Oh man that’s a shame, definitely Achilles? I get tight calves that massage out but often feels like an Achilles problem:
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Tendinitis…first Achilles issue I’ve had and it’s a bugger. Can’t even swim with it as it’s so sore.
There’s an over 50 old man thread somewhere I need to visit to talk about increase in injury’s…
This will be my 7th day with no running. (unless you count my nose! )
On the plus side, I think my race is 13wks on Sunday, so there is time but I’m not happy. 
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Not sure if it’s due to my downtime or what but I seem to be tying myself up in knots by trying to work out a plan for Newport in April. I have written myself a plan which basically does blocks of 4 wks with:
Long - 90km
Med - 65km
Long - 90km
Recovery - 35-40km
Speed and tempo session each week. Up until I got the flu, this seems to have been going ok.
I’m getting analysis paralysis about MP kms per week, 80/20, and every other thing that seems to contradict itself on various YT channels. Thing is though, a lot of these folks have vastly different approaches but all seem to be fairly quick.
I’m not looking for a magic bullet but I guess I’m having a bit of crises of confidence. I started off thinking sub 4 or 3.50 should be about my goal. I think I’m capable of better, maybe 3.45. Garmin ‘says’ I can run a 3.23.
I guess my question is. How did I know I’m getting the best out of myself when clearly, one size doesn’t fit all?
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Love the Garmin ‘race predictor’ Currently it tells me I can run a marathon 38 minutes quicker than my PB, hopefully it makes a better guess for you.
Like most thing in life, I don’t think you can. But more positively, I suspect that there is little difference performance-wise between the various protocols. Once you have committed to a particular plan, adhering to it, without neglecting nutrition and recovery, you have done the most that can be expected of you.
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Yeah i agree with this. You’ll get a sense of where you are as your training progresses, especially during those MP type sessions. Some types of plan will naturally give you more opportunity to test than others.
That’s the really tough element of mara training though. Committing that much time and effort and trying to get the time right! Too hard and you risk blowing. too easy and you end up with the What If?
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Thanks guys. It does seem like a bit of a lottery with different plans. I guess that’s the problems with marathon plans, it’s quite a long time before you know whether one or the other suits you.
Anyway, probably too much thinking time. Just need to run when I’m better!
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You had been going great guns before your lay off so as long as you get back on it when you have recovered and get consistent training in as you were doing you should smash the marathon.
I think some of the plans can over complicate things.
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I think you need to pick one and stick to it even if you are having a few doubts, I suspect just by running consistently and avoiding injury you’ll improve.
Those are big weeks, I wouldn’t look to do to many 90K weeks or you’ll probably just carry too much fatigue. I’ve tended to have my biggest weeks from -5 to -2 and had mixed responses, a lot of the lads at the club start easing down from -4 or -3.
Jeff
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Thanks Jeff. I’m happy to take advice on volume, as I’m definitely out of my depth with pure running. I was reading how a lot of runners for marathon are banging out in miles what I’m doing in kms.
I’ve started to think maybe 2 x 90 per mth is too much for my body and my back. When you say -5 to -2 etc, do you mean that you build to 3 x peak volumes 2 or 3 weeks out from the race?
I was watching an interview with Nicky Spinks and she was saying she got faster when she cut her volume to no more than 80kms. (she said 50miles), which I found odd.
I’m trying to keep up some cycling also, which I’m finding hard.
Yes, in the past my biggest 3 weeks usually are with 5,4 & 3 weeks to go, so the last big block before tapering, so my last really long run might be only 2 weeks before the race. Whereas some of my friends might do their last 32-36k run about 4 weeks before the race but do maybe 28/26 the weeks after.
But a lot of them just do running and might not be fitting in swimming or cycling, but in the last phases of a dedicated marathon effort I really reduce both unless I’m injured.
A lot of it is individual, some people can bang out 90k weeks consistently or more, although they might also be doing there easy runs at a very easy pace, a lot of us are guilty of getting that one wrong.
I’ve tried 80-100k weeks and I don’t think it helps me personally, I could probably do as well on 60-70k big weeks, maybe an odd long one but keep a bit of biking.
You could try 80/60/90, and I’ve also read some people suggesting 3 week blocks, so 80/90/45 etc. you get more rest weeks that way.
Jeff
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Cheers Jeff, much appreciated. I’m thinking something along the lines of averaging 70km p/w for the majority and a recovery then doing the peak 3 week thing. My weeks follow roughly the same main body.
A long run on the Sunday (usually) which is about 27-30km, then on a normal work week, I will usually run 3-4 sessions on the gym treadmill, this is where I can do speed work, tempo, so that’s another 24km pls.
Then on my work from home day, I might do a split run (11-17km). Then I make up the distance for the week with whatever is left on the Saturday.
I can play with the distances but what I like is that I’ve found a rhythm to my weeks, which fits with family/work.
I’m genuinely not trying to look for excuses but I’m wondering if given my back, consistent 70km weeks with quality and a gradual build to the 3wk peak might be better than the high/low yo-yoing?
We are on holiday from 4-11th April so can taper in style with a pool and some Devon trails 
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I’d agree with Jeff. That’s high volume without really building up to it over quite a long time. I only hit 90k twice in my 2:48 build.
Below are all the training weeks between up to the marathon in Malaga. Not shown on here is cross training. It’s just the running. For ref, Nice 70.3 was 8th Sept, and that was when running focus started.
It’s weird to think I’ve basically not run now in nearly 6 weeks
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Cheers Stenard, that’s really useful. I can see what you mean about the build up. Impressive av km pace a cross the weeks for you. 
As Stenard has shown I’ve often done 3 week increases as I get close, usually measured in time TBH, so maybe;
Block 1 - 1:30, 1:45, 2:00, rest week - 1
Block 2 - 1:45, 2:00, 2:15, rest week - 1:15
Block 3 - 2:00, 2:15, 2:30, rest week
Maybe a block 4 but it depends, they could be going back down as above, e.g. 2:00, 1:45
These were usually based around a target of 3 hours, although I’d still be cautious of doing a lot more even if you are only aiming for 3:40 as it’s a lot to recover from. I have done long runs towards 3 hours in the past but tried to go really slow.
I do think easing up on the distance 3-4 weeks out might be a better bet, although some recover quicker or actually suffer with fresher legs. I’ve done a few PB’s up to HM with no, or very little taper in the past, but then did wonder what might have been!
Jeff
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Did my #7/18 tempo run outside today on a hilly route - only feasible one available. 3km easy, apart from the 3rd which was a hill climb, then 5km aiming for 4:59/km:
5:11
5:32
4:55
5:49
5:30
Graded average pace for the 5k: 5:12/km
So still a bit slow, perceived effort harder and iirc HR higher than treadmill sessions.
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After the track session Thursday, my goal pace has been revised down to 3:45, which is very positive but a bit optimistic I think. Anything sub 4 would make me happy.
Long run today was supposed to be at 5:44/km, and 29km of them. I think I did 4 at or below that pace, the hills and mud put paid to any else. After 23km @ 6:46/km (!) my legs were trashed and I had slowed to a crawl, so I stopped and walked out another 3km to loosen up the legs.
I think I’ll do treadmill long run next week. I need the confidence of consistent pace.
How’s everyone else doing?
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@joex well done for getting out and giving it a go and you have a way to go before your race so plenty of time.
I managed to get in 163 miles of running in January which is a lot for me but after a crap week at work i am feeling knackered so not looking forward to my long run tomorrow!
My marathon is 4 weeks tomorrow so need to get another couple of long runs in for a bit of confidence.
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Based on my HM times, I should be able to go faster than 3.45 but FMD, today was a struggle at 16km on 5.26!
11 weeks to make amends.
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