going to become one eventually... i say if you are feeling good then just go for it! just take it easier and use it as a training run since philly is your goal race. then just "taper" down after this week to be fresh for philly. if anyone can handle it you can :) good luck!

Marcy said...

Whoooaaa Momma! I have no advice since I've only ran 1 marathon LOL. But . . .go with what your gut tells you ;-)

Heather said...

You are a rockstar! I would say totally go for it . . . just use it as a training run. And have fun!

Runner Leana said...

Hmmm, if you took it easy, then tapered for your race on the 23rd then I'd say why not give it a shot? Just be sure to not go too hard so you aren't worn out for Philly!

Nat said...

If you think you can treat as a training run and not a race (i.e. don't go nuts...) you should be able to do it...

Hard decision.

J said...

Whoa! You are a maniac! I wouldn't really know what advice to give, so I guess I will just sit back and wait and see what you do!

I run my first marathon in January at Disney World.

AddictedToEndorphins said...

I'm not the right person to ask cause I would say go for it:)
See how you feel I guess.

Good luck to hubs:)

Laura said...

You know my advice... JOIN THE CLUB! :)

Anonymous said...

I think if you use Hamilton as a training run and not go all out you'll be fine. But, you know your body better than we do. Do what you think will give you the best results in Philly.

Vava said...

I would err on the side of caution, curious as you might be to find out what running back to back marathons feels like. Of course, I am not in your league and am still hurting from that 10k, so please don't listen to my advice too much. Whatever you choose to do, have a great time!

Unknown said...

I think you should run it!!!