Is it detrimental

Giants Fan

posted: 1/6/2009 at 10:09 AM

to go backwards in mileage for week to begin training plan for marathon? I'm training for May 3rd marathon...know I'll be doing less mileage, however am adding in the longer run and hills/speedwork. But I can't help but think I'm going backwards??? So frustrating! I've looked at so many plans, tried to come up with something somewhat of my own...just not happy this time around. Maybe its because this time I have a time goal in mind. ???

"I think I've discovered the secret of life- you just hang around until you get used to it."

Charles Schulz

dgb2n

Dave

posted: 1/6/2009 at 10:59 AM

Quote from midwest runner on 1/6/2009 at 10:09 AM:

to go backwards in mileage for week to begin training plan for marathon? I'm training for May 3rd marathon...know I'll be doing less mileage, however am adding in the longer run and hills/speedwork. But I can't help but think I'm going backwards??? So frustrating! I've looked at so many plans, tried to come up with something somewhat of my own...just not happy this time around. Maybe its because this time I have a time goal in mind. ???

I wouldn't go back in mileage just to match a plan. More likely, I'd tailor the plan or maintain what I have until the plan sort of sync's up with what I'm already running. I had the opposite problem. I didn't get a plan in place and when I figured out I was 12 weeks from my race, I plugged in Hal Higdon Int. II and realized I needed a 16 mile long run last weekend. Better to be where you're at. Nothing magical about the plan.

I ran a mile and I liked it, liked it, liked it.

dgb2n@yahoo.com

zoom-zoom

Fanatic #3965

posted: 1/6/2009 at 11:13 AM

Funny...I have been wondering this same thing. I'm planning to use Higdon's Int. II for my May race and it starts with a 26 mile week...I have been doing 30-35 (well, I WAS...before the holidays and illness decided to cut things down almost in half for the past 2 weeks). So I think for the first month of training I will consider the Higdon plan a guideline for the bare minimum I should be putting in. This way I won't feel bad if I plan to do 35 and bad weather forces me to shorten some runs--after all, it's Jan. in MI. Today I am being forced to do a TM run thanks to ice storms that coated everything in black ice and no days warm enough to melt it (and they aren't salting anything but the main roads that I can't run on, anyhow...though I did see a guy out there running on the main business route yesterday and a car nearly pasted him).

Kirsten

'07: 1324.5 | '08: 1561 | '09: 1810.9 run ~ 208.7 bike | '10: 1,000.3 run ~ 3513.5 bike | '11: 710.3 run ~ 4157.9 bike '12: 659.9 run ~ 3365.6 bike (100% benched by ortho last 4.5 weeks while in long-arm cast)

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• punch Type 1 in the junk

Daddyo

@BeachesRunner

posted: 1/6/2009 at 11:26 AM

keep your mileage. add the parts of the plan that extend. do the long runs. taper a bit less than most plans recommend. rinse. repeat.

midwest runner

Giants Fan

posted: 1/6/2009 at 12:21 PM

Thanks! I sort of felt that way, just can't seem to get my shit together. Ya know what I mean. Will have to look at it tonight, figure it all out. Did notice I'm off from last Sun. was supposed to do 14, did a 12 miler, just going 14 this Sun. and 16 the next, then backing down for a week. Wish me luck! I'm hoping for a 3:50-3:55 finish...doesn't seem like much off my time, but of course anything faster would be excellent as well!

"I think I've discovered the secret of life- you just hang around until you get used to it."

Charles Schulz

EGH3

posted: 1/13/2009 at 2:19 PM

Quote from Daddyo on 1/6/2009 at 11:26 AM:

keep your mileage. add the parts of the plan that extend. do the long runs. taper a bit less than most plans recommend. rinse. repeat.

That's exactly what I'm doing. Long run on weekend, mid-week longish run and then fill in miles around that based on how I feel with a goal of ramping up to 50-60 mpw.. I don't care for the rigid structure of some of the plans.

PerfesserR

Imminent Catastrophe

posted: 1/19/2009 at 9:37 AM

Quote from Daddyo on 1/6/2009 at 11:26 AM:

keep your mileage. add the parts of the plan that extend. do the long runs. taper a bit less than most plans recommend. rinse. repeat.

The only reason to reduce your running would be if you are getting burnout or have some injury issues. Otherwise, you're ahead of the game. Training plans are just guidelines, they don't have to be followed to the letter.

"Able to function despite imminent catastrophe"

"The most common question from potential entrants is 'I do not know if I can do this' to which I usually answer, 'that's the whole point'.--Paul Charteris, Tarawera Ultramarathon RD.

"They just couldn't believe that somebody would do all that running for no reason."--Forrest Gump

√ Boston Marathon 15 April

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Tahoe Rim Trail 100M 20/21 July

Daddyo

@BeachesRunner

posted: 1/19/2009 at 10:32 AM

I can't even make a plan this time around. From now until spring I am on such a crazy schedule with home, kids, work, I will be 'winging it' the whole way through. Should be interesting.

Marathon Training and Discussions

Is it detrimental (Read 542 times)

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