October 30, 2009, Newsletter Issue #116: Double Marathons? It's Doable

Tip of the Week

Many marathoners (myself included) think that more than one marathon per season is enough. I have often done one "training" marathon and one "competitive" marathon in the fall, and the same thing in the spring. But if you are a beginning marathoner and you are thrilled with your fall marathon, give yourself time to savor your achievement and then start looking ahead to a spring marathon--there's no need to get overzealous and end up injured.


There are some crazy people out there who run two marathons on two consecutive weekends, and some people who do two marathons on two consecutive days.


I did two marathons on consecutive weekends once, but I was well trained, and I ran the first one at a very relaxed pace. I was able to be competitive at the second one (certainly not a PR though), but my legs really felt it at the end. I think I would have been in more pain if I hadn't sprung for a chiropractor visit and a really good sports massage during the week between the races.


As for two marathons on two consecutive days, I know someone who has done that, but he had been regularly logging 70-mile weeks at the time, and has run more than 50 marathons. That's not a feat I'm interested in trying myself. In general, one or two marathons a season is fine with me.


Know anyone who has done back-to-back marathons? Feel free to comment.


 

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