Just completed Ironman New York 70.3 yesterday. Was my first time at the distance and weather was pretty poor. I was slow, learned a lot, and finished. Next race is the NYC marathon. I got into the marathon by doing the virtual event last fall. I have never run a marathon as an event.
Any suggestions for the next four weeks? (I am assuming a light week 5 culminating in the marathon) I’m sore from yesterday, but I am going to try do a combo of yoga, stretching, and maybe a light 30 minutes on the bike to spin out fatigue. I probably can find time to do four runs per week, Mon, Thurs, Sat, Sun. Any suggestions for me? If there is an existing resource to point me towards, I’d appreciate it. (I googled for it myself, but what I found was more like “you haven’t trained at all and you are running a marathon” plans.)
My typical long run mile time is around 10:30 min/mile. My only goal for the marathon is finish.
A lot depends on your run fitness……what was your longest run, miles / week, etc.
You have a decent base aerobic fitness, but very little specificity for a marathon right now. Amd you are gonna lose a week of training (at least) trying to recover from your 70.3.
Best thing you can do is pile on as many run days as you can, likely focusing on shorter runs but running almost everyday. Google the BarryP run plans for how to structure such a running plan……but note that these plans are about building long-term running base, not a magic bullet for what you are trying to do.
But if your goal is just to complete it, you definitely have the fitness to accomplish it….just gauge your expectations appropriately and know it is gonna be a pretty long day.
Thanks - I appreciate it. Yeah - only goal is finishing.
I was thinking for myself (and this is based on what I know about my weekly schedule, I’m a teacher with two middle school aged kids)…
Monday afternoons 5-6 miles. Thursdays, a local hill loop or a faster 5k sort of run. Saturday and Sunday, a long run one day and a more than 10k but less than 12 mile on the other day.
Progress the long runs up, this weekend aiming for a 14-15 mile, and then add two to three miles per week.
Definitely focus on recovering from that event first. Take as much time as you need – you don’t want to jump the gun on the marathon prep now and burn yourself out.
Once you’re feeling fresher again, with just four weeks before the marathon, I think just getting out and doing what running you can in that time will be best. If you’re looking to just finish the marathon rather than really push it, just getting in some steady miles to prep your running legs will be a good plan. Sounds like you’re on the right track here!
And as @Power13 said, go into it with realistic expectations and pace yourself conservatively. It should be doable!
One of the things I love about your team is how often you credit us end users for helping each other.
In this case though, I think you meant to tag @Power13
Look at your weekly run average for the last six weeks, you want to be progressing from that number - the most important thing is to get to the start line healthy. You have the aerobic endurance to work continually for hours, it’s translating it in purely running that is the task.
Assuming you’re running around 3hrs/week, I would continue one swim and at least one bike per week, your three - four runs per week should be easy pace, with a focus on time on feet, build that up to 4hrs+ per week in whatever ways allows you to be fresh for the next run.
Hello all, thank you for the advice, much appreciated. I took the day after the 70.3 off and I have run every day (excepting one where I rode the trainer). Runs have ranged from a little over a mile to a little over 10 yesterday. Will run again this afternoon.
I’m reading Murakami’s running book right now and in the chapters leading up to the NYC marathon. He mentions that the body can be taught that running is the expectation and so that’s how I’m approaching these final weeks. That and trying to grow weekly mileage and long run mileage.
