marathon training

RhiAndy11
RhiAndy11 Posts: 72 Member
edited November 25 in Fitness and Exercise
Helloooo

I am running a marathon at the end of this month amd starting to feel a tad concerned. The problem i have is pain!
Around 10 miles in my legs/hips/knees/ankles are in pain. i dont feel physically tired/out of breath. i feel like i have the energy to keep going and going if only the pain would go away. Basically my legs wont let me ha. Anyone had this issue and dealt with it? im wondering if i should take over the counter pain killers couple of hours before the race and then 10 miles in? anyone done this with success?

Thanks in advance.
Rhi :-)

Replies

  • RhiAndy11
    RhiAndy11 Posts: 72 Member
    p.s. i have run further than 16 miles pushing through the pain but need to do that 26miles!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    See a physio?

    Pain in all those places doesn't sound good a month out... how many miles are you running per week?
  • sarabushby
    sarabushby Posts: 784 Member
    You must be very careful about taking painkillers whilst running & immediately afterwards. It can cause kidney damage and is often explained in the pre-race briefing pack. Please google and research yourself but here’s one article to get you started: http://www.coachmag.co.uk/exercises/marathon-training/4467/should-you-take-painkillers-during-an-endurance-race

    I would echo the advice to see a Physio ASAP, you can take caffeine in you gels/drinks or as tablets which might help you push on & mask the pain but pain is your body’s warning and you don’t want to do long term damage to yourself by ignoring it. I’m not sure anyone gets through a marathon without a degree of pain but you need to recognise if it’s just tired muscles or if you have a problem.

    Calf guards are good if you don’t already use them, I recommend them. You might want to try compression tights too.

    You could try following a regimental routine of strength and injury prevention exercises but it may be too little too late. Won’t do any harm though so long as you do them with correct form. Check out YouTube for some routines.

    Where exactly are you feeling the pain? Does it change with whether you run fast or slow, up hill or downhill or flat? Is it just painful when you run or have you got pain the next few days too?
  • RhiAndy11
    RhiAndy11 Posts: 72 Member
    ooo that article is a tad scary. Thank you! il skip on the pain meds then eek.

    it mostly hurts when running down hill. If i do 6 miles i dont feel it at all and nothing in between but once i reach 9 miles the pain starts to niggle. totally bearable though until i get past half marathon....then its a struggle. it starts in my knee and feels lile it runs up and down my leg. i spoke briefly to a physio about it and my IT band was mentioned. So i think it is tired muscles?
    The problem i have is i live in a very hilly town i think?! so pounding the floor on the way down is maybe too much for my knees? not sure.
    Looks as though im just gona have to turn up at the marathon and hope for the best at this point oops!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    RhiAndy11 wrote: »
    ooo that article is a tad scary. Thank you! il skip on the pain meds then eek.

    it mostly hurts when running down hill. If i do 6 miles i dont feel it at all and nothing in between but once i reach 9 miles the pain starts to niggle. totally bearable though until i get past half marathon....then its a struggle. it starts in my knee and feels lile it runs up and down my leg. i spoke briefly to a physio about it and my IT band was mentioned. So i think it is tired muscles?
    The problem i have is i live in a very hilly town i think?! so pounding the floor on the way down is maybe too much for my knees? not sure.
    Looks as though im just gona have to turn up at the marathon and hope for the best at this point oops!

    What's your training plan been like? Tired muscles at 13 miles will not make a fun race
  • RhiAndy11
    RhiAndy11 Posts: 72 Member
    well im doing a long run once a week. 13+ miles and 2 shorter ones. 3-6 miles. the shorter ones are occasionally on the treadmill weather dependent. I havnt quite made 17 miles yet though. some of that is possibly motivation. i like a 10 mile run....more than that feels like a chore. i definitely only plan to run the one marathon ha. Im just going to have to get through the next 4 weeks i think. I was hoping painkillers would help but 100% put off that idea. so glad i asked!
  • RhiAndy11
    RhiAndy11 Posts: 72 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    At this point personally, I'd do a half and call it a day.

    yehhh as much as that thought has crossed my mind....i signed up to a marathon and i dont have it in me to quit...even if that means walking over the finish line. i can say i tried. i have my half marathon medal (2h3m) now i want to try for a full. call me crazy
  • RhiAndy11
    RhiAndy11 Posts: 72 Member
    Yeh i see your point. il do my best!
  • RhiAndy11
    RhiAndy11 Posts: 72 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    RhiAndy11 wrote: »
    well im doing a long run once a week. 13+ miles and 2 shorter ones. 3-6 miles. the shorter ones are occasionally on the treadmill weather dependent. I havnt quite made 17 miles yet though. some of that is possibly motivation. i like a 10 mile run....more than that feels like a chore. i definitely only plan to run the one marathon ha. Im just going to have to get through the next 4 weeks i think. I was hoping painkillers would help but 100% put off that idea. so glad i asked!

    That's not enough mileage.

    For a half you can train on 3 runs a week (I do!). For a full it's not enough mileage during the week to manage the 13 plus miles at the weekend, as you're finding out.

    Sorry, I don't have any useful suggestions at this point other than agreeing that doing a half would be better and then train better next time for a full.

    unfortunately child care is an issue! plus the fact that im a bit of a fair weather runner ha. Thanks for the replies guys. il just do what I can. my stubborness will get me over the finish line im sure :smile:
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    as a person who has run a couple marathons significantly undertraining, but not injured - i don't recommend pushing yourself for the end of the month...if you could drop down the half, make that mid-point of your training and then start a building into a marathon a couple months from now - will give you time to work through any injuries/strength deficincies

    for comparision - when I am solely marathon training - i'm running 4-5 days a week, if its triathlon training (half iron, or ironman) then its 2-3 days with swimming, cycling included...
  • Ultima_Morpha
    Ultima_Morpha Posts: 892 Member
    You've gotten a lot of good advice. I'll just add that my husband ignored a developing IT band problem and just spent the better part of a year in recovery-- he is a 10k and half marathon guy (no desire to go further) but he's just getting back up to half distance without feeling tortured.
  • hist_doc
    hist_doc Posts: 206 Member
    Last year, my cousin (who has completed a couple of marathons) ignored a persistent knee pain while running. One day it just gave out and popped. She is now spending the next 12-18 months in recovery after having had two knee surgeries, followed by having new cartilage grown, and another surgery. If childcare is an issue, trust me, you don’t want to be laid up like she was for twelve weeks not being able to walk. My advice? Do not push yourself or think that sheer stubbornness can get you through. Save the stubbornness for your race when you’ve done the mileage—you’ll surely need it then too.
  • RhiAndy11
    RhiAndy11 Posts: 72 Member
    Thanks for the advice everybody :smile:
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    RhiAndy11 wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    RhiAndy11 wrote: »
    well im doing a long run once a week. 13+ miles and 2 shorter ones. 3-6 miles. the shorter ones are occasionally on the treadmill weather dependent. I havnt quite made 17 miles yet though. some of that is possibly motivation. i like a 10 mile run....more than that feels like a chore. i definitely only plan to run the one marathon ha. Im just going to have to get through the next 4 weeks i think. I was hoping painkillers would help but 100% put off that idea. so glad i asked!

    That's not enough mileage.

    For a half you can train on 3 runs a week (I do!). For a full it's not enough mileage during the week to manage the 13 plus miles at the weekend, as you're finding out.

    Sorry, I don't have any useful suggestions at this point other than agreeing that doing a half would be better and then train better next time for a full.

    unfortunately child care is an issue! plus the fact that im a bit of a fair weather runner ha. Thanks for the replies guys. il just do what I can. my stubborness will get me over the finish line im sure :smile:

    I've only done ten marathons, but I wouldn't even do a half on that mileage, particularly carrying an injury.
  • LeanButNotMean44
    LeanButNotMean44 Posts: 852 Member
    Hey, great job! How did the race go? Were you in pain at the halfway point like you were in training?

    Should you entertain the idea of running another marathon (a lot of people swear not to then do a 180), I highly suggest using one of Hal Higdon’s training programs.

    Congratulations once again!
  • RhiAndy11
    RhiAndy11 Posts: 72 Member
    Thank you very much :-)

    super proud of myself. It got painful around 18miles but then from speaking to people that seems to be when most hit a wall. i saw lots of people walking from that point. the pain didnt stop me and it was definitely worse in training before i saw the physio and they taped up my ITband.
    Not sure i want to do another one haha. i might stick to halfs. They feel fun. More than that feels rather torturess. the training is worse than the actual marathon though to be fair.
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