12

Marathon Taper Blues and Pains (Read 148 times)


Gang Name "Pound Cake"

    I've been running consistently almost a year now and I've been doing the Pfitzinger 18/55 plan. I'm in my last week of my taper and I've got this little 26+ mile race coming up in 5 days (Sunday). My first marathon and I picked a nice hilly one (Cincinnati Flying Pig) since I like to hurt myself. What the heck! - I've got all these little phantom pains popping up - right foot pain, then left foot pain, then tingly Achilles, etc. One minute I feel great then the next minute I'm hobbling when I walk. I felt better when I was running 50 plus mile weeks. Is this normal? Is my body just making adjustments and healing from the weeks of training? Or should I skip a couple of the scheduled recovery runs (see my log for schedule) and take more days off in this final week before my race?

     

    Thanks.

    - Scott

    2014 Goals: First Marathon - BQ2016 <3:40 (3:25:18) - 1/2M <1:45 - 5K <22:00

    2014 Marathons: 05/04 Flying Pig (3:49:02) - 09/20 Air Force (BQ 3:25:18) - 11/01 Indianapolis Monumental


    Gang Name "Pound Cake"

      Oh well... should have framed my questions as a poll, I guess, if I wanted answers.

      - Scott

      2014 Goals: First Marathon - BQ2016 <3:40 (3:25:18) - 1/2M <1:45 - 5K <22:00

      2014 Marathons: 05/04 Flying Pig (3:49:02) - 09/20 Air Force (BQ 3:25:18) - 11/01 Indianapolis Monumental

        Ha.

         

        I think it's totally normal. I always get some phantom pains and illnesses during taper. I become a total hypochondriac actually. I've learned to push it to the side and not worry about it over the years but it still happens. Whether you take an extra day off or two won't make much difference one way or another, so just do whatever you need to quiet the demons. I find that running, even if just a little, is better than not running, but everyone has what works for them.

        Runners run


        jfa

          Totally normal. Happens to me too.

           

           

           

           

           

           

          joescott


            My marathon is also coming up on Sunday.  So of course I got some kind of Martian flu 12 days ago that took me out for 3 days and took me a good week to start feeling completely myself again.  Then last night I either had a relapse or got hit with some other new exciting virus that put my temperature up over a hundred and put me in bed last night after work and made me skip my run this morning.  And I'll probably skip tomorrow again just for good measure to get a little extra rest and try to make sure I've kicked the little buggers.

             

            I'm telling myself it will be OK, but I've been having flashbacks to a 2005 Boston Marathon when I got strep about 10 days before the race.  Although I got over the strep in a couple of days with the help of some antibiotics, I still had a disastrous race.  So, there's that little story for some encouragement for you.

            - Joe

            We are fragile creatures on collision with our judgment day.

            LedLincoln


            not bad for mile 25

              Ha.

               

              I think it's totally normal. I always get some phantom pains and illnesses during taper. I become a total hypochondriac actually. I've learned to push it to the side and not worry about it over the years but it still happens. Whether you take an extra day off or two won't make much difference one way or another, so just do whatever you need to quiet the demons. I find that running, even if just a little, is better than not running, but everyone has what works for them.

               

              I didn't get any this time.  Maybe that's what went wrong.

              spinach


                I used to taper and get all sorts of phantom aches and pains.  But I gave up doing much of a taper several years ago.  If I need to travel much for the marathon I will often have a mini taper before the race due to the travel but that is about it for me.


                Gang Name "Pound Cake"

                  Thanks guys! That helps to know it's fairly normal. Just a few days to go and the weird pains have quieted down. Went for an easy 5 today and felt pretty good and rested.

                   

                  Should be good pig flying weather in Cincinnati on Sunday - partly cloudy and about 48F to start to about mid 50s when I should be seeing the finish line.

                   

                  Good luck joescott.

                  - Scott

                  2014 Goals: First Marathon - BQ2016 <3:40 (3:25:18) - 1/2M <1:45 - 5K <22:00

                  2014 Marathons: 05/04 Flying Pig (3:49:02) - 09/20 Air Force (BQ 3:25:18) - 11/01 Indianapolis Monumental

                  LedLincoln


                  not bad for mile 25

                    Good luck cheeseburger! I bet you'll do fine!  Joescott, good luck to you as well!  I may be seeing you at 20th & South - I'll be a course monitor. Smile

                    Jack K.


                    uʍop ǝpᴉsdn sǝʇᴉɹʍ ʇI

                      I used the same plan for my first marathon. The strange aches and pains you are feeling are your muscles trying to repair themselves on your reduced mileage. Face it, you have beaten yourself up over the past 17 weeks and now your body is recovering. I altered my taper a bit from the plan, if I remember correctly. My training log is public if you want to check it out. My marathon was December 8th. What is your goal?  Good luck to you.


                      Gang Name "Pound Cake"

                        Thanks Jack. My goal time is 3:50. My flat 1/2 suggests a 3:40 but the pig isn't flat so I'm giving myself an extra 10. BTW, your log isn't public or it would show by your name.

                         

                        I used the same plan for my first marathon. The strange aches and pains you are feeling are your muscles trying to repair themselves on your reduced mileage. Face it, you have beaten yourself up over the past 17 weeks and now your body is recovering. I altered my taper a bit from the plan, if I remember correctly. My training log is public if you want to check it out. My marathon was December 8th. What is your goal?  Good luck to you.

                        - Scott

                        2014 Goals: First Marathon - BQ2016 <3:40 (3:25:18) - 1/2M <1:45 - 5K <22:00

                        2014 Marathons: 05/04 Flying Pig (3:49:02) - 09/20 Air Force (BQ 3:25:18) - 11/01 Indianapolis Monumental

                        joescott


                          Good luck cheeseburger! I bet you'll do fine!  Joescott, good luck to you as well!  I may be seeing you at 20th & South - I'll be a course monitor. Smile

                           

                          That will be great, man.  About what mile will that be?  Also, PM me about how your Boston went, or else point me to the thread if you've put your race report somewhere out here on RA.

                           

                          Good luck back to you cheeseburger/Scott.  Let's do our best to get the job done well!

                          - Joe

                          We are fragile creatures on collision with our judgment day.

                          LedLincoln


                          not bad for mile 25

                             That will be great, man.  About what mile will that be?  Also, PM me about how your Boston went, or else point me to the thread if you've put your race report somewhere out here on RA.

                             

                            It's between mile 2 and 3.  Early on, when people may not need encouragement so much.  After my duty there is done, I'll be moving to place(s) later on the course; can't say for sure where.

                             

                            No Boston RR yet.  I'm just slow getting it written.

                              Yes, ghost pains are VERY common during the taper incase nobody told you about this since this is your first marathon.   It drives you crazy because you are convinced these are all new and very real injuries, when in reality you'll be just fine 99% of the time come race day.   Thus the term Taper Mania.   That being said, here is a good article that I saved on tapering if you are interested.   Despite going nuts every taper period I do strongly believe in it when done properly, so I pull this out everytime I am tapering (which is right now for a May 18 race).

                              http://runnersconnect.net/coac...he-last-three-weeks/

                               

                              Finally, here's one more piece of advice just in case you haven't arleady been told this as well.   It WILL hurt the last 6 miles no matter how well you have trained.   Just remember, what you are feeling is VERY normal, and everybody else out there is starting to feel that same way, regardless of whether it is their 1st or 50th marathon.   The most important thing at that point is to know it is normal and know that you will get through those last 5-6 miles.  I had heard the last 5 were tough going into my 1st marathon, but when I was actually in the moment, I was convinced I was hurting more than anybody else out there and thinking I couldn't finish.   Ironically I ran 3:50:40 for my first Marathon, which is pretty much what you are shooting for as well.  Trust me, the feeling you get after finishing is well worth the pain you feel those last few miles.   YOU CAN DO IT!!!!

                               

                              As for the hills, most marathoners will also tell you that they usually don't really hurt your time that much, if at all, as long as you have done some similar training in hills leading up to the race.

                               

                              Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

                              Adam

                              Jack K.


                              uʍop ǝpᴉsdn sǝʇᴉɹʍ ʇI

                                Yes, ghost pains are VERY common during the taper incase nobody told you about this since this is your first marathon.   It drives you crazy because you are convinced these are all new and very real injuries, when in reality you'll be just fine 99% of the time come race day.   Thus the term Taper Mania.   That being said, here is a good article that I saved on tapering if you are interested.   Despite going nuts every taper period I do strongly believe in it when done properly, so I pull this out everytime I am tapering (which is right now for a May 18 race).

                                http://runnersconnect.net/coac...he-last-three-weeks/

                                 

                                Finally, here's one more piece of advice just in case you haven't arleady been told this as well.   It WILL hurt the last 6 miles no matter how well you have trained.   Just remember, what you are feeling is VERY normal, and everybody else out there is starting to feel that same way, regardless of whether it is their 1st or 50th marathon.   The most important thing at that point is to know it is normal and know that you will get through those last 5-6 miles.  I had heard the last 5 were tough going into my 1st marathon, but when I was actually in the moment, I was convinced I was hurting more than anybody else out there and thinking I couldn't finish.   Ironically I ran 3:50:40 for my first Marathon, which is pretty much what you are shooting for as well.  Trust me, the feeling you get after finishing is well worth the pain you feel those last few miles.   YOU CAN DO IT!!!!

                                 

                                As for the hills, most marathoners will also tell you that they usually don't really hurt your time that much, if at all, as long as you have done some similar training in hills leading up to the race.

                                 

                                Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

                                Adam

                                 

                                Oh, yes.  I trained my butt off with the Pfitz 18/55 plan and I was ready. I was good up to mile 23 and then I wanted to quit. Man, it hurt like hell and at that point it was 100% mental. I managed a 3:24 and got a BQ.  Go figure.  Good luck cheesburger.

                                12