[Grizzly]

Okay, I have basically lost two weeks of training.<br><br>
I had a great base before that, over 2800 miles the last 12 months, but I ran 8 miles last week, about 16 this week so far, with 6 today.<br><br>
Tomorrow I am backing off a bit, maybe 4, maybe 5 slow.<br><br>
Sunday... 8-9 or more if I'm okay. (was supposed to be 20!) If I can complete that without too much discomfort I'm thinking I'm good to go.<br><br>
Schedule from Pfitz had the following for next week:<br><br>
Monday - Off<br>
Tuesday - 7 mi with 8/100 strides<br>
Wednesday - 12 miles<br>
Thursday - 6 mi recovery with 6/100 strides<br>
Friday - 5 mi recovery<br>
Saturday - 10k race<br>
Sunday - 17 miles<br><br>
I'm thinking this... drop Wednesday to 10 and see how I feel, adding more if I'm okay. Skip the race, just do 6-7 miles a bit harder than cruising. Try the 17, but with exit strategies after 13.<br><br>
The week after that?<br><br>
Monday - Off<br>
Tuesday - 8 mi with 8/100 strides<br>
Wednesday - Recovery 5 mi<br>
Thursday - V02 Max. 8 mi, 3x1mile at 5k pace<br>
Friday - Recovery 5 mi<br>
Saturday - 7 mi with 8/100 strides<br>
Sunday - 13 miles<br><br>
I'm scared about Thursday. If this whole thing was caused by a balance problem, will dreadmill speed work cause me to hurt again? I think I might try for an indoor track, but they hurt too. Advice? The rest is doable. I'm thinking of running Sunday's run at a good pace, slower than MP but a tad faster than cruising.<br><br>
Last week before marathon:<br><br>
Monday - Rest<br>
Tuesday - Split runs both recovery 5 and 4 miles respectively<br>
Wednesday - 7 miles with 2 at MP<br>
Thursday - 5 mi recovery<br>
Friday - 5 mi with 6/100 strides<br>
Saturday - 4 miles recovery<br>
Sunday - some gosh darned fool race.<br><br>
Okay, so I don't know what MP is going to be. Do I try for the MP that I had 2 weeks ago? That would get my BQ hopes up again, or do I just groove a slower pace? Two miles shouldn't be that hard to run at an 8:00 minute mile? Then again, I broke 9:20 for the first time in two weeks today.<br><br>
ARGH!

 

[merigayle]

why would you do any speed work that close to the marathon? I would run only easy runs, imo, to keep yourself in one piece and ready and able to toe the starting line.

 

[Grizzly]

Because I haven't done anything remotely challenging cardio-vascular wise in the last two, and it is situated just right (10 days) before the marathon to accrue any benefits?<br><br>
But part of me is saying "Who are you fooling, you'll not even be close to a BQ now, so why endanger your getting to the starting line?"

 

[merigayle]

i agree with that part of you. Doing one speed session 10 days before a marathon is not going to make any difference in the grand scheme of things. All your training is done and in the bank and what is done is done. Can you BQ? I cannot judge that for you. That will be something you will have to determine on race day. Just see how you feel and go in to the race with the knowledge that your primary goal is to finish and finish injury free and in one piece so you can run another marathon.

 

[fox-runr]

well, it depends.......do you still believe in your goal?? or do you want to increase your chances of finishing?<br><br>
believer? keep in the paced runs and last long run. Cross-train recoveries. Race day. go for it.<br><br>
non-believer? run easy for the next 3 weeks.<br><br>
Injuries and downtime before a marathon doesn't always have to mean your goals are thwarted. Sometimes it's more mental than physical. I've pulled out of my goal marathons with injuries and then run a different marathon with success weeks later...but then when I figure that the injury wasn't a factor in the race, I wonder what would have happened if I ran the race that I was tapered for.<br><br>
fwiw: everytime I've gone into a marathon with an injury, the injury was not a factor. everytime, I threw in the towel, because I decided I wouldn't be able to "deal with this for 26.2 miles", I've found myself doing a long run 2-3 days later. I'll never know if the decisions were the right ones, no one can. But, when you make one, you have to "accept it" or "believe in it".

 

[Flounder]

Grizzly - I would make that 8 miles with 3x1 mile into a 8 mile with 3x4 minutes @ 5k pace and do it outside. Just go by feel - Run 4-5 minutes hard each rep - It usually takes @ 2 minutes to get close to max heart rate + 2 minutes at max three times is plenty long to stimulate the reaction you want from your body. I would be as bold as to say - Leave the garmin out of this one - Just run hard 4 minutes - The Garmin will only screw with your mind.<br><br>
Grizzlies are meant to be outside anyway - It is unhealthy to pen one up on a treadmill.

 

[Grizzly]

One way or another I'm done with them. Honest. They have been the source or have exacerbated too many injuries.

 

[fox-runr]

they are a good training tool. You and I both have crossed into going from a tool to a main staple, you "can" have too much of a good thing. I've been 80% outside this week <img alt="icon_cheers.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/icon_cheers.gif"> (of course the mileage and pace sucked), but it had to be done.