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Aug 2017
9:52pm, 25 Aug 2017
2,611 posts
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larkim
5 weeks out is the the one I'm doing. Plan really suggests a HM about that time, but I fancied ticking off a proper 20m race. Provided I don't get lured into racing it I reckon it should fit in nicely!
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Aug 2017
10:00pm, 25 Aug 2017
45,200 posts
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swittle
AL: al abilities of runner take on the Trimpell 20. Just about traffic free and great if you enjoy waterway pths. If still based at the sports centre [& track] in Lancaster, very good facilities.
If you fancy a less horizonal 20-mile race, the Spen 20 in Cleckheaton will not disappoint....
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Aug 2017
6:25am, 26 Aug 2017
305 posts
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Little Miss Happy
As long as you don't race you should be fine larkim. I think a lot of people leave their best marathon time at their 20 mile race. Five weeks out is long enough to recover from but it compromises those last couple of weeks of good training if you run it too hard.
Sounds as though it's decision made then AL:-)
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Oct 2017
2:45pm, 1 Oct 2017
11,214 posts
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Autumnleaves
I have another 'race as training' question - do I enter the 4 Villages Half on 21st Jan? I haven't done it before as I've usually only just started Half training, but I know a lot of our club marathoners treat it as a benchmark. What do you think? I can't hang about as I know it fills up!
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Oct 2017
2:53pm, 1 Oct 2017
631 posts
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SailorSteve
Hi AL, if your 21st Jan Half is part of your London prep I'd say it should be ideal - on the basis that you will be in shape for the half, of course.
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Oct 2017
2:57pm, 1 Oct 2017
11,215 posts
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Autumnleaves
Yes it would be - the 'plan' officially starts in Christmas week but my aim is to use early December to make sure I remain 'half' ready - thanks 
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Oct 2017
4:19pm, 1 Oct 2017
2,888 posts
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larkim
Would love to see you round Helsby, start line is just three miles from home and I regularly run bits of the route!
As a motivation to train well before and through Christmas is a great event and is so far away from VLM you can race it as hard as you like or just race it as a tough training session. I usually line up Stockport 10 in early December as a sighter to aim for Helsby, but this year both of those were training efforts to kick on for the Sandstone Trail to give me an idea of where I was.
Just got the entries for my son and my wife in there - I'm giving it a miss this year which simplifies child care arrangements and means I can cheer instead!
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Oct 2017
4:29pm, 1 Oct 2017
11,216 posts
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Autumnleaves
Mr AL & I are both signed up
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Oct 2017
6:51am, 22 Oct 2017
1,437 posts
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Dillthedog57
I have only run a couple of marathons, planning on my third next spring. My last one I did 7 20+ mile runs, and may do something similar this time. I don't do enough marathons to experiment with doing less, unlike halfs for instance, when you can always do another one in a few weeks. But this year I did my first ultra, a hilly 30 miler, and the longest training run for that was 18 miles. My intention was only to complete the distance, not to do it in any time, which I did comfortably. So going back to the original question, if you only want to complete a marathon, then 20 mile runs are certainly not a necessity. But if you want to do it in your best possible time, then I think they are. Maybe sometime I'll run a marathon off 16 or 18 miles to find out. But just not my next one
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Oct 2017
6:53am, 22 Oct 2017
1,438 posts
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Dillthedog57
And I will do a 20 mile race about 4 or 5 weeks before the marathon, but will do something like 5 easy, 5 steady 10mp. To race 20 miles would compromise my marathon effort, mainly due to the recovery time for my elderly legs.
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