I suffered some leg pain, severe enough that it has kept me from running since my last run. I did finish my last 20 mile run leading up to a marathon in 3 weeks. (total of 3 20 mile runs, have been averaging 50 miles/week). At this point I am thinking of not running at all up until the marathon (2 1/2 weeks). Most of the pain has resolved with rest, just dont want to flare anything up prior to the race. Any problems with this? In taking a little over 2 1/2 weeks off will I loose too much? I was pretty successful in sticking with the Advanced 18 Week training plan by Hal Higdon, just got a lot of over use syndromes the last few weeks of training and has been unable to complete any of the taper portion of the program. anybody else have this problem?
I havent run since my last run either.
but I think thats the case 100% of the time
I got a stress fracture in my foot 3 weeks before a marathon, flared up the day after i bought plane tickets/hotel reservations. I bagged the marathon.
Your best bet is to bail on teh race altogther and shoot for a different one in 4-6 months.
If you absolutely need to run it, water jog every day up to the race.
I appreciate the feedback. Right now I feel great, no pain, but I have not run in the past week. I am planning I doing the marathon in a couple of weeks, I guess my question is if I was planning on 715 - 730 pace should I drop that back to 730-745 pace since I will have not run in the few weeks leading up to the race or should I try to run the race pace I have been training for (or does it matter I am going to suffer the last 6 miles no mater what)? One note I will bail from race fairly quickly should the same leg pain appear so I dont do something to take me out for the season. (My main focus this year is IMFL in Nov)
You identified it as “severe” leg pain. This is my best guess of what will happen:
- Pick up running today. Pain probably comes back before race.
- Don’t run at all until the race. Lose 20-30sec/mile
- Pool run every day until the race. Lose 5-10 sec/mile.
To be fair, these are only guesses. I have no experience with your specific case. I can only go off of general experience I’ve had with injuries. It is entirely possible that you are healed up, but it would be a gamble. Pool running IS effective. I’ve read about it and then finaly had first hand experience that confirmed it.
Ah, “leg pain” is a pretty generic term. That can be anything, and if it is a tibial stress fracture (for example), then no, your marathon is done. Period. No way to answer any other way. Sure - stop running. Line up and go. Might PR. Might DQ. Can’t be of any more help than that! Higdon advanced is a pain with the weekend long and tempo runs!