Training plan SOS

[LuzzBightyear]

My first race of the year, a half-marathon, is scheduled for next Saturday (April 21). Training was going well until last Friday (April 6) when I got the flu. High temperatures, sore joints, coughs, no energy…the whole nine yards. Last night was my first without a fever, and I am feeling better, so I am thinking of starting running again even though I still don’t feel quite as energetic as normal.

I have pretty much accepted the fact that there will be no PR next Saturday, but a part of me is even wondering if I still should even go in the race given the training time I lost so close to the race...as well as the fact that I am unsure when I will truly be back to 100% from the flu.

Has anyone been in a similar situation?

Any recommendations what the next 7 days should look like in terms of training assuming I am still going to race?

 

[PrincessRhi]

I don't have any good training recommendations for the upcoming week with your having missed the past week-- but usually taking it slow is the best thing the week before the race.

What was the longest run you've done? How did it feel after?

 

[RunRookie]

By the 6th, you were probably already done with your longest training Long Run, and have put in the foot time to be ready for the race endurance-wise. It would have been time to start your Taper at that point.

You can't "make up" missed runs, so I think the only real issue is how healthy and ready you feel on race day. If your chest is clear and your warm-ups are good, then the race could be a go. You shouldn't have lost all your fitness during the illness.

I would try a real easy 3 mile run this weekend and see how the body feels. If that feels good, then maybe do another 3 mile run and a light cardio XT session next week. But you still need to rest so don't overdo it.

Rehydrating will be a key area this week because you probably are a bit dehydrated from the flu. Also, start building up the glycogen stores throughout the week rather than a big carbo-load on Thurs/Fri.

Having said all this, I am no trainer, doctor, or coach (I don't even play one on TV). So consider these rumblings as food for thought as you figure out what makes sense for you.

 

[LuzzBightyear]

Thanks Rick and PrincessRhi,

My last long run was April 1, it was 16 miles (been slowly ramping up for my first marathon at the same time). Felt great.

My main concern, as Rick alluded to, was "fitness lost", due to both inactivity and the illness itself.

 

[EddieMccoy2]

Go for it. You will be fine, especially if you have been training for a marathon. Your base is there and it is not lost in 1 week. Hydrate and be smart and you will finish better than you expect IMO.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Remember to hydrate really well for the next week.

 

[joan4mickey]

Yep. Have done that. Last year (2011) before the Princess. I was training, did a 10 mile LR on Feb. 6th and the next day sick...sick and got worse during the week and by Sunday (would have been my last long run of 12miles) couldn't get out of bed. Thought I might die (really!) before Monday morning. Went to Dr., must be virus...rest and so I did. On Feb. 21, I ran/walked 4 miles and on Feb. 23, I ran 5 miles. On Feb. 26, I was laying in bed at WDW and throwing up. Got up at 3am Feb. 27 and ran the Princess Half in 2:19. And DD showed up on Friday for the race and she was throwing up, but she pulled through and finished too. Guess it can be done.

Actually, I was very ill and had to take several weeks off after the race. It also took some prescription meds to get me back on my feet.

Hope it all works out for you.

 

[Sarah_Rose]

I did the Goofy in 2010 while 12 weeks pregnant, having been VERY sick with "morning" sickness (all day sickness) for the few weeks before the race. The morning sickness had tapered off, luckily, by that point, but I had lost a lot of fitness and training time. I had gotten my 20 mile run in, but hadn't run much between my 20 mile training run and WDW marathon weekend. I did finish the Goofy, but my marathon time was about 90 minutes longer than I had originally trained for. Still, having trained for the Goofy for 10 months before getting pregnant, there was no way I was staying home!

For the next week, you should focus on feeling better and rehydrating and refuelling. Don't worry too much about not getting in as many miles as you would like - it's better to not push yourself and feel good on race day, than to take your recovery too fast and still be feeling icky the morning of your half. If you've been training for a marathon, you won't lose that much fitness over 2 weeks.... just focus on getting better so you can get back to training!

 

[cloudnut220]

You should be fine. I had a long layoff in March (about three weeks) due to a groin injury where I did NOTHING at all except walk. I've been back at it for about 2 weeks now, with my longest run being 5.5 miles. My PT is telling me that I'll be fine for a HM next weekend. He says people who have built up endurance keep it for a lot longer than they think, and that's its the speed fitness that people lose quickly, not the distance. He also told me that as an experienced half marathoner (this is my 7th) my body will take over once I'm out there and lead me across the finish. Yes, it won't be a PR and it will hurt, but I will finish. And I'm sure you will too!

 

[LuzzBightyear]

I just wanted to updated everyone...once I recovered from the flu, I ended up doing 3 runs before the 1/2 marathon: a super slow 8 miler; one speed workout (recommended by a friend to awaken my fast twitch muscles); then an easy 4 miler like two days before the race.

I ended up getting a new PR by 1:41!

Thanks for everyone's advice...and also a big shout out to Mother Nature for giving me a nice tailwind for a good portion of the race!

 

[EddieMccoy2]

Great job. Well done!

 

[johde]

Congratulation on the half marathon.

 

[crewmatt]

Nice job, the forced taper really helped . I've def been in situations where that happens. Remember for the future, once you're 10 days out from a race, nothing you can do will help you physically prepare for the race. It takes about 10 days for your body to apply any fitness gains from a given workout.