If you’ve ever taken time off from running marathons, especially if it’s been more than a couple of years, returning to the marathon can be a little more complicated than just adding more mileage to your program.
Returning to the Marathon
Are you returning to the marathon after a long layoff? Here are some tips for success. #running #marathonClick To Tweet
5 Tips for Returning to the Marathon
- Start at the beginning: If it has been more than a few years since your last marathon, stop looking at the Advanced plans. No matter at which level you were training before your layoff, time and de-training will take their toll. This is especially true if you are older or if your training level overall has been minimal lately.
- Create a realistic goal based on your current running: Forget your wishlist time goal that you were so close to nailing five years ago. If you have been training and racing shorter distances, there are tools that can help you create a realistic marathon goal based on your most recent race times. If you have not been training at all, focus on building up your mileage (see tip 3). Try fitting in a few shorter races, including a half marathon about midway through training. That will help you define your marathon goal time.
- Take your time building your mileage: Maybe you could manage a 12-week training cycle five or 10 years ago when you were training consistently, running two marathons a year, and, well, five or 10 years younger. Face it, you’re starting from scratch here. While the 10 percent rule may be a myth, increase your mileage slowly and cautiously, and complete a solid base-building period before you even start your actual training plan.
- Take care of yourself: Marathon training is hard. You’re pounding the pavement day after day, you’re increasing your mileage, you’re pushing your body to its limits. Don’t ignore small problems. Do your knees ache a bit? Do you feel a twinge in your heel? Take care of it now. Your ice pack may become your best friend. Take an extra day off every now and then. Get a massage. Stretch. Foam Roll. Your body will get you to the finish line, just give it a little love and appreciation.
- Have fun: You’re doing this for fun, right? Or to prove that you still can? If you were going to make any money doing it you would have done so a long time ago. So relax. Enjoy the experience. You know you can do it because you’ve done it before. You’re already a marathoner.
The key is to make your return to the marathon challenging but enjoyable. My own goal is to enjoy the experience and stay injury-free.
Have you ever returned to running or racing after a time off? How did it go?
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I had a 6 year break and then a 3 year break between marathons when I was dealing with injuries and then had my kids. I think the key was really taking the time to build back up slowly. I am still not where I was back before all the breaks but the main goal was to be able to finish strong without getting injured.
Yes, you’ve had real experience with taking time off then getting back to marathon training. It sounds like you did it the right way. Congrats, by the way, on finishing the Chicago Marathon. 🙂
Great tips.
It’s tempting.
Especially after this weekend.
But old age and niggles here and there make me have doubts.
I hear you. It’s hard to reconcile what we’d like to do and what our bodies would like us to do.
This is an excellent rundown of what goes into taking on 26.2 after time off! Sometimes, I think I could do it, but then… I think it’s just so far out of reach. This makes it feel so possible!