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Boston or Marathon Into An Ironman / Half Iron Season

Despite our incredibly articulate advice, every year many of you will sign up for a marathon during your season build up. The most "costly" of these is Boston, given how it appears in April, but all marathons within the 9-month ramp up to your race will have an effect on your ability to train and recover. 

If you are still planning on doing the marathon and need help adjusting your training, please check out the official Marathon page in the Wiki which include a Webinar and PDF with instructions for you!

ps if you need help adjusting your plan because of the above, please head over to the Micro Forum!

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Comments

  • Hi Patrick

    Look forward to seeing you in Boston!  btw - could EN create a Boston Marathon Group like we have for the IMs?

    This is such an iconic race that many EN do or aim to do that it would be great to have a group to share ideas and strategies for it.

    I particularly look forward to your input in that group about your own training for this race.   Thanks and Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2014!  G.  

     

     

  • (As Patrick knows), I am another Boston Apostate. If there are enough for a small group or sub-group, I'm in.

    For the record, I started my Hacked-OS this week so I'd be able to make good choices about tapering the bike in the last couple of weeks.
  • I'm in. This will be my 4th and likely final Boston.

    My plan will be a hybrid custom marathon plan with bike maintenance intervals since Boston is an "A" race and my only other race isn't until mid August.

    My goal is to beat my recent PR, that was in October on a tougher course.
  • @William I was also thinking about maybe starting the OS this week, so then it ends two weeks before Boston. But Coach R's season panning has me on the Marathon plan sometime in March, so I am doing as told.

     Would be fun to have a Boston training group and see how people are hacking the OS.

  • I imagine that we will have a variety of approaches to incorporating the marathon and biking, and that's ok...as long as we are realistic and provide feedback. You're in TX and I'm in Iowa, which also may affect things. For example, I have much less ability to run hard intervals outside right now because of the temps and ground cover. I can do long runs outside, but not TP miles...so I do those inside. And while I'm not a HUGE marathoner, I've done enough of them to know that I do better with getting in a few of those mega runs that Patrick doesn't generally advise. I understand that, and I understand where he's coming from too.

    Anyway, as I said, if it's cool with RnP to have a little group of us off in the corner, I'm game.
  • I am the same way I need the longer runs, so my weekend long run will be in the 13-20 mile range. Last OS I wrote my own run training and did only the bike workouts as written, so I will tweak the run workouts a bit for sure.
  • @ Williams, Steve and Anu - thanks for responding and already sharing some of your plans ... i hope EN finds that there is enough interest to create a group or subgroup for the BM ... if not, maybe we can use this forum to share ideas/plans but it certainly could be better if we could have a BM dedicated group.  

    As for me, Rich has me on a 1/2 M training plan until early March like Anu.  I am doing the advanced balanced plan which includes one day of bike and one day of swim and specific runs.  I have replaced one of the weekend runs for a tempo bike.   But, plan to get to the two weekend runs in 2 wks.   As William, I also like to get in a few long runs (planning 2-4 runs in the 20 to 22 range).

    Look forward to the ongoing sharing and potentially the BM group.   

    @ Patrick - are you in for a BM group? Thanks! 

    Great week to all!   

     

     

     

  • Hey Everyone,

    I'm also doing Boston...my first Boston and 13th marathon. I'm still trying to figure out how to hack the plans to keep my bike fitness during marathon training and treating it as an "A" race. After the Nov Outseason, Rich has me doing the swim camp, then the run focus plan then the last 7 weeks of the marathon plan.

    A separate group would be nice.

    Derrek
  • Hi everyone.  I joined EN this week and have Boston on my schedule in 2014.  I ran the event last year, but didn't have a good training cycle and I paid for it on race day.  In fact, it took me until about mid June to recover from the wear and tear of that cycle.  

    I've been more of a higher volume runner during my marathon builds.  I joined EN to get more of a balance in my training since I've added a couple of HIMs and my first IM to my schedule.  I'd welcome some kind of Boston training group here on EN as a way to learn how people manage their training.

    BTW, the race is in 100 days.

  • OK, Boston is a B/C race for me. My primary goal is tribal solidarity. I'm still refining my time goal for the race. The biggest factor to consider is my desire to do VERY well @ Ironman CDA, which is 10 weeks later. Here's my thinking:

    • I do not see myself as either a marathoner or a runner. I am a triathlete.
    • Back in 2003-4, I did 3 marathons, with the express/sole purpose of qualifying for Boston. It took 3 races to figure the pacing out, but I eventually hit 20 minutes under my Q time.
    • I raced Boston in 05 & 06, and vowed then to never *race* another marathon - I just didn't like the amount of running required in training to do well on race day.
    • In 06, I enjoyed myself immensely there, going 20 minutes slower than my qualifying time. I followed that with my first AG victory in an Ironman, @ CDA. That's the result I hope to duplicate.
    • Of note, that Boston time was 30 minutes *faster* than my IM marathon time a year later (06 was a very hot year @ CDA, and my time was slower as a result).
    • My qualifying race last year, done on 8 weeks training with the EN marathon hack, was 25 minutes under my BQ time.
    • My recent marathon pace was 8:37, my VDOT long run pace is 9:07; a recent IM marathon was @ my BQ time, a pace of 9:38. My Boston target pace should be within those numbers, 8:37-9:38 min/mi. Right now, I'm guessing 8:52 is my target pace.
  • Got the Official no warm-dries email Wednesday and I have to say I am a bit bummed. I totally get the reasoning behind it and I sort of expected some kind of changes but I really didn't expect to have no bag at all.

    I am staying in Milford so will not have access to the pre-busing drop off. What is the chance that someone here can drop a bag for me or are staying at/near the finish and can hold my dry clothes there?
  • @ Steve - I'm willing to give it a try. The big deal, is getting the bag to me. My hotel is a block southeast of the Commons. Let me know if you don;t get a better offer.

    Yeah, I had minute of angst about all this. The phrase "clear, plastic bag" kept recurring - the same phrase is in the instruction for the USAT Nationals this summer in Milwaukee, where there will be 4500 athletes. It has that Homeland Security ring to it, an valiant attempt to insure no one plants a bomb, I assume.

    I'm assuming it will be chilly in the morning, so I;'ll be wearing some throwaway pajama bottoms and long sleeved shirt I've got lying around. It's about a 1-2 hour wait at the staging area before the race, hopefully it'll be sunny.

  • @ Al - thanks.

    Getting a bag to you shouldn't be too big a deal. I plan to be in town on Saturday for bib pick-up and wander the expo for the free samples, so making a stop by your hotel would be easy. If you are out and about, I'm sure the front desk can hold it for your return.

    I'll PM you about details after we get info on the drop bags and Wave/coral assignments, hopefully this week.

    Steve
  • I am doing Boston as well this year, my training consists of the Jan OS with a Marathon hack. A total of about 25-35 miles per week in addition to the bikes. The warm/dry post race isn't a problem for me as my fam will be there to hand me clothes. Looks like we are getting a cool mylar cape to wear through the finish chute.
  • How many of you will be in Town for a Saturday lunch...or a Sunday breakfast?
  • Coach P,
    I'm planning to arrive Saturday afternoon, so a Sunday breakfast would work for me.

    Derrek
  • Either way, I'm in.
  • We get in Saturday evening so Sunday works better for me.
  • Saturday would be easier but I could make Sunday work too. A Sunday brunch buffet would be nice.
  • Sunday breakfast works for me too. How the heck did it get to be six weeks out from race day? image
  • I'm planning on flying in on Saturday.
  • As to the warm/dry stuff, I guess I'm just starting to figure that the cost of some cheap warm stuff will be part of my expenses for the trip for the wait before the race. I've only been one time before (2010). Race temps were great, but I got pretty darn uncomfortably cold in what I had brought with me. Definitely underestimated the need for warmth.
  • Team - Coach Patrick here, channeling through your Race Director (Brenda Ross)

    Time to start thinking about Boston Marathon weekend. It's a big event this year for many reasons, and while we all run for our own causes, 2014 sees us united for something much bigger than just fitness. I hope that we can connect while you are in my "hood" as it were.

    I have created an online space for you to enter your name + email (example: Patrick McCrann patrick.mccrann@gmail.com) and pick the times you think would work best for you. I will strive to pick a reasonably priced location close to the Hynes Convention Center / Marathon Expo will be.

    Here is the form: http://doodle.com/8xav2ymmbqin7763

    You MUST enter your email address to be contacted about the final time selection,etc -- this poll will close on 3/31/2014.

    Best of luck in your final weeks and I hope to see you in Boston.

    Patrick

    ps -- significant others and fellow runners are welcome to attend, please just note them separately so I can keep track of numbers, thanks.


  • Posted By Steve West on 28 Feb 2014 08:06 PM


    Got the Official no warm-dries email Wednesday and I have to say I am a bit bummed. I totally get the reasoning behind it and I sort of expected some kind of changes but I really didn't expect to have no bag at all.



    I am staying in Milford so will not have access to the pre-busing drop off. What is the chance that someone here can drop a bag for me or are staying at/near the finish and can hold my dry clothes there?

    BAA email this am indicates individuals will not be allowed to drop off bags for anyone beside him/herself. So gutting someone else to drop off for you is apparently not an option.

  • Thought some of you might be interested in this tour of the course. Even though I was born in Boston (Salem, actually), and have run the race x 2, my wife, sister, and bro-in-law are insisting that we take this 3 hour bus trip. We'll be going Saturday afternoon @ 2 PM.

    http://marathontours.com/index.cfm/.../pid/10947


  • Posted By Al Truscott on 11 Mar 2014 11:18 AM

    Posted By Steve West on 28 Feb 2014 08:06 PM


    Got the Official no warm-dries email Wednesday and I have to say I am a bit bummed. I totally get the reasoning behind it and I sort of expected some kind of changes but I really didn't expect to have no bag at all.



    I am staying in Milford so will not have access to the pre-busing drop off. What is the chance that someone here can drop a bag for me or are staying at/near the finish and can hold my dry clothes there?

    BAA email this am indicates individuals will not be allowed to drop off bags for anyone beside him/herself. So gutting someone else to drop off for you is apparently not an option.


    Bummer..... I was afraid of something like that.....

    I emailed BAA to ask if there were any other options available for folks like me who are not staying in town...  I doubt it though.....

  • My side-biz, Golden Adventures, has a great deal for Boston rooms, with a bus to the start line. Very popular, usually over 400 rooms booked!

    Check it out here: http://www.goldenadventures.com/upcoming_bostonmarathon2014.php

  • Posted By Scott Alexander on 11 Mar 2014 09:40 PM


    My side-biz, Golden Adventures, has a great deal for Boston rooms, with a bus to the start line. Very popular, usually over 400 rooms booked!



    Check it out here: http://www.goldenadventures.com/upcoming_bostonmarathon2014.php

    Thanks for the tip Scott.  I've switched my res from Milford to Boston using GA, otherwise it would have been way too expensive.

  • Scott, any options for a one night stay?  Thanks,

    Derrek


  • Posted By Derrek Sanks on 24 Mar 2014 11:59 AM

    Scott, any options for a one night stay?  Thanks,

    Derrek

    I'd suggest emailing Diane to see what she can swing (maybe putting you with someone else for a partial); otherwise she's just passing on the hotel requirements (minimum stay).

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