Marathon 'disaster' - How soon to race again?

Big Bertie

I have just finished an 16 week Marathon Plan (for Chicago) loosely based around the P & D schedule, with millage ranging around 45 - 65 per week.

My race weekend was a disaster due to picking up a bug two days prior and so finished in 3:30 instead of the schedule 2:45, with a massive 45 min positive split. (Note to self – don’t try and run when ill!) This was my 15th marathon in recent years. 

My thought is now when is the best time to compete another marathon (target sub-2:45) so as not to waste the 16 weeks of good training I’ve had leading up to Chicago? I feel as soon as possible so I don’t lose the benefits of the training, but I need to allow time to recover from the albeit slow marathon I did complete. Should I have x weeks recovery, have x weeks of hard training then an x week taper, or is just a x week recover and race again?

Any comments welcome!

DT19

well you are the best person to judge how battered the race has left you and whether the bug has passed. On paper you have basically run 26 miles with 13 at mara pace so it shouldn't need the usual 4-5 weeks recovery as it wasn't your legs fault you slowed down.