First Marathon Question

G-Money

I'm thinking about doing the Dublin marathon this year but haven't decided yet for definite.

I've a question about training plans. I reckon I will most likely follow Hal Higdon's Novice 1 or Novice Supreme marathon training plans.

Regardless of which one I pick, I'm just wondering how exact you follow the training plan. I don't mean skipping out on various runs, I mean do people normally follow the plan exactly where the last week of the training plan is the week of the marathon? Or do you start training a few weeks early in-case there's a few hiccups along the way?

I was looking at the 18 week plans and was thinking of counting 18 weeks back from the date of the marathon and starting the training plan then. And in the meantime, just doing some other general running to keep me ticking over.

I was just wondering if starting 18 weeks exactly ahead is a good idea or whether I need to leave a few weeks buffer.

Thanks!

Krusty_Clown

Personally, I have found that leaving a week of buffer is a good policy in a 12 week schedule (more, if you have a job that requires you to travel frequently). I'd also leave a buffer week if you plan to go on holidays. It doesn't mean that you 'down tools' during these weeks, it just means that hitting specific sessions may be a struggle, if you for example find yourself in Bulgaria, in a hotel with one broken treadmill, and a foot of fresh snow falling outside every day. 18 weeks is a long time. A lot can happen in 18 weeks.

It's pretty easy to work that extra week back into the program, if you find that you're not going to use it (but I don't believe I've had cause to worry about that so far).

RayCun

I started a week or two early, to leave room for contingencies.
BUT you have to get back on schedule 4/5 weeks from the end, so you have your last long runs and taper at the right time.

robinph

As someone who doesn't do training plans and makes it up as I go along, I'd be expecting to need to make use of a week for time off/ something going wrong at some point during the preceding weeks.

Starting a plan a bit early isn't going to do any harm, just make sure you finish it on time.

hot to trot

I think its important when undertaking a marathon plan/schedule to be fit to start it at a level where you are guaranteed to be able to follow it through. If you have weeks to spare, it would be a good investment to make sure you are comfortable doing runs of 6-7 miles and are doing about 15 mpw before you even start.

Otherwise you end up doing a 10 mile run within a month of starting out and I think that if you aren't comfortable already running 6/7 that it is quite a stretch and an injury risk.
My advice would be to start early getting used to the habit of regular runs, forcing yourself out the door even when the conditions are miserable outside +perhaps gaining confidence doing a few 10k's and perhaps a training half marathon or two and build in a small buffer that wont throw your schedule out too much.
How has the year been for you after your first 5k last year. You have come such a long way.:)