Marathon Training Question

[RnbwSktles]

I am participating in my first marathon in January (WDW) and I plan to follow the Galloway training program for this event. The official training schedule begins in July, but my question is how do I adjust this if I want to start earlier? I don't want to risk injury by doing more long runs than necessary before the race weekend. I might be completely wrong here, but I figured these were my options....

1) Follow the program until it ends and then continue doing long runs around 20 miles every 3rd week until the event
2) Extend the program by increasing mileage at a slower rate and still hitting 26 miles a few weeks before the race
3) Just stick with what I am doing now (see below) and begin the training in July

I am currently doing C25K and am considering a 10k training program after that. I have no problem walk/jogging up to 5 miles now, but I would love to be able to do a 5k and possibly a 10k without walking. These are sort've personal goals that I'd like to complete before switching over to the run/walk method for marathon training. I might skip the 10k training and jump right into marathon training, which is why I asked my original question.

One last question, are the maintenance runs (30-45 minutes) supposed to be done at the run/walk race pace, or at any comfortable pace? I never quite understood that.

Thanks!

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

If you're doing C25k now, Bridge to 10k is a great follow up. If you still have time before July after that, I would stick to two maintenance runs a week and slowly increase your long run every other week or every third week.

Maintenance runs should be at a comfortable pace.

 

[paxsarah]

For me, I would do #3. I would not do #1 myself, nor would I recommend it - that would be a lot of 20 milers! Since you're considering doing a 10K training plan I would say dive into that, and having a goal of fully running the shorter distances is a fun intermediate milestone before diving headlong into marathon training in July.

As far as the pace for the short runs, for my first two 1/2 marathons and my first full, I followed Galloway and did all of my runs at a slow training pace (except when instructed to do a MM). However, in the marathon plan on his website he has a "(p)" listed under Thursday, which I think designates a marathon pace run - I think just a mile of the total workout. I'd consider it optional.

 

[RnbwSktles]

Thanks for the suggestions. I actually wrote out my training schedule today and the 10k transitions almost perfectly into the marathon with a few modifications! There is a 2 week gap and I am debating what to do there. I might keep it open and see how my 10k training goes first and use that 2 weeks to reach my goal if necessary. I am not too concerned about how to use those 2 weeks as long as I keep running!

I have also had to tweak the schedule a bit to fit in a 1/2 marathon on 11/9. That would normally be a 20 mile weekend, but I am not going to do both (I am not Goofy!)

I am actually more worried about the 5k and 10k training than the marathon! It's the long runs without walking that scare me!

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Two suggestions... in your two week "gap" just repeat the previous two weeks. No big deal.

Also, if you're planning to really RACE the half on 11/9, racing a half plus a few warm up miles should be fine, assuming you are doing one or two other 20 mile runs.