? Re: marathon training

[hannahb]

Have to post and run but will check back later. I've been thinking about training plans and while I wouldn't start training for awhile I'm not sure what to do in the meantime. I was going to spend the summer working on speed but now with a marathon on the horizon I'm thinking I should spend the next month or so focusing on other things before building up a base. To avoid burn out, injury, etc.
what would you do?
Which brings me to my next question. I'm going to follow a Pfitz 18 week plan. Not sure if I want to do 55 or 70. I know with 70 my strength training and yoga will go by the wayside. I may be able to keep some of that up with 55. But I also think increased mileage is crucial to a marathoning.
I know I just need to stop overanalyzing it. It is just running after all...

[cinco]

I've done 55 and added some miles here and there to get to low/mid 60's. I've never done the 70 b/c it would be difficult with DH's schedule. Mid week 15 milers and 2 a days would burn me out, but 12's are NBD? IDK, some of it is probably psychological on my part. I don't think you have to do one or the other though. I have enjoyed playing around with it vs. always doing what Pfitz tells me to do. I did end up dropping spin class for a couple months, but would rather fit in strength vs. getting more miles in b/c I am injury prone.

I'm a little burnt out on marathon training (or maybe just tired of not hitting my marathon potential, freakin' Mcmillan) so I'm focusing on my Fall half marathons and then throwing in a marathon at the end. My half plan starts the beginning of June and then I'm training straight through October, which is a long ass time. But, I did carve out one week tapers for two half marathons, and a week off for vacation. If I get burnt out I'll cut back as much as I need to, b/c like you said, it's just running.

[clseale]

I'll have to start training in mid-July for my November full, so between now & then, I plan to work on speed + base building. I need to sit down & write a loose schedule, but basically, between now & July, I plan to get back to a weekly track session, to create the habit before training. I'm keeping my long runs at 10-12 miles (week 1 of marathon training will probably be a 14 miler), and I get a mid-week 7.5 mile run on bridges (so this a slightly longer mid-week strength run). I need to look at my other days and plan a speed-work day, and two more general runs.

Like Cinco mentioned above, I plan to use Pfitz's 55 plan as a base, but I'll add miles in to max out in the low-mid 60s. When I did his 12/55 plan, I had to eliminate things (like my weekly bridge run), and I didn't like that. That run helps significantly with my strength. I figured I know myself in marathon training well enough by now, to take a good plan, and then make tweaks I know will work for me. I want to figure out a way to keep up some leg/hip strength training (I actually have to do this to keep my hamstring healthy) and yoga, so I have to play around with my plan a bit.

[jamalynn]

I am going to look at the Pftiz's 55 plan for my next marathon. I am not sure if I want to do the 12 or 18 week one though. I like having a plan so I probably wouldn't mind the 18 week one but the 12 has perks if I am doing well one my own before the real training begins. 70 seems a little too daunting for me right now. I will probably be lucky to get 55 mpw in. I just have short races through the summer so I am trying to focus on speed and consistently run 30 mpw right now. I will have a fall half, maybe 2. We will see. GL!

[hannahb]

May 7, 2014 15:23:52 GMT -5 jamalynn said:

I am going to look at the Pftiz's 55 plan for my next marathon. I am not sure if I want to do the 12 or 18 week one though. I like having a plan so I probably wouldn't mind the 18 week one but the 12 has perks if I am doing well one my own before the real training begins. 70 seems a little too daunting for me right now. I will probably be lucky to get 55 mpw in. I just have short races through the summer so I am trying to focus on speed and consistently run 30 mpw right now. I will have a fall half, maybe 2. We will see. GL!

I've debated between the 12 and 18 week. I think I'm going with the 18 because it has more wiggle room. With my DH schedule and DS I'm bound to have a week or two where the schedule falls apart.

[cinco]

May 7, 2014 15:23:52 GMT -5 jamalynn said:

I am going to look at the Pftiz's 55 plan for my next marathon. I am not sure if I want to do the 12 or 18 week one though. I like having a plan so I probably wouldn't mind the 18 week one but the 12 has perks if I am doing well one my own before the real training begins. 70 seems a little too daunting for me right now. I will probably be lucky to get 55 mpw in. I just have short races through the summer so I am trying to focus on speed and consistently run 30 mpw right now. I will have a fall half, maybe 2. We will see. GL!

I've done both and I don't have a strong preference either way. I think I'd lean towards the 12w plan for when you are coming off another training cycle, or when you are already averaging 40 mpw. If you are regularly running 30 mpw and it's been a while since you trained, I'd do the 18w. It gives a little more leway for time off (which helps a ton if you have kids), and it spreads the 20's out a bit more so you aren't doing them both in the last 5w. 

[gt7301b]

I'm going to do the 18/55 for MCM, but cut back the plan and plan to peak at ~50 miles. I just don't have the time to get in 70 miles in a week, go to work, and have a life. I'm not an expert at marathon training, but I think strength training and yoga are just as important as the number of miles you put in.

[mrshandy]

I'm hoping to go for a BQ in the fall and right now I'm increasing my base mileage to 30-35 mpw and mixing in some speed work. Basically doing HH's spring intermediate plan with added mileage. I'm planning on going all in and doing Pfitz 18/55. I barely have time for that so the 70 is just not going to happen. It's going to be tough fitting in everything so I'm really hoping my hard work pays off.

I do need to mix in some yoga/stretching which I think I will try to do on the off days in the Pfitz schedule.