Need some marathon advice

[J3nn78]

My last long run (or any run for that matter) was on Thanksgiving. Put in a solid 21 miles and finished feeling strong-could have easily done a full at that point.

Due to schedule and other issues, I did not run that week following Thanksgiving.

Then the following week I came down with a nasty cold that since moved to my chest. I am still coughing like crazy. I was hoping to put in another 20 miler this weekend, but I am starting to doubt I will be recovered enough.

Any advice? I feel so antsy that I haven't run at all in 20 days! Ugh... I was so hoping to knock out a solid marathon this year and maybe PR. I am signed up for Goofy.

Thanks!
Jenn

 

[JClimacus]

My last long run (or any run for that matter) was on Thanksgiving. Put in a solid 21 miles and finished feeling strong-could have easily done a full at that point.

Due to schedule and other issues, I did not run that week following Thanksgiving.

Then the following week I came down with a nasty cold that since moved to my chest. I am still coughing like crazy. I was hoping to put in another 20 miler this weekend, but I am starting to doubt I will be recovered enough.

Any advice? I feel so antsy that I haven't run at all in 20 days! Ugh... I was so hoping to knock out a solid marathon this year and maybe PR. I am signed up for Goofy.

Thanks!
Jenn

I am in a somewhat similar boat, and I'm running Goofy as well. I strained a calf muscle in a half marathon on Nov. 15, then a knee two weeks later. A cortisone shot in the knee Monday a week ago has allowed me to start running again, but I had about a 3 week layoff. It immediately became clear to me that I had to dial my expectations way back. I had some 20 milers in the bank before that half on Nov. 15, but I'm working my mileage back up now - 3 last Thursday, 5 Friday and 8 Sunday. My legs were really sore after Sunday. I did 5 yesterday and am trying 8 again today. Right now my aim is simply to complete Goofy running - I don't care about the time. My advice would be to forget about PR's and solid marathons and dial your goals back to simple completion. These are fun runs, after all. And I wouldn't try going out for a 20 miler as soon as you feel well. Try some shorter stuff - like 5,8, or 10 - and see how that goes.

 

[FFigawi]

Good advice by @JClimacus on forgetting about a PR and focusing on just finishing. You've got enough of a base to be able to do that as long as you get some 10-12 mile runs over the next several weeks. I wouldn't plan on a taper either. I'd look at race weekend as a build up from where you are now. You need to get some mileage in to bring your endurance back up.

 

[JClimacus]

Good advice by @JClimacus on forgetting about a PR and focusing on just finishing. You've got enough of a base to be able to do that as long as you get some 10-12 mile runs over the next several weeks. I wouldn't plan on a taper either. I'd look at race weekend as a build up from where you are now. You need to get some mileage in to bring your endurance back up.

John, I'd like your advice on my plan... like I say I missed about 3 weeks of training starting Nov. 15. I had a solid base up to that point. Ran a 3:41 marathon on Sept 27 and never really broke training after that. And I managed a 1:40 half even with the strained calf. Anyway, I was planning 5-8-5 on Tue, Wed, Thurs and 6-12 this weekend. Next week I was planning the Higdon 50 mile week culminating with a long run on Sunday (not sure how long that would be). Then I'd go back to the 36 mile week. Would recommend no taper and a straight buildup to marathon weekend?

 

[FFigawi]

John, I'd like your advice on my plan... like I say I missed about 3 weeks of training starting Nov. 15. I had a solid base up to that point. Ran a 3:41 marathon on Sept 27 and never really broke training after that. And I managed a 1:40 half even with the strained calf. Anyway, I was planning 5-8-5 on Tue, Wed, Thurs and 6-12 this weekend. Next week I was planning the Higdon 50 mile week culminating with a long run on Sunday (not sure how long that would be). Then I'd go back to the 36 mile week. Would recommend no taper and a straight buildup to marathon weekend?

If you can get a 16-20 mile long run next week and get your 50 miles in, you can get by with a fairly normal taper of 36, 20-25-ish, and race weekend. If not, I'd consider doing a slow and gradual build towards marathon weekend where the full is really just the long run in that week's "plan." Since you're a fairly strong and higher mileage runner, what you don't want to do is get stuck at 30-36 and have a long taper from there.

 

[cavepig]

I developed piriformis syndrome in my glute mid-November so had a few weeks of just a few miles walk/run here and there, luckily over the last month the really sharp pain is gone, but now I have the task like you to build back up in a short time. My plan is to get in at least a 2 hour run in this weekend and then at least a 2.5 hour on the 26th with medium runs in the week, I finally got a 6 mile in yesterday longest in a month! So no tapering really here as I need to get mileage in to feel normal come race times but don't want to go crazy and make the injury worse or for you not to get hurt after the long break. I think just getting out there and doing what you can without over doing it and you'll be fine, you've got a good base behind you so it's just getting your legs moving again. I have no time goals only to finish and have fun so I wouldn't worry about PRing if I were you and just enjoy it. Good Luck and have fun!

 

[J3nn78]

Thanks! Now 2 days out, I can see that 20 miles is not going to be an option anyway.

I am just bummed because this was gearing up to be my first issue free marathon. I did my first in 2011 with knee surgery scheduled for the week after the race, my second in 2014 was Dopey and I was way undertrained and overweight and came out with stress fractures (but I finished), had to defer last year due to hubby's injury, and this year all was going so well. I know race day can still be good, I just wanted to head into it feeling ready. Now I feel doubt and worry like all the other ones I have done. Maybe that is just the nature of the beast (distance)

I think I will try for an easy/SLOW 10 miles with much walking this weekend. And then consider 15 on Christmas Eve if my lungs have been clear. And another 2 10 milers between Christmas and New Years. Fortunately I have off of work that week AND the weather will be great.