I ran my first marathon just over a week ago. It went really well, and I decided around mile 23 that I wanted to run another one. So I signed up for Twin Cities, which is 19 weeks from my first marathon.
For the first race, I used the Pfitz 55/24 plan, and minus a couple setbacks, was able to follow the plan pretty closely. I’d originally planned on using the 5 week recovery cycle from Pfitz, but an opportunity to run a HM one week after my marathon was too good to pass up. So I ran an easy HM yesterday at almost exactly marathon pace.
Now the questions:
With the next marathon 18 weeks away, and feeling pretty good, do I pick up the recovery cycle from where I should be?
Do I take a recovery type week now, then mix next weeks easy/recovery week with the first two weeks of the training plan?
I was going to use Pfitz’s 18/55 plan, but it seems counter-productive to go back to a long run of 12-14 miles the next three weeks. Am I wrong in thinking this? Should I add miles to the first few weeks of the plan so it doesn’t feel like I’m wasting my base?
And finally, if training goes well again, is a goal of cutting my marathon pace from 8:26 to 8:00 too ambitious?
Am I over-analyzing this?
I think I know the answer to this one.
Most marathon plans call for a 12 week training period (some 16 weeks)...least that is what have read over and over (my 'theoretical knowledge' of marathon running/training)....
So, I would say for you to run easy until 12 to 16 weeks before your next marathon and then start training as if you want to set a PR....but take the rest period cause I'm guessing you need it (even if you feel pretty good, you body probably has some recovery to do -----least I'm pretty sure that mine would)......
I would NOT recommend your taking 23 year and 6 months of easy running....but two to 6 weeks would be nice.....
Champions are made when no one is watching
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I'm touching your pants.
Thanks for the advice.
I did use the 24/55 plan from Advanced Marathoning. I’m assuming the weeks you’re looking at have tune up races in them, and I had to cut those seeks short because I was playing hockey on Sundays, then felt some knee pain on the last 5k. The short weeks in late Feb, early March were because DW got sick and ended up having brain surgery, then I got sick (stress finally caught up to me).
I think I’ll take a few weeks really easy, work my mileage back up, and then pick up one of the 55 plans at around the week 12 area. I like that idea. Willamona, when you mention my pacing, are you talking about during my race?
Didn't look that far back. Just the few weeks up on your log summary match nothing in the book. And yes, you will worry about marathon day pace after you get accustom to training more consistently and showing your body is capable of following the plan/s for the most part.
Willamona
As a fellow MAFr, any suggestions on a good traing program? In the past I have followed HH Int II. Do you do all training at or below MAF?
labhiker
A Saucy Wench
I have total mutt training. I take what I need and screw the rest. You pretty much need to figure out what type of training you thrive on.
+1
I like the Higdon race pace the day before the long run and running the long run on tired legs theory.
I like the Pfitz medium long run -
I like some aspects of yasso's plan.
I dont know WHAT my plan is anymore. I guess it is mine.
I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets
"When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7