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Click to view Forbin's profile Rookie
Forbin
2 posts since
Dec 14, 2007

Dec 6, 2007 1:36 AM

Week 4 of schedule, 20 weeks to go

About 4 weeks ago I started the 20-week beginner marathon training schedule from this site. I hadn't decided upon a marathon ye, but I thought it would be a good to start training anyway.
Now I've chosen a marathon I'd like to give a go, but it doesn't take place for another 20 weeks. Should I 'step back' and start the schedule again from the beginning? Or would it be better to alter it in some way to fit with my progress? Or something else?
Thanks in advance for your help.

Just some background: About 6 months ago I quit smoking and started running. I now run somewhere around 35 kilometers a week at a pace of about 5:45 min/kilo on my longer runs.
Click to view mrinertia's profile Legend
mrinertia
1,356 posts since
Dec 14, 2007
1. Dec 6, 2007 10:58 AM in response to: Forbin
Re: Week 4 of schedule, 20 weeks to go
Nice job quitting smoking - that's no small feat.

I think starting mrathon training after only 5 months of running is overly aggressive, especially on low mileage. I would suggest building your mileage until you're running 40-45k per week. I'm not saying start when you COULD run 40-45k per week, rather you've been running that consistently for 4-8 weeks or more.

How long are your long runs right now?
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Click to view Kevin E. Stroud's profile Legend
Kevin E. Stroud
512 posts since
Oct 27, 2007
2. Dec 6, 2007 12:31 PM in response to: Forbin
Re: Week 4 of schedule, 20 weeks to go
What training program you on, Forbin?

Quality plans (like Pfitzinger, Daniels, etc.) have a first phase of "base building" - so you'd be fine just starting all over again and redoing that first four weeks. Your body might even appreciate the slight cut-back to the first week's mileage!

I'll echo mrinertia that you're getting pretty aggressive on the training of stepping right up to marathon distance - how about doing some 5K, 10K, then half-marathons?

I'm willing to bet the Marathon (see that capital "M"? ) is a whole different beast than what you've seen in your last 6 months of running!

kestrou
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