Two marathons three weeks apart - insane?

[Mursilis]

I'm thinking of doing both the USMC Marathon and the Richmond Marathon this fall. The USMC would probably just be at a training pace, and Richmond would be for a PR. These races are three weeks apart. For the more experienced runners here, is this foolish? I did Richmond last year (first full) and I felt fine a few days afterward. Three weeks seems like more than enough recovery time. Thoughts?

 

[blackdogdeek]

This woman ran 52 marathons in 52 weeks (though most likely not for PRs):

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/51228178/...runs-marathons-weeks-end-cancer/#.UVHpudatIrQ

 

[Megatomic]

If you think that is insane, check out the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning.

Linkage to utter insanity

Go for it, Mursilis. Marathon Maniacs

 

[PricklyPete]

Shouldn't be an issue, especially if you are not going for a PR on the Arinr Corps. Just think of it as your last long run before your PR run. I've run both and they are both enjoyable runs.

 

[Zargon]

I think any # of marathons ever is insane

 

[blackdogdeek]

I think any # of marathons ever is insane

Any number greater than 0, you mean

 

[RagingBITCH]

The easiest marathon I've ever done was the one 3 weeks after pacing a buddy for his full at an easy training run pace. There's something to be said about running the full 26. Go for it.

 

[Mursilis]

Thanks all for the responses. I've seen plenty of very experienced runners say that it takes a month or more to recover from a marathon, but I'm having difficulty believing that, at least for me. Granted, I've only run two fulls so far, but I've also noticed that the people saying four weeks or more are usually in the sub-3:00 (elite) crowd, and I'm sure that, at that pace, you need more recovery time. In the ~4:00 group, as long as you've got solid training and you didn't injure yourself, I don't think you're stressing your body nearly that much. Pace is also going to be a factor. My second marathon was a day after a half marathon, but because I ran both races at "long run" pace and not race pace, it was far easier than my faster first marathon, despite the half the day before.

 

[RagingBITCH]

Thanks all for the responses. I've seen plenty of very experienced runners say that it takes a month or more to recover from a marathon, but I'm having difficulty believing that, at least for me. Granted, I've only run two fulls so far, but I've also noticed that the people saying four weeks or more are usually in the sub-3:00 (elite) crowd, and I'm sure that, at that pace, you need more recovery time. In the ~4:00 group, as long as you've got solid training and you didn't injure yourself, I don't think you're stressing your body nearly that much. Pace is also going to be a factor. My second marathon was a day after a half marathon, but because I ran both races at "long run" pace and not race pace, it was far easier than my faster first marathon, despite the half the day before.

Recovery time is based on if you race it. If you honestly plan on running it at long run pace as a training run only, you'll be fine.

General rule of thumb - for every mile you race, you need one day of recovery. So if you raced a marathon, 27 days to recover. General guideline but it's a good one to stick to.

 

[Bateluer]

With three weeks between them, you'll be fine. I recently did a marathon, 50K, and marathon on 27 Feb, 23 Feb, and 2 March. One week apart ran me kinda ragged on the 2 March race though. 2 weeks is my personal minimum, if I want to do well though.

 

[Mursilis]

If you think that is insane, check out the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning.

Linkage to utter insanity

That's just . . . wow. 100 mile trail races are just crazy. I've got tremendous respect for anyone who finishes one of those (or even makes a serious attempt).

Looks like my plan to do both Richmond and Marine Corps is not going to work. I can't seem to register for the MCM due to active.com getting swamped, and they're going to sell out very soon. Darn walkers!! #$^%#!!

 

[RagingBITCH]

That's just . . . wow. 100 mile trail races are just crazy. I've got tremendous respect for anyone who finishes one of those (or even makes a serious attempt).

Looks like my plan to do both Richmond and Marine Corps is not going to work. I can't seem to register for the MCM due to active.com getting swamped, and they're going to sell out very soon. Darn walkers!! #$^%#!!

No dood...that's just Active.com sucking. It's not nearly as bad as their fuckup of the Chicago Marathon, considering that's a major, but it's still bad if they can't handle the onslaught that is opening day for even MCM.

 

[Mursilis]

No dood...that's just Active.com sucking. It's not nearly as bad as their fuckup of the Chicago Marathon, considering that's a major, but it's still bad if they can't handle the onslaught that is opening day for even MCM.

No, I mean the walkers who are taking up the entries. I'd like to see more of the big marathons (NYC/Chicago/MCM) go the way of Boston, and make you qualify. Otherwise, "marathons" are becoming a farce.

And yes, Active.com sucks as well.

 

[RagingBITCH]

No, I mean the walkers who are taking up the entries. I'd like to see more of the big marathons (NYC/Chicago/MCM) go the way of Boston, and make you qualify. Otherwise, "marathons" are becoming a farce.

And yes, Active.com sucks as well.

I guess on that note - I fully support the walkers. I guess where is the line to draw b/t someone "running" a 12 minute mile vs 10? It's subjective. I'd rather someone walk a marathon than sit on their ass and not be active.

Not saying walkers are 12 minute miles, but the joggers I mean.

 

[Mursilis]

I guess on that note - I fully support the walkers. I guess where is the line to draw b/t someone "running" a 12 minute mile vs 10? It's subjective. I'd rather someone walk a marathon than sit on their ass and not be active.

Not saying walkers are 12 minute miles, but the joggers I mean.

You're correct that being active is better than sitting on your ass, and in that sense, I'm glad there's a marathon boom in our country, especially with our obesity rate climbing. That being said, I'd be interested to see some sort of stats on the number of people who start running just to check "run a marathon" off the bucket list, vs. those who run marathons because they were already runners. MCM is my "local" race, and I see finisher shirts on people around here all the time. I'll usually chat up anyone I see with a MCM shirt, and I've found the majority no longer run at all. They did the race, got the medal and the shirt, slapped the 26.2 sticker on the car, and went back to the couch. I've got a relative who did the same for Chicago - she finished the race and quit running right afterward. When I see someone wearing a shirt from some smaller marathon, however, they're usually a regular runner who kept running after they finished their marathon.

Of course, if more people stuck with running, that means more sell-out marathons aside from NYC/Chicago/MCM, but still, it'd be worth it to see our nation as a whole get healthier and commit to exercise over the long term.

 

[Ashenor]

I have never have been a runner, when i was younger i was lazy and would never run anything past a 220 in track lmao. Now i am starting to try to run more with crossfit. A few times a week i have been running about 2 miles in the morning, and working my way up to 5k a few times a week.

That said i am doing a 5k in May, Tough Mudder in end up June and a 1/2 Marathon in October. So hopefully i can get into running shape and start to enjoy it more soon!

 

[Bateluer]

I guess on that note - I fully support the walkers. I guess where is the line to draw b/t someone "running" a 12 minute mile vs 10? It's subjective. I'd rather someone walk a marathon than sit on their ass and not be active.

Not saying walkers are 12 minute miles, but the joggers I mean.

I don't see the point in paying hundreds of dollars to register, plus travel fees, plus the 3am wake up call, to walk 26.2 miles on pavement. Couldn't you do that in your own neighborhood, for free, with a full night's sleep?

Think I saw some twitter traffic about MCM dumping Active.com for their registrations next year though.

 

[RagingBITCH]

I don't see the point in paying hundreds of dollars to register, plus travel fees, plus the 3am wake up call, to walk 26.2 miles on pavement. Couldn't you do that in your own neighborhood, for free, with a full night's sleep?

Think I saw some twitter traffic about MCM dumping Active.com for their registrations next year though.

Local folks walk too. I make that same point - where is this magic cut-off point to say "well, you suck and shouldn't be doing a marathon?" I have friends that look up to me that run b/t the 4-5 hour marathon time...when I'm no where near fast and have friends that have run 2:25 marathons. They're not snobs looking down upon me or the 4-5 hour guys.

I will not look down on those who are doing it for a challenge/to better themselves. We can assume they're lazy because they are walkers, but we have no idea if they got injured in training and can only walk, or have lost 100lbs and are tackling it as part of their weight loss.

 

[Mursilis]

Local folks walk too. I make that same point - where is this magic cut-off point to say "well, you suck and shouldn't be doing a marathon?" I have friends that look up to me that run b/t the 4-5 hour marathon time...when I'm no where near fast and have friends that have run 2:25 marathons. They're not snobs looking down upon me or the 4-5 hour guys.

I will not look down on those who are doing it for a challenge/to better themselves. We can assume they're lazy because they are walkers, but we have no idea if they got injured in training and can only walk, or have lost 100lbs and are tackling it as part of their weight loss.

Personally, I've never looked down on any runner. I know plenty of runners in the "penguin" crowd, and I respect anyone trying to improve their health. This issue with races reaching capacity within 24 hours really only affects a handful of big marathons - Boston, NYC, Chicago, and MCM (maybe others?) and a few other popular local races - Army 10 Miler, Cherry Blossom 10. The other fall marathon I'm probably going to do, Richmond, I don't think has ever sold out. 95% of marathons aren't filling in less than 24 hours. So what's the answer for those races? Boston's gone to the qualification system, which is tough but fair, and NYC has a lottery (plus some qualification spots, from what I've heard - never looked into it). Chicago and MCM still use first come/first served, which has twice now crashed Active.com's registration system. MCM has now sold out in less than 24 hours three years in a row, so I think they're going to have to rethink the process sometime soon.

 

[Zargon]

Any number greater than 0, you mean

HA well yes.

No dood...that's just Active.com sucking. It's not nearly as bad as their fuckup of the Chicago Marathon, considering that's a major, but it's still bad if they can't handle the onslaught that is opening day for even MCM.

didnt boston get flack for not taking near as many actual runners and giving away spots to 'sponsors' who put in walkers anyways?

 

[Mursilis]

didnt boston get flack for not taking near as many actual runners and giving away spots to 'sponsors' who put in walkers anyways?

Boston does set aside a number of spots for charity runners - people who commit to raising (or write a large check themselves) a certain amount of $$ for various charities in order to "earn" a starting spot. Boston isn't the only race that does this, though. MCM is sold out, but any number of charities can get you in for a $500 contribution. As far as the number of spots Boston or MCM sets aside for charity runners, I have no idea, other than >1000.

 

[RagingBITCH]

Personally, I've never looked down on any runner. I know plenty of runners in the "penguin" crowd, and I respect anyone trying to improve their health. This issue with races reaching capacity within 24 hours really only affects a handful of big marathons - Boston, NYC, Chicago, and MCM (maybe others?) and a few other popular local races - Army 10 Miler, Cherry Blossom 10. The other fall marathon I'm probably going to do, Richmond, I don't think has ever sold out. 95% of marathons aren't filling in less than 24 hours. So what's the answer for those races? Boston's gone to the qualification system, which is tough but fair, and NYC has a lottery (plus some qualification spots, from what I've heard - never looked into it). Chicago and MCM still use first come/first served, which has twice now crashed Active.com's registration system. MCM has now sold out in less than 24 hours three years in a row, so I think they're going to have to rethink the process sometime soon.

It's never affected NYC.

NYC = lottery. It doesn't matter when you sign up. The fiasco in 2012 is a different story

Boston - you are thinking of their previous requirements to get in. They fixed it, made it harder to get in, but another 5-10 years and they'll be forced to re-adjust it yet again.

That was independent of Active.com.

So you bring up the lottery - it doesn't solve the issue. Chicago has 45,000 spots open. If 100,000 people try to register, half of the people trying to register are walkers...it doesn't solve any issue by doing a lottery. You then still have a 1 out of 2 chance to pick a walker vs a runner. That doesn't solve your issue of a walker taking up a runners spot.

 

[Bateluer]

Personally, I've never looked down on any runner. I know plenty of runners in the "penguin" crowd, and I respect anyone trying to improve their health. This issue with races reaching capacity within 24 hours really only affects a handful of big marathons - Boston, NYC, Chicago, and MCM (maybe others?) and a few other popular local races - Army 10 Miler, Cherry Blossom 10. The other fall marathon I'm probably going to do, Richmond, I don't think has ever sold out. 95% of marathons aren't filling in less than 24 hours. So what's the answer for those races? Boston's gone to the qualification system, which is tough but fair, and NYC has a lottery (plus some qualification spots, from what I've heard - never looked into it). Chicago and MCM still use first come/first served, which has twice now crashed Active.com's registration system. MCM has now sold out in less than 24 hours three years in a row, so I think they're going to have to rethink the process sometime soon.

New marathons are also springing up left and right. If you're local and didn't make it into MCM, I'd wager you can find several others within a 50 miles radius and 2 week time frame.