12 weeks till sydney marathon, help please

therunningmuppet

12 weeks till Sydney Marathon longest LSR is 13 miles, but training has been hit and miss as I'm fruit picking in Queensland 5 or 6 days a week, but now it's serious it's down to the last 12 weeks and I feel like I'm already under prepared compared to my previous marathons, any advice what can I do to try and catch up? My legs feel really strong but that is becasue of the fruit picking as I'm on my feet for upto 10 hours a day. My diet also has been unbelievably bad pizza, mcdonalds etc etc any advice would be really appreciated, and I'm on a backpackers budget which maks eating well more of a challenge.

All help greatfully recieved, cheers

 

Gyraffe

Hi Gareth, As usual, this query would be easier to answer if you told us what you are currently doing in training, when you can train and what your limitations are. Otherwise the advice would be the usual - run 3-4 times per week building your long run gradually until 3 weeks before the race. Don't build up too fast. In creating your plan work forwards from where you are rather than back from where you'd like to be - if you only manage two long runs of 16 miles but are able to complete on the day that's better than whacking in a couple of 20s too soon and crocking yourself.

Be realistic about your expectations and don't expect a pb on limited training just because you've run well in the past.

And good luck.

therunningmuppet

cheers for the reply I'm currently doing 2 runs a week, one long about 10 to 13 the other about 7 or 8 as I'm really tired after fruit picking but I'm still fruit picking but am detrmined that it's not going to stop me getting to the start line, I'll do whatever it takes now but I'v managed to well and truly panic myself in th realisation that it's 12 weeks to go.

Gyraffe

Ok - I'm no expert but my advice would be to aim for one or two shorter runs in addition to those two when you can. Perhaps in the morning when your legs are fresher so you can at least have the sensation of running on fresh legs once or twice a week - just 30 minutes each time. The fruit picking will act as excellent cross training - or "time on your feet" but day to day you'll need to focus hard on recovery. At the risk of sounding like someone's mum, you need to spend as much of your free time as possible sitting down - ideally with your feet up.

So, my suggestion would be 2 x 30m run easy, 7-8 miles long intervals or tempo run then a long run starting at 10 miles and adding 10% each week until 3 weeks out. With limited time to train I would do 5 miles tempo (ie steady effort rather than easy) within your long run. The last two long runs would drop to 16 miles then 10 miles the week before the race (assuming long run at the weekend).

[Deleted User]

Hi Gareth -

I'm a running coach hired by Blackmores, the main sponsors of the Sydney Running Festival, so wanted to suggest you check out the race website  which has training tips and advice. When you enter the half or full marathons, you can benifit from their free interactive training program called 'Marathon Guru' which may be of help to you in your current situation.

On a personal note, I agree with Gyraffe's advice above, other than to suggest the '5 mile tempo' effort within your weekly long run may be too stressful given your current fitness, and maybe the long run alone will be enough. Perhaps do the tempo run early one morning as suggested?

 Good luck Gareth. Don't push too hard. "Float to Fitness" as Deek's coach Pat Clohessy would always preach

Cheers,

Peter Brett