No improvement in marathon training - feel lethargic :(

Redgraffle

Hey have been working on a pretty simple marathon training plan for the past 4 - 5 weeks and was training pretty well since about Feb before that

My problem is that unlike other times when any training at all resulted in quick improvement this marathon training seems to leave me tired all the time and a recent 10km was as slow as I ran with only a few weeks training done earlier in the year

My training mostly involves 5 runs per week (easy week every 4th week). 3 runs are easy, 1 tempo and 1 long slow run at the weekend

My overall mileage is higher than I've ever ran but still not that high (35 miles most weeks - will increase to 40+ with longer weekend runs)

Is the the extra mileage that's actually slowing me down? My only thought is that when I was training earlier in the year I didn't do half as much running so I recovered quicker and was fresher for sessions, races etc...

Thoughts ???????????

RayCun

Are you following a particular plan? How long are you in marathon training? What did a typical week look like before you started the marathon training? Are you only running since February? What did you run in the week before your recent 10k, and how did that compare with the week before your 10k earlier in the year?

Donelson

Is your weight up or down? how is your diet?

macinalli

I'd say that it's to be expected. I find that when I'm running high mileage (for me), my fitness increases but my sharpness drops. I can run for a long time, but find it difficult to get up to speed when racing. Will be doing my first 10k in months at the weekend - will know more after that!

ecoli

I would agree with Raycun best get a better idea of your training etc before giving any advice regarding the training though the one thing I will say is on first look it doesnt seem like anything to be worried about

Since Febuary I presume you have had the same template for training (Easy runs, tempo, LSR) with the difference being the building of mileage?

Did you taper for the recent race?

What pace is your long run in relation to your easy runs?

As I said before it looks like there could be a simple solution but wont make any assumptions until have more information regarding training background and also age/gender?

Redgraffle

RayCun wrote: »

Are you following a particular plan? How long are you in marathon training? What did a typical week look like before you started the marathon training? Are you only running since February? What did you run in the week before your recent 10k, and how did that compare with the week before your 10k earlier in the year?

Thanks for getting back - will do my best to provide more info

I'm 36, 5'9" and weight about 12 stone 3. I was about 5 pounds heavier when I decided to start marathon training about 4 - 5 weeks ago

I'm following a home made plan based on a number of other plans. Basically I run 5.7 miles at about 8 minute mile pace 3 times during the week - I also runa tempo (started this about 3 weeks ago) which is usually 4 miles at about 6.45 per mile pace. My LSR is usually over 8 min mile pace but I plan on running these slower as they get longer.

Before I started marathon training my training was reasonably similar but not as consistent - I would miss training days regularly and would run anything from 20 - 35 miles per week. I had a lull of about 1 month in June due to achilles and holidays but never stopped running

I have flitted in and out of running quite a lot over the last few years (more out than in) and always struggle to remain motivated past about 3 good months of solid training - this is the first time I've managed to get past the 3 months but I seem to be going downhill since...

Tbh I didn't taper for the 10km - it was on a Monday and I had a LSR on the Sat which really felt in my legs - still I expected better than 42 mins.

Diet wise I'm a disaster but have given booze up for the marathon as of about 4 weeks ago

Can't think of anything else....:(

ecoli

Sounds to me like you just need to add a bit more stimulus. Your body is getting used to the same training and has started to plateau somewhat. You should be okay for the Marathon if the aim is to complete but by tweaking the plan slightly you may find yourself pushing on.


Instead of your usual Tempo during the week I would rotate it with the following

Week 1 1 mile easy 5x2 min on/ 2 min off 1 mile easy (on- 5k-10k pace - Off - easy)

Week 2 Tempo

Week 31 mile easy 8x30 sec hills 1 mile easy

Week 4 Tempo

This should provide a bit of variant which may help while still being marathon based to compliment your training. In the second month you can repeat this with trying to increase the on part (3 min) or decrease the off (1 min) and build the hill session to 10.

Hope this helps

Also just in relation to your paces what was your 10k time recently. It could also be a case you are going a bit too hard for your current level

Redgraffle

ecoli wrote: »

Sounds to me like you just need to add a bit more stimulus. Your body is getting used to the same training and has started to plateau somewhat. You should be okay for the Marathon if the aim is to complete but by tweaking the plan slightly you may find yourself pushing on.


Instead of your usual Tempo during the week I would rotate it with the following

Week 1 1 mile easy 5x2 min on/ 2 min off 1 mile easy (on- 5k-10k pace - Off - easy)

Week 2 Tempo

Week 31 mile easy 8x30 sec hills 1 mile easy

Week 4 Tempo

This should provide a bit of variant which may help while still being marathon based to compliment your training. In the second month you can repeat this with trying to increase the on part (3 min) or decrease the off (1 min) and build the hill session to 10.

Hope this helps

Was thinking of something along those lines - hills might be off limits with my achilles but definitely the sharper stuff would be nice - In a previous life I was an 800m/1500m runner so it will be nice to stretch out the legs again. What about 5 x mile repeats with 60 odd seconds recovery - would that be recommended for somthing like a marathon?

Redgraffle

ecoli wrote: »

Also just in relation to your paces what was your 10k time recently. It could also be a case you are going a bit too hard for your current level

42 mins flat more or less. It was the Dun Laoighre 10km so a bit long according to my garmin, windy and hilly. Still all that taken into account wouldn't have been much better than 41 mins

Redgraffle

Actually felt better on my easy run today - will try to slow doen the easy runs completely to let the bodt recover fully from the mileage and the tempo sessions

The HR in a few weeks will tell all as I will do a proper taper

hot to trot

Make sure your iron ( serum ferritin)
levels are normal too

Redgraffle

hot to trot wrote: »

Make sure your iron ( serum ferritin)
levels are normal too

Iron levels fine - checked recently...

Doing my long run really slow tomorrow so hopefully that will leave me more energised for the harder sessions. Easy runs mid week will be slow with lower HR as well...

HM in 4 weeks will tell a lot :eek:

Clearlier

Are you feeling lethargic all the time or just when running? Anything change in your lifestyle? New job, baby, longer hours, bigger commute, less sleep. If it's just when running then what ecoli said about changing your training stimulus.