Marathon Advice

trev84

Hi All,

I am doing Brighton Marathon this year and was looking for some advice. I have managed to pick up a slight hip flexor injury which has kept me from running for the last 2 weeks, as such I have missed my last 2 long runs (last long one was 18 miles on 11th March). I have crossed trained during my time off running (including re creating a "long run" on the elliptical machine) but was wondering if anyone had experience of getting injured at this stage of the schedule and how much fitness or conditioning I may have lost? As a bit of background I have completed nine 16 mile + runs in my training including two 20 milers and three 18. I Had been running around 35 miles a weeks and supplementing this with around 2 hours of additional cross training (eliptical). My original aim was to go for around 3:10 (as part of training I completed a 10k race in 38:25 and a 10 mile race in 1:03- The half marathon I entered was a victim of the snow but I think I would have done it in 1:23/4). I have completed 4 marathons previously with a PB of 3:33 (off around 25 miles per week- Half marathon PB of 1:31). Just wondering if you felt my original goal was still achievable or I should back off a bit?

Thanks!

Little M.iss Happy

A four week taper isn't ideal. Are you back running now? If so I'd be tempted (assuming you usually recover well) to do a long run this weekend (preferably tomorrow or Saturday to maximise your recovery time) and then taper as usual. You won't have lost as much as you think.

trev84

@Little M.iss Happy barely I manage a much improved 10k on Monday went out again today and it has worsened slightly so stopped after 25 mins. Frustrating as I have had 2 different physios look at and neither can find a problem, they think it was probably just a minor strain that has healed badly. Will try again on Sunday but am seriously considering pulling out now as don't want to risk any more time out

Little M.iss Happy

If you can't run comfortably Trev - don't! You'll end up with another injury from changing your gait if you're not careful and more time out. You can either defer (if Brighton have that option)/DNS or rest between now and then and go and enjoy the day if it's healed without chasing a time. Frustrating and disappointing I know.

trev84

Thanks- was beginning to stress out a bit! decided to wait until next week before making a final decision but will either drop out (thankfully I took out insurance in case of this eventuality!) Or just do it if healed and run by feel and have a nice weekend away. Was chasing a good for age so will target an autumn Marathon so the training I have done doesn't go to waste ☺️

Little M.iss Happy

You're welcome. It's a bit of a nightmare when you've invested so much time and energy. I fell over two weeks before London last year, bashed both my knees badly and fractured my radial head, decided to run anyway as I'd been fundraising for Alzheimer's but almost certainly wouldn't have had it been any other marathon. If you have accommodation booked and paid for that you can't get a refund for I'd go and enjoy the day or have a weekend away and support.

Cal Jones

trev84 - last year I did the Manchester-Liverpool double. Manchester went well but between the two I picked up a case of high hamstring tendinopathy (which I still have, actually...though it's less of a problem). I spent quite a lot of time resting which did absolutely nothing, so decided to get back to running. However, the furthest I ran between the two (they were 8 weeks apart) was a half marathon run at MP as a stress test. I decided to run anyway as I'd paid for the hotel and train but gave myself permission to walk parts of it if I needed to. As it turned out, I did have to take walk breaks towards the end but not because of the hamstring, which held up, but rather due to having lost some fitness and hitting the wall at mile 16.

Anyway, if the injury is better, then I'd say go ahead and run, but if not, I wouldn't risk it. I've found that I can run on a dodgy tendon, but if the muscle is angry, I can't. I spent most of last Autumn out with a pissed-off TFL that literally stopped me in my tracks. Had to get cortisone for that as nothing else worked and it wasn't calming down with rest. You might need to do the same. Good luck.

charlotteturnip

Not an ideal taper, but better than running injured and risking not running it at all. Do a couple of shorter runs and see if it causes any pain