Marathon Training and Discussions

1

What to do when you know your training sucked (Read 614 times)

    Short story is that I accepted a number for Boston to run for charity and started training in November with very little base. Since February I've been battling peroneal tendinitis in my left ankle and it has killed my training. The bad ankle led to anterior tibialis tendinitis but that has abated. But the ankle still is not right.

     

    My log is public so I'll spare you the details but I'm trying to decide whether to run Boston or not. I had a good December and a great January but the last 5 weeks have just sucked. I don't feel fit enough to do it. Can't defer since I'm a charity runner.  Or is there anything I can try to do over the next several weeks that will enable me to finish and maintain my dignity.

     

    I know I just have to figure this out myself based on what I can do in the next 25 days but any insight is appreciated. I'm about ready to shut it down.

     


    Prince of Fatness

      You've pointed out the obvious.  You're undertrained.  So let's work through that.

       

      What's your goal?  You're a charity runner so are you OK with just raising the money and working through it?  If so then run and take walk breaks when you need to.  You don't need to prove anything to anyone here so no need to worry about that.

       

      What's your gut feeling?  That's usually correct.

      Not at it at all. 

        It's my opinion that just about any reasonably fit person can carry their body for 26.2 miles on any givin day. It's not a hard task if you really break it down.  As long as you have been exercising consistently I would just go for it.  Even if you make it 18 or so miles and walk the rest. You said it's for charity right? So who cares, just show up.
        PR's: 5k 19:34 2008 10k 41:05 2008 Half 1:34:34 2007 Marathon 3:29:49 2009 Up next, Spring Marathon NJ?


        an amazing likeness

          Your long run today shows you'll be ok.  Use the time between now and Patriot's day on building health rather than cramming miles.  10 - 14 milers will build base without tearing you down.

          Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.

            I have no idea where today's run came from. I had to bail on an easy 5 Thursday night due to ankle pain. I just need to HTFU and not be a WATB.

             


            A Saucy Wench

              I ran Monkey last year on woefully inadequate training and it was great - had a blast - probably one of the more fun days I spent. 

               

              I ran Phoenix a few years ago on woefully inadequate training and it sucked. 

               

               

              The main difference between the two was base (even though I had been injured and sick for about 6 months I still had a few years of base in there) and expectations.  In HHFMM I went out slow and never sped up and walked early and often (easier to do in Monkey than a flatter marathon, I set myself a walk the hills plan)   In Phoenix I went out too fast and slowed down from there.

               

              Quit it on the long runs at this point.  Just get some good consistent running between now and then and go out easy.

              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

                Deleted beacause I was responding to a 3 year old post.

                npaden


                  Interesting to see how it turned out though.  Looking at his log, he ran a 4:10 and it looks like it was his first marthon.

                   

                  Since then he ran a couple 3:30 ish marathons and just set his PR in November with a smoking 3:13 in Philly.

                  Age: 50 Weight: 224 Height: 6'3" (Goal weight 195)

                  Current PR's:  Mara 3:14:36* (2017); HM 1:36:13 (2017); 10K 43:59 (2014); 5K 21:12 (2016)