I'm desperate and I need some training advice. The Chicago marathon is just about 8.5 weeks ago and my training seems to be in shambles. These days I just can't seem to run more than 2 miles without having to take a walking break. As if that isn't bad enough, all my runs are a struggle and I can't seem to go very far, even taking walking breaks. This past Sunday I set out to run 15 miles, but only managed 9. Today I wanted to run an easy 6 miles, but only did 4. This all started about 2-3 months ago. I tried various things including cutting way back and running just 10 miles on Sundays for a couple weeks. I tried reduced mileage, more rest days, and running slower, but nothing seems to be helping. I'm trying to decide what to do now. I figure I have several options: - Continue to push through and run the 30 mpw I've been doing and hope for the best on marathon day. Maybe the atmosphere will make it easier. - Abandon the Chicago marathon. If I cancel my hotel reservation, I'll get back the almost $900 I had to pre-pay plus I can re-use the airline tickets for my and my family for another trip. (The money isn't important to me so this would actually be my least preferred option) - Continue training, but run even less miles than the 30mpw I've been doing recently and then just run the marathon "to finish" and the experience. If I do the latter, how much should I drop to? If I do run the marathon, what should my race day strategy be? E.g, one strategy would be to take a walking break every mile, but I tried that today and I couldn't sustain that for my short run, let alone 26 miles. What is making my runs hard is that my legs don't seem to have any energy left in them....they just seem to be dying on me. I have monitored my diet to see if that could be the problem, but I'm getting 60-70% of my calories from carbs so I would think my diet is ok. Up until around June or so I was flying high. I was running 40 mile weeks and even ran a 45 mile week, but I haven't been able to get anywhere near that level recently. At a time when marathon trainers are hitting their peak mileage, I'm going in the opposite direction! I imagine the weather is probably having an impact as it was a lot cooler when I was running better, but I don't think 10-15F difference would account for ALL of my current problems. I do have one thing going for me in that the weather in Chicago on marathon day would be a lot cooler.

Have you seen any other issues in other aspects of your life? Boredom at work, change in eating or sleeping habits, short temper, anything like that? Are you just not energetic, or is there any pain associated with any of it? What's your longest run to date?

I haven't noticed any change in work, eating or sleeping habits. I don't have a short temper or anything like that. My longest run so far is 18 miles which I've done twice, but they were both back in June. I don't notice any kind of sharp pain in my legs. They just feel "tired". The best way to describe it would be the way my legs used to feel after a long run, but it's just that I get that feeling after just 2-3 miles instead of after running 15-18 miles.

Derek, The first thing I thought of was it sounds like you need a trip to the doctor's office (as Bob asked about anemia, etc). It sounds to me like you've already done all the right things - if it was overtraining - i.e. cutting back volume and intensity. I saw you are getting plenty of carb calories, but are you still cutting calories for weight loss? I know I don't have much energy when I'm cutting calories and running a lot. Regarding what to do about Chicago - I also agree that only you can answer that. Nothing wrong with just running it - assuming you get your legs back. Bring your 4 hour goal to Dallas, Austin, or Houston this winter.

How are things going, Derek? Looks like you've strung together a nice few weeks compared to previous weeks. Have you decided what to do about Chicago?

I'll run Chicago, but I guess I'll wait until just before to figure out what my goal is going to be. It may just end up being "to finish" and to enjoy the experience of my first marathon. Today was actually the first day I felt a "little" better about my run. I'm not talking about a huge improvement, but just that I felt a little better when compared to the runs over the last few weeks. I'm hopeful that I'm at the beginning of getting out of the rut I seem to be in. Looking back a few months, I was running much better when the temperatures were in the 50's. I was reading a book by Galloway and he had some comparisons of the effect of temperature changes and a 20F change results in quite a drop in speed (I run in the mornings when it's in the 70's). Part of me is also hoping that is a contributor to my woes and since Chicago "should" be in the 50's or 60's, I may be fine during the marathon. It would be nice if I could have gotten some cooler weather in the DFW metroplex before I head to Chicago as that would help me see how I run currently in cooler weather, but that isn't going to happen in September :-) I rest tomorrow and I'll be aiming for a 15-18 mile run on Sunday....we'll see how that goes.