The Meteor 10k or Martian Half Marathon provides a great tune up for a spring marathon
This past Saturday a few of us made a trip to Pontiac to tackle an 11 mile training run on the trails, only to find ourselves “snow plowing” without skis through as much as a foot of white powder. It didn’t take long to figure out that this would be a very slow strength run. It was so slow, in fact, that we decided to turn around 4 miles into the run and cut it down to an 8 miler for fear of not making it on time to the day’s second running adventure scheduled at noon.
One of the most common remarks heard from runners this winter has been the difficulty of getting in quality runs due to the continuous onslaught of snow, ice and cold temperatures. Those who can tolerate treadmill or indoor track miles have sought refuge indoors and have been able to churn out faster paced runs. For many, there is nothing like the great outdoors, and lots of long slow miles building strength and endurance chugging through snow covered roads, sidewalks and trails. It also leaves you wondering if you’ll have any leg speed come spring racing season, especially if you haven’t been hitting the track or treadmill for those lactate threshold, tempo and VO2 max runs.
A tune-up race is a great way to measure your current level of conditioning. During the winter and early spring months racing opportunities are limited in Michigan, but many find racing reprieve during warm weather vacations. Closer to home, the opportunities begin later this month. March 29 is the annual Kal-Haven Trail Relay , which provides a unique opportunity to get the legs moving provided mother nature cooperates and withholds a spring snow storm. April 5 & 6 are the Martian Invasion of Races which offer a fun and fast 10k and Half Marathon in addition to the marathon.
Occasional “tune-up races” are a recommended part of any training program. They serve as benchmarks of your fitness and prepare you mentally for racing. Tune-up races are all-out races; they are not races you use merely as tempo runs or pace runs. One word of caution: when doing tune-up races while “training through them,” it is important to remember that your times will be slower due to the fatigue of training even when racing all out. It is not unusual for a 10k time raced under training fatigue to be 1 – 1 ½ minutes slower than one raced when you are tapered and rested. This can provide a false indication of true fitness level. Also, don’t run tune-up races any closer than 3 weeks prior to a marathon at which you are trying to optimize performance, PR, qualify for Boston, etc, etc.
Before running a tune up race, try the mini-taper. This is where you cut back slightly on the “hard” workouts a few days before the race. Your time will be a closer indication to your true fitness level. Just how many days rest and/or easy run days do you need? It depends on what and when your last “hard” workout was. VO2 max workouts are the most taxing workouts of all. After running these 5k race pace intervals, you should allow at least 5 days recovery to allow the fatigue to lift before racing. A 5k race can also be used to replace a scheduled VO2 Max Workout. Long runs and tempo or lactate threshold runs require 4 days of recovery in order to race without the fatigue of the workout. Keep in mind, this is the amount of time it takes for the fatigue to lift, not the amount of time it takes to reap benefit from a particular workout…..this can take as much as two weeks!
Tune up races are generally shorter than the distance you are ultimately training for. The idea is to get you used to the stresses of racing and measure fitness level without prematurely running the full distance. For the Half Marathon, an 8k – 10k is an ideal distance for a tune-up race, and for the Marathon 5 miles – 25K. Any longer than that, and the recovery required will negate the benefits of the tune-up race!
One of the most common remarks heard from runners this winter has been the difficulty of getting in quality runs due to the continuous onslaught of snow, ice and cold temperatures. Those who can tolerate treadmill or indoor track miles have sought refuge indoors and have been able to churn out faster paced runs. For many, there is nothing like the great outdoors, and lots of long slow miles building strength and endurance chugging through snow covered roads, sidewalks and trails. It also leaves you wondering if you’ll have any leg speed come spring racing season, especially if you haven’t been hitting the track or treadmill for those lactate threshold, tempo and VO2 max runs.
A tune-up race is a great way to measure your current level of conditioning. During the winter and early spring months racing opportunities are limited in Michigan, but many find racing reprieve during warm weather vacations. Closer to home, the opportunities begin later this month. March 29 is the annual Kal-Haven Trail Relay , which provides a unique opportunity to get the legs moving provided mother nature cooperates and withholds a spring snow storm. April 5 & 6 are the Martian Invasion of Races which offer a fun and fast 10k and Half Marathon in addition to the marathon.
Occasional “tune-up races” are a recommended part of any training program. They serve as benchmarks of your fitness and prepare you mentally for racing. Tune-up races are all-out races; they are not races you use merely as tempo runs or pace runs. One word of caution: when doing tune-up races while “training through them,” it is important to remember that your times will be slower due to the fatigue of training even when racing all out. It is not unusual for a 10k time raced under training fatigue to be 1 – 1 ½ minutes slower than one raced when you are tapered and rested. This can provide a false indication of true fitness level. Also, don’t run tune-up races any closer than 3 weeks prior to a marathon at which you are trying to optimize performance, PR, qualify for Boston, etc, etc.
Before running a tune up race, try the mini-taper. This is where you cut back slightly on the “hard” workouts a few days before the race. Your time will be a closer indication to your true fitness level. Just how many days rest and/or easy run days do you need? It depends on what and when your last “hard” workout was. VO2 max workouts are the most taxing workouts of all. After running these 5k race pace intervals, you should allow at least 5 days recovery to allow the fatigue to lift before racing. A 5k race can also be used to replace a scheduled VO2 Max Workout. Long runs and tempo or lactate threshold runs require 4 days of recovery in order to race without the fatigue of the workout. Keep in mind, this is the amount of time it takes for the fatigue to lift, not the amount of time it takes to reap benefit from a particular workout…..this can take as much as two weeks!
Tune up races are generally shorter than the distance you are ultimately training for. The idea is to get you used to the stresses of racing and measure fitness level without prematurely running the full distance. For the Half Marathon, an 8k – 10k is an ideal distance for a tune-up race, and for the Marathon 5 miles – 25K. Any longer than that, and the recovery required will negate the benefits of the tune-up race!
