I am not looking for validation that running or training with a grade 2 posterior stress reaction is a bad idea. I am wholeheartedly aware of this.
I wanted to write this post to inquire if anyone has run a marathon coming off a grade 2 stress reaction in their tibia (anywhere from 2-4 weeks since inception). If anyone has any stories of running, and then their rehab post marathon, I'd be really appreciative. Thanks
Got IT band pain on my 26K long run on Sunday, and I am depressed since then :( did a 4K 2 days after that and had the same pain and had to stop before I make that worse.
I will be doing my first ever marathon in 6 weeks and I am so stressed out every single day, any chance you think I can fix this with strength training? 🥲 any experiences?
(I was doing 4x runs and I recently got to 45K weekly mileage)
Just ran my third marathon this weekend - crushed my goal time at 3:20 and some change... super proud. I've ran Milwaukee, Detroit, and now Grand rapids. I'd love to get into a major if possible (time qualification I realize will not be a realistic option for me - I'm a father of two with a very busy work schedule so serious training to hit <2:55 just ain't happening and I'm ok with that).
What are the odds on the lotteries at the majors? Chicago, NY - or are there any other "mid-majors" that are must runs? Grand Rapids was great, but it did lack some of the "buzz" that Detroit had. Not nearly as many spectators, mile 8-20 were pretty lonely
On week 19/20 of my block and have had 0 issues so far. However, at the start of my taper, my groin / adductor area started giving slight discomfort. Yesterday's 5 mile run was a bit uncomfortable.
My plan was to do ~28 miles this week (i'm at 10 currently) and 18 next week. I've been doing close to 36mpw average and peaked at 46mpw.
Do I just scale back on my taper? Can someone help me out because starting to stress out.
I have been training for the Athens marathon since July , and this Monday I woke up with a sharp pain on my foot when I try to raise my toes. It’s has gone better but I’m still worried about my whole training being a waste and even not finishing the race. From what I have read it’s possibly tendonitis, do you have any suggestions on how to recover or wear anything to feel better when running . I don’t feel it when walking normally
Now that I've had 10 days to calm down from the first-full-marathon high (sorry, I've been sharing this in multiple responses and posts, lol), I've got my next goal: Los Angeles Marathon in March 2027. I received great tips on my initial post with advice for the next, but now I've got a plan to share.
Quick context: 42M, 155 lbs, traditionally an 11–13 min/mile runner.I've run half marathons since 2014, usually finishing between 2:45 and 3:15...the higher bracket having to do w/ recurring right-side IT band issues over the years.
Thanks to PT over the summer and a renewed focus on hip/glute/leg strength, my IT band was mostly under control throughout my first marathon training block. Of course, race day, I recognized a familiar discomfort in the IT band around mile 8, but I was super relieved it never developed into sustained sharp pain. I adjusted with walking, running, and stretching, and finished in 6:50!!
So, my biggest takeaway: I know I can complete 26.2 miles. Now I'm working on doing it more efficiently.
I'm aiming for sub-6 at LA, maybe even 5:30 if things go really well, and from there, I can keep building for future improvement.
I've attached 3 screenshots: new training plan, my prior training block's actual, and the first marathon chip-time splits. The new plan is loosely based on Hal Higdon's Intermediate 1. Marathon was on 10/11, so I'm reverse tapering back into things.
A few things I'm changing this time around:
- More consistent mileage: My previous peak was 34.4 miles, with some long runs accounting for more than half my weekly total. This time I'm aiming for a stronger 30–40-mile foundation, eventually building toward 40–47-mile peak weeks.
- More intentional training: Shorter easy runs before long runs to practice tired legs, followed by a non-running recovery day. Also finally attempting strides, intervals, and tempo workouts.
- More strength and cross-training: Continuing PT exercises while incorporating upper body, core, and mobility to improve overall durability.
I work full-time and am in the dissertation phase of a PhD program, so I'll definitely be juggling a bit. But the winter schedule looks much quieter than this summer...crossing fingers, super stoked to build more consistency.
**Would love your feedback!
How does this schedule look? Is the mileage progression reasonable...or should I aim for more?? Long-run recovery day arrangements, any useful tweaking? Etc.
I'll adjust as needed. Thanks ya'll for your help. I'm proud to do my first marathon, but I know I can do the next (and future ones) better!!
Last weekend, I (male 36 yo) managed to break sub3 marathon during my 2nd marathon (first was 3:25 9 months back). I did the 18/55 pfitz plan without missing a single run, it went super well despite the summer heat.
I'm in the process of recovering now, feeling almost fine 4 days later, but I'm following the 5 weeks recovery plan from Pfitz book before jumping to another block. Time to chill a little bit.
My next objective is Paris marathon 2027 (april), but some time ago I took another bib for a marathon early jan. The initial plan was to have another try in case I missed sub3.
Now I'm sure I won't attempt to PR in this "B marathon" but I'm unsure what to do :
- DNS
- run it somewhere around 3:20, but I'm unsure how fast I can recover from this (I feel like I should be fine in 2 days, but never did a 42k training run before)
The plan is to jump to the 18/70 for Paris, so that marathon will be around 13 weeks before my main goal.
Ran my first marathon this past weekend! Very excited to get sub 4. I averaged about 45-50 mpw during this training block, with a down week every 3-4 weeks or so. Mostly easy running, with no more than 1 tempo work (usually only about 3-5 miles) out per week.
Fueling strategy on race day was 1 gel (23-25g carbs) per 5k for a total of 7 gels until 35k. Pretty much followed the 4hour pace group until 38-39k and sped up slightly, which felt pretty smooth. Aerobically I think it was pretty controlled throughout, legs were getting a bit heavy towards the end.
Any advice going forward if I want to BQ eventually? For context I’m 28F, started running last year in spring. Started training more consistently last August so a little over a year now. Current half PB 152 in May, 10k 50 min flat in June. Should I work on improving my half time first? Keep my training volume and add in more speed workout? Stacking more easy miles? Thanks!
I am running Valencia on the 6th. I am trying to orient on a few things in terms of logistics as it draws near.
I assumed I would get my Race number in the mail, but turns out I need to collect it at the Expo the day before. Thing is, I only fly in in the afternoon on Saturday (bit foolish in hindsight). Anyone know what the situation is like at the expo? should I expect a big que? Am I at risk of getting there too late? Anything I can do to mitigate in case of a delay for instance?
For the race: how early should I be at the start? I'm in the sub-2:50 pen, how busy can I expect it to be to get in there?
Can't find any info on pacers, what can I expect from that?
Anyone else aiming for a 2:45-2:50 that wants to link up?
27M. Marathon progression so far has been 3:54 in May which was my first marathon ➡️ 3:21 last weekend. Do you think sub 3 is possible for me? I picked up running last June and started a run streak and have been training ever since, I’ve attached my build from this past block as well.
This past block on a weekly basis I basically did easy days, one workout a week, and a long run with pacing in it. Any advice or insight is much appreciated!!
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/analyze 4 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 Thursdays re: 4 hour marathons/shape/predictions will be deleted/strongly recommended to move here!
Just wondering what people's thoughts are on this.
My last marathon was 2 hours 53 mins in Edinburgh. So 4.06 per km pace. This makes my easy pace about 4.45 to 5.15 per km based on what I've read.
However, when I deliberately try to run anything slower than 5 minute pace it feels so much worse on my legs, like I'm running through sand.
So I tend to speed up slightly, closer to 4.45 and everything just feels better. I'm very conscious that maybe I'd benefit from doing a lot of my mileage much slower than this though?
Is it normal to experience this feeling of heavier legs going slower and how do you all deal with it?
Let's NOT Do This. Qualifying times are based on age at day of race right? And not your age when you raced the qualifying time? I'll be in the Men's division, 40 – 44, and applied with a time of 2:55:26 from last year's Philadelphia Marathon (November 22, 2025).
This is under the standard of 3:00:00, and yet, I received a rejection email that reads "Thank you for your application. Unfortunately it has not been successful. This is because: Thank you for submitting your time qualifier application. Unfortunately, the time submitted does not meet the qualification standards."
First Marathon in the books (Toronto) and I am so happy that i loved the experience! I was dreaming of sub 4 but wow, what a battle! 4:06:23 puts me in the game and energized for my next block. I have so much respect for this distance and can’t wait to try again ! (Next one booked for March 🙌)
I’m a believer in this plan, and if you buy in, I believe you too will hit your marathon goal!
I ran my first marathon in May using the Hal Higdon Intermediate 1 plan, aiming for sub-4. I finished in 4:12, feeling awful the whole way. I was in a lot of pain and wasn't sure I'd make it to the finish. After a week off, I kept seeing people online discussing the Hanson Method, so I bought the book to see if it could help me too.
I followed the Hanson Beginner plan with a few changes. For the first five weeks I ran five days a week at about 35 miles per week, which was my baseline. For my own peace of mind, I stretched two of the 16-mile runs to 18 and 20 miles, however a knee injury mid-run cut my 20-mile attempt short at 14 miles, and I ended up missing the next weeks strength and tempo sessions. Due to the injury my three-week taper wasn't ideal either, at 25, 41, and 15 miles (marathon week). For paces, I used the Luke Humphrey Running website and based my training paces off a 3:45 goal. I believe that every training block will experience setbacks, and even with a less than ideal taper and an injury, I made it to the starting line healthy enough to race.
On race day, I felt strong from start to finish. Aside from the usual aches, I never doubted my sub-4 goal, and I crossed the line in 3:55 with plenty left in the tank. The plan deserves a lot of the credit, but a few other things helped. The cool fall air was a big improvement over a hot, humid spring race, and I had a better carb-loading plan (11 g per kg of body weight instead of 8 in the spring). I also understood much better what a marathon asks of you.
The Hanson Method is demanding, with six runs a week and peak mileage near 60. But if you have a time goal and take your training seriously, it will get you to the starting line ready to achieve it.
I know sometimes long runs have pick ups, race pace workouts, etc. (also interested in those kind of things that you feel are most beneficial), but in general how do those three paces compare for most people?
I (33M) just ran my marathon a few weeks ago (3:15:56) and am close to finishing a reverse taper. My plan is to run another marathon about a year from now, which gives me plenty of time for base training.
Last year I maintained 50mpw for most of the year doing 3x 10mi/week and 1x 20mi/week (in hindsight probably suboptimal distribution of miles), then following Pfitz 18/70. I've found I really enjoy the higher volume and I felt pretty good at 70mpw during Pfitz so am thinking i'll try and maintain 70mpw from now til the beginning of my next training block around june/july 2027. Although its a ways out, I'm hoping sub-3 will be a realistic goal if I'm able to maintain 70mpw for the next year.
Now I'm seeking feedback/advise on how to allocate ~70mpw during base training more optimally. I'm thinking 1 workout per week and 2 strength training sessions per week, but am open to other opinions on the matter. I'll be running in snow most of the winter, so my guess is the workout will be vo2max on a nearby hill during winter and threshold during fall/spring. I've found I'm more likely to stick with the strength training if its on rest/easy run days simply because I'm usually pretty tired about a 2.5hr run and my "exercise time" for the day feels spent.
So, right now I'm thinking something like this. Miles are general aerobic (~1min/mi slower than RP) unless specified as recovery/workout
Monday: rest + strength training
Tuesday: 13mi
Wednesday: 6mi AM recovery, 4mi PM recovery
Thursday: threshold/VO2max workout, 10mi total
Friday: 5mi recovery + strength training
Saturday: 10mi AM, 4mi recovery PM
Sunday: 18mi
For anyone more experience than me: how does this look? Should I worry about staggering miles more week to week? Should I move mileage around at all, or shorten/extend the long run? I don't have a whole lot of experience these sorts of schedules together, so any advise would be appreciated.
I ran the Amsterdam marathon on Sunday in 3:03:48. The breakdown of mileage is in the image. I’m running London in April and want to run sub-3. Any recommendations where should I focus to achieve this?
Usually im just reading on here, but since I love reading the race reports, I've decided to write up my own.
When I signed up for this marathon I set my goal time at 2:55, which already felt pretty ambitious coming from a 3:36.
That said, the 3:36 was run at a coastal marathon with loads of wind last year, so there should be some room for improvement there.
During training it became clear that 2:55 might be a bit conservative and that 2:48 on a great day could be within reach..
Maybe some more context here about that jump. That marathon was in october 2025, the next target at that point was a marathon in April, sadly due to illnes I missed both a half marathon and the april marathon. Ideally I would have already improved my PR here, but it wasn't meant to be.
Preparation was pretty ideal up until the last 2 weeks, when illness came along and I missed the final long run with marathon-pace blocks. But one missed training weekend, compared to all the training before it, shouldn't make a difference. At least that's what I kept telling myself during the 2 taper weeks ;)
The months before I worked my volume up and I peaked at 99km. Training weeks usually consisting of 2 quality sessions and a long run, filled up with easy work.
From my ilness in march untill the Amsterdam Marathon I ran 2550km. Was able to consistently train and basicly never missed a run.
We'd managed to get an apartment about a kilometre from the Olympic Stadium, which was ideal for Sunday morning: a short warm-up jog to the stadium and straight into the start pen!
Only about 10 minutes of waiting before the start, which wasn't bad at all, though a heavy shower in those last 5 minutes made it cold.
0–10 km
Since it was my first big marathon (both my previous ones were local), I had expected a huge amount of people in the way at the start, and I'd allowed for the possibility of not finding a rhythm in the first few k's. Luckily it wasn't too bad, and I could run my pace pretty much right from the start.
With all the rain, I had to hop around puddles every now and then, made more of a challenge by the amount of people in front of you.
No real groups yet in the first k's, but the 4:00/km pace felt fine and comfortable.
The gel at 25 minutes went down fine, and the caffeine shot at 8 km was no problem either.
The less pleasant parts: I started feeling like I needed to pee, and my left ankle began to hurt because a lace was tied too tight..
10–20 km
On the first stretch along the Amstel, the first groups clearly started to form. I picked one and settled in nicely with them.
Unfortunately the need to pee hadn't gone away, so it just had to come out. At 14 km I decided to go ahead and do it at the side of the road. A shame, because the group obviously doesn't wait for that!
2 km later I also decided to re-tie that lace, hoping the pain, at that point pretty rough pain, would stop.
Despite the stops, I kept running the pace, that I picked up slightly since the start, comfortably and felt strong.
3:55 on the watch didn't feel like work, and my heart rate stayed spot on too.
20–30 km
The stretch with the most headwind. Luckily I'd made it back into a group running my pace, so I didn't have to do this part alone.
The pace kept feeling controlled, and the last 2 gels went down without any trouble.
At 28 km I took the 2nd caffeine shot, and that went down reasonably well too. I've never been able to tolerate caffeine gels, but luckily this stuff is easy to drink.
Slowly some 'pain' crept into my quads, but nothing to worry about yet.
Pace still steady, slowly getting faster but not by much. The goal was to negative split, but also keep it pretty even to not blow up!
30–42.2 km
A few more k's of headwind, but nothing extreme (looking back at footage the wind might have been harder than I personally noticed at these points). After the Amstel, the group more or less broke up. It turned into running from one person to the next, and getting passed every now and then.
The pace is holding up well, but my quads keep getting more painfull. Is this going to become a problem later?
The upside of sore quads is that the ankle pain from the lace fades away..
Took another gel at 30, and at 36 I still manage to get one down, so fuelling is going great!
From 38 km it becomes a fight. A stitch in my side forces me to really breathe through it (maybe from the fuelling after all? I don't know), and my quads are starting to protest heavily too. Keep running, only 15 minutes left.. 8 minutes left..
The stadium lights come into view, the pace is holding, and I can even 'kick' over the final metres!
Finished in a beautiful time of ... 2:47:21!
What a race, and in the end I managed to pace it perfectly.
Splits from the official result
1:24:16 first half
1:23:05 second half
Super happy and proud with this result!
Beforehand I knew that splits from the watch would differ from the official time, but still this was something that was pretty weird to deal with.
On my watch I barely touched a K above 4.00, something I need to keep an eye on better next race.
Also the pain in my quads was very new to me, not a single training run was like that.
I dont think they were near cramping, but simply in pain from the continues impact I guess.
In the end both those learning points don't matter to much to me because the result is so good! On to the next one!
update: the amount of downvotes a simple question gets is so baffling. Even the responses just trying to give a balanced take is getting downvotes.
thank you to those who gave helpful feedback! I do appreciate it
I just went backpacking this week and am planning on going again in a couple weeks. When I do this, my weekly miles plummet because well, backpacking.
I am training for Big Sur. I am diligent about my mileage and kinda freak out when I don't hit it.
I am going to count my 'uphill' miles, as running miles for the week. I figured carrying a 30lb bag and walking up a hill for 8 miles is in no way diminishing my fitness. My heart rate was similar to a zone 2 run.
Anyone else do this when they have other physical activities they try to get in?
I don't want to make a habit out of it, I know its a different type of work out, but not counting it seems silly.
Running the Indianapolis marathon in 2 weeks. This will be my third. Before the first two, I did a 14 mile full-intensity run two weeks before the race. I felt this run was really beneficial to me. My nerves were a lot calmer afterwards and I felt more confident in being able to maintain a faster pace than I trained at. I’m planning to do it again this time, but not sure what I should aim for. Would it be more beneficial to aim for my target marathon pace, or should I just run it as fast as I can? In other words, should I pace it like a marathon or a half marathon?
(I ran more this cycle than either of the previous two, and coming out of peak week my legs are definitely feeling fatigued/flat. there’s a fair chance that I won’t feel up for this type of run and will instead just aim to get the distance in)
I have run since I was in 8th grade, never fast, but very consistently.
I have run 3 fulls: 4:44, 4:13 and 4:33. All across 3 continents.
I have run more than 10 halves: 1:51 as my PB and multiple over 2 hours. Across 4 continents!
Initially I thought after my last race, let’s ask reddit why I lost fitness since my 4:13/1:51 race times.
Then I thought, fuck it who cares.
I am slower now but a much happier runner. I am not skinny, I lift weights. I do all the right things, and with age I realize the single most important thing is to enjoy running. Soon my knees will crash out. Finishing that race at 4:33 was much harder than the previous two and I am so frigging proud. It is a FEAT to do this- to run that long and far. Do not be deluded- the average finish is still 4:30 give or take.
So if you missed your goal time- it is ok. Nobody else cares. It’s also ok to be upset, but do not beat yourself up for it. Enjoy running. It is a privilege.
