Taking an easy week in the middle of marathon training? (Read 667 times)

I'm using Hal Higdon's novice marathon program to train for my first marathon in February. Training's gone really well. I've followed the plan to the letter. http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/novices.html I started training a week early, because I was worried I'd need to take time off in case an old hip injury flared up. Hal Higdon says it's okay to extend the taper by a week if you have to, so I always figured that if I didn't need the time, I'd taper for four weeks instead of three and call it good. But now I have a change of plans. I wasn't planning to, but now I'm going to visit family during the holidays next week, and I don't want to run too much while I'm there -- there's snow! and I need to spend time with the folks. I'm considering cutting mileage by half, then picking up the training where I left off when I get home. In other words, this is week 11, then I'd do a half-mileage week, then I'd pick back up at week 12. Trouble is, week 12 is already a cutback week, and then I follow it up with the 18 miler. Is it safe to do the 18 miler after two weeks of reduced mileage? Or should I stick to the schedule, run in the snow , and do a four week taper when the time comes? Thanks. I might be overthinking all this, but I really want to stay safe and healthy. Training's been going really well, and I don't want to screw it up.

It'll be fine. A lot of marathon plans build in a few cutback weeks like this to help you recover and avoid burning out. Edit: Oops, I didn't realize the following week is already a cutback week. If you are going to take a light week while you're on vacation, I would treat it as your Week 12 and then move on to Week 13 and your 18 miler. IMO it's OK if you cut back a bit more than the plan calls for. I would shoot to run 22-24 miles that week.

Thanks for the advice, everybody. I ended up only running 8 miles the week I was away from home -- 4 the morning I flew there, and 4 the morning I flew back. There was a foot of snow and ice, and it only melted that last day. We were effectively snowed in the whole time. It was really slick out there, and I was scared I'd slip, fall, hurt myself, and ruin everything. I wanted to follow Afty's advice and not take two easy weeks in a row though, so I came back and went right into the next week of training. The 18 miler sucked, but I think it would have sucked anyway. I think everything's going to be okay. Thanks again.