Structuring the final six weeks of a marathon training block

Checking The Facts wrote:

I am putting together a training block for the NYC Marathon and am curious about how to structure the final six weeks, particularly when it comes to racing.

What is the absolute latest an experienced runner could do an all-out half marathon and recover in enough time for the goal full? After looking through past blocks, I did a half marathon six weeks out back in 2018 and various 10ks closer to race day with 15 miles at marathon pace coming about four weeks out.

My hope would be to PR at whatever half marathon I do. Getting into the best race would give me the best opportunity and looking through different races led me to the Hartford Half Marathon on October 20, which would be two weeks until NYC.

As of right now, this is how the final six weeks look.

6 weeks out - Potential half marathon
5 weeks out - Undecided as of now
4 weeks out - 15 mi at marathon pace
3 weeks out - 10 mi at MP+50/10 mi @ MP
2 weeks out - 18 mi w/ 5 at marathon pace
1 week out - 14 mi moderate

This worked going into my past two marathons, but am willing to switch it up.

Comment and Q wrote:

Checking The Facts wrote:

I am putting together a training block for the NYC Marathon and am curious about how to structure the final six weeks, particularly when it comes to racing.

What is the absolute latest an experienced runner could do an all-out half marathon and recover in enough time for the goal full? After looking through past blocks, I did a half marathon six weeks out back in 2018 and various 10ks closer to race day with 15 miles at marathon pace coming about four weeks out.

My hope would be to PR at whatever half marathon I do. Getting into the best race would give me the best opportunity and looking through different races led me to the Hartford Half Marathon on October 20, which would be two weeks until NYC.

As of right now, this is how the final six weeks look.

6 weeks out - Potential half marathon
5 weeks out - Undecided as of now
4 weeks out - 15 mi at marathon pace
3 weeks out - 10 mi at MP+50/10 mi @ MP
2 weeks out - 18 mi w/ 5 at marathon pace
1 week out - 14 mi moderate

This worked going into my past two marathons, but am willing to switch it up.

At 4 wk: is that only 15 at MP? Are you doing that to gauge effort, lock in pace, and gain confidence? If you have other MP 30k-HMP sub-LT runs during the week for some weeks, you’ll get enough in terms of discerning pace and effort. I don’t know that you’d get any valuable adaptation from doing that much as opposed to a little less. I’d go for three up and 12 at MP or 2-12-1 (or 4-12-2, or whatever). But if you’re really fast, 15 won’t take a ton out of you (and on top of that, you probably shouldn’t listen to me).

At 3: For the first 10, I think you’re fine starting 90s or more above and progressing to 45 or 50 above by the end of that part. The ten at MP is good, and I doubt you need to do anything close to to emptying the tank to get enough out of it..

At 1: if “moderate” has worked for you, and especially if you know of lots of others who have benefited from that, fine. It also depends on what you might be doing five days out. If you try to throw a little more speed in the legs that day, you probably miss nothing by going all easy a week out. I’m used to seeing plans with 10 to 12 nice and easy (or 14 for higher mileage, faster runners) and 3 to 5 at MP on that day, with none of the gray zone between.