Marathon Training Help

Somebody_Loved

Hi All,

I posted a week and a half ago about being sick/missing runs and I'm back for more advice since I was sick longer than expected. I'm in the midst of marathon training and my last long run was on 03/19 at 12 miles (my longest run to date is 13 miles). 2 days later I got sick, and in the past two weeks I've only run 3 times when I felt healthy enough, none of them longer than 4 miles (and all of them a struggle).

I'm feeling significantly better now and imagine I'll be able to start training again this week. My question is do I go back to following my training plan as is or should I alter it somehow? My schedule for this week is:

Tues: 4 miles
Wed: 7 miles
Thurs: 4 miles
Sat: 15 miles

Thanks!

Somebody_Loved

Bueller?

*bump*

blues4miles

Realistically if you had the time I'd suggest you repeat the week where you got sick (with the 12 mile long run). But I'm guessing you are posting because you don't have the time in your schedule to accommodate repeating any weeks?

Somebody_Loved

@blues4miles - Correct, I don't have the time in the plan to repeat a week. However, the next three long runs are 15 miles, 13.1 miles, and 17 miles. So this Saturday I could do lower mileage (12-13) miles, do the 15 miles next weekend and then continue on with the 17 miles and forward if that makes sense.

blues4miles

Yes it makes sense. Sounds like the week with the 13.1 they are asking you to run a half (is this a Hal Higdon plan?) but that also might be your cut back week. So it makes sense that you could treat the week you were sick as your cut back week instead, and skip the future cut back week. Bumping from 12-13 to 15 to 17 seems kinda tough, make sure you are getting all your other runs in and maybe skip any speedwork (if your plan calls for any) or rather run the speedwork as just a normal easy run. Do all your other runs EASY.

So yeah, maybe just swap the next two weeks, do the 13.1 this week, then 15 the week after. Like I said, run all your other runs for the next couple weeks at easy effort. How many weeks left in the plan?

Somebody_Loved

@blues4miles - Thanks for your help. Yep, I'm following Hal Higdon Novice 2. Doesn't call for any speed work, it just differentiates between runs at easy pace and then runs at race pace. I'll plan to run at easy pace the next week or two until I'm back to feeling 100% and swap the weeks so I'm doing 13 miles this week, then 15, then 17. Thanks again!

ETA: There are 11 weeks left in the plan (marathon is on June 18th).

blues4miles

Oh well that's reassuring, you are sort of in the middle of your plan. I think you'll be fine. It can take a few weeks back at it to really recover your fitness, but you have time.

I think Higdon's plans are good, especially for first timers, and they will get you there for sure. But I'll say my biggest critique is his long runs are generally 50% of the total weekly mileage he has you running. Which is a lot. If you have the time to add a 5th day (at whatever the lowest mileage run he already has you running, or even just 2-3 miles) that could be a benefit to you. That might not work for someone who is older or particularly injury prone, but in my personal experience having your long run not be more than 33% of your total weekly mileage is optimal. That's super tough when you are training for a marathon, especially the first time, but adding a few easy miles elsewhere in the week might help.

VanderTuig1976

You'll be just fine starting back up on the next week. I'm following the same plan and have altered it many times due to work, sick kiddies, life, etc. However, I gave myself some lee time so I wasn't worried about not being able to finish the plan. I agree with the other poster that you will benefit from running more than the plan calls for.