Bramley 20

I really feel I've arrived in the thick of my marathon training now that I've done my first 20 mile training run.

The Bramley 20 yesterday was cold, as expected, but it was dry and an enjoyable day out. I had a massage afterwards from a fellow Runner's World forumite called 'Always Aching', which was nice - freshened my legs a treat! I did (yet again) a personal best at 3:05ish (haven't see the results), although I hesitate to call these 'PBs', as they are supposed to be slow training runs. In fact the race threw up a few questions for me, concerning pacing of 20 mile runs.

I have the Christchurch Mad March Hare in 2 week's time, and have been wondering whether to try it at marathon pace. It's a Hampshire Road Race League event, and a chance to earn the club some points. It's 6 weeks before London and so plenty of time to recover. So why am I so unsure of racing it?

During my training last year, I was following a schedule which had me running 15miles at marathon pace every few weeks. I used to dread these runs. They were the toughest sessions I did. The slow 20 milers were easy by comparison. Make no mistake though, 20 miles is a long way! I would feel the effects of these sessions for days afterwards, but mercifully I felt recovered by the next weekend, ready for my next monster run.

For the last 2 years I have used 20 mile races for training runs, and mostly it has gone OK. Each year though, I have made the mistake of doing one of the runs far too fast, and have paid for it. 2 years ago, the mistake was running a marathon pace 20 miler only 3 weeks before London. I know it affected me. My legs were in a terrible state right up to the big day. Last year I learned my lesson, but still the red mist descended during the Stafford 20. On a hilly course in horrendous weather conditions, I tried to run a PB and had to miss some of the following week's training sessions to let my legs recover.

My target is London. Of this simple fact I am certain. 20 miles is a long way! This too is a point not requiring too much debate. Nothing I have experienced so far can convince me of the benefit of running 20 milers quickly. It is far better to hold something back, and be fresh for the following week's training, than to try to impress with a fast time at the 20, and disappoint in the marathon.

At Bramley yesterday, things went pretty much to plan, but again I ended up running a lot quicker than intended in the second half, simply by getting caught up in the atmosphere of a 'race'. I think I got away with it. Overall I was still about 1 minute/mile slower than marathon pace, so still a 'slow' run, and my legs feel OK today.

So what did I learn?

I will not be racing Christchurch at anything like full speed, but that's easier said than done. However slowly I intend to run it, I will inevitably end up running quicker than planned. However, with the event 6 weeks before London, the risk is not too great.

After that I will not be entering any more long races before London. I will be far better to do long runs on my own, where it is a lot easier to stick to a pace plan. The long runs are the key to the marathon program, but they have to be done correctly.

I will be doing some miles at marathon pace in my long runs, but only in 15 or 16 mile runs, with the marathon pace miles limited to the middle section of the run.

I think Bramley was a useful race to do, if only to answer some questions about my long runs!