Marathon Countdown and Injury! Help!

Happylady123

I have been training for my first marathon Nov. 9th, and things have been going great. I have run 3 twenty mile runs thus far with the last one being Sunday, Oct. 6. I ran it at avg. 9:56 per mile and felt great immediately afterwards. However, this past week has been horrible. I have been in a lot of pain mostly in my left leg (quad or IT band it seems). It has gotten a lot better than it was. I skipped my long run this weekend. I was hoping to do one more 20 miler this upcoming weekend before my taper, but I don't know if I should. Should I do it or not? What should the rest ot my training look like from here on out? I was going to taper after this upcoming weekend, but I may have to taper due to injury. Thoughts? By the way, I can see in hindsight I started my training too early probably, because I wanted to have time to do enough long runs. I probably have overtrained at this point and my body is saying, "Just do the darn marathon already!"

SonicDeathMonkey80

What does your total training plan look like?

Training for a FM can never really start too early as it is building up years and many miles to really get good. I think if you're asking the question, you probably already know the answer. I would nurse your leg, do some foam rolling, and get up and walk/easy run. I don't think missing a long run from here to the FM will diminish the quality of your training more than a potential sidelining injury will.

My taper would start the week of the marathon, probably with 3 days of running - 5Nov/2mi, 6 Nov/3mi, 8Nov/2mi. That's my preference and I don't know what your training plan calls for.

LeanButNotMean44

If you have already done 3 20 milers, then "the hay is in the barn", so to speak. Doing one more long run is not going to help significantly, but it could hurt if you don't take care of this leg issue. Get a massage and give it some TLC. Do some cross training, as Sonic suggested.

LeanButNotMean44

My taper would start the week of the marathon, probably with 3 days of running - 5Nov/2mi, 6 Nov/3mi, 8Nov/2mi. That's my preference and I don't know what your training plan calls for.

Starting a taper a week prior to a marathon? I've done 3 weeks and I know some who have done 2 weeks, but one week?

RunnerInVT

Lean said "the hay is in the barn" and that is a great analogy! I would do short easy running and not worry. Foam rolling is a good idea like Sonic said, too. I did a short taper before one marathon and a longer one for the next and it made NO difference, except I may have been a little more rested with the longer taper. If you are doing some running, you won't lose fitness, so don't worry....please don't worry. Stress can be worse than the taper or the injury. You have done long runs before, so think of this as another long run, just with other people...lots of other people.
I felt better knowing it was MY race, and I didn't care so much as to time, but I KNEW I would finish it even if I had to crawl there. And, I almost did! If I can finish in the kind of pain I had for TEN freakin miles, then anyone (who trains) can finish!
You will do GREAT! You have the training, and US to cheer you on!

CarsonRuns

You have 2.5 weeks or so to go. Don't do a 20 this week, it's totally unnecessary. Do 16 to 18 miles and then start your two week taper. One week is not enough for a novice marathoner. You're going to want more time for your body to heal. Cut your mileage by 1/3 the first week and down to 1/2 the week of the race, including the marathon. Take 2 to 3 days off that week.

bluefox9er

I have been training for my first marathon Nov. 9th, and things have been going great. I have run 3 twenty mile runs thus far with the last one being Sunday, Oct. 6. I ran it at avg. 9:56 per mile and felt great immediately afterwards. However, this past week has been horrible. I have been in a lot of pain mostly in my left leg (quad or IT band it seems). It has gotten a lot better than it was. I skipped my long run this weekend. I was hoping to do one more 20 miler this upcoming weekend before my taper, but I don't know if I should. Should I do it or not? What should the rest ot my training look like from here on out? I was going to taper after this upcoming weekend, but I may have to taper due to injury. Thoughts? By the way, I can see in hindsight I started my training too early probably, because I wanted to have time to do enough long runs. I probably have overtrained at this point and my body is saying, "Just do the darn marathon already!"

I'd say you don't need to do another 20 miler...3 under your belt is enough. I'd just rest until race day or do the tapering runs ( which are important), but I think it's better to arrive healthy at the start line rather than injured.


It also depends if you are running for a competitive time/placing.

If you are a first timer, I think you'd easily finish with the 20 milers you have ran already, provided you were ok on race day.

bluefox9er

You have 2.5 weeks or so to go. Don't do a 20 this week, it's totally unnecessary. Do 16 to 18 miles and then start your two week taper. One week is not enough for a novice marathoner. You're going to want more time for your body to heal. Cut your mileage by 1/3 the first week and down to 1/2 the week of the race, including the marathon. Take 2 to 3 days off that week.

^^ this guy saved my marathon with his sound advice when i was injured 4 weeks before race day^^