You all Love/Hate me for this one. We are using the lonely back half of the Louisiana Marathon. For Marathoners it represents the 19-20 Mile point where things can sometimes get “tricky”.

We need to use this as Mental Preparation so it “ain’t no big thing” on race day. What time do you want to be at when you hit 19-20 miles? How do you plan to work through the tough miles and turn for home?

I want you to prepare by smiling and trying to feel light and confident through that Tara loop!!

This should be your longest training run during your Half or Full marathon build-up. We have built up to this level. Most runners find that running their longest training run 3-5 weeks before the marathon is best.

Necessarily, the pace is slow. This type of super long run isn’t about speed. It’s about time on your feet so make sure to run within an easy long run pace range and just let the time roll by.

This is not a run to push the pace and try to run fast.

We are working on glycogen burning long runs to improve fat burning during the race. The key aims of the long, easy distance long run are to increase your ability to burn fat, store more glycogen and to challenge the body and mind to continue running even when fatigued. From physiology, we know that the body uses fats and carbohydrates while running – the portion of each is determined by the pace. Run fast and the reliance shifts to more carbohydrates, less fats. Run slowly and the muscles rely more on fat and less on carbohydrate. Therefore, it is very important that in this type of long run – the long, steady long run, you don’t run fast. You’ll rely more on fats at an easy pace, possibly improving your ability to burn fat.

Look at the McMillian Calculator to help you: https://www.mcmillanrunning.com

Often muscular durability is your limitation (your legs fail you late in the marathon), then you may want to extend long runs to provide a deeper stimulus for the legs to get used to the stress of running long.

3 Mile Walk - follow the long run route out and back

11 Miles - less experienced Half Marathoners

13 Miles - experienced Half Marathoners

14.75 experienced Half Marathoners wanting to use the over-distance to

improve their strength at the end of the race.

20-22 Miles - Marathoners- run 5-7 miles early or split them up before and after the group 14.75

Hydration at Goodwood Park that you can stop at out and back!