Still enough time to train for a marathon ?

Unknown

I've had problems with what i think is achilles tendonitis.

After about 2 weeks rest i started running again last week i did :-
monday 15 mins
wednesday 25 mins
friday 35 mins
sunday 45 mins

leg is ok so far.

I've only 10 weeks till Lochaber marathon (which i've entered) and have done no runs longer than 70 minutes (week before i got the AT). Before i got the AT i have been comfortably running 30 - 50 minutes three times a week for the past year at about 9 - 10 min mile pace.

Will 10 weeks be enough time to get fit enough barring any further injuries or recurrence of the AT ? I was hoping to do a sub 4.30 marathon.

Hilly

Hi mags, I'm going to be brutally honest in saying that 10 weeks would most probably be ok if you weren't planning to run for a specific time and you had a solid background of running before your injury. You don't say how far you ran in 70 mins. I think what you need to be honest with yourself, remembering the marathon is 26 miles not X number of minutes running, and decide have you got the required fitness at this stage to build up to running 26 miles.

I wish you well with your training and don't mean to demorilise you, but if it were me I think I'd plan to do a marathon maybe later in the year.

The least number of training weeks I've done in my marathons was 12 and that was off a background of consistent running.

Only you can decide and if you're happy to walk/run then you may be ok, but I'd forget about aiming for a time.

Unknown

nobody got some positive stories for me, of how they managed to get round marathons despite having training programmes interrupted by injuries ? I need some cheering up, also my orthotics still rubbing a bit on long run, think i'm needing new running shore as well which will need to be broken in as my old ones are starting to look 'done'. Not sure if i'm going to make this marathon, i'm just going to keep training building up gradually and see how i feel nearer the time.

[Deleted User]

You're going to be going for well over 4 hours in the race (10 min miles = 4h20m ish). You have 10 weeks to build from 1 hour to perhaps 3h20+ for a 20 mile run. That's adding about 20 mins a week, every week, to your longest run. That would give you a couple of weeks to ease back your training for the event.

Even if you do this it may blow the rest of your season. I know its very disheaterning, but sometimes it is better to pick a more suitable target. A 10 miler or even a half in 10 weeks, sounds reasonable, but I think a marathon might be better later on in the year or even next year.

I think that a full year of doing shorter runs upto half marathon would get your body much more used to the demands before you develop a increasing distance programme for a marathon.

[Deleted User]

no. not unless the mara's in aug/sept/oct. don't be overzealous and get injured. that's the worst thing. and listen to the above people who took the time to reply, unlike me who is just going to bed now........bye