Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks
Google First Marathon Training Program.
Run Less, Run Faster by Pierce, Murr and Moss
I read the first edition. I think it could work. There used to be some good information here:
http://www2.furman.edu/sites/first/Pages/default.aspx
Can we be honest here? Unless your current run fitness is REALLY high, running a marathon on 3 days of week of training in 12-13 weeks is probably inadequate and a bad idea.
Can we be honest here? Unless your current run fitness is REALLY high, running a marathon on 3 days of week of training in 12-13 weeks is probably inadequate and a bad idea.[/quote
Agreed.
http://www2.furman.edu/sites/first/Documents/The%20Three%20Day%20Marathon%20Plan.pdf
It can be done, but it is not easy and injury risk is high.
I’m not sure what high running fitness is. I currently run Tue, Thurs and Sunday for a weekly total of 26 - 30 miles a week. Tuesday hills, Thursday tempo and Sunday long. I have been running like this since January (last big injury). I swim on Monday. Ride on Tuesday and Friday. I really think it’s doable by just increasing long run by a couple of miles a week up to 22 or so. I’m going to do 14 miles tomorrow. Then back it off for couple weeks then do another really long one.
You can definitely finish one decently on 3 days per week. If done properly, you probably won’t even get injured in training/racing if you’re careful and build up reasonably.
However, be realistic - the marathon is unforgiving in terms of slacking on training. Whereas you can ‘fake’ near-PRs or even true PRs as a low-volume running triathlete up to the half marathon, you will not be able fake the marathon. Meaning that the split between your low-volume marathon performance compared to what your actual hi/traditional volume marathon performance would be is going to be big. Like 15+ minutes big, in a lot of cases. With low-volume run training, your weakness in run base and training will be more and more exposed, and the marathon is a race that absolutely exposes that difference.
Why don’t you try to run a really good half marathon instead of shuffling through a marathon? What’s your current half PR?
From a base of high 20’s you just don’t have the time to put in adequate mileage for the marathon in 12 weeks. And definitely not on 3 days per week of running. Especially with a “big injury” in the last 12 months.
That sounds reasonable. What type of program do you recommend? I could do 4 or 5 days a week for 3 months. Race is March 1st
Id say a lot has to do with what his goals are also if it can be done.
My PR on half is 1:40. I would be happy do a full in less than 4 hours. My goal would be 3:45.