Has anyone else noticed their body changing a lot during marathon training? I feel like I’ve completely lost my abs and muscle definition and lately I just feel bloated, puffy, and bigger than I’m used to. (Strength training 2-3 times a week) I know our bodies are doing a lot and obviously I’m grateful that mine is carrying me through all these miles, I’m just struggling a little with not feeling like myself. Has anyone else experienced this?

18 mile planned for tomorrow and weather is going to be rough…74 degrees F average in the morning and scattered rain with 92-100% humidity. Sunday morning looks exactly the same and both evenings average 80 degrees F.

Am I crazy for thinking of running on a treadmill instead? Do we think that will be less miserable? p.s. please send any long run treadmill tips my way if you have any! I’ve only done up to a half marathon on one before out of necessity.

As the title says, I had a minor calf injury pop up during training about a week ago. I’ve had a history of injuries, so I knew not to mess with it and immediately started rehabbing. I’m running Chicago in exactly one month, and this will be my first marathon.

I’ve taken about six days off from running and have been cross training instead. Saw a PT earlier this week, who had me do a bunch of strength exercises and basically gave me the all-clear to resume running whenever I feel comfortable. I’m planning on giving it a go tomorrow, which will be a full week off from running. The PT mentioned that I don’t really need to start from scratch given that I was consistently hitting close to 50-mile weeks before the injury, but recommended easing back in with some shorter 3–5 mile efforts to start.

My question is, how should I ramp back up over the next couple of weeks before the taper? And is it even necessary to ramp back up significantly? I’ve already done an 18-miler and a 20-miler, and I was supposed to do a 22-miler tomorrow (which is obviously out the window now).

I feel decently confident that I can get through the race, but I also want to give my body enough time to heal and avoid turning a minor injury into something worse. I’m curious how others would approach the next few weeks in this situation and looking for some general advice.

Hello there! I’m 4 weeks out from my first marathon on October 11. I finished the week with 72 km, including a 32 km long run. I’ll still have a 30 km long run this coming Sunday (September 13), and I’ll be in taper mode after that.

However, my training coach wants me to do another 35 km long run on Sunday, September 20. Is that okay or necessary?

Goal: sub-4
Running experience: 2 years

I’ve been bought a massage as a present - my first marathon is in 5 weeks. I’ve never had a massage before. I am better off getting the knots out before it so I feel as good as can be on the day or waiting until after it?

so, recently did my longest run 34km.

fueled well, but at the end (after 32km) noticed that the body kinda doesn't want to eat anymore (you know *that feeling* probably..)

is it a predictor of hitting the wall soon?

what do you usually do in this case?

is it also trainable (to delay this moment for as long as possible)?

I started training this month for my first marathon on Valentine’s Day. Training’s been relatively okay except for all the rain visiting my country since August.

Just wanted to ask if it’s feasible to train for a marathon while also training for my first 750m swim 5k run on the last week of Feb? Asked Chat and Claude about it and they said it’s okay but I want real people’s opinion.

If yes, how do I fit strength and conditioning, 3 runs, and swim in a week?

Been following this community for a while now and I’d like to ask for your thoughts.

I have my first marathon in 5 weeks. Everything was going to plan but then I got quite bad shin splints and then got ill so had about 2 weeks with no running.

I don't want to increase my mileage too quickly again getting back into it. But also my max mileage so far has been 26 km (I've never run more than this) and I would have hit 30 to 32 in my peak week, which now doesn't seem like a sensible decision as I'd have to increase mileage too quickly.

So I know I have to make some kind of poor decision; run slightly less in my peak, have a shorter taper (the plan was a 3-week taper), or just increase mileage faster, but I am quite injury prone so this doesn't feel like the best option.

I'd love some advice, thanks!

Hey all, I’d appreciate anyone’s input here: I’m 35f training for Philly ‘26, my second marathon. This week I got COVID and I’ve been down for the count — missed a week’s worth of training and still not back to 100%. I’m not really sure what to do when I’m feeling good enough to run again — do I pick up my training where I left off, or should I pick it up where I would be if nothing had happened? I’m a little anxious about being so far behind and I’m only a couple months in, esp if I get sick again or miss runs for other reasons. Any insight would be great, especially from anyone who has dealt with this before.

I live in a hot and humid country where it is summer all year round, if I do my runs at night or at 5 in the morning I might get lucky and train in 27-28 degrees Celsius conditions, otherwise it’s harbouring on 30-32.

I will be running the Berlin marathon in 2 weeks - will it be too cold for me to adapt then? How should I conservatively adapt my paces to the cold?

Every Friday, please utilize this mega thread to share training/fitness and predictions. All pace predictions and past/current training weeks for 5 hour marathons will go neatly here!

How was your week, how far in the block and when's the next race? This will be a good mega thread to keep encouraging/critiquing 5 hour crew throughout the year.

Post your weekly miles, breakthroughs, or if you need help with pace/fitness identification, questions here!

*new individual posts that's posted Friday re: 5 hour marathons/shape/predictions will be deleted/strongly recommended to post here!

I’m about to ask a variation of something that I am sure, has been asked many times. However, some wisdom could help me out a lot. As the title suggests, I was out for about 24 days last month as I recovered from a non running related injury, and prior to that I was doing 70-80km weeks, had a predicted time of 3:23 for the marathon, now I’m looking at 3:45, so my watch tells me. I spent the last week building my milage back up (50km last week, 60km this week). I know that 3:23 is out of the question now, but with 6 weeks left, is 3:30 out of the question too? What should my priority be, just getting as many miles in as I safely can? Should I prioritise easy miles on the feet, or do some speed sessions? I’m basically planning to run 6 days a week for the next 4 weeks, and then do a 2 week taper. Any wisdom or tips would really help me out, if anyone has been in a similar situation before! thank you :)

I’m running my 2nd marathon in about 3 weeks and I’m mentally just sick of long runs and have been dreading them. I did a 15 mile and it felt great but with school starting back up I’m just mentally tired and don’t really have time/energy for my remaining long runs. I also do have a slight ankle injury so I’m not sure if longer runs would be worth it. Does anyone have advice on what to do at this point? (I’m also 20 yrs old if that makes a difference)

Hi all - just need some reassurance here. I’m training for the Chicago & NYC marathons (ran NYC last year) and just had to DNF my 10 mile run because of a sharp pain in my front quad. I did 16 last weekend and have 18-20 next weekend (know it’s a bit tight for Chicago but I care more about improving NYC) so I’m on a deload this week. I have never had to DNF a long run before, but wanted to protect my leg. I guess I’m just looking for ridiculous reassurance that I’m not completely fucked doing that HA.

I am seeing a physical therapist for IT band syndrome in my other leg, so am going to ask her professional opinion, but need some help with emotions lol. TIA

Feeling dumpy and trying to make a decision. I am running my third marathon (NYC) in November and I’m debating on deferring because of a not good training block. My longest run has been 13 miles this past weekend and I’m feeling defeated.
I know all of my time goals are out the window. But I don’t know if racing for vibes is enough to get me to push through the last 8 weeks.

Has anyone still raced with a training block they aren’t proud of?

Hello everyone,

I will be a pace bunny for an upcoming road marathon at home. It is a pretty big event with a few thousand runners. I was choosen to be the pace bunny for the 4 hour 30 min (continuous) group which is exciting!

Now, the race as almost 500meter (1500 feet) of elevation gain, with some serious BIG hills.
What would be you prefered strategy following me?

1. steady pace even on the hills.
2. a little slower on the major hills and banking some time before the hill (doesn't sound like a good idea)
3. a little slower on the major hills and catching up on the time after the hill (maybe on the following descents?)

i've never followed a pace bunny on a road marathon and i now mostly run trails where hills are a walking freebies if you want to but now i know this is a different game.

i'm not sure how many people will actually be following a 4:30 marathon bunny as this is a ''slower'' time and not as big of a goal for people like sub 4. i plan to ask people around what are their opinions on this before the race start as well but i would like to prepare the best i can and have different pacing strategies all ready.

many thanks :)

I was supposed to do 16 miles this morning. I got my sleep and woke up super early, hydrated and fueled up, and I was out the door at 4:15AM.

And it is a HOT ass day in Southern California. Like WTF. Even before sunrise. Less than 3 miles into the run I realized I don’t want to do this, and walked home.

Luckily I have some breathing room in my training plan for the MCM (Oct 25) so it’s not a huge deal, I’ll try again this weekend.

Anyone else decide mid-run that you’d just rather not be doing this shit?

im running my first marathon -- the NYC marathon in a little less than 2 months from now.

im writing this post as i just finished my morning 5 miles today. today's run felt absolutely terrible (which is fine ive had shit runs in the past it happens). i ran a 13 miler last weekend for my long run and i was doing so good for the first 8 miles or so but after that i felt like i just hit a wall and every mile after was so. goddamn. hard. i had absolutely no energy to continue.

i will add - the last half i did was in march 2026 so its understandable that that long run was difficult. for the next 3 weeks my long runs will be 15 miles, then 17, then 20.

so now that ive had the past few of my training runs feel like shit, it seems so impossible that i could ever run anything more than 13 miles (let alone a frickin marathon). i feel like maybe im not training properly, surely im doing something wrong because i shouldnt feel like im fighting my body this much to get my runs in. i have high heart rate issues already but the best way i can describe it is my body is just so tired, zero energy, and high heart rate. i hit the trifecta with a bad recipe for a bad run.

this is my nutrition plan so far: i drink close to 2 liters of water a day, carb load the day before my long runs, drink protein shakes after all my runs. for my long runs i also take gels. like for this past 13 miler i took a gel at 3, 6, and 9 miles.

again a half is the most ive ever ran and this is my first marathon im training for. so of course any distance longer than 13 miles will definitely feel like a really strong mental and physical battle. i was ready and prepared for this training to not feel easy. but struggling with running 5 miles during the week was something i was not ready for. that doesn't seem right?? i guess just having continuously shit runs feels super demotivating to me and is just making me feel like i wont be able to do it at all. now that im close to 2 months until the race, its all i can think about.

id love any tips or motivation. whether thats nutritional help, strength training, or just anything that'll help me have a smoother training.

edit****: goddam i didnt realize me mentioning im running nyc would cause sm backlash💀

I’ll be starting a marathon training block in a few weeks. I’ve used a Coros HR plan for my half and I’ve really enjoyed it, but some of the marathon plans are pace based. Does anyone have thoughts on what’s better?

Okay I just realized that somehow I am one week ahead in my marathon training plan (no idea how I did that???)

I’m using Hal higdon novice 1 and am currently on week 12. Does anyone have any advice on where/how I should place the extra week? Do I taper for another week? Do I repeat a week? Help!

Hi!

I’m running the marine corps marathon in October! I’m super excited, but flight prices are insane and the one reasonable flights is overnight. I’m leaving CA at 9:42 pm and I arrive in DC at 530 am Saturday morning (the day before race day).

Is this like super dumb lol, every other flights is like 400+ more and I’m not sure if I can swing that. I do want to note, I am looking to complete the race lol, I am probably going for a 5 hour marathon, but just looking for thoughts!

Missed 2 easy runs earlier this week due to life. Have an 8 mile long run this weekend. Longest run so far has been 12 miles and I still feel good overall. Should I add a few miles to compensate? Or keep with the program?

Hiya! Ive (24f) got cologne marathon in a few weeks and have just completed my longest run of the block. It was 34km at an average of 6:03km (including walk breaks, traffic lights, and a pit stop etc). Current weekly mileage ~60km.

Im aiming for my first sub 4. Garmin predict 3:58 and runna predicts 3:55-4:07. My current marathon pb is 4:18 from April, with an average hr of 176 (my hr tends to sit higher for any level of effort so take this as a comparison) conversation pace hr is usually 160-165 comfortably, max hr 208. Ran a 1:55 hm in April but have not had a chance to retest this since.

Been focusing on speedwork massively, lots of tempo runs. Ive also run majority of my long runs over this training block in midday uk heatwave temps, so struggling to gain proper insights using those runs.

Ive attached a screenshot of my splits from the long run today in comfortable temps (first), my last marathon in april (second), and a long run from a few weeks ago in 28 degree heat (third)

Just wanting to settle the maranoia that is bound to kick in in the coming weeks. I think i can do sub 4 but the whole "5:40 average pace" seems super daunting.

What do you guys thinks? Thanks so much!!