Best use of extra month to train..

Lindy

Hiya, I've been training for a late september marathon. It now seems likely that I will be doing one in late october instead.

I have been building my long runs in recent weeks and had a plan to steadily build up to a maximum of 22 miles about 3 weeks before the race. If I have an extra month to train, is it best to
1) back right off for a month and then start building again.
2) repeat the past month
3) do the heaviest month twice.
It's my first marathon if that makes any difference.

Monthly long runs planned before the date change
16,13,16,13 (done)
18,16,18,13 (done)
20,15,20,13 (planned)
22,taper (planned)

thanks,Lindy.

SHADES

Why not do a couple of shorter races, will help you sharpen up your pace and get you into that feeling of 'racing' before your marathon. That would just move your schedule 2 weeks say, then give you a couple of weeks in hand.

I wouldn't recommend backing off for a month, you could get a cold and will then regret not having done the training when you could have. Much easier to train and then hold your fitness.

Which marathon are you doing?

Lindy

The plan was for the New Forest Marathon, but I'm thinking of doing Abingdon instead.-

( My Nephew is being christened on the day of the New Forest one, and I sense a family feud coming on...)
Of course, the downside is that if miracle of miracles were to happen and I came in under 3:45 Abingdon is too late count for london. [ I'm expecting sometime between 4:15 and 4:30 but you can dream :-]

SHADES

Abingdon is an easier course than New Forest which has a couple of long hills.
You may get in London anyway, and it's not good if you are chasing a time for your 1st marathon, the less pressure you put on yourself the better Just deal with the distance first time round, it will be a PB for you anyway. You can always work towards a better time next time.

See you at Abingdon.