Just a side note-- I've found it better to do the 'extra miles' before the race-- the end of a 22 miler is definitely where I need spectators/fluids/motivation.
I agree with this sentiment but more for the reason that you will inherently want to finish the race strong, and cross the finish line strong, leaving not much left in the tank for 9 more miles. Many times I have finished a race with the intent on running another 5 or so miles after and once it's through I blow it off. Maybe that's just the competitive way I attack a race though. Rarely am I able to hold back and treat them as training runs. If I do, it'll be some sort of pace run, where I'll run the first 3-4 miles at a jog and then accelerate to marathon pace.
On this note, and against all my advice, I am considering doing Boston this year as a long training run for Vermont City. It's not a great idea, but my reasoning is:
- Boston is a hard course. I have run it twice and fared poorly relative to my other marathons. Both times I was 8-10 min behind my PR - so basically, I have given up on running a superb time there
- That said, the race is freaking awesome to run. History, crowds, the feeling of being a celebrity - all unparalleled feelings
- I qualified with a good time, probably the 2nd or 3rd corral, I feel like I owe it to myself to run it
- After this year I'll be joining the working world full time (in grad school now) and who knows what that will do to my training schedule, or if I'll even be able to get the day of the race off
But I'd like to do Vermont City too, it's a new race and it seems cool and I could probably log a decent time there, likely better than at Boston. The races are 5 weeks apart, I could try to jog the first 10 miles and then run the last 16 at my goal marathon pace. I've had a similar strategy in a 30k or 20 miler before a marathon but am a little worried about recovery if I'm doing this in a full marathon. Anyone have experience with 2 marathons so close together?