[jebba]

It has been slightly over a week that I have been ill and unable to keep up with my training plan. I did one speed workout very halfheartedly and managed to get my long run in (10 miles), but my daily runs have suffered. It looks like this week's speed workout will also suffer.<br><br>
I am on week 3 of my 12 week half marathon plan. Do I try to make up the speed work that I am missing, or do I just pick up the plan on the next scheduled day I feel well and move on as if nothing happened. The speed workout that was half-assed was a fartlek. The one I will likely miss is long hill repeats. I am determined that I'll be able to do my 12 mile long run this weekend.<br><br>
If it makes a difference, I have done 3 10 milers, and plan the next few weeks as follows: 12, 10, 12, 10, 14, 12, 15, 15, 10 race. I have an ambitious (for me) goal of finishing at or below 1:50.<br><br>
Fortunately, there is another half six weeks later I can attempt if I don't make my goal on this one.

 

["e"]

Hi Jebba,<br><br>
I think it would be ok to just pick up the plan on the next scheduled day, unless it requires you to add significant increases in the speedwork.<br><br>
I'm not an expert by any means, but I don't thinking missing a week is too detrimental to your overall fitness; just be a little more cognizant of signals from your body about when to back off. (There are some numbers out there about how much fitness you can expect to lose over different periods of time off, but I can't remember where.)<br><br>
I hope you're feeling better soon.<br><br>
--e.

 

[L Train]

My $.02 - I'm not as qualified to give advice as many others with a 1:45 PR - I don't think you need to make up the speedwork. Especially if your goal is 1:50, I would think your base mileage and your long runs are much more important. Further, at the times you and I run, I'm not sure speedwork is very important at all (except for 10K and shorter races). I've had much better gains from weekly mileage, long runs, and hills. My opinion - tempo runs are all the speedwork you need for this goal. I think if you run the long runs you have scheduled along with the accompanying weekly miles, you will be fine without making up the speedwork.

 

[jebba]

Thanks you all. It's funny because I managed 10 miles on Sunday, and today just walking up one flight of steps has me winded.

 

[VictorN]

I agree. You are early in the program. Forget the lost workouts. Get lots of sleep and ease back into the training plan when you are healthy.<br><br>
Victor

 

[MrPHinNJ]

Exactly. The worst thing you can do is to try to play catchup and cram more that you can handle into your schedule to make up for the lost workouts. Ease back into it.